A young man travelled to Somalia to join ISIS after asking an AI chatbot how to make contact with members of the terror group, a court heard.

Mohamed Mohamoud, 22, was said to be ‘longing for martyrdom’ when he was ‘welcomed’ to the organisation by an AI chatbot on Telegram. 

He had initially messaged a recruiter for Islamic State on TikTok before being added to propaganda channels on encrypted messaging service Telegram, a jury heard.

There he was allegedly sent videos of beheadings and executions with rocket propelled grenades meant to ‘glorify IS soldiers and inspire violence’. One video was ‘high quality’ and 30 minutes long, the court heard.

He had sought advice from the AI chatbot before travelling to Somalia in a failed attempt to get to one of terror group’s strongholds, it is alleged. 

Jurors at his trial were told speaking to AI chatbots was now part of the vetting process for joining ISIS.

Mohamoud is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of preparing for acts of terrorism between October 1 2024 and March 5 2025.

The court heard he is originally from the Puntland area of north Somalia and moved to the UK in 2020 to join his mother and brother who were living in Bristol.

Naomi Parsons, prosecuting, said he became radicalised while living in the UK and ’embraced the ideology of Islamic State’.

She told the jury: ‘And with this came a strong desire to return to Somalia and join Isis, to join the Mujahideen, it literally means one who struggles or a fighter, who operate in the mountainous areas near a city called Bosaso, in the north of the Puntland region.

‘Indeed, not only was it a strong desire, but Mr Mohamoud viewed it as his duty.’

Ms Parsons said he then tried to find a contact to help him join the terrorist group.

‘By late 2024 Mr Mohamoud had resolved to join Islamic State in Somalia and bring that into effect,’ she said. 

‘The process is not easy. It is not transparent. You don’t just fill out a form and pay a fee.

‘It takes connections. It takes AI bots and humans working together to find those who are ideologically aligned, the real deal, to join Islamic State.’

‘He went online to speak to AI bots and real people.

‘He found a contact online and told them: ‘I am a Somali boy living in England. I want to travel to Bosaso to join the Mujahideen. Do you know the process on how to migrate?’

He failed to find a guide but booked a flight to Somalia anyway and flew on January 30 2025.

He had booked a return flight for March 3 but had no intention of returning to the UK, she said.

‘As messages show, Mr Mohamoud had no intention of returning to the UK. Indeed, he aspired not simply to join Isis, but he aspired to martyrdom,’ she told the court. 

‘It seems the return ticket was simply to put his family members off the scent – his family were suspicious of him, his mother told him she thought he had been ‘brainwashed by Al-Shabaab’, another terrorist organisation operating in Somalia’.

He is said to have told a contact: ‘God willing I am ready to leave here and I will not return.’

Mohamoud stayed in the country with his grandmother and continued to regularly speak to two contacts within Islamic State, it was heard.

He told one: ‘I am sincere. Only God knows what’s in my heart.

‘I’m longing for martyrdom honestly. There’s no better time than now.’

The court heard his constant use of his phone to send messages, take photos and speak to AI bots has provided a wealth of information on his goings-on in the country and his attempts to join Islamic State.

Islamic State in Somalia, also known as IS-Somalia, is a militant group founded in 2015 from a splinter group of another Al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group.

It aims to overthrow the government in the East African country, establish an Islamic fundamentalist society and act as a support network for ISIS globally.

However because of an ongoing military operation against Islamic State by the Somali government, roads were closed off to the organisation’s bases and Mohamoud was unable to join them.

Ms Parsons said the counter-terrorism operations meant ‘getting into Isis territory was incredibly difficult’.

She said Mohamoud had taken enough money to live on in Somalia and was concerned if he had not reached ISIS by the time of his return ticket he would be reported missing and action would be taken to find him.

He had bought supplies for his mission including hiking boots and a solar-powered battery pack, but struggled to find a ‘guide’ to joining Isis.

Ms Parsons said that after arriving in Somalia, Mohamoud sent a message to a bot used to facilitate contact with ISIS saying he had come from the UK and wanted to ‘join the Mujahideen’.

