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D4vd’s attorneys QUIT as a public defender takes over in murder trial amid concerns over finances

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On Monday, attorneys for D4vd announced in court that they would no longer represent him ¿ at his request ¿ while a public defender will take over his case; pictured in March 2025 in Paris

D4vd is now without his all-star legal team as a public defender takes over his defense in his trial over the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas.

On Monday, the 21-year-old singer’s attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter told the judge overseeing the trial that they could no longer represent D4vd (real name: David Anthony Burke).

‘This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel,’ the trio said in a statement to TMZ.

‘We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,’ the lawyers continued. ‘We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.’

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At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to Rivas’s murder, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death.

The Daily Mail has reached out to D4vd’s representatives for comment but has not yet received a response.

On Monday, attorneys for D4vd announced in court that they would no longer represent him – at his request – while a public defender will take over his case; pictured in March 2025 in Paris

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At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death

At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death

In taking over D4vd’s case, the public defender reportedly said the singer was indigent, raising questions about his finances. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, Berk said in court that D4vd had asked the public defender’s office to replace his counsel.

Berk and the other attorneys didn’t share a reason for why their client was no longer requesting their services, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo quickly agreed to the change in representation.

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According to the LA Times, a spokesperson for the LA County Public Defender’s Office said they were not able to share D4vd’s ‘financial information,’ but they confirmed that a look at his finances indicated that he was eligible to be represented by a public defender.

It’s unclear how the performer is now unable to pay for his high-powered defense team, as it was previously shown in court that he had already earned millions from a lucrative recording contract prior to going on trial.

In a statement to the LA Times, LA County Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel said: ‘We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving. At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence. We are committed to providing him with that defense.’

The latest shakeup in D4vd’s case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025. 

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Sources close to the Los Angeles County District Attorney told the Daily Mail in late July that prosecutors ‘don’t believe she was pregnant at the time she was killed,’ adding that ‘her body’ had been in ‘a state of decomposition.’ 

The public defender taking over D4vd's case said in court that he was eligible for their defense, and the LA County Public Defender's Office said a revue of his finances indicated that D4vd was eligible; pictured in court in April in LA

The public defender taking over D4vd’s case said in court that he was eligible for their defense, and the LA County Public Defender’s Office said a revue of his finances indicated that D4vd was eligible; pictured in court in April in LA

The latest shakeup in D4vd's case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025; D4vd is pictured in June 2025 in Paris
Prosecutors said in a news release in late July that the singer had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025, 'because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career'

The latest shakeup in D4vd’s case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025. Prosecutors said in a news release in late July that the singer had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025, ‘because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career’

The reveal came after an April 2026 addendum in the death certificate stated it had been ‘unknown’ whether Rivas had been expecting a child in the year before she was killed, People reported. The area of the death certificate had previously said ‘no’ prior to the adjustment.

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Prosecutors alleged in a news release that the musical artist had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025 ‘because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career.’

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors. 

The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that ‘small, blue plastic fragments’ from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim’s remains.

The latest in the case comes after D4vd had been ordered to stand trial in Rivas’ murder following a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors presented text messages that alluded to Rivas being pregnant and getting an abortion a year prior to her killing.

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Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farell said that records from D4vd’s phone alluded to a 2023 pregnancy and January 2024 abortion, with Rivas telling him, ‘Of course it’s yours David.’

Farell told the court that D4vd subsequently inquired with Rivas about her medical appointment and commented that he felt as if he’d been ‘waiting for test results.’

The detective said that the phone also contained images of child sexual abuse material involving Rivas that prosecutors did not present in the hearing, due to their graphic nature.

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors; he's seen in his mugshot from the LA County District Attorney's Office

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors; he’s seen in his mugshot from the LA County District Attorney’s Office 

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The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that 'small, blue plastic fragments' from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim's remains; he's pictured in Japan in May 2025

The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that ‘small, blue plastic fragments’ from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim’s remains; he’s pictured in Japan in May 2025 

Amid testimony from Farell, Rivas’ mother Mercedes Martinez wept as she walked out of the courtroom with the slain teen’s father Jesus Rivas.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said: ‘This is too much, I know how hard this is.’ 

