Cuba’s annual cigar fair, which was set to be held the last week of February, has been postponed organizers said Saturday, as the island faces blackouts and severe fuel shortages brought about by a U.S oil embargo.

In a statement, the cigar fair’s organizer, Habanos S.A. said it decided to postpone the iconic event to “preserve its high standard of quality.”

Habanos S.A., a joint venture between the state-owned company Cubatabaco and international firm Altadis, holds the global monopoly on Cuban cigar sales.

Every year, the company hosts the annual Habanos Festival, a key event for cigar aficionados and distributors worldwide, where attendees tour tobacco plantations, participate in auctions and witness the latest in craftsmanship.

The statement by Habanos S.A. did not set a new date for the 26th edition of the cigar fair.

Last year, the event closed with an auction in which $18 million was paid for a batch of highly coveted, hand rolled cigars. The company last year also reported record sales of $827 million.

Several cultural events, including a book fair, have been postponed in Cuba this month as the island grapples with the most severe fuel shortages and power blackouts in years.

In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that sold oil to Cuba, as Washington puts more pressure on the island’s communist leadership to implement political and economic reforms.

Cuba imports about 60% of its energy supply, and had long relied on Venezuela and Mexico for much of its oil.

But shipments from Venezuela were canceled in January following the removal of that nation’s then-president Nicolas Maduro in a U.S. military raid, a move that also resulted in greater U.S. oversight over Venezuela’s oil industry.

Shipments from Mexico stopped in mid-February following Trump’s tariff threat.

Earlier this week, three Canadian airlines canceled flights to Cuba after the island’s government announced there would be no jet fuel for planes seeking to refuel at Cuba’s airports. Other airlines have maintained their flights to the island but will be refueling their planes with stopovers in the Dominican Republic.

The fuel shortages have also hurt tourism on the island, with some agencies canceling trips as the government shuts down some hotels, and relocates tourists in a bid to save electricity.

Tabacuba, a state-run tobacco company, lamented the postponement of this year’s cigar fair in a statement, saying it had come about due to “the complex economic situation that the nation is facing, as a result of the intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade” imposed by the United States.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Doctors Without Borders has announced the suspension of some operations at one of Gaza ‘s largest functioning hospitals after patients and staff reported seeing armed, masked men roaming parts of the building.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis is one of the territory’s few functioning hospitals. Hundreds of patients and war-wounded have been treated there daily, and it was a hub for Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for Israeli hostages as part of the current ceasefire deal.

The comments by the aid group, which is also known by its acronym MSF, are a rare announcement by an international organization about the presence of armed men in or near medical facilities in Gaza since the war began over two years ago.

MSF said in a statement all its noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital were suspended due to security breaches that posed “serious security threats to our teams and patients.”

“MSF teams have reported a pattern of unacceptable acts including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons,” it said.

While the suspension occurred in January, it was first disclosed in MSF’s “frequently asked questions” section on its website. It’s unclear when the post was made, but the site said it was updated Feb. 11.

MSF said it made the difficult decision after an increase of patients and staff seeing armed men in parts of the hospital compound since the U.S.-brokered October ceasefire was reached. The gunmen were seen in areas where the group didn’t operate.

Attacks on health facilities

MSF said it wasn’t able to indicate the armed men’s affiliation. It said it had expressed concern to the “relevant” authorities, without elaborating, stressing that hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces. It said its concerns were heightened by previous, deliberate Israeli attacks on health facilities.

Throughout the war, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, including Nasser, accusing the militant group of operating in or around them. Hamas security men often have been seen inside hospitals, blocking access to some areas.

Some hostages released from Gaza have said they spent time during captivity in a hospital.

While Hamas remains the dominant force in areas not under Israeli control, including Nasser Hospital, other armed groups have mushroomed across Gaza as a result of the war, including groups backed by Israel’s army in the Israeli-controlled part of the strip.

Nasser Hospital staff say that in recent months it has been repeatedly attacked by masked, armed men and militias, despite police presence there.

