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AI meets art: Wagner’s Ring Cycle anniversary draws mixed reactions

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AI meets art: Wagner’s Ring Cycle anniversary draws mixed reactions

BAYREUTH, Germany (AP) — Richard Wagner likely would have appreciated the cutting-edge technology, if not the reaction.

Scenery selected by artificial intelligence sparked boos at the 150th anniversary performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle from an audience frustrated that software could integrate images but not drama.

Called “10010110” — the number 150 in written in binary — the staging is subtitled “From Myth to Code” and was intended to portray the history of “Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung),” a series of four operas about the destruction of gods by humans, giants and dwarfs. It was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the full cycle’s premiere from Aug. 13-17, 1876, at the Festspielhaus theater built to Wagner’s specifications atop a Bavarian hill.

Curator Marcus Lobbes developed the concept with Nils Corte and dramaturge Andri Hardmeier, feeding computers about 1,000 images culled from the 15 prior Bayreuth Ring productions. They did not intend to produce a cohesive drama and suggested minimal blocking.

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“We always communicated that it’s an experiment, it’s not stage-directed,” Lobbes said.

Disgruntled by 19th century standards, Wagner demanded his own theater of innovation. Bayreuth’s 239th Ring Cycle was an encyclopedia of interpretations rather than a new one.

The audience also responded with a 17-minute ovation

Singers stood between two 20-by-60 meter (33-by-66 foot) screens, often not moving, for 14 1/2 hours over four nights. About a dozen AI models were combined and Stable Diffusion was used to start each act with 1876 scenery designed by Gotthold Brückner and Max Brückner from sketches by Josef Hoffmann, then select images based on text and music.

After Saturday night’s concluding “Götterdämmerung,” conductor Christian Thielemann and the cast were greeted with a 17-minute ovation that wrapped around 30 seconds of boos and whistles when the production team joined for their bows.

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Many Bayreuth productions are initially jeered, such as Patrice Chéreau’s centennial staging in 1976 that moved the action to the Industrial Revolution, then cheered years later. That production’s final appearance in 1980 ignited a 45-minute ovation.

“I know the ritual,” said Lobbes, director of the Academy for Theatre and Digitality in Dortmund.

He was approached in February 2023 to stage an AI Ring for the sesquicentennial by Katharina Wagner, a great-granddaughter of the composer and current festival director.

Wagner composed the Ring over 26 years. Coders divided it into about 250 scenes of two to six minutes and loaded images from past performances and topical moments to a pair of custom-built Tower PCs with NVIDIA RTX 5090 graphics cards.

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Singers led by Michael Volle (Wotan), Camilla Nylund (Brünnhilde) and Klaus Florian Vogt (Siegfried) wore birdlike costumes of wire mesh with black backing and laser voile designed by Pia Maria Mackert, Lobbes’ wife. The outfits shimmered in brilliant colors depending on the lighting, with gold and red most prominent.

As the narrative moved forward, so did AI’s projections.

An image of Theodor Herzl, a key figure in modern Zionism, appeared in “Das Rheingold,” and one of Adolf Hitler in “Die Walküre.” A sign that read: “Sorry, no gas today“ flashed in ”Siegfried” as the timeline reached the 1973 oil crisis and Brünnhilde awakened to sing “Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht! (Hail to you, Sun! Hail to you, Light!)”

“Every year of the 150 years, we have an answer from artificial intelligence what she thinks that the audience of Bayreuth would have said is the main political topic of this year or this summer,” Hardmeier said.

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Many of the images provoked director name-checking in viewers’ minds — Was this from Wieland Wagner in 1951? From Frank Castorf in 2013? From Valentin Schwarz in 2020?

At other times, AI picked forms that shifted like a giant Etch A Sketch into images evoking works by Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning.

Original plans for 2026 envisioned performances of the final 10 of Wagner’s 13 operas plus the Festspielhaus debut of the composer’s third, “Rienzi,” until now deemed not worthy of inclusion. The AI Ring was to be presented once to coincide approximately with the original premiere dates, but budget cuts two years ago caused four operas to be scrapped and replaced by two additional Rings, the first from July 27 to Aug. 1.

Singers were together for just one nine-hour rehearsal over a four-day period in which the directing team worked with cast members in small groups.

