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Flo Munton and Chiron Horwood from Hampshire selected to represent the UK at life changing global Scouts event in Poland

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Flo Munton and Chiron Horwood from Hampshire selected to represent the UK at life changing global Scouts event in Poland

Flo Munton and Chiron Horwood from Hampshire have been selected to represent the UK as part of a team delivering the World Scout Jamboree in Poland in 2027. Set in the heart of Central Europe, Flo Munton and Chiron will work alongside Scouts from nearly every country in the world, helping to deliver a truly international experience and share skills for life on a global stage.

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Russia unleashes ‘massive attack’ on Kyiv, killing at least five

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View of smoke rising from the site of damaged buildings in Kyiv.

A wave of overnight Russian missile strikes has killed at least five people in the capital Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities say.

Apartment blocks and warehouses were targeted in the “massive attack” on Thursday, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS). At least least 23 people were injured in the strikes.

Authorities are scrambling to rescue anyone trapped underneath the rubble of demolished buildings, with crews already pulling one survivor from debris.

Meanwhile, Poland’s army has announced it will launch “preventative military aviation operations” amid the Russian strikes on Ukraine.

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Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a children’s hospital had been damaged in the overnight strikes, where windows were broken and cars set ablaze nearby.

An industrial centre in the Solomyanskyi district, south-west Kyiv, was also hit by missiles, the mayor said.

An attack in Brovary district of the broader Kyiv region killed one man and wounded another, Kyiv regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said.

The regional administration issued an alert earlier in the night warning residents to take shelter. It continued: “Air defense operations are possible in the area”.

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More missile alerts are still being issued throughout the night from regional authorities.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to ‘move back’ to UK this month

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Wales Online

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly set to return to the UK later this month, more than six years after their move to California

Harry and Meghan are reportedly planning a return to the UK. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to relocate back to Britain more than six years after they first moved to California, according to the Press Association.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the couple will make their return to the United Kingdom later this month, settling into a private residence outside of London rather than a royal property.

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It is understood that there will be no alteration to Harry and Meghan’s standing as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family.

The King was informed of the planned move on Sunday and is said to welcome the prospect of spending more time with the family on both a private and personal basis.

However, their status is set to remain unchanged, with the couple not being extended a “half-in-half-out” arrangement regarding their royal roles, PA reports, reports the Irish Mirror.

The Telegraph — which first broke the story — also reports that the couple’s children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are enrolled to begin attending British schools in September.

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Man tried to set fire to Cambridgeshire building before pulling out a knife

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Cambridgeshire Live

He was said to be acting strangely before pouring lighter fluid on the floor

A man who tried to set fire to a council building has been jailed. Matthew Howson, 33, appeared at the reception of Huntingdonshire District Council’s offices at Pathfinder House in St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon, at around 1.30pm on April 14.

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A man who was also at the reception with his dog said Howson was “acting very strange”. Howson then shouted “stop calling me a paedo”.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Wednesday (August 19), the court heard that Howson reached into a bag and produced a “can of lighter fluid”. The prosecution told the court that Howson then poured the fluid out onto the “floor in front of him” and “flames [were] seen coming from the floor area”.

The man with his dog went over to the fire to “stamp out the flames”. Howson then walked back to reception and produced a Stanley knife.

Prosecution told the court that this incident “happened in just over a minute”. Cambridgeshire Police were then called with reports of an “intruder” in a nearby disused fire station.

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There, Howson was found with the lighter fluid and Stanley knife and arrested at around 2.30pm. He was later charged.

Howson was also found to be in breach of a condition of a stalking protection order. He failed to notify police that he had moved from his property in Newmarket, therefore breaching one of the conditions.

During the investigation, Howson admitted to the arson and possession of a knife. He said he was “unaware” that he breached the stalking order.

The court heard from the defence lawyer that the incident was a “short-lived event” and that there “didn’t appear to be serious alarm or distress caused”. However, the defence acknowledged that there may have been a “risk of alarm or distress”.

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The court heard that mental health concerns were raised over Howson, as he had autism, ADHD, and an “unspecified mental disorder”.

The defence said Howson’s actions were “spontaneous”. He was also said to be carrying around items such as the lighter fluid as he was homeless, and the Stanley knife for “protection”.

Howson, who had been remanded in prison since April, was heard to be finding it “difficult”. The court heard that he wished to gain employment after serving his sentence and hoped to move to Bury St Edmunds to work with the church.

