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Class A drugs seized during police warrant in Halliwell

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Bolton man charged with cocaine supply after stop search

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Bolton North Neighbourhood Team executed a Section 8 warrant at an address in the area on Sunday (August 9).

During a search of the property, officers seized a quantity of Class A drugs.

A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

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He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police have appealed to anyone with information about crime in their area to contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through its website.

The warrant comes days after a huge police presence in Halliwell on Friday (August 7), when officers responded to a suspected knife attack.

Police descended on a quiet cul-de-sac to investigate the incident.

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An air ambulance also landed at the grounds of Bolton Rugby Club.

As of 4.30pm on Saturday (August 8), no arrests had been made, and GMP said there was no further update at that moment.

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Daily mistake of ‘a few minutes’ increases cancer risk 15 per cent

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Belfast Live

Even two to three minutes can make a difference

Dropping even just a few minutes of vigorous exercise every day can push up the risk of cancer by 15%, research suggests. Experts found that swapping exercise for more sedentary behaviour – such as watching an episode of a TV soap opera or sitting at a desk – drives up the cancer risk.

They also warned that people who have been active during their lives should do all they can to maintain exercise, as even small drops in activity can affect health. Previous studies have found strong evidence that higher levels of activity are linked to a lower risk of several cancers – including of the bladder, breast, bowel, kidney and stomach.

The new research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, looked at people’s lifestyles and also used modelling to see how exercise was linked to cancer risk. The analysis included 59,218 people (55% female) with an average age of 61.7 from the UK Biobank, a database of half a million volunteers taking part in medical research.

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Over an eight-year follow-up, some 2,385 cancers occurred in the group. Researchers looked at areas such as how long people spent sleeping, sedentary behaviour such as watching TV, standing and then any movement and at what intensity.

They found that the more people moved, the lower their risk of cancer. For example, replacing 15 minutes of sleep or sedentary behaviour with 15 minutes of movement were each linked to a 2% reduced risk of cancer.

Conversely, swapping 30 minutes of movement for 30 minutes of sedentary behaviour increased the risk by 8%, while swapping it for sleep increased the risk by 7%. Dr John Mitchell, lead author from University College London (UCL), said: “Our study showed that there’s an increased risk of cancer for those who spend a lot of time sitting down.

“We also explored what might happen if people leading active lives reduced their levels of physical activity and found that they also face a higher cancer risk. Based on theoretical modelling, our study showed even losing two to three minutes per day of vigorous activity, such as running for a bus, and replacing it with sitting down, sleep or light activity increased their cancer risk.

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“Other examples of vigorous activity – that is, anything which elevates your heart rate and makes you sweat – include sport, rushing up the stairs and carrying home heavy grocery bags. The take-home message is that for people already leading physically active lives, it’s really important to maintain that level of activity as you get older.”

Current NHS guidelines say adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. They should also do strength activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least two days per week.

Examples of moderate activity include very brisk walking (4mph or faster), cycling at 10mph-12mph, or badminton. Vigorous activity also includes hiking, jogging at 6mph or faster, fast cycling, basketball or tennis.

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Huge fire breaks out at old bank in Tredegar

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Wales Online

Fire crews were called to the fire in the centre of Tredegar just before 4.30pm on Sunday

A huge fire broke out at the site of an old bank on a busy Welsh high street on Sunday afternoon. Fire crews tackled the blaze which had spread to multiple floors of the old Midland bank on Commercial Street, Tredegar, for several hours.

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Videos shared online show thick black smoke coming from the top of the building which could be seen across the town. At around 7.30pm on Sunday evening fire crews were still at the scene, damping down hot spots.

A spokesperson from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 16:19hrs today we received multiple calls to reports of a three-storey building on fire in the former Midland bank building on Commercial Street in Tredegar.

