When the police arrived, Michelle thought her ordeal was finally over.

She sat shellshocked on the sofa, squinting through a black eye with blood seeping from a cut lip after the latest violent assault at the hands of her abusive partner.

But it was Michelle who ended up in a cell that night after he told officers she hit him first.

Her ex had used the counter-allegation tactic.

It’s one that perpetrators often employ, according to Nadia Hughes, head of criminal justice services at Advance, a charity that helps women who’ve experienced harm through domestic abuse and the criminal justice system.

The ploy is particularly effective when a woman has acted in self-defence or retaliated, so the perpetrator himself has injuries. These are then misunderstood by the police as signs of aggression, rather than the culmination of years of abuse.

Nadia says that besides deflecting the blame from the abuser, the tactic also serves another purpose: ‘It’s a really manipulative way to deter a survivor from calling 999 in the future’.

Once the counter-allegation strategy has been used once, the police have a record that this woman might be violent or abusive. Nadia explains that ‘she’s then less likely to report the abuse she’s been subjected to because there is a distrust of statutory services like the police’.

‘Counter allegations actually become a sort of weaponised way of controlling that survivor. It is something we hear a lot unfortunately.’

Around half of recent referrals to Advance, which works at the intersection of domestic abuse and criminal justice, have stemmed from women being arrested as a result of counter allegations.

Research shows that women are three times more likely to be arrested than their male partners at a domestic abuse incident involving them.

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On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

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With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

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Michelle tells Metro she suffered years of abuse prior to her wrongful arrest, beginning when she was pregnant.

‘The second time he hit me was after my son was born and he was in my arms,’ she says. ‘That was horrific.

‘My son had a white baby grow on and there was blood all over him where he broke my nose.’

Michelle suffered appalling injuries, including a broken leg and fractured collarbone, when her ex pushed her from a fourth-floor window.

‘When you’re in it you don’t see how serious it is,’ she says. ‘You just know that you survived it.’

She describes how her homelife hinged on her ex’s moods.

‘He would phone me during the day and let me know how good or bad his day was going,’ she says.

‘That would determine what my evening was going to be like. If it was a bad day, I would be walking on eggshells waiting for him to flip at me.

‘It’s like dying a slow death waiting for that snap to happen.’

Looking back, Michelle can’t even remember what that final argument was about.

When her ex started hitting her again, she instinctively threw her arms up to try and defend herself.

But she caught his face with her elbow while doing so, giving him a bloodied nose.

Despite being the one who called the police, she found herself being arrested alongside him.

She lost her job as a family support worker after missing a key court hearing while in custody.

‘I sent myself to university when I was 30 trying to better my life,’ Michelle says. ‘I got the job of my dreams, and it was taken.’

Beyond the physical and emotional toll, counter allegations can cost women their homes, their children and their jobs.

In the case of Bethany Rae Fields, her killer used counter allegations in the lead up to, and on the day he killed her.

After 21-year-old Bethany reported her ex Paul Crowther to the police following threats he had made against her, her friends and family, Paul turned his finger at her multiple times.

Pauline, Bethany’s mum, calls his actions ‘despicable. She was tiny; 21 to his 35 years.’

Staffing issues meant that Paul’s complaint progressed slowly – as did Bethany’s against him – and a week after filing his ‘case’ with the police, he chased it, and then again four days later.

Despite Paul being reported to the police seven times, despite being known to services after having had two former partners complain about harassment – with one resulting in a conviction, and despite Paul telling mental health services that he wanted to take revenge against Bethany, he was still invited to make a statement after reporting her to the police.

He went into the station on September 12, 2019, to make a statement against her. That same day he killed her.

Pauline now urges police to think of Bethany’s initials – BRF – and to ‘Believe. React. Fast’. That means considering whether the counter-allegation tactic is in play.

For Jessica, the experience of being disbelieved by the police has eroded her faith in the force completely.

‘I don’t believe they have listened to me once, or made me feel safe,’ she tells Metro.

Jessica was abused for years by two of her children and ended up having to leave the family home after being arrested and charged when one of them claimed she was the perpetrator.

