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BBC Strictly fans in shock as 3 professional dancers ‘axed’

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BBC Strictly fans in shock as 3 professional dancers ‘axed’

It comes as viewers are eagerly awaiting to find out who the new presenters will be for the 2026 series, following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who has gone on to host her own chat show which airs on BBC One next week.

However, Strictly has allegedly not asked long-serving pros Gorka Marquez and Luba Mushtuk back after the 2025 season, which resulted in Lioness legend Karen Carney and Carlos Gu claiming the glitterball trophy.

Newcomer Michelle Tsiakkas will also reportedly not be returning to the dancing competition, according to The Sun.

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Reports suggest the decisions have been made as bosses want a “fresh start” for the show and to bring in “new faces”.

A source told the publisher: “There are major changes taking place with dancers having meetings about their contracts over the next few weeks.

“Bosses want a fresh start and to bring in new faces after all the drama in recent years and create a new era.”

Gorka joined Strictly 10 years ago, while Luba first became a cast member in 2018.

Michelle was added to the professional dancer’s line-up in 2022 along with Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley.

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The rumours have left many Strictly fans in disbelief, as someone wrote on X: “How can you scrap Michelle after one season with a partner?!? I think they should each have a partner for 2 seasons at least to see how they do, and the pros really need to be assigned on a fairer rotation.”


Top 5 most iconic Strictly performances 


Another commented: “I’m shocked Gorka is being axed.”

This viewer put: “WHAT. NO. NOT GORKA, LUBA AND MICHELLE. This is honestly absolutely shocking. Who else?”

Sharing their thoughts on Luba, this person posted: “Luba was one of my favourites, wished they gave her a strong partner one year.”

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Speaking about Gorka, one account said: “Gorka is one of the best pros the programme has ever had… look back at some of his dances with Alexandra Burke, Maisie Smith and Helen Skelton… Gorka you have been a legend!”

Meanwhile, a fan chimed in: “This is worse than when TULISA left X factor.”

This profile continued: “Nope, im actually done with this!”

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The BBC told The Sun: “Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.”

Newsquest has contacted the BBC for comment.

Strictly’s Amy Dowden opens up on Carlos Gu’s support after her cancer surgery

Strictly star Amy Dowden has spoken about how she was “ready to hang up my dancing shoes” after receiving treatment for breast cancer.

Amy, who has been a professional dancer on the BBC programme since 2017, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023.

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In an interview with former Busted star Matt Willis on his podcast On The Mend, she discussed having to take time off the show while she had chemotherapy and underwent two mastectomies.


Strictly Come Dancing’s longest-serving professional dancers


Amy revealed that when she returned, “I’d lost everything as a dancer, my flexibility, my speed – everything I worked 20 years for”.

The 35-year-old said she was grateful for all the support she had received from her colleagues on the show, particularly fellow professional dancer Carlos.

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“My body had been through everything so I knew I wasn’t who I was, and I was ready to hang up my dancing shoes and my husband and my dear friend, Carlos Gu, who went on to win Strictly, said ‘no’,” she said.

“‘Cancer’s taken so much, it’s not taking your dancing back. You can do this’.”

Amy shared she would be going back on tour this year with Carlos, “who was there throughout it all”.

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Eve Myles and David Morrissey chat about new series Gone

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Eve Myles and David Morrissey chat about new series Gone

Eve Myles has played her fair share of detectives, from DS Lola Franks in We Hunt Together, to DCI Jeanette Kilburn in The Crow Girl.

In her latest series, Gone, the Welsh actress stars as Detective Annie Cassidy, who is tasked with solving the mysterious disappearance of a woman.

The six-part drama, written by George Kay, is partly inspired by the book To Hunt a Killer by crime correspondent Robert Murphy.

The book explores the case led by former Detective Superintendent Julie Mackay of Gloucestershire Police, whose investigation helped secure a life sentence for the man who sexually assaulted and stabbed Melanie Road, 32 years after her murder.

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Both Mackay and Murphy served as consultants on the series, which sees a local headmaster, played by David Morrissey, become the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance.

Myles, 47, who also starred in Broadchurch, says she sought Mackay’s advice while preparing for the role.

“She was very generous during the time we spoke,” says Myles.

“We did Zoom calls while she was out walking her dog or eating breakfast. Whenever I had questions or wasn’t sure about something, I could call her and she was always available to help. She also made visits to the set.

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“She even appeared as a supporting artist in one of the scenes, which was brilliant. It added to the sense of involvement and inclusivity.

“She was very honest and open, especially considering I was a complete stranger asking her quite personal questions.

“I felt it really helped me understand, manage and develop Annie’s character. I was profoundly grateful to her for being so open.”

Myles says she was particularly inspired by Mackay’s resilience and perseverance in solving Road’s case.

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“Julie said to me that she never doubted, not for a single second, that she would catch the killer.

“That resilience and persistence really stayed with me. Even if, externally, you feel like you’re not being listened to or heard, you have to keep that belief loud and alive within yourself and keep working towards your goal.