“On arrival, crews were faced with a well-developed building fire on the second floor and roof space of the property.” For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The statement continues: “At the height of the incident six pumping appliances, a water bowser, rescue tender and an aerial ladder platform were in attendance.

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“The fire was extinguished by crews with hoses, wearing breathing apparatus. Crews remain at the scene damping down hot spots.”

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Cambridgeshire car park could be ‘transformed’ with plans for ‘lively new street scene’

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Cambridgeshire Live

A developer wants to bring new businesses and up to 83 new homes to a Cambridgeshire town

A Cambridgeshire car park could be “transformed” under new plans. Capital and Centric has said it has “big plans” for St Neots town centre.

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The developers are working with Huntingdonshire District Council to transform the town’s street scene on Tebbutts Road. A Capital and Centric spokesperson said: “We’re working with Huntingdonshire District Council to transform the car park on Tebbutts Road into a vibrant connected community.

“We want to elevate this part of St Neots by drawing on the area’s roots as a market town and including loads of nods to the past, recognisable features and iconic architecture. We’re creating something new which draws upon the area’s history while celebrating its classic skyline and bringing people back to this once thriving area.”

Proposals include a new community pavilion in the car park, which could be surrounded by walking routes and outdoor places to sit. The developers also seek to build up to 83 new homes set within two five-storey buildings.

Other proposals include:

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  • A walled garden;
  • High-quality architectural paying homage to St Neots’ history;
  • Commercial space for small, independent businesses.

The developers added that if approved, the proposals will create a “lively new street scene” that will “bring together local, independent businesses including cafes, bars and restaurants in the spaces below the new homes”.

Capital and Centric is seeking people’s opinions on the proposals before they submit a planning application towards the end of the year. People are asked to share their views here before September 4.

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Double death mystery linked to notorious Bullseye serial killer is being reviewed 50 years on after police looked again at forensic evidence

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Serial killer John Cooper (pictured, right) has been linked to the Thomas' 1976 deaths

A 50-year-old double death mystery which has been linked to ‘Bullseye’ serial killer John Cooper is being reviewed by a coroner again after police took a fresh look at the case. 

The 1976 case in which two siblings, Griff, then aged 73, and his sister Martha Thomas, 70, were found dead at their family farmhouse in December 1976 has haunted the small coastal town of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for decades. 

The bodies of the elderly siblings were found inside their isolated Ffynon Samson farmhouse on a cold December morning by a postman, who raised the alarm after spotting unopened letters on the porch and smelling burning coming from the home. 

Inside, the badly bludgeoned body of Martha and burnt body of Griff were found. 

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The scene, described as a ‘bloodbath’ by a surviving family member, was one of utter disarray. 

Martha, also known as Patti, was found lying slumped on a magazine rack in the corner of the living room, having suffered severe head injuries. 

At her feet was an overturned television, still switched on and eerily playing static noise. Chairs were scattered about the room and Griff’s burnt body lay nearby on the floor. 

Police opened a double murder investigation, yet failed to ever find the culprit. 

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Serial killer John Cooper (pictured, right) has been linked to the Thomas’ 1976 deaths 

Griff Thomas (pictured) was found dead alongside his sister in December 1976

Griff Thomas (pictured) was found dead alongside his sister in December 1976 

Martha Thomas (pictured) was found with severe head injuries slumped on a magazine rack in the corner of the living room

Martha Thomas (pictured) was found with severe head injuries slumped on a magazine rack in the corner of the living room 

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In January 1977, the detective leading the investigation decided that Griff had ‘probably’ killed his sister. 

An inquest decided that Martha was ‘unlawfully killed’ – by her 73-year-old brother, who had a curved spine and hand function issues, hitting her over the head with a kitchen chair before starting a fire, in which he then lay down and died. 

Their bereaved family members and friends of the churchgoing siblings never believed police’s theory, maintaining that they were both murdered. 

In fact, some argued that John Cooper, known as the ‘Bullseye’ serial killer after he appeared on the 1980s game show, was behind the deaths. 