Testimony presented from Farell in the preliminary hearing Monday indicated that Rivas’ parents had signed a form on September 23, 2024 granting consent for Rivas to go to London with D4vd from September 24 to October 5, 2024, People reported.

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D4vd had bought plane tickets via United Airlines for a trip to London, followed by a trip to Texas, where members of his family reside, Farell said.

Farell said that Rivas’ family knew about her link to the musician, and that in 2024, they had traveled to Las Vegas as well as Houston.

Patrick Steinfeld, an attorney for Rivas Hernandez’s family, said after the hearing that they were ‘horrified that the defense attorneys brought up evidence to put the blame on a 14-year-old girl,’ according to the AP

Los Angeles Judge Charlaine Olmedo subsequently said that enough evidence had been presented to proceed to trial. The judge ordered that D4vd remain in custody with no bail, with an arraignment slated for August 31.

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Prosecutors argued that the evidence to proceed to a trial was overwhelming.

‘Based on the mountains of evidence presented,’ Silverman said, ‘all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required.’

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that prosecutors presented only a ‘small fraction’ of the evidence they have. 

They are still weighing whether to seek the death penalty. D4vd is eligible for it after Judge Olmedo also found probable cause for lying in wait, killing for financial gain and killing a potential witness. These are special circumstances in a crime that would allow prosecutors to pursue the death sentence, if D4vd is found guilty.

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Lionel Richie, 77, taken into ICU in St Louis after falling ill on stage

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Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

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Lionel Richie has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night.

The 77-year-old checked himself into the facility following his performance at The Muny in Forest Park to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the intensive care unit.

Richie remains in the hospital as of Monday afternoon and is expected to be released on Tuesday, according to the site.

Sources said that the singer went to the hospital out of an abundance of caution, and doctors were reportedly examining the possibility that Richie might be suffering from dehydration. 

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The Daily Mail has reached out to Richie’s representative for comment but has not yet received a response.

The singer’s latest health scare comes just two months after he stoked concerns among fans when he was forced to cut short a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, after falling ill on stage.

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

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Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured May 15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured May 15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Richie remains in the hospital as of Monday afternoon and is expected to be released on Tuesday, according to the site; pictured in Spain in August 2025

Richie remains in the hospital as of Monday afternoon and is expected to be released on Tuesday, according to the site; pictured in Spain in August 2025

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis.

During his show-closing performance of his iconic hit All Night Long, Richie had to ask for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit down while singing. 

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The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June, when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing.

The septuagenarian hitmaker was performing at the Grand Casino Arena as the start of his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire when he announced an unusual intermission after a performance of Three Times A Lady from his piano, according to Minnesota’s Bring Me The News.

Richie’s band reportedly also left the stage minutes later, but more than 40 minutes after he cut off the show, a band member returned to announce he wouldn’t be able to return because he was feeling ill.

‘Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,’ said saxophonist Dino Soldo, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. ‘He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.’

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On social media, fans who attended the show shared their concerns and revealed that the singer had signaled throughout the performance that he wasn’t feeling well. 

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis, and he asked for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit while singing his show-closing hit All Night Long; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis, and he asked for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit while singing his show-closing hit All Night Long; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June (pictured), when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing

The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June (pictured), when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing

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Yorkshire Water begins repair work on Fishergate in York

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Yorkshire Water begins repair work on Fishergate in York

A team from Yorkshire Water started work at the Fishergate Gyratory, at the junction of Fishergate with Paragon Street, shortly before 3pm on Monday (August 31).

It came after a flash of rainwater during the thunderstorm lifted a section of the pedestrian crossing, forcing City of York Council’s highway officials to cordon the section of road off and close a major section of York’s inner ring road.


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Yorkshire Water began removing the lifted road surface using a concrete saw at around 3.15pm.