She says her son would hold a knife to her throat and her daughter would kick and spit at her.

‘It got to the point where I couldn’t go to the rest of the house really. I was living in a bedroom. It was marked cell number five with my name.’

Jessica adds: ‘I don’t think I could even admit to myself how bad it was until now, when I look at the pictures of the injuries and the pictures of my bedroom door – I thought that was normal.

On the day of her arrest, Jessica says her daughter ‘started on’ her again as she was going into her bedroom.

Like Michelle, she put her hand out to signal she’d had enough – but that was not how it was subsequently reported to the police: ‘Apparently that was attempting to push her down the stairs.’

‘We are finding that women are not speaking up – they are not feeling confident or safe to report.’

Jessica is still haunted by the traumatic experience of being arrested.

‘I was in the bedroom with my other daughter,’ she recalls. ‘We were just laying there. There was a bang on the door.

‘My bedroom door regularly banged from the children anyway, but as I went to open it, I was literally pulled out by force onto the little landing.

‘I didn’t have a clue what was happening – there was no reason for the police to be there. I was put in handcuffs.

‘I was crying, and the two children that did this were sat there filming the whole thing and laughing.

‘It was so daunting, and the way they treat you when you’re going to the cells is just horrendous. I’d never been in one before.’

Jessica adds: ‘Everyone always joked and called me Wonder Woman because I had six children. I was a nursery manager. I was a trusted person.

‘They’ve taken all of that away.’

She spent a year under investigation only for the common assault charge to be dropped at the crown court.

Being made to feel like a criminal has now changed how she views the police.

‘They just don’t seem to understand domestic abuse. They definitely don’t understand child-to-parent violence.’

In addition to being less likely to call the police, a woman subject to counter allegations is also less likely to be referred by them on to specialist support because she is seen as a perpetrator.

Nadia says: ‘If you’ve got perpetrators who are recording a woman using resistance – someone who has been subjected to abuse for a long period of time and gets to the point where she retaliates as a response to that – that becomes an isolated incident away from the long-term abuse and can be used as evidence against her.

‘We are finding that women are not speaking up – they are not feeling confident or safe to report.’

Research shows nearly 70% of women in prison or under community supervision are victims of domestic abuse. For many, that is directly linked to their offending and can take the form of counter allegations, coerced offending or criminalisation by association.

‘I’ve seen quite a number of cases where very coercively controlling men – very manipulative men – are able to set these situations up. It can all be quite Machiavellian and horrendous.’

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The Centre for Women’s Justice is campaigning for a new defence in criminal law that will recognise coercive control as the driver of the offence.

Currently, victims can only rely on the defence of duress – when you are coerced into acting under the use or threat of violence – which has been found to be ineffective in cases of domestic abuse.

Instead, they often depend on the police or Crown Prosecution Service deciding it is not in the public interest to prosecute them.

Harriet Wistrich, founder and CEO of the Centre for Women’s Justice, tells Metro: ‘In a lot of domestic abuse situations, by the time the police have arrived the victim could be very traumatised or hysterical and he’s appearing very calm.

‘If he’s saying, “she’s just a bit mentally unwell and she’s just thrown something at me”, how do the police deal with that situation?

‘And we have seen a lot of situations where the woman has been arrested and she’s really the victim and the police aren’t necessarily able to make a very careful assessment of what’s going on.

‘I’ve seen quite a number of cases where very coercively controlling men – very manipulative men – are able to set these situations up.

‘It can all be quite Machiavellian and horrendous.’

She adds: ‘Our proposed model is based on what we have for victims of trafficking, where it’s recognised that if you’re forced to commit criminal offences that essentially you have a defence if you can show that it’s directly linked with your exploitation.

‘What we’re arguing is that where somebody is in a coercively controlling relationship where they are under control of somebody and they are essentially forced to handle stolen goods or drugs or commit mortgage fraud or whatever it is, they can show circumstances which lead them to commit those acts.

‘Obviously, it’s not necessarily having a gun held to you, but if it’s in that context of the relationship then they should have a defence and be able to argue they are not culpable rather than potentially argue it as mitigation but still be convicted of a crime.’