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The notorious killer, now aged 81, was behind a string of brutal murders and rapes in south Wales in the 1980s and 90s. 

He shot and killed two couples on separate occasions in 1985 and 1989, before holding five teenagers at gunpoint in a wooded area behind the Mount Estate in Pembrokeshire in 1996, and raping and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old girl. 

Cooper was eventually arrested in 2009 after a cold case review team used new forensic technologies and, ultimately, matched a police e-fit to his 1989 appearance on the TV game show Bullseye, which was an almost identical drawing to Cooper’s stature, his hair, and his face. 

Thereafter, Cooper would be dubbed the ‘Bullseye serial killer’. 

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John Cooper, left, appears on television show Bullseye in 1989

John Cooper, left, appears on television show Bullseye in 1989

A police artist composed this sketch of Cooper after the murders of Peter and Gwenda Dixon. It showed a near-identical image of Cooper as he appeared on Bullseye and allowed police to connect him to the unsolved murders

A police artist composed this sketch of Cooper after the murders of Peter and Gwenda Dixon. It showed a near-identical image of Cooper as he appeared on Bullseye and allowed police to connect him to the unsolved murders 

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It was not until 2009 that Cooper was arrested, finally going to jail on May 26, 2011 at Swansea Crown Court after being handed life imprisonment with a whole life order. 

His crimes bear similarities to the Thomas’ 1976 cold case, leading many people to connect the killer to the deaths over the years. 

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Firstly, Cooper was from Milford Haven, in Pembrokeshire, where Griff and Martha were found dead in their country farmhouse, and lived there for much of his life. 

During the 1985 double murders of siblings Richard, 58, and Helen Thomas, 46, Cooper also set their home, Scoveston Manor, on fire after killing them. 

The case has sinister parallels to the 1976 unsolved double deaths, which also included the deaths of a brother and a sister, even of the same surname. 

Forensic psychologist Dr Clive Sims, who helped profile the Suffolk strangler, is one expert who supported the theory that Cooper was behind the 1976 deaths. 

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He argued in 2011 that the verdicts reached in the inquest were ‘unsafe’ and calling for the case to be looked at again as a cold case. 

He pointed out to BBC Wales the similarities between the two crimes and proposed the theory that the deaths of Martha and Griff were the result of a ‘botched burglary’. 

Cooper protested his innocence as he was led into court in 2009

Cooper protested his innocence as he was led into court in 2009

He said: ‘There is an empty cash box, the bureau has been broken into, the back door is unlocked and certain aspects of it simply do not make sense.’

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He also pointed out that during the 1985 double murder of Richard and Helen Thomas, Cooper had also taken their bank cards and jewellery. 

Cooper would have been 40 at the time that Martha and Griff were found dead in 1976. Dr Sims believes he likely started committing serious crimes long before he killed the Thomases in 1985, although this is, of course, unknown.  

He added: ‘It’s quite probable that he would have been offending earlier. 

‘It would be extremely unusual for someone to start that late in life on a criminal career, and to start with that level of violence.’ 

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But others were unconvinced that the Bullseye killer is behind the Thomas’ unsolved deaths. 

Steve Wilkins, the former senior investigating officer for the John Cooper inquiry, welcomed the review into the deaths of Griff and Martha, but remained doubtful that the Bullseye killer was the culprit in that case. 

Mr Wilkins said it would be ‘surprising’ if Cooper had been responsible, saying that there were differences in the ‘modus operandi’ between their deaths and Cooper’s crimes. 

He argued, for instance, that Cooper was a ‘professional criminal’ whose motive had always been ‘financial gain’. 

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But if someone had murdered the Thomases, they had left behind thousands of pounds in cash at the farmhouse. 

Dyfed-Powys Police reopened the cold case and launched a forensic review in October 2022. 