Police to be deployed

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry, which oversees police in Gaza, said officers would be deployed to secure hospitals and rid them of armed presence. It said it was implementing stricter measures to ensure patients’ safety.

While international law gives hospitals special protections during war, they can lose this immunity if combatants use them to hide fighters or store weapons, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Still, there must be plenty of warning to allow the evacuation of staff and patients before any operations take place. If harm to civilians from an attack is disproportionate to the military objective, it is illegal under international law.

Aid groups and rights organizations say Israel has decimated Gaza’s health system, forcing most hospitals to shut down while heavily damaging others. During the war, Israeli forces raided a number of hospitals, detaining hundreds of staff.

Israel also has targeted the police in Gaza.

A weakened medical system

MSF said it will continue supporting critical services at Nasser Hospital, including inpatient and surgical departments for patients with traumatic or burn injuries. However, it is ending support to the pediatrics and maternity wards, including the neonatal intensive care unit. It has also indefinitely suspended its outpatient consultations for 3D burn screening and mental health, as well as other services.

Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the records department at Gaza’s Health Ministry, said MSF’s suspension would have a significant impact as hundreds of patients are admitted to the maternity and burn wards daily. He said the ministry would take over maternity patient care, but said burn victims won’t have many options.

Israel has been cracking down on aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including MSF. The group is one of more than three dozen that Israel has banned from operating in the strip for failing to comply with new registration rules.

MSF says Israel’s decision will have a catastrophic impact on its work in Gaza, where it provides funding and international staff for six hospitals and operates two field hospitals and eight primary health centers, clinics and medical points. It also runs two of Gaza’s five stabilization centers, helping children with severe malnutrition.

The toll of war

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the fragile ceasefire has been seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 591 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel’s military on Saturday said its troops “eliminated” a person in northern Gaza who crossed the line dividing the territory and approached them.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the overall Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 72,051.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.

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Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

They got some joy at last. Their scrum, completely dominant, was key and their big runners took them deep into Scotland’s 22. The resistance held, but only for so long. Ford’s lovely delayed pass sent Arundell in. Quite a half for the wing.

Ford narrowed the gap to seven points soon after as England threatened to build up a head of steam. Their respite was dismantled in quick order when Scotland struck for their third score.

It was wonderful Russell invention once again that sparked it, the fly-half scampering down the short side, skipping past Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill and managing to kick through in the process of falling over.

Ellis Genge was in the back field and seemingly in control of the situation only to slide and let the ball fall loose. White was on to him like a shot and touched down for a smash-and-grab that sickened England. Russell added the extras – a 14-point game now.

Arundell’s calamity came just before the end of a pulsating half when he took Steyn out in the air. A second yellow meant a 20-minute red – England were in deep trouble.

The visitors’ scrum superiority brought them three more points early in a second half that began without Ritchie on one side and Underhill. Both injured. On came Fagerson and Tom Curry and away we went.

England’s one area of joy was the scrum and their muscle in the set-piece saw Ford narrow the gap early in the second half. These were moments when Scotland had to dig deep.

England were getting on the front foot, but the Scottish defence held. More than that, they frustrated England. Going nowhere in the hosts’ 22. Ford opted to take an easy three with a drop goal in front of the posts.

It backfired. Fagerson was out like a bullet from a gun and charged down the kick, then scooped up the loose ball and fed Jones who galloped away with Scottish delirium ringing in his ears all the way.

Russell banged over the conversion and, incredibly, the underdogs were ahead by 18 with a bonus point in the bank.

England emptied their bench, brought on any amount of heavy hitters, but could only manage a late, late try for Earl, converted by Ford. Scotland’s lead was 11 – and to the utter ecstasy of the home fans, it stayed that way.

The six-part docuseries explores the real life story of notorious serial killer known as the ‘Killer Clown’ and is streaming free now.

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A “harrowing” true crime documentary examining disturbing offences has viewers finding it difficult to continue watching – and it’s available to stream without charge.