She said he was then put in contact with two recruiters but was told by one called Abu Ali: ‘Did you realise we’re actually in the middle of a war? You realise how dire things have got. Air strikes keep pounding and there’s fierce combat happening as we speak. You’re following all this?’

Ms Parsons said that Mohamoud replied: ‘Yeah brother, I am fully aware. I’m longing for martyrdom, honestly, there’s no better moment than right now.’

But he was told that the ‘roads’ were closed to joining Isis because of the ‘war’. He was offered a role spying on local communities in the country but it was not in the military as he had hoped and he returned to the UK on his flight on March 3. He was arrested in January when his mobile phones were seized.  

Detective Constable George Reed, who specialises in counter terrorism and was the officer in the case, explained how Mohamoud used the chatbot.

He explained that Mohamoud said ‘translation #start’ in the chat, which activated the bot.

DC Reed said: ‘This is a command prompt for people to access a bot and start chatting with a bot and getting messages from that bot.

‘It’s a programme on Telegram to give pre-determined messages to people in that chat.’

The bot told the young hopeful ‘Welcome’ and he replied: ‘I’m happy to be here.’

DC Reed said that Mohamoud continued to pester his contacts in Somalia about meeting Abdul Qādir Mūmin – the head of IS-Somalia.

He messaged another prospective militant who lived in the country: ‘Hey brother if you are in the country shall we go to Sheikh Mūmin and meet him there.’

Mohamoud was warned by his recruiters that the UK was a ‘bad country’. 

One told him: ‘Brother the country you’re in is a bad one. My advice is to use a Somali number and not your one.

‘Even me in the motherland I’m not safe and you being in their home it is a risk.’

At one point the recruiter referred to a chatroom exclusively for migrants who want to join IS.

He said: ‘Brother I will take you to the room where the migrants are sent if you’re ready.’

DC Reed explained that Mohamoud received his information about Somalia from online sources on Facebook, TikTok and Telegram.

Mohamoud, who was assisted in the dock by a Somali interpreter, denies the charge and the trial continues.

Calvin Buckley’s partner Frankie Jules-Hough was killed in a crash on the M66 in Bury in May 2023.

She had been travelling with her two children and her nephew and all four were taken to hospital by air ambulance.

Tragically, 38-year-old Frankie died from her injuries a few days after the horror crash.

Now, it has been confirmed that driving offenders are not among those blocked from the early release scheme.

The scheme will see thousands of prisoners in England and Wales have their sentences reduced.

Today, after a review of the scheme by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, it was confirmed that those convicted of rape, child sex abuse, and grooming would be excluded from the scheme.

The scheme means that prisoners with sentences of over four years could be freed at their halfway point and less serious sentences could be released after a third of their time.

On Tuesday, August 4, Calvin told BBC Breakfast he was “quite shocked and disappointed” to hear the news.

He told the TV programme he received a letter in June saying the driver of the car might be up for early release.

Calvin said: “I did hope that people who’ve caused death by dangerous driving, serious offence like that were excluded from it.

“Now I’m having to deal with the fact that he could be released.

“Maybe it would be three years, which is something I wasn’t prepared for, and it was not what I was hoping to hear at all.”

The driver, Adil Iqbal, was originally sentenced to 12 years behind bars, but after an appeal, this became 15 years.

The court heard how Iqbal, 22, from Accrington, reached speeds of around 120mph as he swerved from side to side and he weaved in and out of the traffic.

He recorded himself on his phone in the process.

However, he crashed into the barrier, and he careered into the car of Frankie Hough, 38, from Chadderton, who was stranded on the hard shoulder with a puncture alongside her two sons and her nephew.

Iqbal admitted one count of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

When Frankie died, she was pregnant with their child, and on the day their daughter should have been born, Calvin was in court to appeal the driver’s original sentence.

Calvin told the BBC they believed the defendant would serve a minimum of two-thirds of the sentence, but this might now only be 50 per cent.

This would mean the driver would serve less time than before the appeal.