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“I would wish that with a certain openness people will find some interesting correlations and will see things that maybe others don’t see,” Hardmeier said. “I hope that people go out with a very fruitful irritation — not irritation in the sense of ‘What was this about’ but more sort of, ‘Hey, interesting.’”

Beethoven’s 9th starts festival

Thielemann conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony to open the festival. Wagner led the work at the downtown Margravial Opera House after the Bayreuth cornerstone ceremony in 1872 and it has been repeated on special occasions, such as the 1951 resumption after World War II.

A speech the following day by Michel Friedman titled “Silenced Voices” addressed Wagner’s antisemitism and his family’s support of Hitler and the Nazi party.

‘Rienzi’ a success in Bayreuth Festspielhaus premiere

A striking staging with Alexandra Szemerédy and Magdolna Parditka, updated to post-modern dystopian times, was greeted with extended applause when it opened on July 26 in the first of nine performances through Aug. 26.

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Tenor Andreas Schager gave the title role charisma and vocal beauty, telling the story of 14th century Italian populist Cola di Rienzo.

Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann made a convincing case for an unwieldy composition whose autographed score was given by Wagner’s daughter-in-law, Winifried, to Hitler and lost in the destruction that ended World War II.

The ballet became a hilarious parody of Wagnerian cliches as a cartwheeling child wearing sneakers with rainbow lights and dressed in gold, resembling statues of the composer, presided in front of a faux Bayreuth proscenium. A procession of characters, some in winged helmets, performed silent camp references to Wagner’s renowned roles.

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Lifestyle brand inspired by Korean trends opens ‘bigger, better’ Scottish store

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Daily Record

The new store is said to offer “an enhanced shopping experience.”

There’s some exciting news for West Lothian shoppers. A well-loved lifestyle brand has just relocated its only store in the UK to a larger venue following high demand.

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Mumuso is currently available to shop in Livingston’s The Centre. Now opposite Hays Travel, it has moved to a “bigger, better” site within the massive shopping destination that boasts over 150 places to shop and eat.

Said to provide “an enhanced shopping experience”, the new store provides customers with even more products to browse. There’s also additional space to browse the retailer’s vast range of products.

Inspired by Korean lifestyle trends, Mumuso has become a “much-loved” retailer for its ever-changing range of beauty, homeware, accessories, gifts and everyday essentials. It has become known for offering high quality products at affordable prices.

According to the brand’s website, its motto is about “bringing joy and simplicity to everyday life through beautifully designed items”. Mixing modern aesthetics with practical value, it caters to customers who appreciate “a touch of fun in their daily essentials.”

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The Livingston branch is the only Mumuso store in the UK. However, it is a globally loved lifestyle brand that is said to operate around 2,800 stores across a total of 40 countries.

It is also said to boast more than 300 international buyers, with a vision to emerge as “a reputable fast fashion brand throughout the world”. It is primarily aimed at the younger generation that it aims to “connect” with.

Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We’re excited to see MUMUSO move into its new, larger store, creating an even more enjoyable shopping experience for our customers with more space, greater choice and even more products to discover.”

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This is just the latest addition to Livingston’s The Centre. Ranked as the “28th largest shopping centre in the UK”, it spans a staggering one million sq. ft in total and is said to welcome more than 15.8 million visitors every year.

In 2024, the destination was purchased by LCP UK, part of M Core, and has been undergoing a massive transformation, bringing to life its vision of a vibrant ‘shop, eat and play’ destination to life. This has included store expansions, ongoing improvements and new retailers.

Just some of its recent additions include Starbucks, Wingstop, MINISO, Søstrene Grene, Flying Tiger and the first ArrowHeadz store in Scotland. It has also just become home to the largest JD Sports store in Scotland.

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Following strong customer demand, the sportswear brand has relocated to a spacious 15,500 sq. ft venue that can be found near the entrance to the shopping centre. It provides shoppers with more space to shop a range of brands, such as Nike, PUMA, New Balance and more.

Grape Tree is also another addition, with the health and wellbeing store opening its doors at the end of July. Encouraging healthy eating, it offers everything from nuts and seeds to protein powders and supplements.

A massive Hollywood Bowl venue is also due to open sometime this autumn. Set to span a staggering 26,500 sq. ft, the venue will be home to 22 lanes, an arcade, pool tables, alongside a bar and diner.