Howson was sentenced to a total of 22 months in prison. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison for arson with the intent to endanger, and a 12-month consecutive sentence for possession of a knife in a public place. No penalty was given for the breach of stalking protection order.

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In giving his sentence, His Honour Judge Enright said that although distress was not caused, this event still would have been “frightening” for those who witnessed it.

Howson had 10 previous convictions for 15 offences. One of these was a caution for arson in 2012.

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What to know about the trial of former Tiananmen vigil organizers

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What to know about the trial of former Tiananmen vigil organizers

HONG KONG (AP) — A verdict is expected Friday in the case of two organizers of an annual Hong Kong vigil to remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown who are being tried under a China-imposed national security law that has stifled Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.

Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in September 2021 with inciting subversion and face a maximum jail term of 10 years if convicted.

The activists pleaded not guilty when their trial opened in January and are expected to appear in court Friday. If convicted by three government-approved judges, they likely will be sentenced at a later date.

For three decades, the now-disbanded alliance organized the only large-scale, public commemoration in China that attracted tens of thousands annually until the event was banned in 2020 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Observers say the activists’ prosecution and the disappearance of the vigil symbolized the loss of freedoms that Beijing promised to maintain for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The government said its law enforcement actions were evidence-based and strictly in accordance with the law.

Here’s what to know about the case:

Pair organized China’s only large-scale memorial for massacre

The 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square were one of the biggest challenges to the Communist Party’s rule in China. The government sent tanks into the heart of the capital city and troops opened fire on the student-led demonstrations in a bloody crackdown that killed hundreds, possibly thousands.

The event immediately became an official taboo in mainland China. But the alliance held annual vigils in Hong Kong to keep memories alive across the border until authorities banned the public remembrances during the pandemic, citing risks to public health.

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Weeks after the ban, Beijing imposed the national security law that was later used to prosecute Lee, the alliance’s former chairperson, and Chow, a former vice chair. Authorities deemed the legislation crucial for Hong Kong’s stability following anti-government protests in 2019.

The alliance voted to disband in the same month as the pair was charged.

Beijing-imposed security law used to charge activists

Many other leading activists are now also jailed under the 2020 law, including the pro-democracy former media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Dozens of other civil society groups also disbanded following its introduction.

In the Lee and Chow trial, prosecutors argued they incited others to use unlawful means to topple China’s fundamental system and central political bodies, including inciting the overthrow of the Communist Party’s leadership through calls for “ending one-party rule,” which was one of the alliance’s core demands.

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The defense denied they meant to end the party’s leadership, arguing the slogan was about moving toward democracy and urging the party not to enforce “dictatorship.” It insisted the alliance had not asked people to adopt any illegal means.

Chow, a barrister who defended herself, cautioned that if the court fails to gatekeep over the reasonable effects of their statements, it could easily become an accomplice by tolerating the crimes committed by those in power.

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Albert Ho, their co-defendant and former vigil organizer, earlier entered a guilty plea in a move that typically results in a reduced sentence. His sentencing is pending.

Observers say trial is a bellwether for city’s civil rights

The government earlier said all accused have the right to a fair trial and the courts exercise their power independently. But critics consider this case and its result a litmus test of Hong Kong’s civil rights and judicial independence.

The existence of the alliance and the city’s annual vigil have been considered key characteristics of Hong Kong under China’s “one country, two systems” governing framework in the past, said Eric Lai, a senior fellow with the Georgetown Center for Asian Law.

They were symbols of the city’s autonomy, Lai said.

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He noted the charge of inciting subversion was commonly used in mainland China to criminalize the acts of human rights lawyers, activists and intellectuals, including late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo.

“We can see to what extent the court in Hong Kong falls into the level of the party-led judiciary in the mainland through the criminal verdict,” Lai said.

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Firefighters called to ‘wood fire’ on Bella Street, Bolton

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Firefighters called to 'wood fire' on Bella Street, Bolton

At around 7pm tonight, Wednesday, August 19, firefighters were called to a fire “involving a large quantity of wood.”

The service said the fire broke out at a derelict building on Bella Street in Bolton, and crews used two hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.

They left the blaze after around an hour, and photos from the scene show billowing smoke in the air.

Bella Street fire 19/08/2026Firefighters at the scene on Bella Street tonight (Image: Supplied)

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “At around 7.02pm on Wednesday 19th August 2026, three fire engines from Bolton Central, Bolton North and Atherton fire stations were called to attend a fire involving a large quantity of wood at a derelict building on Bella Street, Bolton.