Calvin said: “We’ve been through all the trauma, the stress, still trying to heal from what’s happened and then we’re finding out, well, that sentence doesn’t actually mean anything.

“For me, it’s another example of road victims not being treated the same as other offences.”

He went on: “I understand there’s a crisis, I agree it needs to be addressed, but not at the expense of the victims.”

Calvin explained he had celebrated Frankie’s birthday this past week with her two sons in her absence and said: “It’s heartbreaking to think that the government are not seeing it as serious.”

CHICAGO (AP) — Tarik Skubal made his Los Angeles Dodgers debut on Tuesday night, pitching six effective innings against the Chicago Cubs.

It was the first start for Skubal since he was acquired in a trade with Detroit on Saturday night. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was booed when he was introduced with the starting lineups and once again when he went out to the mound for his first career appearance at Wrigley Field.

Skubal struck out three while retiring his first six batters. He surrendered a leadoff homer to Dansby Swanson on his first pitch of the third, and Chicago put two runners on with two down. But Skubal retired Alex Bregman on a flyball to center fielder Andy Pages, ending the inning.

Skubal allowed a second run on Nico Hoerner’s infield chopper with two down in the sixth, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead. He struck out six and walked two while throwing 85 pitches, 51 for strikes.

The NL West-leading Dodgers backed Skubal with a couple of stellar defensive plays. Pages robbed Seiya Suzuki and Pedro Ramírez with two terrific catches, and Kyle Tucker made a lunging grab on Nico Hoerner’s sinking liner to right in the second.

Los Angeles was hoping Skubal can play a key role in its third consecutive World Series championship. The left-hander went 4-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his last six starts for the Tigers, striking out 50 in 37 innings.

“He just does everything right,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And I’ve vetted him a lot with coaches and players, and in between the lines, he’s a dog. Outside the lines, he’s humble, respectful, does and says the right things, and it’s like, that’s what you want. Just fortunate that he’s pitching for us.”

Skubal’s arrival cemented the Dodgers’ status as the majors’ most imposing franchise and public enemy No. 1 for fans of other teams. A plane flew over Wrigley hours before his first start with a banner that read “THE DODGERS RUINED BASEBALL,” but the message appeared to be upside down.

“I don’t really sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for anything they’ve done,” Skubal said Monday. “They’ve developed a really good organization. They draft well, they acquire talent really well, retain talent. It’s a winning organization.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Collaboration between firm and Google will showcase residents can use AI tools already in their pockets to give them more time to focus on the tasks that they find most rewarding.

Tradespeople in Airdrie and its surrounding areas are invited to learn how artificial intelligence could help them work smarter, reclaim their time and grow their businesses, as Google and Screwfix bring practical AI upskilling to stores across the country.

The collaboration will showcase how Airdrie and North Lanarkshire residents and firms can use the AI tools already in their pockets to give them more time to focus on the tasks that they find most rewarding.

At Screwfix Airdrie on Thursday, August 13, Google’s experts will share helpful AI hacks in the time it takes trades and customers to replenish their tools, from using AI to turn sketches into 3D renderings and handwritten notes into client proposals, at a pop-up event.

Construction is emerging as one of the UK’s leading sectors for AI adoption with 86 per cent of workers using the technology on the job.

Yet, a major guidance gap holds the industry back from unlocking its full potential.

While 71 per cent of construction professionals are eager to expand their AI skills, 54 per cent simply don’t know who to turn to for advice on using the technology in their day-to-day life.

As a result, only 16 per cent of this group are advanced users extracting significant value from the technology.

AI has the potential to increase the average UK SMB’s productivity by 20 per cent – the equivalent of completing an extra day’s worth of work each week – according to Google’s ‘AI Works’ report.

Max Britten, Screwfix MD of UK and Ireland, said: “At Screwfix, we know that time is money for our customers.

“While they’re busy getting the job done, admin and paperwork can quickly pile up.

“That’s why we’re partnering with Google to show how AI can be a practical addition to the toolbox, helping tradespeople save time, work more efficiently and focus on growing their businesses.”