Over at the adjoining sister shopping mall the Designer Outlet, which is the largest in Scotland, a brand new Nike will be opening in a much larger unit sometime in September, with the new unit set to measure 11,409. sq. ft.

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Signs teasing the upgraded unit have already been spotted at the new location. This looks to be the former Next outlet that has also recently moved to a new space within the busy shopping centre.

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Donald Trump has made US$2.2 billion in his second term. How does that stack up against other US presidents?

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Donald Trump has made US$2.2 billion in his second term. How does that stack up against other US presidents?

At the end of June – in the run-up to America’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – President Donald Trump staged the White House’s first-ever professional sporting event. And while the UFC Freedom 250 evening of mixed martial arts was ostensibly part of the July 4 jamboree, Trump took the opportunity to promote his family’s business interests.

Fighters were paid bonuses in US$1 stablecoins, the cryptocurrency owned by the Trump family, while the event itself cost a reported US$60 million, much of which was taxpayers’ money.

The US president’s ability to make money while in office has been a focus of attention since his financial reports for 2025 were made public at the end of June. His reported revenue jumped from US$622 million in 2024 to US$2.2 billion in 2025, the first year of his second term.

While he and his family claim that there is no conflict of interest, there is little doubt that Trump has been able to profit from his position. But how does his financial gain as president stack up with some of his recent predecessors?

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The Kennedy family were famously wealthy. The family’s patriarch, Joseph Kennedy, put some of his money into trusts for his children, allowing John Fitzgerald, Robert Francis and generations of future Kennedys to pursue politics without financial worry or conflicts between business and public service.

Kennedy’s successor Lyndon B. Johnson owned significant land and a small media empire in Austin, Texas with his wife Lady Bird, all of which was put into a blind trust and officially controlled without the Johnsons’ involvement while he was in office.

During the 1972 election cycle, Time magazine reported that incumbent president, Richard Nixon had improved his finances by just over US$300,000 during his first presidential term, noting that he was “not yet a millionaire”. Most of Nixon’s financial assets were tied up in property and his civil service pension.

Jimmy Carter’s famous peanut farm assets were put into a trust when he won office, and he left the presidency in $1m of debt following droughts in Georgia. Ronald Reagan, who succeeded Carter and was not a businessmen but a film actor-turned-politician, came to office with some assets. His assets – valued in 1981 at about US$4 million, mainly made up of his two properties – were also held in trust while he was in office.

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George W. Bush made almost US$15m selling his stake in the Dallas-based Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1998, while he served as governor of Texas. Barack Obama earned money from royalties on book sales while in office, but both he and Bill Clinton have amassed considerable wealth since leaving office.

None of these presidents appeared to leverage their presidency or their image to earn money while in office in the way that Trump has during his second term. Instead, they tended towards waiting until the post-presidency years.

Lucrative memoirs

Making money post-presidency is hardly a new story– the likes of James Buchanan and Ulysses S. Grant penned memoirs to earn money as far back as the 19th century. Nixon penned a well-paid memoir and made a lucrative and famous series of television interviews with David Frost in 1977 that earned him a base payment of $600,000 – over $3 million in 2026.

Perhaps the most lucrative of these post-presidential careers has belonged to Bill Clinton. Still a relatively young man of 54 when he left office, he moved into a public speaking and advising career. By 2016, he had made US$189m, US$38m of which had come from memoirs and other writing projects.

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Barack Obama followed suit, pre-selling the rights to his memoirs immediately after leaving office for in a combined book deal with his wife Michelle reported to be US$60m.

Donald Trump and former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton with their wives at President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January 2025.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Obama waited until he had officially stepped down before publicly concluding negotiations with Penguin Random House, taking the same pains as his predecessors to avoid the accusation of conflicting interests between his public service and private business.

Cashing in on the presidency?

No modern president has come close to Trump’s earnings, either while in office or after leaving.

In his first term Trump made attempts to differentiate his businessman persona from his new profession. Sean Spicer, his first White House press secretary, announced in 2017 that Trump was donating his first quarter earnings to the National Park service, a tradition he continued throughout his presidency. But he still amassed business revenues of US$2.4b – more than his predecessors by a considerable margin.