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“Crews arrived quickly and used two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.

“Firefighters made the scene safe before departing after approximately 1 hour.”

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The six years that shook the monarchy: From Oprah to Spare and recollections that varied, how Harry and Meghan’s time in California will go down in royal history

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Six years after sensationally exiting from royal life and leaving for the United States, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the UK. Pictured: The couple in Bogota, Colombia, in August 2024

Six years after sensationally exiting from royal life and leaving for the United States, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the UK.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to be returning for an ‘extended period’, with Archie and Lilibet set to enrol at a British school. 

But there will be no coming back into the royal fold, and the family is set to move into a non-royal residence.

Experts speculate the couple’s return comes amid the ending of lucrative TV deals, financial constraints, PR mishaps and fractious relationships with Hollywood’s elite, with some suggesting Meghan had ‘burnt her bridges’ in the US. 

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Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are thought to have already enrolled at a British school – and the family are reportedly planning to stay until the children finish their education. 

The couple’s latest move will bring them full circle back to the country they left in 2020. So just what have the couple been up to since they parted from royal life? 

From London to California…and back again 

January 2020: The couple stun Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family by announcing their intention to step back from senior roles, become financially independent and spend more time in North America.

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After 10 days of talks between senior family members, it is agreed the couple will no longer be working royals and will give up their ‘Royal Highness’ titles.

March 2020: Harry and Meghan carry out their last official engagement at the annual Commonwealth Day service in London. They move with their young son, Archie, 10 months, to Montecito, California in what papers dub ‘Megxit’.

September 2020: Streaming service Netflix – which made the hit TV drama ‘The Crown’ based on the life of Queen Elizabeth and her family – announces the couple have signed a multi-year deal to produce films and series ranging from children’s shows to scripted content.

November 2020: Meghan announces she has had a miscarriage in an essay for The New York Times

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She wrote: ‘After changing his [Archie’s] diaper, I felt a sharp cramp. I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right.

‘I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.’ 

December 2020: Meghan and Harry strike a multi-year deal with Spotify through their company Archewell Audio, named after their son. Meghan’s show Archetypes starts airing in 2022.

It comes as: 

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Six years after sensationally exiting from royal life and leaving for the United States, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the UK. Pictured: The couple in Bogota, Colombia, in August 2024

Meghan revealed she had experienced racism while in the UK, including someone from the royal household speculating about the colour of their future child's skin, during a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021

Meghan revealed she had experienced racism while in the UK, including someone from the royal household speculating about the colour of their future child’s skin, during a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021

February 2021: The couple announce they are expecting their second child by releasing a photograph taken by a friend showing them relaxing under a tree, while Meghan gently rests her arm on her pregnancy bump.  

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On Valentine’s Day, they said in a statement to US Weekly: ‘We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother.’ 

The following day, it is announced that they will give an in-depth interview to US chat show host Oprah Winfrey.

Four days after that announcement, Buckingham Palace releases a statement confirming the couple’s split as working members of the monarchy is permanent and they will lose their royal patronages.

February 2021: Harry tells James Corden, British host of The Late Late Show, that he stepped away from royal duties because the ‘toxic’ British press was destroying his mental health and he wanted to protect his family.

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March 2021: Buckingham Palace says it is ‘very concerned’ about a report in The Times newspaper detailing allegations of bullying made by former staff of Harry and Meghan and will launch an investigation.

March 7, 2021:  The couple sit down for a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan reveals she had experienced racism while in the UK, including someone from the royal household speculating about the colour of their future child’s skin.

Meghan also shared the mental health struggles she had endured, recalling at one point that she ‘just didn’t want to be alive anymore’.

Harry meanwhile said that he felt ‘really let down’ by his father, King Charles and feels distanced from his brother, William. 

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Buckingham Palace responds that the issues raised would be taken seriously, while saying that ‘some recollections may vary.’

Harry and Meghan are in Britain when Queen Elizabeth II dies in September 2022. They attend the funeral and other events related to the period of mourning

Harry and Meghan are in Britain when Queen Elizabeth II dies in September 2022. They attend the funeral and other events related to the period of mourning

Harry and Meghan attended events in Whistler, British Columbia, for the Invictus Games training camp, in February 2024

Harry and Meghan attended events in Whistler, British Columbia, for the Invictus Games training camp, in February 2024

June 4, 2021: Meghan and Harry welcome Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor in honour of her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and late grandmother, Princess Diana.