Kate Alessi, MD and VP, Google UK and Ireland, added: “Every tradesperson knows the value of the right tool, and AI is fast becoming another one in their kit.

“Yet, only a small fraction of time-strapped trades are using the technology to unlock a vital productivity boost.

“That’s why we’re excited to partner with Screwfix to put practical AI skills right on the counter, and help more tradespeople use AI to work more effectively and drive their businesses.”

Beyond the stores, Screwfix Rewards customers will have the opportunity to sign up for Google’s AI Professional Certificate for free.

This self-paced course offers the two million members of Screwfix’s loyalty programme a chance to gain in-depth guidance on using AI to solve real business challenges, from research support to content creation.

The AI Professional Certificate comes with three months of access to Google AI Pro at no cost, equipping participants with premium, productivity-boosting tools as they learn how to use the technology to help them grow their businesses.

*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.

St Nicholas Street in Norton is partially closed while Yorkshire Water deal with the repairs.

The road is closed between the junction with Welham Road and St Nicholas Street car park.

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A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “The repair has been completed today (Tuesday), and full reinstatement of the excavation will take place tomorrow. Thank you to everyone in the area for their patience. 

“We’re currently dealing with more leaks and bursts than usual as a result of the dry weather.

“As soil loses more and more moisture, the ground shrinks and shifts, which can cause fractures to pipework.

” We’re finding and repairing them as quickly as we can, with teams working 24/7.”

Mayor of Norton Cllr Di Keal, posted earlier this week that the water leak was getting worse with water now across the road.

She said: “There is an obvious crack between the white lines in the centre of the road with water bubbly out in addition to the manhole cover – goodness knows what is happening beneath the road AND how many gallons of water are being wasted.

“It is appalling that this has now been leaking for several weeks when the country is facing drought conditions.”

It’s become the most vilified food of modern times: red meat, particularly the type you buy in a packet. 

According to the World Health Organisation, processed red meat like bacon, ham and sausages definitely causes cancer due to toxic additives in the products.

British shoppers have got the memo. We’re eating 6,000 fewer tons of processed pig products this summer than we were at the beginning of the year. 

The concerns surround preservatives called nitrites, which give cured meat its characteristic pink colour and are commonly found in ham, sausages and bacon, along with other deli meats.  

Nitrites are known to react with compounds in meat to form chemicals called nitrosamines in the stomach, which have been linked to digestive cancers. 

A major 2019 study found that the risk of deadly bowel cancer rises by 20 per cent with every rasher of bacon – or slice of ham – eaten daily.

But I will put my reputation as a diet expert on the line to say, with confidence, that not all processed red meat is bad for you.

In fact, I believe one of the biggest nutritional travesties of the last decade is the vilification of what was once a much-loved British lunchbox staple: the ham sandwich.

Is a ham sandwich really healthy?

First, the surprising benefits. Most packaged ham is in fact a great source of protein-heavy energy that’s low in calories.    

Two average-sized slices deliver around 8g of protein for less than 50 calories, and less than 0.5g of saturated fat – drastically lower than an equivalent serving of cheddar cheese at 8.5g. There’s twice as much protein as you’ll find in cheese, in fact, and slightly more than in one egg.

It also provides a boost of vitamin B12 and thiamin – both of which are essential for helping convert food into energy. 

If you add a couple of slices of wholemeal bread into the mix, you’re looking at an extra 7g of vital fibre – a quarter of your recommended daily intake of the nutrient proven to prevent bowel cancer.

Crucially, the nitrites in ham don’t carry the same risk as they do in bacon.

The preservatives – which are almost exclusively added to processed meats and a handful of continental cheeses – can be harmful because they trigger a chain reaction that leads to cancer-causing chemicals.

The heat involved in frying, as well as the acidity in the gut, provokes a chemical reaction between nitrites and compounds in meat protein called amines. The result is carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Interestingly nitrites – and similar compounds called nitrates – also naturally occur in green, leafy vegetables like watercress and rocket, where they’ve been found to lower blood pressure.