*Names have been changed

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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Tanzanian foursome The Rafikiz stunned the panel with their acrobatic performance on the Britain’s Got Talent stage

Britain’s Got Talent judges were left stunned by an acrobatic performance that prompted gasps of “Oh my God!”

Tanzanian quartet The Rafikiz auditioned for Simon Cowell, KSI, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden in Saturday’s (March 7) edition of the ITV show. A preview clip from the programme reveals the panel’s astonished reactions as they witnessed the group’s acrobatic routine.

The contestants stripped to their jeans to demonstrate their abilities on the Britain’s Got Talent stage, captivating the judges with complex balancing sequences. During one segment, The Rafikiz formed a human pyramid, with the uppermost performer balancing upside down on his head atop his colleague’s head, reports Belfast Live.

READ MORE: Britain’s Got Talent hit with complaints over act that left viewers ‘physically sick’READ MORE: Britain’s Got Talent’s ‘future uncertain’ as ratings plummet to ‘all time low’

“That is some serious strength!” Alesha observed as the crowd applauded and both Amanda and KSI exclaimed: “Oh my God!”

“What?” presenter Dec asked incredulously, as he watched from the side of the stage alongside co-host Ant. “Wow!” Ant responded as the act transitioned to a one-handed lift. “It’s like the Avengers or something!”

The spectacle intensified as one performer gripped a stand between his teeth and elevated another Rafikiz member into the air, supporting him entirely with his jaw.

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The routine concluded to thunderous applause, with the entire judging panel standing to deliver a standing ovation.

“I am impressed!” KSI declared, whilst Amanda concurred: “It was so thrilling and so dangerous. I literally could not take my eyes off you. At the end I was covered in goosebumps. It was just amazing.”

Alesha expressed that she “loved it”, whilst Simon told them: “It’s a huge yes for me. We saw an act before from Canada.

“Literally, he was just jumping around on the trampoline. They blamed the size of the trampoline because we said no.

“And you don’t have a particularly big staircase, but it doesn’t matter. Because you put on a show.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website

Britain’s Got Talent airs Saturday 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX

The St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of next year, with the old one completely demolished by December 2028

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has begun work to redevelop St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School – the last of Barry’s four comprehensive schools to undergo such an upgrade. The £67.5m project will see old buildings replaced. Work on the new school is expected to be completed by the end of next year, with the old one completely demolished by December 2028.

Back in 2020, two new school buildings were built at Pencoedtre High and Whitmore High, while Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg has been significantly extended.

St Richard Gwyn will now be improved with work by contractor Morgan Sindall. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The design for the school, which has 1,100+ pupils, includes quiet outdoor spaces filled with greenery, a cycle shelter and repair station to encourage pupils and staff not travel by car.

There will also be provision for children with Additional Learning Needs (ALNs), a 3G sports pitch and Multiuse Games Area which will be available to the school and wider community.

The school hall will feature a full sound system and lighting for performances, while the canteen will get a new snack bar added on offering light meals and drinks.

Vale of Glamorgan Council said sustainability is a key feature of the new buildings, which use eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems, maximising solar energy to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

This is in line with the council’s Project Zero commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.

A green roof made of vegetation will help drainage and provide other ecological benefits, the council said.

Meanwhile, work on Ysgol Llyn Derw, a second site for Ysgol y Deri, in Cosmeston between Sully and Penarth continues. Ysgol y Deri, which shares its main site with St Cyres in Penarth, caters for pupils with special educational needs. Ysgol Llyn Derw is expected to be completed by the summer, the council confirmed.

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TOKYO (AP) — This is the Shohei Ohtani effect.

Ohtani put on a giant show in batting practice hours before he hit a grand slam in the second inning — in the first he doubled on the first pitch of the game but didn’t score — as Japan hammered Taiwan 13-0 in Pool C at the World Baseball Classic.

It was Japan’s first game of four in pool play.

Ohtani drew major Western star power to Japan for the game, with actor Timothée Chalamet and pop singer Bad Bunny in the stands.