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June 2022: The couple return to the UK to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee amid a prolonged dispute with the Government over police protection. Lilibet celebrates her first birthday in the UK and meets members of the Royal Family.

Late 2022: Harry becomes more involved in projects connected with veterans and mental health initiatives.

September 2022: Harry and Meghan are in Britain when Queen Elizabeth II dies. He attends the funeral and other events related to the period of mourning. 

December 2022: Harry & Meghan, a six-part documentary, launches on Netflix detailing events from their courtship to their engagement and exit from royal life. 

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January 2023: Harry releases his explosive memoir, Spare, which becomes one of the biggest selling books of the year. He reveals highly personal details of his childhood, relationship with William, drug use and experience as a member of the Royal Family.

May 2023: Harry attends the coronation of King Charles III, but sits separately from senior working royals. 

June 2023: The couple end their deal with Spotify and Archewell Audio.

August 2023: A source tells People that the couple are ‘really happy together’ in California.

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September 2023: The couple were spotted enjoying a secret holiday in Portugal. There was speculation they visited Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, who have a property there.

January 2024: Royal biographer Omid Scobie refutes reports that the couple did not have the permission of Queen Elizabeth II to name their daughter Lilibet. 

According to Robert Hardman, a former member of the queen’s staff said the monarch was ‘as angry as I’d ever seen her’ after the couple said they had consulted her over the name.

February 2024: Harry briefly returns to Britain after King Charles announces his cancer diagnosis to meet with his father.

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Later that month, he and Meghan attend events in Whistler, British Columbia, for the Invictus Games training camp.

May 2024: Harry and Meghan visit Nigeria for a three-day visit.

August 2024: The couple are invited to Colombia and attend events around online safety, young people and women’s issues. 

In May 2024, the couple were invited to on a three-day visit to Nigeria

In May 2024, the couple were invited to on a three-day visit to Nigeria

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With Love, Meghan launched on Netflix in March 2025 - and received largely negative reviews from TV critics

With Love, Meghan launched on Netflix in March 2025 – and received largely negative reviews from TV critics

Harry became embroiled in a highly-public dispute with Dr Sophie Chandauka (right), chair of Sentebale, a charity he co-founded in 2006

Harry became embroiled in a highly-public dispute with Dr Sophie Chandauka (right), chair of Sentebale, a charity he co-founded in 2006

January 2025: The couple were seen visiting residents displaced by wildfires in California, helping distribute meals and donating supplies.

February 2025: the couple share a kiss on stage at the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. 

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March 4, 2025: With Love, Meghan, launches on Netflix. The show features Meghan welcoming friends and celebrity guests to share cooking, gardening and hosting tips – but has received largely negative reviews from TV critics.

March 25, 2025: Harry quits Sentebale, a charity he co-founded in 2006 to support vulnerable children, after stating the relationship between the board and the chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, had broken down. 

Dr Chandauka in return accused Harry and the former trustees of attempting to remove her because she had raised concerns about bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir.  

April 2, 2025: Meghan launches her lifestyle brand As Ever, originally called American Riviera Orchard. Her  first official product collection, including jams, teas and baking mixes, sell out in under an hour.

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June 2025: The As Ever brand is expanded to include alcoholic beverages. 

August 2025: The Charity Commission found no evidence of widespread or systemic bullying, misogyny or harassment.

However, it criticised both sides for allowing the dispute to become public and said the conflict damaged Sentebale’s reputation and risked distracting from its work

April 2026: The couple embark on a four-day visit to Australia. 

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July 2026: Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, stayed on the Scottish island Tanera Mor.

The private island is said to have inspired The Wicker Man, the cult 1973 film starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.

Harry is thought to have previously visited the island, which was bought for £1.7million in 2017 by billionaire Ian Wace, co-founder of hedge fund giant Marshall Wace.

They also had a secret meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, when father and son exchanged words in the first public in-person meeting in four years. 

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Charles had not seen his youngest grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, since 2022, when they were just three and one. 

Later in the month, Prince Harry surprised his wife Meghan Markle with a FaceTime call during her appearance on MasterChef Australia on Sunday night. 

August 6, 2026: Meghan made quite the splash as she marked her 45th birthday by sharing photos on social media of herself jumping into an outdoor pool – as she thanked her followers ‘for the birthday love’ on social media. 