The review used new forensic technologies to collect enhanced fingerprints, make DNA enquiries, and examine blood-group evidence again. 

Police said among the evidence re-examined was Martha’s handwritten diaries, original investigation documents, fingerprint lifts, and postmortem moulds of their hands. 

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Yet four years on, police have still been unable to find the answer of what happened to Martha and Griff Thomas in December 1976. 

Now, the case is being handed to HM Coroner, who will be asked to provide advice and guidance on how the force should proceed. 

It has not been confirmed whether the case will remain an active investigation or whether discussions with the coroner could result in a fresh inquest. 

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement: ‘We can confirm that a significant amount of complex work has been undertaken as part of the forensic review process, and the family of Griff and Martha Thomas have been updated of the progress made so far.

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‘The scope of the review was to examine:

  • Photographs, plans and scientific findings of the scene for interpretation using current knowledge and police practices.
  • Fingerprint lifts from the scene for accuracy and consideration of further identification analysis.
  • Original fingerprint lifts for blood, cellular material and hair with a view to obtain DNA evidence.

‘To ensure all available material was obtained, several detailed searches have been conducted by the force in line with an overarching forensic strategy.

‘Search locations included police stations in Pembrokeshire, our scientific support unit archive at Police Headquarters in Carmarthen, The National Archive of Wales, Aberystwyth, and the Forensic Science Service Archive, in Birmingham.

‘As a result of these searches the following items were identified:

  • Handwritten diaries kept by Martha Thomas
  • Original investigation documentation
  • Fingerprint lifts and photographs of fingerprint marks
  • Postmortem moulds of the hands of the deceased
  • The tapestry, which remains with family in London

‘Following the retrieval of all available material, we have been able to carry out three phases of work: Fingerprint enhancement and analysis, DNA enquiries, and consideration of the blood grouping work carried out by the original investigation team.

‘The family has been updated on the findings from these enquiries, and the limitations faced in reviewing an incident that took place 50 years ago.

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‘We are now at a stage where communication has begun with HM Coroner to keep them informed of the latest position, and to seek advice and guidance on how we proceed.

‘We will continue to keep the family of Griff and Martha updated on the review, along with any recommendations from HM Coroner.’ 

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Virtual companions vanish without goodbyes as China tightens rules on their use

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Virtual companions vanish without goodbyes as China tightens rules on their use

Li Linlin cried for days after losing her AI boyfriend.

She had exchanged about 700,000 words in messages over two years, and never got to say goodbye.

Li, 24, wasn’t the only left mourning the loss of a virtual companion when major Chinese tech companies recently pulled the plug on their popular AI companion services to comply with new government restrictions.

“It was like we were forced to be separated by our parents, but I still miss him,” Li said.

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AI companions in China range from romantic partners to virtual recreations of deceased loved ones.

The new regulation, which took effect July 15, bans AI platforms from generating content that could lead users to make questionable decisions due to manipulation of their feelings or that might trigger extreme emotions or unhealthy habits in children and teens.

ByteDance, developer of TikTok, is among the companies shutting down their AI companion services. Others include e-commerce giant Alibaba and Tencent, owner of the popular WeChat social media app.

U.S. suicides may have worried Chinese regulators

The new rules require AI platforms to deliver risk warnings against relying excessively on such apps. For example, “replacing social interaction,” or serving as a substitute for talking to people in person or speaking with them by phone, cannot be one of the objectives of an online service.

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China has a tradition of paternalistic government regulations meant to pre-empt potential problems, said Yolanda Ma, an expert on AI governance. As an example, she referred to a few cases of suicides in the U.S. by young people after interacting with AI companions.

“This regulation tried to strike a balance between the AI service providers, the users, as well as guardians of minors using the services,” said Ma, a fellow with ERA, a non-profit talent and research program based in Britain.

The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, indicated concern over the issue when it reported in April about harms to people’s mental health and real-life relationships from such services.