Ohtani spoke to the crowd after the game.

“I knew it was going to leave the park right away after I hit it,” Ohtani said of his grand slam. “It’s important to score first.”

Bowing and tipping his cap, Ohtani thanked the fans.

“It was a good game and we got off to a good start, so I think it was all because of your support,” he said to rising applause as he spoke in Japanese. “I think the battles will continue, but if the fans and the team can come together and cheer it will encourage us. So please support us.”

Starting and winning pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto also, of course, credited Ohtani in a post-game press conference away from the field.

“This was our first game of the tournament and to score the first run is always difficult,” he said. “But Shohei hit a huge home run to give us the momentum. So I tip my cap to him.”

An early show in BP

Ohtani’s batting practice thrilled many who had traveled from afar to see him.

Lia Chan and her husband How and other family members flew in from Singapore — about a seven-hour flight to Tokyo — just to watch Ohtani play in the World Baseball Classic.

“And baseball is not even popular in Singapore,” said Lia, who was seated a few rows behind home plate. “We know about baseball, we watch it, but when Ohtani came along it’s just gone out of proportions.”

Lia, her husband and other Singaporeans in their group were among some 40,000 in the stadium oohing-and-aahing on Friday, and this was only for batting practice hours before the second Pool C game.

Ohtani knows about drama.

He kept the crowd waiting for perhaps 30 minutes as other Japanese players practiced and hundreds of reporters with cameras, phones and tripods milled around in a penned-off area on the field.

Finally, Ohtani emerged from the dugout and waited his turn around the batting cage, hugged a few players, made small talk, and greeted some fans in an area for sponsors.

Fans in the stands stood to get a better look. But they were asked to sit down by attendants holding signs in Japanese and English that read: “Please watch from your seats.”

Ohtani took about 25 swings, hit about 10 balls out of the park and another few against the outfield wall.

When batting practice ended, he jogged out to thank the batting practice pitcher, bowed slightly, and gathered a few loose balls and tossed them into the hopper. Then with a bat in each hand, he trotted off the field to prepare for the game against Taiwan.

“Who does things like that?” Lia said. “He’s in another league.”

___

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

The incident took place on Friday afternoon when emergency crews were called to an apparent fall on Arthur’s Seat.

A hiker has been rescued after “falling” from Arthur’s Seat. The alarm was raised shortly before 1.30pm on Friday, March 6 when emergency services were alerted to a climber having ran into trouble at the Edinburgh beauty spot.

Crews including Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Scottish Ambulance Service rushed to the peak, located within Holyrood Park, as did the coastguard in desperate attempts to help the individual involved.

The SFRS confirmed they sent two appliances, a height appliance and a rope rescue appliance to the incident, with a Coastguard helicopter also seen circling the skies around the popular site, located near the Scottish Parliament.

Photos taken at the scene show an air ambulance circling the area. A Coastguard spokesperson confirmed that the male hiker was rescued and put into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service, reports Edinburgh Live.

The name, age and gender of the person is not yet known, nor is the extent of their injuries, how it happened, or whether they required hospital treatment.

A spokesperson said: “At around 2.07pm, HM Coastguard was made aware of a male with injuries sustained in a fall at Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh.

“An HM Coastguard Rescue Helicopter was sent, and the casualty was rescued and put into the care of Scottish Ambulance Service.”

A SFRS spokesperson added: “We responded to reports of a casualty in Holyrood Park at 1.24pm on Friday, March 6. We had two appliances, a rope rescue appliance and a height appliance in attendance.”

Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service has been approached for comment.

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Devolution in North Yorkshire is ‘not working as planned’, the Mayor of Whitby, Cllr Sandra Turner, has said.

Cllr Turner said that local decision-makers should be properly consulted before North Yorkshire Council (NYC) implements projects across the county.

​Speaking at a meeting this week, Cllr Turner said “things happen in Whitby that we know nothing about” and criticised NYC for a lack of information about it projects.