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But even this could well be dwarfed by the amount of money Trump stands to make in his second term, if the first year is any guide. The 47th US president continues to argue that he follows the same path as other presidents and that his wealth is managed at arms’s length by external trusts and partnerships.

But the recent launch of Truth API – a paid-for data feed which gives access in “milliseconds” to posts on TruthSocial, a social media platform launched by Trump in February 2022 – has led to calls from his political opponents for the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate. Posts by the president and other powerful people on the platform are known to move markets.

A recent poll by CNN has found that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that Trump has gone too far in pursuing his personal business interests while serving as president. Whether this will hurt his party’s prospects in the midterm elections in November is yet to be seen. But what is clear is that the immense amount of money the US president has earned – and the power he wields over regulatory systems – now blurs the lines between public office and private business in a way that few other American leaders have.

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Meghan makes a splash for her 45th! Duchess of Sussex celebrates her milestone birthday with new photos of her diving into a pool while holding a bunch of balloons

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Meghan has thanked her followers 'for the birthday love' as she celebrated turning 45 by jumping into a pool

Meghan has thanked her followers ‘for the birthday love’ as she celebrated turning 45 by jumping into a pool.

Taking to Instagram, the Duchess of Sussex posted a black and white photo of herself in a swimsuit, plunging into the water excitedly while holding onto balloons – sunglasses on and her hair up in a ponytail.

Meanwhile, her lifestyle brand As Ever also congratulated the mother-of-two with a sleek snap of the founder wearing a designer striped shirt from Céline and white Anine Bing ‘Brie’ jeans.

It also included a sweet throwback photo of a young Meghan sporting pigtails and a white turtleneck, seated in what looks to be her childhood bedroom. 

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‘Lighting No. 084 to celebrate!’ the caption read, featuring the products in another glossy shot of products from the collection.

The celebrations come after Meghan recently showcased her impressive jewellery collection during her latest As Ever promotional footage over the weekend.

On Sunday, she shared the recipe for her ‘favorite ice cream sundae’, made by placing her raspberry spread into a glass before adding vanilla ice cream, crumbled shortbread and flower sprinkles.

But royal fans couldn’t take their eyes off the former actress’ dazzling rings, which were on full display as she created the dessert.

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Meghan has thanked her followers ‘for the birthday love’ as she celebrated turning 45 by jumping into a pool

Taking to Instagram, the Duchess of Sussex posted a black and white photo of herself in a swimsuit, plunging into the water excitedly

Taking to Instagram, the Duchess of Sussex posted a black and white photo of herself in a swimsuit, plunging into the water excitedly

Prince Harry‘s wife wore her wedding ring, as well as a giant diamond pear band, thought to be worth $250,000 and once dubbed ‘an engagement ring upgrade’ by jewellery experts.

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She also wore a new, unidentified gold band on her right hand, and Princess Diana‘s Cartier Tank Française watch, worth £17,800 ($24,020), which was gifted to her after she married the Duke of Sussex.

Meghan was also seen wearing her £2,370 ($3,197) Jennifer Meyer mini bezel tennis bracelet, which is handcrafted from polished 18-carat yellow gold and was designed by Tobey Maguire‘s ex-wife.

However, despite the enviable jewellery collection on display, there was one item noticeably absent – the Duchess’ £120,000 ($161,922) engagement ring.

The Suits star is believed to have not worn the sparkler in over four months; the last time she was pictured with the jewel was in February 2026 when she wore it to an NBA game in California. 

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Harry proposed to Meghan in 2017 – enlisting the late Queen Elizabeth II’s regular jeweller, Cleave & Company, to design a unique jewel for his bride-to-be. 

The prince had even snuck a ring from Meghan’s jewellery box so that the designers knew her size and, in a particularly touching tribute to his late mother, asked them to ‘harvest’ the diamonds from one of Diana’s bracelets.  

Since the proposal in Nottingham Cottage, it is believed the ring has been altered four times.

At Trooping the Colour in June 2019, Meghan was spotted wearing the ring with a thinner band than its original design.

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She also had little diamonds set down the sides of the ring, worth around £126,000 ($150,000), in what jewellery expert Arabel Lebrusan suggested was a more American style.

In his book Finding Freedom, royal expert Omid Scobie noted the decision to resize and reset the engagement ring with a new diamond band in 2019 was Harry’s idea.