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Yorkshire Water arrived at the scene with a digger shortly before 3pm on Monday (August 31)Yorkshire Water arrived at the scene with a digger shortly before 3pm on Monday (August 31) (Image: Newsquest)

After placing barriers along the pedestrian crossing, a representative for Yorkshire Water said: “We will be cutting this section out, ready for another team tomorrow who will begin placing fresh tarmac on the road.”

City of York Council closed a section of Fishergate after a section had uplifted after the storm on Sunday (August 30)City of York Council closed a section of Fishergate after a section had uplifted after the storm on Sunday (August 30) (Image: Newsquest)

City of York Council said the road would remain closed “for a few days” and vehicles heading eastbound on Tower Street would be diverted via Piccadilly and Walmgate Bar.

Traffic is heavy along streets to Walmgate BarTraffic is heavy along streets to Walmgate Bar (Image: Newsquest)

A council statement said: “The road will need to be closed for a few days while we work with Yorkshire Water to understand the cause, then get it fixed.

“For now, all traffic (including buses) will be diverted.”

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A barrier was created by Yorkshire Water for the team to safely begin cutting the road with a concrete sawA barrier was created by Yorkshire Water for the team to safely begin cutting the road with a concrete saw (Image: Newsquest)

Motorists turning on to Piccadilly, next to The Postern Gate Wetherspoons pub, from Tower Street, are currently being diverted to Lead Mill Lane.

This is causing heavy traffic, which is building along George Street, Margaret Street and Walmgate.

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Teen charged for recording livestream of San Diego mosque shooting charged with murder

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Jury says The New York Times defamed Alabama player

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A 17-year-old North Carolina girl who recorded a livestream of a shooting that killed three people at a San Diego mosque and disseminated the attackers’ white-supremacist writings has been charged with murder by aiding and abetting, a district attorney said Monday.

The girl’s name was not immediately released during a news conference announcing the charges. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill told a news conference she was arrested last week and indicted by a grand jury Monday, just before she was due to begin the school year.

Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, stormed the Islamic Center on May 18 before being driven back outside by a security guard who exchanged gunfire with them as he initiated a lockdown, helping to protect 140 children who were just steps away.

The pair killed the guard, Amin Abdullah, and two other men before taking their own lives in a vehicle nearby. They left behind rambling writings full of vitriol against a wide range of people, and citing the shooter who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, as one of their models for the violence.

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I’ve spent 10 years selling food at Notting Hill Carnival: This is why it means so much to me

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I've spent 10 years selling food at Notting Hill Carnival: This is why it means so much to me

But what I do know, is that behind the mas bands and the two million people tailing them, is a largely self-built economy of families selling food, drinks, flags, whistles and souvenirs, and generations learning how to trade. It is children — now our own son too — discovering that their ideas can be worth something.

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Little Lever canal destroyed in 1936 collapse close to being restored

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Little Lever canal destroyed in 1936 collapse close to being restored

Part of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal near Little Lever was breached in July 1936.

Millions of gallons of water from the channel came cascading down into the River Irwell below.

The gigantic breach happened close to the Nob End locks, on the canal’s arm towards Bury, with the affected section never restored.

But work done by Watson Homes, who are building a new 255 home estate alongside the affected waterway at the former Creams Mill site in Little Lever, is set to change that.

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Watson has been restoring a 800 metre section of the waterway as part of the planning permission.

The extensive work means the section of canal is set to be ‘in water’ by May 2027.

The 1936 canal breach at Little Lever (Image: John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

The new section of waterway will also create a destination for visitors as a new café is planned alongside a canoe and kayaking school.

At the point of the canal collapse, a bend of the River Irwell had eroded the valley side, creating a steep slope.

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Remarkably no one was injured, but the massive structural failure led to the decline of the canal, with now attempts to repair it, until now.

The project is being supported by other groups including Inland Waterways Association and The Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society.

Work is progressing on the bullnose at Nob End, Little Lever (Image: Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society)

The canal society has commissioned a feasibility study with Bolton and Bury councils and the Canal & River Trust to investigate reopening the canal to navigation from Little Lever to Bury and has also been instrumental in other improvement projects along the length of the canal.