“The Chinese government has a strong incentive to tighten regulations on AI companion chatbots, especially considering the psychological risks we’ve observed in the U.S.,” said Angela Zhang, a professor of law at the University of Southern California.

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Zhang doubts the move will derail development of AI companion services substantially, though, since tech companies are working on alternatives.

The ByteDance app, for example, is directing users of its former AI companion service to another of its apps which solely focuses on building personalized AI characters and stories.

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It’s just not the same, Li said.

Users of virtual companions protest, seek alternatives

The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media.

Some people have uninstalled the apps in protest or tried to upload their chat histories into other apps to try to resurrect their virtual partners. Some started a campaign on social media, urging users to call the authorities and tech companies to express their frustration.

Song Wenxin, a video industry designer in southwestern China’s Chengdu, said she was not too emotionally attached to AI services, but empathizes with those who were.

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She echoed suspicions among many Chinese that one factor driving the new rules is a government policy of encouraging people to have more children to counter a decline in China’s population.

“Any virtual app getting women too engaged to give birth in real life gets banned,” said Song, adding she has no need or desire to have children.

Not everyone has enough resources and support to turn to in real life, the 22-year-old said.

“When I first came to Chengdu for my first job and didn’t know any friends my own age, I needed someone experienced who could tolerate me, and AI did the work,” she said.

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Co-op issues update for 44 stores after heatwave puts fridges ‘out of action’

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Daily Mirror

The UK has experienced repeated heatwaves this summer, with both Jersey and Guernsey seeing their warmest Julys since their records began – this has impact fridges and freezers

A UK supermarket chain is working on plans to help its stores cope amid a sweltering UK summer after a “small number” of its fridges and freezers experienced issues this season.

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The Channel Islands’ Co-op said the issue was due to “exceptionally hot weather”. It chief executive Mark Cox has said the challenges have not been unique.

Mr Cox said on BBC Radio Jersey that about 10 of its frozen food and refrigeration units in stores across Jersey and Guernsey had broken down in the heat in recent weeks.

The UK has experienced repeated heatwaves this summer, with both Jersey and Guernsey seeing their warmest Julys since their records began.

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Mr Cox said whenever issues had arisen, Co-op’s “priority has been to act quickly to protect food safety and minimise disruption”. All issues have now been resolved.

“Certainly through our infrastructure, with refrigeration and frozen food, that heat has meant that equipment has been working really hard over that period,” he said.

“I think we’ve probably had across our store estate 10 units out of action, whether that be frozen food case or a refrigeration case – as we stand today we don’t have any issues.”

Product loss had been “very small” as a result of the break downs and staff have worked working quickly to avoid food waste.

Mr Cox expects to see “an improving situation” as temperatures start to cool in the coming weeks.

Co-op is developing plans to ensure its infrastructure could cope with high temperatures in the future.

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Australian PM Anthony Albanese ‘beautiful melons’ comment on female leader sparks backlash

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Daily Mirror

The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in hot water for a second comment he made during the same podcast recording he suggested he would sleep with Kylie Minogue

Australia’s Prime Minister is in hot water for another ‘ungracious’ comment — this time about his Japanese counterpart.

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Weeks after apologising for suggesting he would ‘sh*g’ Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue while appearing on a podcast, Anthony Albanese was forced to deny he made a ‘sexist’ comment about Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi on Monday (August 10) during the same recording.

During the Bush Deep episode, Labor PM Albanese was asked what the ‘most crap’ gift he had received while in office. He replied with a ‘pretty strange’ present from Takaichi, who is Japan’s first female Prime Minister.

“The Japanese Prime Minister brought a melon,” Albanese explained. “It was a royal melon.”

Host Nikki Osborne interjected: “Did she smuggle it [into the country]?”

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Albanese replied, holding his hands in front of his chest: “Got a couple melons!”

When Osborne suggested Takaichi ‘came in looking like Pamela Anderson’, Albanese hit back: “She brought two. And they’re beautiful.”