In the biography, jeweller-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz reportedly said of the prince: ‘He’s the loveliest person ever. So romantic, so thoughtful.’

Meanwhile, her lifestyle brand As Ever also congratulated the the mother-of-two with a sleek snap of the founder wearing a striped shirt and white trousers, along with a sweet throwback photo

Meanwhile, her lifestyle brand As Ever also congratulated the the mother-of-two with a sleek snap of the founder wearing a striped shirt and white trousers, along with a sweet throwback photo

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As Ever shared a sweet throwback photo of Meghan

As Ever shared a sweet throwback photo of Meghan

'Lighting No. 084 to celebrate!' the caption read

‘Lighting No. 084 to celebrate!’ the caption read

The authors continued: ‘(So much so that Harry also thought to have Lorraine resize and reset Meghan’s engagement ring with a new diamond band.)’

In 2022, there was further speculation that Meghan altered the ring for a second time when she attended the Invictus Games in The Hague, and it appeared that she had added additional diamonds to the setting surrounding the central diamond.

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The ring was notably absent during several of Meghan’s appearances in 2023, when a loose stone was reportedly being repaired – in what some believed was a third alteration.

In 2025, eagle-eyed royal fans noted that the ring’s central diamond looked more like an emerald cut than the original cushion cut when it was seen in a trailer for Meghan’s Netflix series.

While some suggested it had been the latest, fourth iteration of the ring, others speculated it may have been a replica of her original to avoid any possible damage to it while cooking.

Meanwhile, the five-carat sparkler with a pear-cut diamond on her right hand that Meghan sported in the clip was first debuted in October 2025 at Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival in New York City.

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Jewellery expert Trang Do previously told the Daily Mail that ‘wearing a significant ring on the right hand often symbolises independence, self-love, and personal power’, adding the big, pear-shaped diamond could ‘point to an upgrade or evolution of her engagement ring story’.

Trang said: ‘Many clients today are choosing to refresh their rings to mark milestones, whether an anniversary, a personal achievement or a new chapter, rather than waiting for a traditional proposal moment.’

While sharing her latest promotional clip, Meghan also took to her own personal Instagram account to share a video of her flower arranging. 

The Duchess was seen walking through a garden before showcasing a vase filled with the flowers she’d picked. It’s thought the arrangement was placed in her kitchen at her Montecito home. 

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Last week, it was revealed the Duchess has seemingly invested in a popular smart ring and a matching £2,100 gold case encrusted with diamonds as she attended a screening of Cookie Queens, a documentary about Girl Scouts in America, on Tuesday.

Worn on her left hand, Meghan flaunted a glittering ‘sleeve’ for her Oura ring – a trendy fitness tracker that measures its wearer’s vitals, sleep quality, and stress levels that Prince Harry also swears by – as well as a new unidentified gold band on her right hand. 

It comes as Meghan introduced a new fruit spread after teasing the launch with a video of her picking blackberries on Instagram.

The flavour was unveiled as ‘our newest pantry favourite’ on Tuesday with a photo of the jar on As Ever’s social media page.

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‘Made with beautifully ripe blackberries for a rich, vibrant flavour that brings a little taste of the season to your table,’ the caption read.

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‘Heroic’ neighbours tried to help woman who died in house fire on quiet Cambridgeshire street

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Cambridgeshire Live

A woman in her 60s died after a house fire

Residents of a “quiet” street where a woman died in a house fire have described her death as “tragic”. Emergency services were called to a house fire in Eagles Lane in Little Downham at around 6pm on Friday, July 31.

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A woman in her 60s was pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbours have said they heard sirens on the night of the fire.

A couple, who wished to remain anonymous, said they assumed the fire was in a field at the bottom of the road. They said: “We only heard the sirens as we were in the back garden. This is a quiet road, and nothing extreme like this has ever happened. It’s very tragic.”

The couple said they did not know the woman who died, but said they “used to see her go past in her mobility scooter”. They added: “We heard the neighbours tried to help, but I think they are traumatised by it.”

One man, who also asked not to be named, wasn’t there at the time of the fire, but arrived back home later that night when a police cordon was still in place. He said: “We know most people around here, but we didn’t know the lady. She was inside a lot. I feel very sad for her family.”