​The county’s borough and district councils were abolished in 2023, and North Yorkshire Council was created as part of a plan for double devolution, whereby the government hands over decision-making powers and money to regional leaders.

Additionally, parish and town councils gain additional responsibilities.

“When North Yorkshire was first looking to go unitary, one of the biggest drivers of that was that they would work closely and collaboratively with every town and parish council,” said Cllr Turner.

​“But over the last year, we’ve had things happen in Whitby that we know nothing about. We have the infamous wheel on West Cliff that we read about on Facebook. We’ve got the Sunken Gardens that have been altered and improved, which we applaud, but about which we knew nothing.”

Similar concerns have been raised recently by councillors representing coastal areas on North Yorkshire Council.

​Cllr Turner added that elected members on NYC providing updates at town council meetings was not adequate and that more should be done to involve the parish sector.

​“It’s not working the way it was suggested it would in the initial start-up,” the mayor added.

​Cllr Liz Colling, chair of the Scarborough and Whitby area committee, provided a response on behalf of North Yorkshire Council.

​Cllr Colling said that North Yorkshire Council’s pledges included undertaking statutory consultations with the parish sector, engaging with the parish sector on key issues that are likely to affect or be of particular interest to their area, and providing parish councils with “sufficient information to enable them to reach an informed view on matters upon which they’re being consulted”.

​She said: “It’s important to note however that Whitby Town Council remains a consultee among many on such matters and the ultimate decisions rest with North Yorkshire Council.

“Whitby more than pulls its weight in tourism income for this county, with two million visitors a year, and I think out of pure respect, we should be informed when something’s happening in our town.

​“It’s critical that if we are to maintain the Whitby that we all love and portray to be the golden egg of the county, then we need that information coming forward.”

​Cllr Colling said: “There are 729 parishes across North Yorkshire and they don’t all have parish councils or town councils, but there are 430 parish councils that North Yorkshire is dealing with, and I just need to put that in context of your request.”

The Sun aligns with Mercury’s retrograde in Pisces, highlighting hopes, dreams and maybe infatuations. Don’t allow rationality to float off completely today.

Virgo, Leo and Cancer, avoid finality. It may serve you hold off from any major decisions, until the cosmic haze has passed.

Revisiting the past could bring new discoveries, as this placement encourages reflection. However, don’t get stuck looking behind you.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Saturday March 7, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To download your free Unique Personal Horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com/free-birth-chart/.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

Today’s celestial blend highlights dreams, intuition and unfinished emotional business. You may feel reflective, nostalgic or slightly sleepy as the universe whispers, ‘Slow down.’ Old thoughts resurface, messages from the past reappear and your subconscious is storytelling in full colour. Rest, release and rediscover what has been buried beneath pent-up energy.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Your social sphere and long-term goals may feel hazy. You could reflect on friendships, revisit old dreams or reconnect with people from the past unexpectedly. Inspiration flows, but details blur, so double-check plans and pause before major decisions. This is a time for gentle edits, not final drafts. Trust intuition but keep logic close by.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

With the Sun merging with Mercury in its rewind, your career path may take a few detours. You may revisit professional plans, rethink your public image or hear from past colleagues. This is not the time to finalise long-term goals. Listen inward, review priorities and reconnect with what genuinely excites you.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Your mind drifts towards distant horizons, spirituality and long-held dreams. You may revisit beliefs, rekindle travel ambitions or reconnect with a former mentor or passion project. The universe invites you to redraw your personal map, but not in ink just yet. Let intuition guide you but avoid locking anything in too prematurely, Cancer.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

Your emotional depths glow with insight and mystery. Secrets, shared resources and intimate bonds come up for review. This is a powerful moment to examine emotional fine print you usually skim. You may reconnect with an old flame or rediscover a forgotten part of yourself. Trust instincts but verify facts before making promises or investments.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

Relationships are under review as the Sun aligns with Mercury retrograde. Old flames may resurface, misunderstandings seek clarity or you reassess the give-and-take in close bonds. This is not the moment for final declarations. Listen, reflect and revise your approach to partnership with compassion and honesty.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Daily rhythms, routines and wellness habits are under scrutiny. You are invited to slow down and reassess how you care for your body, mind and schedule. Expect minor mix-ups or forgetfulness, especially at work, but also flashes of insight that realign you with what truly nourishes you. Aim for flow, but perhaps not perfection.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