“You’ve got to trust your instincts. You have to believe that you have a voice and that you’re more than capable of achieving what you set out to do.”

Set against the backdrop of a prestigious private school, Morrissey’s character, Michael Polly, is an upstanding member of the community, until he finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation.

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When he encounters the determined Detective Cassidy, a tense game of cat and mouse begins as she chips away at his composed exterior in search of the truth.

Morrissey, 61, known for his roles in State of Play and The Walking Dead, describes Gone as more of a psychological drama than a conventional thriller.

“We’re very used to the sort of ‘crash, bang, wallop’ moments you often get in a psychological drama like this. But this story is about the pauses, the intrigue and the relationships,” he explains.

“I don’t think these two characters would ever have met, or chosen to spend time together, if they didn’t have to. They’re both very good at their jobs. Whether they’re as successful in their personal lives is another matter, but professionally they’re highly capable.

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“They meet at a time of crisis, and much of it centres on them trying to work each other out, for very different reasons. It becomes a kind of chess match between them, while the world carries on around them.”

Myles agrees, emphasising the emotional depth of the series.

“It shifts from being a procedural investigation to an emotional one. There are no car chases, no bombs going off, no guns, it’s not that kind of thriller.

“This is a psychological thriller, a human thriller. It’s about the breakdown of two people who were never meant to come together, but are forced into each other’s lives under extremely traumatic circumstances and what happens to them in the process.”

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Morrissey describes his character as a control freak.

“It was about the idea that he’s a man who’s built a cage around himself,” he explains.

“As a result, he’s controlling, a real control freak. He likes routine and is very rigid in his outlook. He has a strong moral compass.

“He’s deeply committed to his ethics, particularly when it comes to how a school should be run, and he’s taken all of that responsibility on. But the downside is that he’s not emotionally in touch with himself and struggles to be vulnerable.

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“He doesn’t seem able to have fun or embrace any kind of frivolity. What fascinated me was how locked-in he is, how that rigidity is demanded by his job, yet ultimately becomes an obstacle in his personal life.”

As his world begins to unravel, that rigidity becomes even more apparent.

“Once his world begins to unravel, he doesn’t have the emotional intelligence to cope with it. Instead, he reacts in a way that feels violent, not necessarily physically violent, but through stonewalling, stoicism and an absence of emotion. That unsettles people. It tips the police off to the sense that something isn’t right.

“‘I don’t know what’s wrong,’ she thinks, ‘but something is and I need to dig deeper.’ That’s really the heart of the piece.”

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Morrissey, who has starred in thrillers including The Woman in Cabin 10 and Basic Instinct 2, says he was surprised by how the story unfolds.

“I think it’s a very surprising story, not just in the classic ‘he didn’t do it’ sense but in the cracks that appear in the characters’ emotional lives, and how we get there.

“I’ve not really seen it examined in that way in a classic thriller, the emotional lives of people, the baggage they’re carrying, and how that unexpectedly opens up.”

Episode 2 of Gone will show on ITV tonight.

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LK Bennett launches closing-down sale at all 22 stores

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LK Bennett launches closing-down sale at all 22 stores

LK Bennett, founded back in the 90s, entered administration in January, with John Noon and Mark Firmin of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP appointed joint administrators.

Immediately following their appointment, the LK Bennett brand and related intellectual property were sold to US firm Gordon Brothers, which also owns Laura Ashley and Poundland.



However, LK Bennett’s nine stand-alone and 13 concession stores were not included in the deal, leaving them at risk of closing.

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Its website explains: “The LK Bennett stores were not included in the transaction and continue to trade under the Administration.

“Online sales via the LK Bennett website continue for the foreseeable future.”



Full list of LK Bennett stores at risk of closing

The full list of LK Bennett stores at risk of closing is:

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Stand-alone stores

  • Lower Guildhall Mall (Bluewater)
  • Canary Wharf (London)
  • Eastgate Square Shopping Centre (Chester)
  • Duke of York Square (London)
  • Harrogate
  • Knightsbridge (London)
  • New Bond Street (London)
  • Richmond
  • White City Westfield (London)

Concession stores

  • Arnotts (Dublin)
  • The Bentall Centre (Kingston upon Thames)
  • Brown Thomas (Dublin)
  • De Gruchy (Jersey)
  • Hoopers (Tunbridge Wells)
  • Hoopers (Wilmslow)
  • Jarrold (Norwich)
  • John Lewis (Edinburgh)
  • John Lewis (High Wycombe)
  • John Lewis – Oxford Street (London)
  • John Lewis (Manchester)
  • John Lewis (Oxford)
  • John Lewis (Cheadle)

JK Bennett launches closing-down sale in all UK stores

JK Bennett has now launched a closing-down sale in all stores across the UK with up to 75% off, with “everything reduced”.

A LK Bennett spokesperson, via London Now, said: “There are some truly exceptional offers available across all categories.

“Everything has been reduced, including new season pieces.