ITVX has discreetly released a six-part documentary series on its platform, investigating the genuine account behind “Devil in Disguise”.

John Wayne Gacy: The True Story features “distressing scenes” as it examines the life of infamous American serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

Known as the Killer Clown, Gacy murdered young men and boys during the 1970s. Operating undetected between 1972 and 1978, he preyed upon young men, sexually assaulting numerous victims before killing them and concealing their bodies in a mass burial site beneath his residence.

Currently available on ITVX, John Wayne Gacy The True Story chronicles his offences following the vanishing of a teenager, which prompted investigators to visit his property, reports the Mirror.

ITV describes it: “This chilling documentary reveals the true story behind ‘Devil in Disguise,’ exposing the shocking police failures that surrounded the crimes of John Wayne Gacy.”

The opening episode takes audiences back to 1992 when Gacy participated in an uncommon on-camera interview. Featuring real-life testimonies, the unsettling programme will appeal to true crime enthusiasts.

One viewer on TikTok described it as essential viewing, writing: “I nearly missed this one.”

In the video, the true crime enthusiast explained: “To be honest with you I’ve scrolled past this about 4 times because I thought thought it looks the same as the Devil in Disguise series and I’ve only just realised it’s actually a documentary.”

One viewer remarked: “Been on a whilst but it’s very bad crime wise. I found it hard to finish tbh.”

Another commented: “Watched it absolutely fantastic. Harrowing what happened.”

A third person said: “Absolutely brilliant series.”

The programme was described as “harrowing” with one Facebook user writing: “I watched both the documentary and drama versions both really interesting, still so many unanswered questions especially in the documentary.”

Another viewer said: “Definitely worth watching!” A third responded: “Oh I’ve binged watched this on itvx.”

The documentary series accompanies the crime drama ‘Devil in Disguise’, which also premiered on ITV and ITVX earlier this year. Though initially broadcast in the US, the programme is a dramatisation rooted in actual events.

The series was described as follows: “Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life whilst weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and societal prejudices that fuelled his reign of terror.”

John Wayne Gacy: The True Story and Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy are both available to stream on ITVX.

Gregor Townsend has made four changes, with George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Gregor Brown and Jamie Ritchie coming into the starting XV. McBeth makes his first Six Nations start. Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe are still omitted from the squad.

Scotland starting XV: 15 Tom Jordan, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 George Turner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Gregor Brown, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: 16 Dave Cherry, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Williamson, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 George Horne, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Darcy Graham.

Steve Borthwick has made two changes to his starting side from last week. Luke Cowan-Dickie and Maro Itoje come in for Jamie George and Alex Coles. Fin Smith replaces Marcus Smith in the 23 shirt.

England starting XV: 15 Freddie Steward; 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 1Tommy Freeman, 2 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell; 10 George Ford 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Fin Smith.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has admitted his new-look Newcastle team is still searching for its identity as he targets FA Cup glory.

Newcastle head for Aston Villa in the fourth round on Saturday still dealing with the on-field fall-out of Alexander Isak’s £130m departure for Liverpool and the arrivals of Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale, Malick Thiaw, Jacob Ramsey, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa which surrounded it.

Howe said: “The words ‘patience’ and ‘understanding’, they’re rarely accepted, I think, in football management when you’re talking about your team. People want clarity on where you are, they want to know whether you’re good or bad. In the middle isn’t accepted.

“Don’t get me wrong, we could have done better and there are certainly things that we could improve, but I think longer term we’ll be better for it if we can work through this season and this period.

“The biggest thing is to find a clear identity and a clear way of playing, and then we can see what the future looks like with this team. If it’s positive then that could be a great thing.”

Tuesday night’s 2-1 Premier League win at Tottenham eased some of the pressure on Howe and his players after a disappointing run of results, although the departure of Spurs boss Thomas Frank the following day and Sean Dyche’s exit from Nottingham Forest 24 hours later highlighted the precarious nature of management.