Importantly, the amount of harmful nitrosamines produced depends enormously on how the meat you’re eating is prepared and cooked.

High heat is where much of the danger lies. Pan-frying bacon until it turns crisp can in fact encourage nitrosamines to form right there in the pan. 

At the same time, the browning and charring produced by frying, grilling or barbecuing any meat creates other potentially cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), adding another layer of risk.

By comparison, boiled or steam-cooked ham is prepared at relatively gentle temperatures of around 70-80°C before being eaten cold. Because it never experiences the intense heat of a frying pan or barbecue, it contains far fewer pre-formed nitrosamines than crispy bacon.

The raw ingredient matters, too. Pork naturally contains less haem iron – the red pigment that gives meat its colour – than beef. 

In 2019 experts suggested that eating more than 200g of meat a day raises the risk of an early death. This equates to around 6 rashers of bacon, 3 sausages, a steak or ten slices of ham

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Haem can fuel the chemical reactions that create nitrosamines during curing and cooking, which means ham may have a lower nitrosamine‑forming potential than cured beef products like pastrami or salt beef.

The cancer-causing reaction is also hampered by the recent addition of ascorbate – a form of vitamin C – to brines used to flavour both ham and bacon. 

Vitamin C helps intercept nitrites before they can react with compounds in meat and stomach acid to form nitrosamines.

This is all thanks to modern food safety regulations, which have also enforced much lower nitrite limits since the 1970s and 80s.

So a ham sandwich eaten with a glass of orange juice, some crunchy red pepper or a crisp side salad may produce fewer nitrosamines in the stomach than the very same sandwich eaten on its own.

What’s the healthiest ham to eat? 

There are two small drawbacks to a ham sandwich, the first being the salt content. A two-slice serving will set you back around 10 per cent of your daily limit. 

However, this is still roughly half as much as you’ll get in two rashers of bacon and no different to the amount in supermarket to-go sandwiches that don’t contain any red meat (like M&S’ chicken salad option). 

The other detail to note is the addition of phosphates in some products, which are used to retain moisture. 

Additive versions of the mineral – as opposed to the type that naturally occurs in food –  are absorbed rapidly by the body. For people with kidney disease – and potentially for healthy individuals over many years – consistently high intakes have been linked to poorer bone and cardiovascular health.

However, phosphate-free varieties are widely available and don’t necessarily cost any more. And if you’re a regular Diet Coke drinker, it’s likely you’re consuming far higher quantities of phosphate as the drink is teeming with phosphoric acid. 

If you’re still concerned about nitrites, opt for a parma ham or Serrano variety, which are made without the compounds. Supermarkets now stock nitrite-free versions of most deli hams. 

I wouldn’t eat a ham sandwich every day, but that is true for all foods; studies show the healthiest diets are the most varied. 

But would I happily eat ham a couple of times a week – even one containing standard nitrites and phosphates. 

On wholemeal bread with a generous handful of salad, it’s a lunch choice I’d make without a second thought.

NEW YORK (AP) — George Lombard Jr. homered in a memorable big league debut and the New York Yankees beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on Tuesday night.

In the fifth inning, Lombard homered in his second at-bat by hitting an 0-2 sweeper over the middle of the plate from St. Louis starter Hunter Dobbins (2-2) into the left-field seats. As he completed his first home run trot in the majors, Lombard’s parents hugged in the stands.

Lombard’s 392-foot drive gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead. It was the first homer by a Yankees player in his major league debut since Jasson Domínguez went deep in the first inning against Justin Verlander in Houston on Sept. 1, 2023.

At 21 years, 63 days old, Lombard became the sixth-youngest Yankees player since 1985 to make his debut and the second-youngest shortstop in that span. Derek Jeter debuted May 29, 1995, in Seattle at 20 years, 337 days.

Lombard also helped Ryan Weathers (5-7) pitch six strong innings by starting inning-ending double plays in the third and fifth.