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Body of Stokesley woman found almost a month after she vanished as police launch investigation

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Daily Mirror

The A172 was closed for the majority of Wednesday as officers examined the scene following the discovery of a body, believed to be Tracey Smith, in a crashed car

The body of a missing woman has been found in a crashed car down a roadside embankment.

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Tracey Smith, 57, vanished on July 24 after she was last seen leaving her home in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, driving a black Fiat Panda. Police launched a search effort to locate Tracey but almost a month later the search has come to a tragic end.

However, following North Yorkshire Police’s latest appeal on Tuesday, a member of the public called to say they had noticed a black vehicle crashed in undergrowth down an embankment on the A172 near the Cleveland Tontine.

The vehicle’s driver was tragically found dead inside and while formal identification is yet to take place but North Yorkshire Police believe the deceased to be Tracey.

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An update from North Yorkshire Police yesterday confirmed an investigation is underway.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Last night (18 August 2026) North Yorkshire Police were called by a member of the public after they noticed a black vehicle had come to rest in undergrowth down an embankment on the A172 at its junction with the A19 near the Cleveland Tontine.

“Sadly, the sole occupant of the vehicle was found deceased inside. While formal identification is yet to take place, officers believe the deceased to be missing Tracey Smith from the Stokesley area.

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“The road was closed and remain closed for most of the day. This was to allow investigators to examine the scene and to recover the vehicle. Due to the location of the vehicle, forensic examination and recovery took longer than usual. The road is expected to reopen later this evening (19 August).

“Our thanks go to members of the public who responded to appeals for help to find Tracey, including the person who called in after noticing a vehicle in the undergrowth.

“An investigation will be carried out to determine how the car came to leave the road. Our thoughts are with Tracey’s family and friends at this very sad time.”

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Celebrity MasterChef’s Paddy McGuinness has perfect response to judge

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Celebrity MasterChef's Paddy McGuinness has perfect response to judge

The popular TV and radio presenter, known for his unmistakable Northern charm, was a guest judge on tonight’s episode, the second in the new series.

Keeping to his northern roots, Paddy asked the contestants to cook him a delicious pie, saying that despite trying foods from around the world, he was still a fan of the old-school staples.

Emily Campbell, Jason Mohammad, Shakira Khan, Joe Pasquale, Jay McGuiness, (Image: BBC/Shine TV)

He said: “Well, being a northerner, this food is in our very DNA. I want you to bake me the most beautiful, the most glorious pie.”

Read more news on Paddy McGuinness here

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He said he loved pies because no matter where you go in the country, you can have a cheese and onion pie in Scotland and it will taste different to a cheese and onion pie in Birmingham.

Paddy said: “You tuck in and it is always a treat.”

Although primary judging duties lie with the formidable Grace Dent and Italian Michelin-starred maestro Giorgio Locatelli, this series has invited celebrity guest judges, including Paddy and Zoe Ball, who can trace her family back to Bolton.

Tonight, celebrity contestants Emily Campbell, Jason Mohammad, a colleague of Paddy’s, Jay McGuiness, Joe Pasquale and Shakira Khan served up proper pies that did not disappoint.

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He sampled everything from mushroom and lamb pies to sweet dessert pies.

With his northern charm fully on show, Paddy had something positive to say about every pie he was served, even giving a Paul Hollywood-style handshake to Jason for his pie.

He described Joe’s pie as “proper”, with the contestant explaining he had made a roux.

It was then, during the judging of the final pies, Paddy reminded Giorgio he did know a thing or two about cooking when the chef began describing what a roux was.

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Giorgio started to explain that it was flour and butter, but before he could finish, Paddy said: “Oh, I know I’m from Bolton, but I know some things, Giorgio!”

He then gave him a hug.

Giorgio said: “You looked a little puzzled when he said that.”

Shakira’s sweet pie reminded Paddy of his local Bolton pie shop, which he used to go with his mum.

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The winning pie was as Paddy thanked the celebrity chefs for feeding him, stating the judges had a very tough task.

To find out which was favourite pie, watch the episode on BBC iPlayer.

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‘Don’t rape, sexually assault or make kissing noises’ at people, asylum seekers warned in guidance about living in UK | Politics News

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A guidance document for asylum seekers produced by the Home Office

A guide for asylum seekers published by the Home Office has told them not to rape or sexually harass people, including partners and children.

The document tells people arriving in the UK after fleeing other countries that women are allowed to “earn their own money” and “make their own decisions about their lives”.