Losing to the team 13th in English football’s third tier represents a new low in Burnley‘s season just as renewed optimism was starting to creep in.

Burnley‘s remarkable 3-2 come-from-behind win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday was their first victory in 16 Premier League games. The gloom started to lift slightly.

Parker’s side showed real fight and spirit at Selhurst Park, which made his decision to make nine changes to his team for the visit of Mansfield all the more baffling.

“When you don’t go through to the next round there will always be questions asked about that [team selection] but I don’t think that was the main factor today,” Parker told BBC Sport.

“We lacked a little something in those final moments. That was where we have fallen way short today.”

Burnley are not the first, nor will they be the last, Premier League side to ring the changes for a cup game against lower opposition.

But having been dumped out of the League Cup by Cardiff City back in September, the FA Cup was the supporters’ only chance to distract themselves from looming relegation.

“It is embarrassing, the changes he made. Play your strongest team. He made nine changes, and the second half was embarrassing,” former Burnley defender David Unsworth said on BBC Radio East Lancashire.

“It is an embarrassing afternoon for Burnley. It gives the owner a decision to make now. He has to listen to the fans, they are not happy.

“For the first time I have witnessed all home ends of the stadium booing and disgruntlement. The owner has a decision to make.”

Chairman Alan Pace, the leader of the club’s owners ALK Capital, isn’t the most popular at Turf Moor either at the moment.

This week he angered fans when, during an interview with BBC Football Focus, he dismissed fan concerns as coming from those who “just play this game on a computer somewhere”.

He went on to liken those same fans to three-year-old toddlers having a tantrum.

Pace used Saturday’s programme notes to clarify his words, writing: “I did not intend for my words to upset, but I did mean what I was trying to say which was that, just because some are upset, does not mean that things are dire and without hope.”

Many Burnley fans will be hoping Pace calls time on Parker’s spell in charge, though the former Premier League midfielder said he is confident is his own position at the club.

“I am very comfortable in my position at this present moment in time. We have lost a game of football today against a team we should be beating,” Parker told BBC Sport.

“We had numerous chances. Of course you are always going to judge a result and today is a bad one, we take the flak for that, the team and myself.”

The Winter Fuel Payment, or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment as it’s known in Scotland, provides up to £300 to help older people cover heating bills. While most eligible pensioners receive the payment automatically, some must submit a claim before the cut-off date of March 31, 2026.

With the deadline looming, pensioners and their families are being urged to check eligibility, confirm payment details, and ensure no support is left unclaimed.

How to claim a missing Winter Fuel Payment

You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post – just fil in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR

Or you can call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone.
Telephone: 0800 731 0160

Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Before you call, you will need to know:

• your National Insurance number
• your bank or building society details
• the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate)

For pensioners with a taxable income of more than £35,000, the Government said the payment will be taken back through the tax system during in the 2026/27 financial year.

What other help is available for pensioners this winter?

Amid rising living costs, it’s worth accessing every form of support available.

There’s a full guide to the help available here.

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount has been expanded this winter, meaning 6 million households will receive £150 off their energy bills this winter.

Around 2.7 million extra households should have received £150 off their energy bills, bringing up the number to 6 million in total – including 900,000 families with children and a total of 1.8 million households in fuel poverty.

Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?

Those on means-tested DWP benefits, including:

• Housing Benefit 
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 
• Income Support 
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit) 
• Universal Credit

For the vast majority of recipients, £150 will be automatically deducted from their energy bill.

DWP Cold Weather Payment

This £25 a week grant aims to help people with their heating bills when temperatures drop to zero. It is paid out by the Department for Work and Pensions to eligible households whenever the average temperature in the area drops to freezing or below for seven consecutive days.

It’s organised by postcodes, and payments are triggered if zero temperatures are either forecast or recorded between November 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.

It only runs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there’s a one-off Winter Heating Payment of nearly £60.

£150 off energy bills in 2026

In the autumn budget, Rachel Reeves announced all households would get £150 off their energy bills in 2026. Confusingly, this is separate from the Warm Home Discount, and eligible bill-payers will get both.