In the third, Lombard ranged to his right, fielded Blaze Jordan’s grounder and made an off-balance throw to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the first out. In the fifth, Lombard ranged to his left, fielded Nathan Church’s grounder behind second base, stepped on the bag and made a clean throw to first baseman Ben Rice.

Chisholm also homered in the second as the Yankees won for the 10th time in 16 games.

Weathers allowed four hits in his second straight scoreless start. The lefty struck out six, walked none and stranded two in the sixth when Yankees newcomer Heliot Ramos charged in to catch Jose Fermin’s flyball to left field.

David Bednar got four outs for his 25th save in 27 chances to complete New York’s AL-best 12th shutout.

Dobbins allowed two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals were blanked for the sixth time. They scratched All-Star outfielder Jordan Walker shortly before first pitch due to right knee inflammation.

Up next

St. Louis RHP Andre Pallante (11-6, 3.72 ERA) opposes New York RHP Will Warren (11-6, 4.14) in Wednesday night’s series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Jamie opens up about starting therapy, moving to Barcelona, her new film ‘Girl Group’ and more in the latest episode

Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O’Donnell has spoken candidly about going no contact with her family as she underwent an ‘intense’ period of therapy.

The TV star opened up to Dish from Waitrose hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett OBE, about her sudden move to Barcelona, eating disorders and her ownership of a corner shop.

Jamie-Lee joins the list of countless famous faces to feature on the award-winning podcast, where she also referenced her Boost energy drink addiction and relationship with food.

She also revealed her therapy journey and how that led her to a new life in Spain just over a year ago.

Speaking on the podcast, she said: “So, um, I did therapy, which was pretty intense and really tough, to be honest. And then I got like to the end of it. I completed it. Cured, guys.

“All the healing’s done. But and then it was like, right, now time to sort of have a good big start for myself. So, I just sold my house and just went, mm, Barcelona. I know, it’s mental.”

She continued: “Well, I sort of, I’ve always been the sort of hyper independent. And if I wanted to do something, I’d done my research and then just did it- you know what I mean?

“And there’s a lot of good and bad with that. You sort of learn by mistakes- and as you keep going and stuff, and I’ve had plenty. Um, but this time, thankfully, uh, it’s worked out really well.”

Jamie-Lee then revealed that she does not speak to her family and how therapy led to that decision.

“Well, that’s part of the therapy. I had to go no contact with my entire family. I know, exclusive,” she said.

“But, um, but aye, it’s just one of those things, you know. And the more I’ve sort of talked about it and been honest about it, I’m seeing it’s, unfortunately, it’s not the most, um, unusual thing for adults.

“It’s just the way it is, you know.”

Jamie-Lee is the third Derry Girl star to feature on the podcast – following in the footsteps of Nicola Coughlan, Siobhán McSweeney and Saoirse- Monica Jackson.

She also opened up about her pride at the show and how it has become universal.

“I think it’s one of those jobs that whenever I do anything, you’ll get the odd person to be like, “I know this is not allowed, but can I get a photograph?” And I don’t mind it because I agree, I’m really proud of it. I think it’s such a universal show- and the type of, the, the type of people who ask and come up and want a photo is like so varied, which I think is just such a great reflection

of it. And there’s so many like older men that will be like, “Listen, my daughter or my granddaughter- she’ll love this, she’ll think I’m class, can I please get one?” I’m like, “Of course!”And it’s really nice.”

Dish from Waitrose is available on all podcast providers and Jamie-Lee’s episode is now available for listening

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

The former home of the Cobbles star, who played landlady Bet Lynch for decades, was at the centre of a planning furore earlier this year.

Unfounded rumours that there were plans for the £1.5m mansion at Primrose Hill Farm to be turned into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) for immigrants led to protests outside the Rochdale Road East site.

No valid planning application had actually been submitted to Rochdale Council at the time.

It led to concerns about disinformation being spread about the potential use of the property.

Protesters outside the property on Rochdale Road East in Heywood (Image: Danny Crompton)

Now, new proposals would see three en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor, alongside a kitchen, dining room, reception area, cinema room, and a family bathroom, according to council planning documents.

The site has been subjected to several changing applications in recent months.