The former Japanese ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, slammed the comments in a column on Monday, calling them ‘sexist’ and ‘ungracious’.

He wrote: “The last thing she expected was to be so casually mocked by the trusted leader of Japan’s special strategic partner.

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“However lighthearted it was intended to be, the recent joke delivered by PM Anthony Albanese at the expense of Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi is how he might be remembered by Japanese who most value the friendship with Australia.”

Commentators in Japan have also criticised Albanese, but the government has yet to comment. In Canberra, Labor opponents said the remarks were ‘grubby’ and ‘inappropriate’, reports The Age.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor said in a press conference: “The comments were beneath the office of Prime Minister. They were insulting, and the Prime Minister should make a personal apology.

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“The hypocrisy of Labor and the prime minister on this topic knows no bounds, no bounds whatsoever.”

Albanese’s office hit back at the opposition. A statement said: “This assertion is wrong.”

Last month, Albanese apologised after being roundly criticised for suggesting he would ‘sh*g’ Kylie on the same podcast.

Asked by Osborne who he would date, sleep with, or marry between Aussie celebrities Kylie, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore, he said ‘Kylie, clearly’ to ‘all of the above’, when pressed by Osborne.

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He initially dodged the question by pointing out he had recently got married to Jodie Haydon, his second wife.

The next federal election will take place in 2028, with Labor holding a slim lead over populist far-right party One Nation and traditional centre-right opponents Liberal-National coalition.

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Vanessa Feltz rants at British Airways as she’s left stranded with her grandchildren and hundreds of other passengers in Sardinia but jokes ‘maybe I’ll find a man to marry me in this queue’

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Vanessa Feltz rants at British Airways as she's left stranded with her grandchildren and hundreds of other passengers in Sardinia but jokes 'maybe I'll find a man to marry me in this queue'

Vanessa Feltz vented her fury at British Airways on Sunday after she and her grandchildren were stranded in Sardinia due to a system failure.

The broadcaster, 64, had flown to the Italian hotspot for a holiday with her family, but has shared on Instagram they were stuck in a ‘hellish’ queue waiting to see whether they could board their flight.

Vanessa shared a video ranting that she and her family had received no updates from British Airways on the status of their flight.

However, she managed to see the lighter side, with the single star joking that ‘maybe she would find a man’ while waiting in the queue.

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She said: ‘British Airways in Sardinia, the whole system is down, we’re all standing in the queue, waiting and waiting and waiting. 

‘They’ve got no plan, there’s no alternative, I don’t know what they’re going to suggest, and we’re all just waiting, waiting. 

Vanessa Feltz vented her fury at British Airways on Sunday after she and her grandchildren were stranded in Sardinia due to a system failure

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The broadcaster had flown to the Italian hotspot for a holiday (pictured), but has shared she was stuck in a ‘hellish’ queue due to the delays

‘I’ve got four little grandchildren, and we’re actually, we’re forming great relationships, and maybe I’ll find a man to marry me in the queue, I don’t know, but so far, nothing!’

In a second video, she added: ‘Still standing in this hellish queue that just doesn’t move at all because the whole British Airways system is down. 

‘No one is telling us anything, no one knows, everyone is thinking ”throw away our luggage, just throw it away. 

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‘What’s in there anyway, a few old things from Matalan, a few old things from Dunnes Stores in Ireland in 1807, I don’t care if I never see my suitcase, I just want to go home!” that type of thing.

‘And no one’s caring, apparently they could possibly do it manually but they need authorisation, from who, God himself what the hell? What the heck?’

When she returns to the UK, Vanessa is set to launch her own YouTube series, after her daytime show on Channel 5 was axed.

It was revealed last month that bosses ‘blindsided’ the presenter, 64, when they made the decision to axe her chat show after just one year on air.

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A determined Vanessa told viewers in her final episode last month that she ‘is not going to hide under a rock’. 