The society’s vision is to progressively restore the canal to fully navigable condition, and in doing so create ‘blue-green spaces that aid wellbeing and environmental improvement’.

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Mike Watson is a director at developers Watson.

He described the waterway project as the ‘centrepiece of the development taking place at Creams Mill’ and ‘a technically challenging but incredibly rewarding project’.

The project will also introduce a new towpath and pedestrian routes as well as a new stretch of waterway.

Mr Watson gave an update of when people will be able to see the section ‘in water’ for the first time in 90 years.

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He said: “We’re working towards a date roughly around the end of May for starting to put water back into the canal but we’re exploring opportunities to kind of bring that in slightly ahead of that by utilising temporary bunds and filling up some sections as we go.

“We’re starting to pick up pace now and we can start getting the lining down.

“We’re building everything to adoptable standards from the Canals and Rivers Trust, doing all the connection agreements and licences and dealing closely with them.”

Mr Watson also gave an update on the new café and canoe school, which have already been granted planning permission.

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He said: “We’ve got the café and the canoe school going along the side of the waterway.

“They will be located just as you go under the bridge between the two development parcels. “We’re working on the finalised designs at the moment.

“So we’re hoping that that will all be up and running to coincide with the water date.

“So as we fully open up that area, we’ve got a full recreational facility there.”

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Recap after three injured following fire at terraced houses in New Lodge Road North Belfast

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Belfast Live

The fire service has said the incident involved an upper floor fire that spread to neighbouring properties.

Four appliances were sent to the scene with firefirghters working to stop the blaze spreading further. Two people suffered minor injuries as a result of the fire.

A NIFRS spokesperson said they were winding down at the incident and a couple of appliances had already left the scene.

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BBC airs footage of hip hop star Loyle Carner rapping ‘f*** Nigel Farage’ and ‘free Palestine’ during Reading Festival set

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Loyle Carner – one of Sunday's most anticipated acts – rapped the line 'f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine', which was met with cheers from the crowd

The BBC has sparked fury after airing footage of rapper Loyle Carner saying ‘f*** Nigel Farage‘ during a performance at Reading Festival.

A recording of the set was then uploaded to BBC iPlayer where it was dubbed ‘poignant’ and ‘uplifting’ by the corporation.

Carner – one of Sunday’s most anticipated acts – rapped the line ‘f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine‘, which was met with cheers from the crowd.

It comes after a forced apology from the BBC last year after it livestreamed a set by punk duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury in which the band chanted: ‘Death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)’.

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In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth.

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for ‘strong’ and ‘discriminatory’ language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage.

It captions the clip: ‘A poignant, uplifting set from the twice-Mercury-nominated British rapper.’ 

Commenting on yesterday’s performance, one viewer said on X: ‘We shouldn’t be forced to pay money to this biased corporation simply because we want to watch live television. They must be forced to become an independent subscription broadcaster.’

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Another added: ‘BBC captioned this performance from Reading Festival as ‘a poignant, uplifting set’ Defund the BBC.’

Loyle Carner – one of Sunday’s most anticipated acts – rapped the line ‘f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine’, which was met with cheers from the crowd

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for 'strong' and 'discriminatory' language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for ‘strong’ and ‘discriminatory’ language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage

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In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth

In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth

Carner previously criticised the Reform UK leader on stage at Glastonbury last year.

During his performance, he said ‘Ff** Nigel Farage, man, I’m sorry’.

Carner, 31, also used his set at the festival to comment on vocal gender critical campaigner and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

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As he introduced his song Horcrux, named after a magical object in the Harry Potter books, he said: ‘This song is called Horcrux ’cause I love Harry Potter. But I don’t really like JK Rowling, do you know what I mean?’.’

Carner, whose full name is Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner, was born in Lambeth in south London and has released four studio albums – two of which have been nominated for the Mercury Prize.

He has raised awareness of issues such as male suicide and previously ran a cooking school for children with ADHD.

Carner has been a particularly vocal critic of Reform, suggesting he ‘hates Nigel Farage’ at the Brit Awards in February.