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The man also praised the actions of neighbours who tried to help. He added: “The people who helped, they were very brave. I feel really sorry for those people who were there at the time. They went to extreme measures.”

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she saw fire engines “fly past” her window. She added: “The sirens were very loud.

“I only heard about the lady that died a few days after. It’s very sad. However, the neighbours that tried to help, it was a very heroic thing for them to do.”

A Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson confirmed the fire was accidental. Police also confirmed that it was “non-suspicious”.

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Man, 44, arrested after early hours fire rips through beloved John Bull Chophouse in Wigan

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Manchester Evening News

He remains in custody for questioning after emergency services were called at around 4am on Tuesday

A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire at a beloved Wigan pub.

Firefighters worked to dampen the blaze as large plumes of smoke billowed from the John Bull Chophouse in Wigan town centre after emergency services were called at around 4am on Tuesday (August 4).. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed no one was hurt.

A 44-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of arson, burglary and possession of class A drugs. He is currently in custody for questioning, police say.

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A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Officers responded to reports of a fire at a business property on Coopers Row, Wigan at around 4am this morning (04/08/26).

“Thankfully, no injuries were sustained. One man, aged 44, has been arrested on suspicion of arson, burglary and possession of class A drugs. He remains in custody for questioning

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

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Reacting to the blaze, owners of the John Bull, Thwaites, has vowed to restore the pub back to its ‘former glory’. A spokesperson from Thwaites said: “Fire services were called to a blaze at The John Bull Chop House in Wigan in the early hours of the morning.

“While a cause has yet to be confirmed, the fire is now contained, with everyone safe and no injuries reported.

“We’re working closely with the fire and police services to assist with the ongoing investigation, as well as with Pete and Vicky – our tenants at the pub – to offer our full support.

“Whilst it’s very early days, The John Bull Chop House is a much-loved pub in the local community and it’s very much our intention to restore the pub back to its former glory.”

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A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “At approximately 4am on Tuesday, August 4, four fire engines from Wigan, Atherton and Leigh fire stations were called to attend a fire at a pub on Coopers Row, Wigan.

“Crews arrived quickly and used breathing apparatus, three hose reels, one hose reel jet and other specialist equipment to extinguish the fire.

“Firefighters remain in attendance at this time.” The fire service added no-one was injured.

Wigan Council said on X at 7.28am: “Manchester fire are currently tackling a blaze at the John Bull pub in Wigan. A 50-metre exclusion zone has been set up to keep the public safe. Please avoid the area if possible.”

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An update at 8.40am form the council said: “The fire has now been extinguished. The cordon will be lifted shortly.”

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M60 crash LIVE as traffic held and delays of 75 minutes reported – latest updates

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Manchester Evening News

Congestion has stretched back to Junction 2 at the Cheadle Roscoes Roundabout, according to traffic service Inrix.

In an earlier update, they stated that congestion was reaching J1 at the Stockport Pyramid.

The recent update said: “Queueing traffic due to earlier accident on M60 anticlockwise between J25 A560 Crookilley Way (Brinnington) and J24 M57 (Denton Island). Congestion to Junction 2 (Cheadle Roscoes Roundabout).”

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Beauty retailer relocates into new, larger store at The Centre, Livingston

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The brand, which has become a much-loved destination, is known for its ever-changing range of beauty, homeware, accessories, gifts and everyday essentials.

MUMUSO, the popular lifestyle, homeware and beauty retailer, has officially relocated into a new, larger store at The Centre, Livingston, following customer demand.

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The brand, which has become a much-loved destination, is known for its ever-changing range of beauty, homeware, accessories, gifts and everyday essentials.

The new store provides an enhanced shopping experience, with even more products to explore and additional space to browse.

It follows on from the recent opening of the relocated JD Sports store, which is the largest in Scotland, the launch of the health and wellbeing store, Grape Tree and the announcement of work starting on a new 26,500 sq. ft Hollywood Bowl venue with 22 lanes, an arcade, pool tables and a bar and diner, set to open in the autumn.

More than two years after acquiring the shopping centre, LCP UK, part of M Core, has continued to invest in the transformation of The Centre, Livingston, bringing its vision of a vibrant ‘shop, eat and play’ destination to life.

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Through new retailers, store expansions and ongoing improvements, the shopping centre continues to evolve into a thriving destination for locals and visitors from further afield.