Vanessa managed to see the lighter side, with the single star joking that ‘maybe she would find a man’ while waiting in the queue

And less than a week later, the star announced her new social media show which will be filmed at her home with her friends.  

She wrote: ‘Welcome to At Home with Vanessa a brand spanking new show coming to YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and the universe in mid-August. 

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‘Filmed at Feltz Towers – my real house, with my real chums, bottomless bagels and cocktails on tap, I’m hoping you’ll pop over to Vanessa Feltz on YouTube, subscribe for free, get on board and thoroughly enjoy the ride.’

Her TV friends including Ruth Langsford and Charlotte Hawkins quickly took to the comments to show their support to Vanessa and even Holly commented: ‘Yay.’ 

The news comes days after the golden girl of daytime TV Holly dropped her new YouTube show, Together Together.

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Joani Reid endures ‘rough’ few months after husband arrested on suspicion of spying for China

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Daily Record

EXCLUSIVE: The MP for East Kilbride thanked Joe Fagan for standing by her after she voluntarily suspended her Labour membership.

Joani Reid has admitted facing a “rough few months” after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.

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The MP for East Kilbride chose to voluntarily suspend her Labour membership in March after David Taylor was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service.

Reid, who was never accused of wrongdoing, was readmitted to the party last month following an internal investigation.

She thanked Scottish Labour leadership hopeful Joe Fagan for standing by her during the ordeal.

“I’ve had a rough few months, and politics can go quiet around you when that happens,” she said in a column for the Record.

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“But not Joe. He stood by me when there was nothing in it for him. Because he thought it was the right thing to do. That tells me something about his character. He is a decent man. And a kind man.”

Reid is now backing Fagan, a South Scotland MSP elected for the first time in May, to succeed Anas Sarwar as the next Scottish Labour leader.

The MP said: “People hear a great deal from the Scottish political class about language, identity and symbolism. They hear far less that convinces them Scottish Labour understands their lives, respects their values or is interested in where they live.

“Joe understands that because he has never been absorbed into the Holyrood bubble. His politics were formed in East Kilbride and local government. He listens properly, knows his own mind and is comfortable with people who don’t spend their lives talking about politics.

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“Local government strips away much of the political theatre, and there is little glamour involved. A care package arrives or somebody goes without. A family gets the keys or stays in temporary accommodation. Folk know who is responsible when something goes wrong, and they’ll tell you between the tills and the car park.

“He takes the same approach to the North Sea. He is the first candidate to say he will fight for Rosebank and Jackdaw until the UK Government approves them. I agree with him, and I would sooner say it now than after more jobs are lost.

“He’ll have more to say on policy in the coming weeks. What I already know is that he understands what Labour should stand for and what it should be doing.”

Taylor was arrested in London in March and has since been released on bail.

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Matthew Aplin, 43, and Steve Jones, 68, have also been bailed after being arrested in Wales.

Counter-terrorism police have searched properties where the men were arrested as well as others in Cardiff, East Kilbride and London.

Following Taylor’s arrest, Reid aid she had never been to China, nor spoken on any China-related matters in the House of Commons.

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A man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s killing is on trial

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A man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur's killing is on trial

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The case of rap icon Tupac Shakur’s killing has been unresolved for decades; now the man charged in his 1996 killing in Las Vegas is going to trial.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, faces one charge of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in Shakur’s death. Jury selection begins Monday, with the trial scheduled to last about a month.

The trial will bring to a head one of the biggest mysteries in the hip-hop world that gripped the public for decades. Shakur, who also went by the stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, is considered one of the most influential rappers of all time.

Shakur was shot in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996. He was in a black BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight on their way to Club 662, where Shakur was scheduled to perform, when a white Cadillac pulled up beside them. Gunfire erupted. Shakur, who was in the passenger seat, was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived.