Men appear to be the primary target for the instructions, although there are also resources for asylum seekers who think they may be victims of illegal behaviour.

Politics Live: Funding questions over Burnham’s rough sleeping plan

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The guidance states that people are expected to not make sexual remarks about someone “even if you think it is a compliment”, whistle or make “kissing sounds” at someone, follow someone or “block their path”, make rude or offensive gestures, or “verbally abuse someone because of their gender, religion, or how they look”.

The guidance warns throughout that breaking the law can lead to trouble with law enforcement, lead to someone losing accommodation or support, and could affect an asylum claim.

People are warned it’s a serious crime to take or share sexual images without someone’s consent. As well as the guidebook, a series of posters have been designed by the Home Office to inform asylum seekers.

The guidance was published in a nine-page document titled “Understanding behaviours and expectations in the UK: A guide for asylum seekers”.

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Sections include: gender equality, domestic abuse, sex and consent, and respect in public – as well as getting help and living in the UK.

Illegal migration and the visible issue of people crossing the Channel in small boats is a policy area the government is determined to look tough on, and these documents are understood to be part of a plan to ensure not knowing the law is not an excuse for illegal actions.

It has also been focused on by parties like the Conservatives and Reform UK, and there have been a series of high-profile criminal cases involving asylum seekers.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Instead of trying to train these mainly young, male illegal immigrants behave in a civilised way towards women, they should be deported.”

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Some 101,000 people claimed asylum in the year ending December 2025, 4% less than the previous year, with around 46,000 detected arrivals coming to Britain via illegal routes, such as small boats or other clandestine routes.

Read more:
Asylum seekers jailed for rape on Brighton beach

Asylum seeker jailed for abducting and raping 12-year-old
Asylum seeker jailed for seven years for raping woman in Staffordshire

Examples of the guidance in the document include a section stating that “everyone in the UK is expected to treat men and women equally” – and “even if you are a family member, like a husband, father or brother” you must never do things like stop a woman working or studying, control what she wears or where she goes, or make decisions for her without her agreement.

Domestic abuse is defined in the guidance as physical violence, threats, controlling behaviour, emotional abuse and taking away someone’s documents.

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Asylum seekers are told they are expected to treat family and their partners with respect, let them make their own choices, and never physically or verbally abuse or control them.

The sex and consent page explains that both people must consent to sex without threat or pressure, someone can change their mind at any time even if they agreed previously, and someone “asleep, drunk, or unable to respond” cannot consent.


‘Very worrying’ new trend driving Channel crossings

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It adds: “Consent is needed in every situation. This means even if you are married or in a relationship with someone, they must consent to sex every time.”

The chapter says that people are expected to never use “threat, force or pressure” to make someone have sex, never try to have sex with someone who is asleep, drunk or unable to consent clearly, and to stop if someone says no or changes their mind.

It is mentioned that anyone under the age of 16 is considered a child and therefore legally cannot consent to having sex.

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How to behave in public is also covered, with asylum seekers “told that people have different beliefs, religions, cultures, relationships and ways of life” and they must “treat others with respect, even if you disagree with their beliefs or how they live”.

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Support numbers for victims are provided at the bottom of each section and in a chapter at the end of the document.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We expect everyone who comes to the UK to abide by our laws. If they do not, they will face consequences, including the refusal of their asylum claim and removal from the UK.”

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easyJet will no longer operate out of Leeds Bradford Airport

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easyJet will no longer operate out of Leeds Bradford Airport

The airline operates five direct routes from Leeds Bradford to Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Paris, Barcelona, and Belfast.

The popular budget airline has assured travellers that flight schedules up until that date will continue as normal.

What the airline had to say

An easyJet spokesperson said: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after January 5. Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.

“We have contacted customers with bookings beyond this date to provide them with advance notice and inform them of their options, including a free transfer to flights from an alternative airport or a refund, and we are very sorry for the inconvenience caused.

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Launch of the Paris serviceLaunch of the Paris service (Image: easyJet)

“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”

easyJet taken over by another firm

Eight other airlines continue to operate from Leeds Bradford, including Ryanair and Jet2.

The announcement comes just two weeks after easyJet confirmed a £5.7 billion takeover by private equity firm Apollo.

It has also been reported that increased expenses in jet fuel and lower bookings have also caused a 70 per cent fall in profits for the firm.

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LBA has been contacted for a comment.

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