Romance, creativity and joy call softly rather than loudly. This is a beautiful time to revisit a creative project, reconnect with a past love or let imagination roam freely. Just avoid getting lost in fantasy, as the Pisces influence loves twists and turns. Let your inner child speak and your muse dance.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

Your sanctuary and personal history echo with memories. You may revisit family stories, rethink your roots or reconnect with someone familiar. This is a time for reflection, restoration and perhaps refreshing your space to match inner changes. Emotions may rise like tides, let them. Home is evolving, and so are you.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 20

Your thoughts drift into intuitive territory. Conversations, ideas and creative projects circle back for review. This is a good moment to revisit unsent messages, revive old ideas or simply listen more than speak. Avoid forcing outcomes. Reflection, revision and rest bring clarity. Wisdom whispers when you slow down.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 21 to February 19

Finances and priorities may feel muddled as receipts disappear, subscriptions resurface or values come into question. This pause invites you to reassess not only what you own, but how you value yourself. Avoid rushing major financial decisions, but reflect on where your energy and income truly flow.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

With the Sun merging with Mercury retrograde in your sign, you are a blend of insight and déjà vu. Old ideas, conversations or shelved dreams resurface for review. Communication may be muddled, but your intuition is finely tuned. Trust your instincts more than messages or schedules today.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Head here for this week’s tarot horoscope reading, and see what the cards have in store for you!

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of March here.

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MORE: Venus in Aries flips your love life on its head — each star sign’s tarot horoscope forecast

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Headteachers in Wales have the power to ban or restrict the use of mobile phones in their schools, but there could soon be new national guidance

The Welsh Government has issued an update on mobile phone use in schools. The impact of social media and phones on children and young people in Wales is “a matter of significant concern” the minister responsible for schools said.

“Schools and parents have been raising their concerns about the significant influence that technology and mobile phones can have on the health, wellbeing, and learning experiences of our children and young people,” said Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle. Currently, it is up to individual schools to decide whether pupils can bring in and use mobile phones.

Headteachers have the power to ban or restrict the use of devices, and some do, but policies differ widely. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

There is mounting concern over issues such as cyber bullying, unwanted sharing of images and children accessing inappropriate content on their phones. Some headteachers have called on parents not to allow their children to have smartphones until they are 16.

Some schools allow pupils to have phones in school provided they are switched off and not used in lessons. Others have a total ban during the school day, including breaks and lunchtime. Some schools have special lock up pouches where children leave their devices when they arrive and collect when they leave the building.

Headteachers who have banned phones report better concentration and attainment and more socialising among pupils. Some schools, staff and parents have urged the Welsh Government to make Wales-wide policy to ban phones.

Lynne Neagle said she will issue national guidance in the new school year – should Labour still be in charge after May’s Senedd election.

“I continue to believe that schools are best placed to make these decisions, based on how technology is used in their setting and the needs of their learners,” she said.

“However, I also recognise that this is an area where our schools are increasingly seeking national direction.

“Following the 2025 Behaviour Summit and drawing on the recommendations of the Senedd Petitions Committee, I established a dedicated practitioner and stakeholder forum on mobile phone use in schools.

“The forum has recently completed a first draft of new guidance to support schools to develop and introduce a mobile phone policy that is appropriate for their school.

“My aim has always been to strike the right balance in supporting schools to minimise the impact of mobile phones on learning and pupil wellbeing, while still maintaining local flexibility.

“To ensure this guidance is robust, practical, and reflective of the sector’s needs, I have committed to a programme of engagement with the sector in the period ahead of the election, with a full public consultation on the final guidance after the election to enable publication before the new school year.

“Today, I am launching a national survey of the education workforce to further explore existing mobile phone policies, the rationale behind them, and their impact. I encourage all schools to take part. The findings will directly support us in refining the draft guidance and ensure that future steps are evidence based and fully reflect what works best for our learners and schools in Wales. “

Welsh Government officials will be discussing the draft guidance with schools, the education workforce unions, local authorities and children and young people.