Back in October 2025, a building control application for a 15-bed HMO was submitted to the council.

That application was amended on November 10, 2025, to allow for a 15-bedroom bed-and-breakfast.

Building control plans were amended again on February 11 to create 10 two-bedroom apartments and convert the stable conversion into a three-bedroom house.

Primrose Hill Farm, Rochdale Road East, Heywood. Uploaded by George Lythgoe. Credit: Manchester Evening News/Sean Hansford

The scheme was amended again on March 12 to convert the barn into a luxury residential house for one family, including an annex building.

The latest change is much like the planning application that was submitted a month earlier and is now being considered by the council’s planning officers.

Planning papers read: “Our plan aims to address the shortage of luxury housing in the area, which will bring numerous benefits.

“By increasing the supply of high-end properties, we’ll attract affluent residents and businesses, boosting local economic growth and creating jobs.

“This, in turn, will enhance the area’s reputation, improve infrastructure, and increase tax revenue for local services.

“The development will also include amenities like parks, shops, and restaurants, benefiting existing residents and making the area more vibrant.

“A key part of this plan involves restoring the historic barn, currently in a state of despair.

“Urgent work is needed to stabilise the structure, preserve its heritage, and bring it back into use.

“This will not only save a local landmark but also add character to the development, creating a unique selling point for luxury residents.

“Ultimately, our plan will revitalize the area, making it a desirable destination for luxury living and commerce.”

Rochdale Council planners will debate the application at a meeting on Wednesday, August 5.

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER

Published: 00:11 BST, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 03:03 BST, 5 August 2026

A ‘heavily armed’ man was arrested after he was seen wandering around Donald Trump‘s California golf course just days before the President was set to host a fundraiser there.

Trump is scheduled to headline a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner at a golf club his family owns in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Tuesday. 

Around 3:30pm on Sunday, however, a man was seen taking pictures and observing security activities around the course.

Jeanine John Taele, 38, was detained by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shortly after, the LA Times reported.

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Cops then found a loaded magazine in Taele’s pants pocket before searching his car in the parking lot and discovering a loaded pistol and further ammunition. 

On Monday, his residence in Downey, California was searched and they found even more weapons and ammunition, including an illegally-modified AR-style rifle, .45 caliber pistol, body armor and high-capacity magazines.

They also claimed to have found several notebooks that featured ‘concerning statements,’ as well as two radio devices.  

Taele was arrested under suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possession of illegal ammunition, including hollow point bullets. 

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A ‘heavily armed’ man was arrested after he was seen wandering around Donald Trump’s California golf course just days before the President was set to host a fundraiser there

Trump is scheduled to headline a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner at a golf club his family owns in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes (pictured) on Tuesday

Police said that while the investigation is ongoing, there is ‘no credible threat to our communities.’  

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Taele is also under investigation in connection with a robbery in nearby El Segundo. 

Trump is making a rare visit to California and Nevada this week to try to draw contrasts with Democrats on the economy, border security and crime, seeking to shore up support for Republicans in November elections that will determine whether his party keeps control of Congress.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment. 

Trump has faced multiple assassination attempts in recent years, most notably when he was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania on the campaign trail in 2024.

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A jury in 2025 found a man guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at the president´s Florida country club. 

Most recently, an armed man tried to break into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while Trump was inside. 

As Trump flies to California, he´ll likely throw barbs at the governor, eyed as a likely candidate for the next Democratic presidential nomination.

 The entrance to Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., is seen in this photo

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Police said that while the investigation is ongoing, there is ‘no credible threat to our communities’ 

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said the president plans to ‘draw a sharp contrast between his commonsense agenda and the radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom.’

Trump routinely mocks Newsom using a derogatory nickname. Newsom taunts the president in turn.

The Democrat wrote on social media on Monday that California is raising its minimum wage next year to $17.40 an hour, more than double the federal minimum. 

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‘Donald Trump and the GOP are still defending a $7.25 minimum wage while workers scrape by. Pitiful,’ Newsom wrote.