Occupational discounts

Dave Crawley, Finance Director at Discounts for Teachers and Health Service Discounts, said many former public sector workers are unaware they remain entitled to substantial savings even after retirement.

“Amid ongoing conversations about the rising cost of living and the support available to pensioners through DWP benefits, it’s important to highlight the additional help that retired NHS and education professionals can access,” he says.

“Many people don’t realise that even after leaving the workforce, they remain eligible for thousands of exclusive discounts through Health Service Discounts and Discounts for Teachers.

Our platforms are completely free to use and offer real, meaningful savings on everyday essentials, travel, leisure, and more, helping former healthcare and education staff stretch their pensions further at a time when every pound matters.”

Friends have shared how ‘everything changed’ in an instant for the Prince and Princess of Wales

Prince William’s heartbreak and battle behind closed doors over his wife’s cancer diagnosis has been uncovered for the first time, with friends sharing how “everything changed” in an instant for the couple.

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is now in remission after being diagnosed with cancer in 2024. The diagnosis came after she was admitted to the London Clinic for major abdominal surgery. After the operation, she spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and was recuperating at home when she received the diagnosis of cancer and began chemotherapy.

After stepping away from royal duties to undergo treatment and recuperate, Kate has more recently been carrying out more regular engagements after slowly easing back into her public royal duties over the past year and a half.

It’s now been revealed how both William and Kate tackled the unexpected card they had been dealt, which came as an added blow following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.

In a new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, which is being serialised by the Mirror, the publication’s Royal Editor Russell Myers writes: “While the start of the year usually represents a gentle beginning to the royal calendar, 2024 was about to change all that.

“William was left in an extraordinary position. Suddenly, with three children to care for at home and no live-in staff at their Adelaide Cottage home, and with his wife and father in hospital, his future was looking decidedly different. When the Princess of Wales entered hospital on 16 January, and was then ghosted out two weeks later to disappear completely from public view for potentially months on end, it created an incredible vacuum of information.

“When Catherine went in, he was fairly resolute,’ said a close aide. ‘They both very calmly told the children what was going on and how long Catherine would need to be away for, but explained other than that everything would continue as normal and when she came home, she would need to rest up for a bit.’”

Russell continues: “Catherine was able to keep in touch with her family through video calls from her bedside, catching up on what George, Charlotte and Louis had been doing at school and asking if ‘Papa’ had been able to cook for them while she had been away.

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“At that time it seemed to all be perfectly in hand, they were the calmness in the storm certainly. But away from the children he was of course incredibly pensive. His father’s illness brought into focus just how quickly his life, and that of his family as well as the whole landscape of the institution, could change very quickly.”

The book continues to detail the moment Kate, with William by her side, was given the news, and her decision to share her diagnosis publicly. “Two weeks before that moment on a warm spring afternoon in March when she had sat down to pose for a photograph with her family, Catherine had been contacted by her medical team at the London Clinic,” Russell writes.

“With William by her side, the Princess of Wales, who had previously been in for a major, yet routine abdominal operation, was told that secondary tests had shown cancer was present. The advice was an immediate course of preventative chemotherapy in order to give her the best chance of a full recovery.

“Friends of Catherine say that although she was caught completely in shock, she remained composed. Her first thoughts were of her children and her husband. William, according to friends, later told how he was in ‘a state of disbelief’. First his father had been diagnosed with cancer, and a month later his wife was now facing a similar challenge. Catherine called her parents and her siblings to tell them, then she and William resolved to gather the children and impart what they knew in the best and most positive way possible.”

Russell says that Catherine had already decided to release a personal statement after seeing the “positivity and warmth that had greeted the King when he had been so open about his own diagnosis”.

He continues: “More than that, though, the princess believed that her experience could benefit others in similar distressing circumstances. Catherine’s family rallied round, with her sister Pippa helping to write the script for the short video statement.