Ms Neagle added: “In the meantime, I want to place on record my support for any school that seeks to introduce a policy restricting the use of mobile phones, in the interests of protecting learners and improving their engagement in lessons.”

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The expert has spoken out amid rising tensions in the Middle East which has triggered fears of a global nuclear war

A recent study has revealed that only two countries would survive a nuclear war. This comes as tensions have intensified in recent days with America and Israel, both nuclear powers, launching missiles at Iran.

Israel has been striking Tehran, the Iranian capital, whilst the Taliban in Afghanistan have launched an attack on nuclear-armed Pakistan. The UAE confirmed yesterday that it continues to intercept missiles directed towards Israel as conflict in the Middle East continues.

This has raised concerns that wars could potentially escalate in the coming weeks. And now a new peer-reviewed study has found that a nuclear war could wipe out approximately five billion people, reports Unilad.

Fireballs could reach temperatures of up to 100 million degrees Celsius whilst a nuclear winter would engulf every corner of the globe, say scientists in the Nature journal. They claim that both Australia and New Zealand would survive, the Express reports.

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Armageddon expert Annie Jacobson, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario, used scientific papers and defence experts to predict what would happen should the world’s 12,000 nuclear weapons be launched. On The Diary of a CEO podcast, she stated: “Hundreds of millions of people die in the fireballs, no question.”

Annie explained that regions surviving the initial blasts would also face catastrophic consequences. She said: “Places like Iowa and Ukraine would be just snow for 10 years, and so agriculture would fail. When agriculture fails, people just die.”

The expert believes that roughly three billion people could survive the initial explosions, though their existence would be fundamentally transformed.

She suggests that Australia and New Zealand would largely withstand the nuclear winter and maintain agricultural production.

Annie detailed that the detonation of thousands of modern nuclear warheads would destroy a thin layer of gas protecting us from the sun.

She maintains that alongside ozone layer destruction, there would be significant radiation poisoning risks.

Whilst Australia and New Zealand might survive, she expects residents would be forced to exist in darkness.

She envisages people would be “fighting for food” and “living underground”.

Annie’s predictions come after a series of maps suggested Iranian missiles could devastate numerous countries, including popular tourist destinations.

Reports indicate that the warheads could reach distances of up to 1,240 miles.

This means favourite holiday spots such as Dubai, Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt could fall within striking distance. On Thursday (March 5) the UK government’s first flights left the Middle East to help evacuate British nationals.

The maiden flight departed from Oman on Thursday afternoon. The government is continuously assessing its response to the unfolding situation in the Middle East.

It has been officially announced that the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon will be deployed to the Mediterranean, potentially as early as next week. This move is intended to bolster defences around a British military base at Akrotiri following an attack by an Iranian drone.

Liverpool spent more than £450m last summer to rebuild their team, but this was an evening for the elder statesmen and home-grown talent of the club. Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, with their Premier League titles and Champions League winners’ medals, booked a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Curtis Jones, from the club’s academy, also scored.

All three have attracted interest from other clubs, and their position as regular starters was not guaranteed after the signings made before the campaign. Salah turned on Arne Slot and the club after losing his place, Tottenham made a bid for Robertson in January and Jones has been on the wanted list of several clubs.

With none of the summer signings starting, those three shone at Molineux along with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, also from the academy. Despite a crisis at Anfield in their title defence this season, they are now just one win away from a trip to Wembley.

How Liverpool fans would love another two trips to the national stadium and to win a trophy in such a difficult year. The Cup has not been a route for regular success over the years, this being the third time in the last 11 years they have got this far. Their last quarter-final was when they won the competition in 2022.

This was a huge contrast to the defeat here earlier in the week in terms of the result, although Slot saw the same pattern as the 2-1 loss. “Of course it is the perfect response when you look at the result, but every stat is exactly the same as three days ago,” Slot said. “The execution was better than three days ago.”