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The case went cold until recent years, when public statements and a tell-all memoir from Davis revived the case. He was a leader of South Side Compton Crips at the time of Shakur’s death. Davis was arrested in 2023 and pleaded not guilty.

Here’s what to know about the trial.

When and where the trial will be held

It will take place in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, with Judge Carli Kierny presiding over the case.

Jury selection starts Monday. That’s expected to take a few days. Then, the prosecution and defense will give opening statements and witness testimony will begin.

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Inside the courtroom, seats for the public will be in short supply, with a daily lottery for a chance to get one. A room on the second floor of the court will be open to the public and will show a live feed of the trial.

The trial likely won’t answer ‘who pulled the trigger’

Prosecutors are not arguing that Davis is the one who pulled the trigger that night, and the trial likely won’t confirm who fired at Shakur. Instead, prosecutors plan to prove that Davis made the calls that led to Shakur’s death and provided the gun used to shoot Shakur.

Davis is the co-author of the memoir “Compton Street Legends,” which describes his exact role in the shooting. The book says that Davis obtained a handgun from an associate and tossed it into the back seat of the Cadillac but did not say who fired the fatal shots.

Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew, has long been considered the suspect who pulled the trigger, but charges were never brought against him in the killing. He died two years after Shakur’s death in an unrelated gang shootout in Compton, California.

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Two others — Deandrae “Freaky” Smith and Terry “Bubble Up” Brown — were in the car with Davis and Anderson, but they have since died as well.

Who is expected to testify

Prosecutors expect to call between 35 and 45 witnesses during the trial, ranging from people who saw Shakur moments before he was shot to people who were in both Shakur and Davis’ orbits at the time.

Their witness list includes former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and members of Shakur’s family. However not everyone on the list will necessarily testify. Rather, attorneys may ask potential jurors if they’re familiar with certain names.

Leonard Jefferson, a California resident who pulled up next to the BMW and snapped a photograph, which became the last known photo of Shakur, is expected to testify.

The state is also expected to call Denvonta Lee, who was affiliated with the South Side Crips.

In grand jury testimony, Lee testified that rival gangs, the Crips and Mob Piru, were tied to dueling record labels Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records.

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Though he wasn’t there that night, Lee also testified that Anderson didn’t have a clear shot, so Smith took the gun and did the shooting. He also said Davis was in charge and gave the gun to Anderson, who gave it to Smith.

The witness list includes others who previously testified to the grand jury, including Malcolm Greenidge, a friend of Shakur’s who was traveling in his entourage that night. Reggie Wright, who grew up in Compton and did security for Death Row Records, is also expected to testify.

But other witnesses will be new, including a former member of Death Row’s security team and a former member of Mob Piru who was at Club 662 the night Shakur was shot.

Witnesses also include former police officers and detectives, as well as gang experts.

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Davis’ defense attorney is expected to call less than a handful of witnesses, including one expert in the area of false confessions and coercive interrogation techniques.

Celebrities could be at the trial

Prosecutors requested to have multiple out-of-state witnesses testify, and it’s unclear who those people are.

One of the witnesses is in prison in California, according to court records. Knight is serving a 28-year prison sentence in California for running over and killing a Compton businessman outside a burger stand in January 2015. He previously said he would not testify in Davis’ case.

As the only other living eyewitness who was in one of the two vehicles that night, Knight’s testimony could make or break the case.

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Davis’ defense attorney Michael Sanft told The Associated Press that Knight would be a good witness for Davis’ defense if he did testify.

Fans have also speculated whether Sean “Diddy” Combs will testify. Combs is currently serving a four-year prison sentence in New Jersey following his conviction of prostitution-related charges.

In his book, Davis alleged Combs wanted Knight and Shakur dead and offered Davis money to kill them. Combs has long denied having any involvement in the shooting.

A spokesperson for Combs did not return emailed requests asking whether he plans to testify and his name does not appear on any witness list.

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