“Dressed in a simple striped jumper and jeans, sitting on a wooden bench and surrounded by a serene spring backdrop of daffodils – a world away from the disgraceful chaos peddled by faceless social media trolls – Catherine calmly described how the diagnosis had come as a ‘huge shock’ on top of an’incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family’.

“The message, recorded in complete secrecy by a BBC special events team, was broadcast on the 6pm national news and online. Much like the announcement of the death of Elizabeth II, it felt like an earthquake whose reverberations were felt around the world. ‘The days beforehand were filled with shock, but at that moment, it was genuinely as if the world stood still’, said a senior courtier.

“‘Everyone knew it was a huge moment. It was incredibly emotional. But to know both she and William had had to prepare themselves to tell their three young children that Mummy was ill and would have to go back to hospital, but that she would be OK, was just extraordinary’.”

A close friend also spoke of the prince’s reaction. “It was like being hit by a bus, sudden, brutal, and completely disorienting. One moment life was normal, and the next, everything changed. He worships her, truly. She’s his world, and when the diagnosis came, it was as if the ground beneath him vanished.

“He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once. Watching him go through it was deeply emotional. You could see it in his eyes; in the way he held himself. But through it all, his devotion to her never wavered. He’s been by her side every step, and the depth of his devotion is something that stays with you. It’s love in its rawest, most powerful form.”

Discussing how William tackled his wife’s ill health, Russell writes: “The Prince of Wales took charge of the school drop-offs, while Catherine’s parents and siblings were regular visitors to the family home in Windsor. Quiet evening dinners were enjoyed at home, playdates were organised to keep the children entertained and there were weekends away at the Middletons’ family home in Berkshire – all part of enveloping George, Charlotte and Louis with as much love and support as possible. While the children benefited from having their mum at home all the time, the road of treatment and recovery was not simple.

“Once the initial shock of her diagnosis had passed, the schedule of regular hospital appointments and the time needed to recuperate and regain enough strength to start each week, both physically and mentally, took its toll. ‘Throughout everything thrown at her, she was incredibly upbeat’, a friend said.”

William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, published on 26 February by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now

The man ‘collided with a stationary police van’ after coming off his pedal cycle

A man has died in Liverpool after coming off his bike during an attempted police stop yesterday (February 13). Merseyside Police confirmed today (February 14) the rider died following the incident at around 3.15pm on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool‘s Georgian Quarter.

A spokesperson for the force said he was rushed to hospital after the attempted police stop.

On Saturday lunchtime, a large-scale police presence remained on the road where the crash took place. A police cordon was still in place at the scene of the incident, alongside a forensics tent and a number of police and forensics officers at work.

Earlier on Saturday police issued a statement urging the public not to speculate, and stating the man, who was 23, had been taken to hospital. A later statement, released at 1.49pm, confirmed he had died, the ECHO reports.

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In that later statement, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that a man involved in an incident on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool yesterday, Friday 13 February, has sadly died.

“At 3.15pm it was reported that a 23-year-old man had come off his electrically assisted pedal cycle on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool following an attempt by officers, who were taking part in a proactive police operation, to stop him and carry out enquiries.”

This statement, and the one issued earlier on Saturday, then added: “The man came off his bike after making contact with a police van, which was stationary at the time of the collision.”

However, in a 3.15pm update on Saturday, police issued a clarification to this “in conjunction with the IOPC”, which said: “After coming off his pedal cycle the man collided with a police van, which was stationary at the time.”

The statement added: “First aid and CPR was administered by officers at the scene. An ambulance was called and arrived at 3.23pm and the man was taken to hospital where he died a short time later. A post-mortem will be carried out to confirm the cause of death. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.

“We would continue to urge people not to speculate and avoid sharing rumours or misinformation. We are co-operating fully with an independent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).”

On Friday Arriva North West advised customers that bus services were diverted as a result of the police incident.

The company posted on X: “Due to a police incident, services 201 and 699 have been diverted via Crown Street and Oxford Street in both directions. Please allow extra time for your journey.”