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He added: ‘But for me, what feels more powerful instead of being negative all the time, which is so easy because there’s a lot of negativity around me, is to try and find ways to express some sort of hope and generosity to the people who exist like me who maybe feel marginalised or oppressed or left behind. Because there’s enough s*** – on the news that’s making me feel sad.’

Kneecap are pictured during their 2025 performance at Glastonbury. Over the weekend they used their headline slot at Reading to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham 'a w*****' after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland

Kneecap are pictured during their 2025 performance at Glastonbury. Over the weekend they used their headline slot at Reading to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‘a w*****’ after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland

In 2019 he wore a t-shirt which said ‘I Hate Boris’ during his set at Glastonbury where he told the crowd: ‘F*** that guy.’

Four years later at Glastonbury, Carner used his platform to give a speech about knife crime in the UK.

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Also over the weekend, Northern Irish rappers Kneecap closed the festival – using their headline slot to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‘a w*****’ after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland.

The musicians also said ‘f*** Benjamin Netanyahu’ as a Palestinian flag was draped over their DJ deck.

Band member Mo Chara said: ‘It’s important to us that we use this platform for what we believe to be right, and some people aren’t as f***ing lucky right now, and that’s our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

‘So I just need to take some time to show some solidarity as Irish people; we understand displacement, colonialism and forced starvation of a population that we see right now in Palestine.

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‘So just remember how lucky we all are to be in a field with all our best f***ing mates listening to tunes, and let’s be thinking at the same time about our Palestinian brothers and sisters, so f*** Benjamin Netanyahu, and free, free Palestine!’

The BBC said it provided ‘extensive coverage of Reading Festival across the weekend, featuring performances from a wide range of artists’.

A source added the content is in line with editorial guidelines and audience expectations. 

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Aston Villa vs Arsenal – Premier League LIVE: Emi Buendia hits the crossbar for the hosts, but Gunners on top in early stages

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Aston Villa vs Arsenal - Premier League LIVE: Emi Buendia hits the crossbar for the hosts, but Gunners on top in early stages

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Follow Daily Mail Sport’s live coverage for the latest updates of Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at Villa Park.

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We can’t quit smartphones, but we can manage digital junk food better

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We can’t quit smartphones, but we can manage digital junk food better

Amy, a 27-year-old software developer, has struggled with disordered eating since she was a teenager. “But after learning to code, I got much better,” she said in a research interview. “I often code for ten or more hours without stopping.” Her psychiatrist, however, worried that Amy has replaced one compulsive behaviour with another.

“Digital addiction” is often used to describe our relationship with smartphones, social media and other digital technologies. This way of thinking suggests that people get “hooked” on digital activity because their body becomes “addicted” to dopamine. It borrows from models of substance addiction: the focus is on the physical need to keep using a substance because the body has adapted to it, despite harmful consequences. The implied solution is straightforward: abstinence, which translates into practices like digital detox.

But Amy’s story, which forms part of our ongoing research, points to a more complicated reality of our relationship with digital technology. Coding consumed much of her time and attention, yet it also helped her earn an income and build a professional identity. Like many forms of digital engagement, it was not just a distraction but a way of navigating life.

As research shows, for many people digital technologies are not only a source of entertainment but key components of their education, work and social mobility. Unlike in the case of addictive substances, opting out of digital life is easier said than done when schools, banks and public services increasingly require it.

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How people relate to digital technology isn’t just about them as individuals. It’s shaped by their personal vulnerabilities, but also by digital environments intentionally built to hook us, and by the wider social conditions people live in.

So comparing smartphones to substances like alcohol, tobacco or drugs can be misleading. It overlooks the fact that digital devices have become a kind of essential infrastructure for daily life. Given how we have built our lives around them, these technologies are now very difficult to live without.

How, then, do we develop a sustainable relationship with technologies such as smartphones that are both indispensable and potentially harmful?

The sugar model

Amy’s story with disordered eating may be useful here. Recovery from an eating disorder isn’t about eliminating food altogether, but about learning to live with it.

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In the same way that we cannot remove food from our lives, it is also difficult to remove digital technologies from our everyday. So the challenge becomes developing ways of living with them.