The Centre, Livingston which has a diverse mix of over 150 stores and restaurants, spanning one million sq. ft. including M&S, Flannels, H&M, Nando’s, wagamama and Five Guys, welcomes over 15.8 million visitors a year.

Other recent global brands to open include Starbucks, Wingstop, MINISO, Søstrene Grene, Flying Tiger and the first ArrowHeadz store in Scotland.

Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We’re excited to see MUMUSO move into its new, larger store, creating an even more enjoyable shopping experience for our customers with more space, greater choice and even more products to discover.”

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‘You’re not coming in here as a woman to do women’s programmes’: Gloria Hunniford on six decade broadcasting career ahead of tribute night

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Belfast Live

The 86-year-old from Portadown began her career as a singer before moving into broadcasting.

Northern Irish broadcaster Gloria Hunniford has long been regarded as a national treasure, with a television and radio career spanning six decades.

The 86-year-old, from Portadown, Co Armagh, began her career as a singer before moving into broadcasting. She worked as a production assistant at UTV in Belfast before joining the BBC as a local radio broadcaster.

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By the 1970a, she had become the face of Good Evening Ulster and went on to become the first woman to host her own daily show on BBC Radio 2.

She presented the programme for 13 years before becoming one of the first female broadcasters to front her own television chat show, Sunday, Sunday, where she interviewed stars including Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis.

More recently, she has become known to a new generation of TV viewers as a presenter on the BBC One consumer series Rip Off Britain and as a panellist on ITV‘s Loose Women.

Her remarkable contribution to television and radio is set to be celebrated by BBC Four with a special evening of programmes.

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Hunniford, whose second husband, Stephen Way, died in 2024, says she has no intention of slowing down.

“Now that I’m in my 80s, I’d hate to be without the stimulation my work gives me. I’d hate to stop learning something new every day, and I’d hate to stop meeting new people,” she says.

“That’s exactly what my job allows me to do. Of course, I love spending time with my girlfriends, and I enjoy going out for lunch with them. Friends are hugely important. But would I want to spend every single day just going out to lunch? No, I wouldn’t.

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“I like having that balance. I love my work, and I love my friendships. Friends have become even more important since I lost my husband. If I didn’t have my work, my friends and my family, what else would I do?

“They give me purpose. They keep me interested, they keep me engaged with life, and I think that’s incredibly important. As long as I’m enjoying it, still learning and still able to contribute, I can’t see any reason to stop.”

Hunniford credits the late broadcaster Dan Gilbert with giving her first break and instilling in her the confidence to succeed in what was then a male-dominated industry.

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“On my first day, he took me into the newsroom. You have to remember, this was 1969, at the outbreak of the Troubles,” she recalls.

“He said, ‘What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see a lot of men working away on their typewriters,’ because there were no computers then.

“He said, ‘Remember, you’re not coming in here as a woman to do women’s programmes, recipes, knitting or sewing. You’ve been out on the streets of Northern Ireland dealing with bombs, bullets and barricades, just like any man in this room.’

“Then he said something I’ll never forget: ‘Remember, you’re as good as any bloke in this room.’

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“Without me ever having thought about it, he put that belief into my head. From that day on, I never felt, at least in my own mind, that I was any less capable than the men around me.”

Although Hunniford is widely regarded as a trailblazer for women in broadcasting and later generations of Northern Irish presenters, she says she never saw herself in that role.

“I wasn’t aware that I was paving the way. I was just delighted to be doing the job.

“It was only much, much later that other women began saying to me, ‘You were the first.’ As it turned out, I was the first woman to present a daily television programme, but even then I didn’t think of it in those terms.”

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In 1982, Hunniford moved to London to present her BBC Radio 2 show at the height of the Troubles.

She vividly remembers being at work on the day of the Hyde Park bombing, when an IRA bomb killed four soldiers of the Queen’s Life Guard and seven horses.

“In those days everything was self-operated. I’d finished my programme, closed the microphone and was gathering my things together when I noticed there were a lot of men standing in the control room next to the studio,” she recalls.

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“Unfortunately, it was the day the bomb went off in Hyde Park. Several horses were killed and a number of soldiers lost their lives. That day I received a threat. Someone had phoned the radio station saying, ‘Get that Irish woman off the radio.’