Take, for example, sugar. In many countries, foods high in sugar are subject to a wide range of public health measures. Think national food safety standards, public health interventions, school nutrition policies, limits on advertising. So it’s not about focusing on one thing only. Rather, it’s the interaction between all of these interventions that shapes patterns of consumption and impacts wellbeing.

When using a smartphone, it can be easy for hours of time to seemingly disappear.
SWEETLOUISE/PIXABAY, CC BY

A similar approach is needed for digital technologies. At the level of state and industry governance, this includes regulation of platform and design – particularly when it is aimed at capturing and holding users’ attention.

Just as food labels describe ingredients, nutrition and additives, digital products could disclose what data they collect, what algorithms they run on and what psychological techniques keep their users engaged.

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The UK’s decision to ban social media for under 16s while continuing to expand digital literacy and coding education reflects an important point: not all digital technologies are the same.

“Digital use” cannot be treated as a single category to be either embraced or banned. Like sugar, the question is not whether children should have it at all, but what kinds, in what quantities, and in what conditions.

Beyond counting calories and screen hours

Just as sharing a meal with family affects people differently from eating alone, playing games with friends is not the same as scrolling endlessly through social media. Both count as screen time, but they create very different social and emotional experiences.

Reflecting on our own digital habits remains important. But tracking screen time is like counting calories: it tells us how much, but not necessarily why. We have to ask ourselves what role digital technologies play in our lives.

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Are they helping us work, connect, rest, escape, cope, feel less or more alone? Without this kind of reflection, self-tracking risks turning a complex social issue into a matter of individual self-control.

Understanding digital technologies through the lens of food rather than addiction shifts the emphasis in important ways. Both are domains where necessity, pleasure, risk and social obligation are intertwined, which is why abstinence may not be an adequate, long-term response.

Instead of treating excessive technology use as a matter of personal discipline, approaching them like some foods locates it within broader systems of design, industry governance, state policy and social practices. The challenge then is to integrate these different levels to make life with digital technologies sustainable.

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Expert reveals one product you should avoid when cleaning

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Expert reveals one product you should avoid when cleaning

Cleaning products for different parts of your home can start to add up in cost, so you might be looking for something that can do everything.

Whether you love trying out TikTok cleaning trends or the latest products, you might want to be careful to avoid making huge mistakes when cleaning your home.

A cleaning expert has revealed one common product people should avoid when trying to get rid of marks and dirt around the house.

This cleaning expert says you should think before using bleach on household items. (Image: Getty)

Common cleaning product you should avoid

Krasi Delcheva, a cleaning expert from Cleaners of London, recently revealed one of the products she never uses when cleaning homes.

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Krasi says she never uses bleach because it can often do more harm than good.

She said: “I never use bleach.

“There’s a product designed for every surface that does the job better.

“One of my clients once dropped a bottle of bleach down the stairs.

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“It ruined the whole runner.

“Over £2,500 of carpet gone in one splash.”

She also mentioned how many people make the mistake of using bleach on things like sweat stains.

Doing this not only damages the fabric, but it can also react with proteins in sweat and make the discolouration worse.

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Bleach should be avoided when you are cleaning the house because it can corrode common household surfaces and does not remove physical dirt.

Using bleach can permanently damage items in your home and will cause stainless steel, copper, and aluminium to rust.

It can also strip natural oils in things like wood and leather.

Other cleaning hacks you should avoid

Krasi also highlighted some other viral cleaning hacks that you should avoid.

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Many people have been using WD-40 to get rid of dirt on their shower screens, with Krasi saying: “Not only does the oil leave behind a greasy residue, it can be downright dangerous, turning bathtubs into a slip hazard waiting to happen.”

If you need to get rid of dust on TVs, computers, and phones, simply wiping them with a soft microfibre cloth will work.

She said: “Wipe them down with a soft microfibre cloth.

“Most of the time, that’s all they need. If the dirt is a little tougher, use a gentle screen-safe cleaner.”

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Will you be avoiding using bleach around your home? Let us know in the comments.

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