“The men who were waiting came in and told me what had happened. They wouldn’t let me drive home on my own. Instead, they arranged for me to be taken home by car.”

She adds: “Having said that, Irish accents were actually quite common in England at the time, so day to day I didn’t generally have a problem.”

The death of her daughter, Caron Keating, from breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 41 inspired Hunniford to establish the Caron Keating Foundation.

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She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to cancer charities, particularly breast screening and cancer support.

In May, she was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of her contribution to entertainment and her work as a breast cancer charity campaigner.

Looking to the future, Hunniford says: “My late daughter Caron’s son is having a baby in September, so I’ll be a great-grandmother.

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“So I’m going to be called Super Gran. I’m not going to be called a great-grandmother, and that’s like a new life beginning. I’m looking forward to that.

“There’s always something to be charmed by or excited by. Our family is like that, and we enjoy it. I’m just glad that I’ve had the zest and the appetite to do it, and that I still want to.”

BBC Four’s tribute night for Gloria Hunniford is scheduled for Saturday August 8 2026 at 8pm.

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

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Latest after burst main floods Cambridgeshire road causing ‘low water pressure’

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Cambridgeshire Live

Water supply to nearby homes was affected after the water main burst

A Cambridgeshire road has reopened after it was flooded by a burst water main. Cambridgeshire Police closed Weasenham Lane in Wisbech just after 6am on Tuesday (August 4).

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Police reopened the road at around midday. A spokesperson said: “Please approach with care. Anglian water has isolated the burst and water pressure in the area will hopefully return. If you have any issues with your water pressure/supply please speak to Anglian Water.

“The road will likely close again between New Drove and Boleness when the team arrive to fix the damage.”

There was an interruption to residents’ water supply in the area. Anglian Water said expects the water to be restored by 8pm.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: “We’re really sorry but some customers in Wisbech and surrounding areas may have very low water pressure.

“This is being caused by a burst water main in your area. Based on the latest information available, we’re aiming to have everything back to normal by 8pm on August 4.”

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Women in one part of Wales told they can no longer have the births they planned

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Wales Online

The announcement affects women due to give birth in the next six weeks

Women due to give birth in the coming weeks have been told they can’t have the births they planned due to “significant staffing challenges”. The changes affect women in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area, which includes Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil.

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Health board bosses said they have taken the decision to suspend its home birth services as well as shut a midwifery-led birthing centre at one of its hospitals for the next six weeks.

Women will no longer be able to give birth at the Tirion birth centre, which opened at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in 2019, which the health board says is a “temporary” decision in response to staff shortages. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here

No confirmation has been given as to when Tirion will reopen, or home births will resume, with Cwm Taf Morgannwg saying in a statement the temporary change will be “reviewed” after a six-week period. The health board also apologised for any “concern” caused by the “temporary suspension”.

The Tirion midwifery-led birth centre opened in 2019 when the health board rearranged how it delivered maternity care across the region. It is an option for women following a midwife-led care pathway, with the three rooms being staffed and managed by midwives.

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Previously, the Royal Glamorgan Hospital had consultant doctors working there to provide women and neonatal care, but these services were relocated and centralised to be delivered at Bridgend’s Princess of Wales Hospital and Merthyr Tydfil’s Prince Charles Hospital.

Those women who have been told they will no longer be able to give birth at Tirion but still wish to give birth in a midwifery-led birth centre will have access to care at the Tair Afon birth centre at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr, and at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.

The health board said antenatal and postnatal services including breast feeding support will continue to operate as usual from Tirion birth centre during the day.

A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: “Due to significant staffing challenges, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our home birth service and midwifery-led births at Tirion Birth Centre. We will review this temporary change after a six week period.

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“Women who wish to give birth in a midwifery-led birth centre will continue to have access to midwifery led care at Tair Afon Birth Centre, Prince Charles Hospital, and at Princess of Wales Hospital. Antenatal and postnatal services including breast feeding support will continue to operate as usual from Tirion Birth Centre during the day.

“Our community midwives are available to support families to discuss their birth options. We apologise for any concern this temporary suspension may cause and thank our women and families for their understanding.”

If you have been affected by the change to birth services in Cwm Taf Morganwwg and would like to get in touch, please email ellie.gosley@walesonline.co.uk.

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