“We anticipate strong demand and expect key styles to sell through quickly; we would like to thank our loyal customers for their support over the years and invite them to shop early to avoid disappointment.”​​​

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Turbulent start to 2026 for UK high street

It has been a rough start to 2026 for the UK high street, with several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street retailers, including River Island, Primark, and Poundland, have been forced to close stores already in 2026, while Revolution and BrewDog have shut the doors to 21 and 38 pubs, respectively.



Several other retailers have fallen into administration recently, including:

Meanwhile, four UK travel companies have closed in the opening weeks of 2026:

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EcoJet Airlines, billed as “the world’s first Electric Airline”, has also entered liquidation after just three years, resulting in the cancellation of all planned flights.


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Tesco recently revealed plans to cut 380 jobs in stores across the UK, while its been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

UK delivery company Yodel is also set to be phased out over the coming months after being acquired by InPost.

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It’s not been all bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, Superdrug, and Lidl.

Which recent shop closure has affected you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

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‘My teenage son kept his vaping habit secret for two years – then his lung collapsed’

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'My teenage son kept his vaping habit secret for two years - then his lung collapsed'

Cameron Vann’s lung collapsed twice as he hid his habit from mum Crystal with doctors saying it could have been fatal

A teen who secretly vaped at school with his mates nearly died when his lung collapsed twice. Cameron Vann, known as Dodge, picked up vaping from his friends at school and had been using them for two years.

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Dodge’s mum, Crystal Vann, said she didn’t know about the 17-year-old’s habit until the teenager came off the school bus looking pale and with back pain last September. The 38-year-old mum rushed him to ER where an x-ray showed the teenager had a 50% collapsed lung, needing an 18-inch tube inserted in his left side.

Despite this, Dodge carried on vaping until he was left struggling to breathe while he was at school in January. Crystal rushed the teen back to ER but was advised to go straight to Kentucky Children’s Hospital, as doctors warned he could have died while waiting in the lobby.

This time, Dodge needed surgery and doctors “scraped” his left lung lining, while he stayed in hospital for a week. The mum-of-two said she feared for her son’s life and wants to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping.

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Dodge has since vowed to never to vape again. Crystal, from Corbin, Kentucky, US, said: “He was vaping at school, it wasn’t on my watch.

“He was vaping quite a lot, both times it happened at school. He had been vaping for two years. He got off the bus and he was so pale. I took him to the ER and he explained what happened, he went to lie down in the bus and his back hurt so much.”

She said Dodge was x-rayed which showed his left lung had collapsed. He needed an 18-inch tube inserted into his side.

“He called me from school the second time and he said ‘I’m hurting but I don’t know if it’s my lung or not’. We went straight to the ER.

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“They said he could have died in the lobby. He had surgery this time and they had to scrape off the lung lining, stapling the blebs [fluid or air-filled blisters] at the top of his lung, and attach it back to the chest wall.”

“He went through a lot. It was horrible, I thought ‘why him?’ I feared he was going to die.”

Dodge said he still has pain in his left side which gets worse when he puts on clothes or when he talks. He said: “I had shallow breathing and couldn’t take deep breaths at all. I was losing oxygen, I can’t explain how it feels.

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“After the surgery the nerves are dead, even putting on a shirt feels awful when touching it. Talking vibrates it sometimes and it hurts so much. I get stabbing pains in my side and can’t go to school. So much could have gone wrong like a spinal injury.

“I quit cold turkey, I’m not hitting one ever again, I’m trying to stay away from second hand smoke and everything. I’ve had nightmares about it.”

Crystal claims Dodge started vaping with pals and is now calling for a ban on vapes. The self-employed mum still takes Dodge to the hospital for check-ups and follow-up appointments.

A GoFundMe had been set up to help with Dodge’s treatment costs. Crystal said: “He’s so little. It hurts in his back, he does not want to go to sleep because it hurts when he wakes up.

“He’s such a kind and passionate kid with a big heart for others, so seeing him in pain is incredibly hard for me as his mom. He’s been so brave, but he’s also scared, asking me if his lung might collapse again while he sleeps.

“We have to return for multiple check-ups and follow-up appointments to make sure Cameron is healing well. When he came home [after the second incident], he didn’t pick it back up, he knew this time.

“Doctors said he could die so he will not smoke. I say ban on all vapes, I don’t want another kid going through it.”

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You can donate to Crystal’s cause here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-cameron-recover-from-collapsed-lung

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10-bedroom HMO plan approved for Garden Street, Darlington

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10-bedroom HMO plan approved for Garden Street, Darlington

Sapphire Developments will convert the property on Garden Street into a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

The development will see the office refurbished into ten self-contained bedrooms, after plans were approved by Darlington Borough Council on March 2.

Sapphire Developments argued there will be no negative impact on the neighbours.

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Planning officers noted: “This proposal, which seeks to bring a vacant commercial building back into active use through conversion to a 10-bedroom HMO, fully aligns with national policy objectives.

“It makes productive use of an underutilised building within the development limits of Darlington, as confirmed by the council at pre-application stage, and contributes directly to the mix and supply of housing in a highly sustainable town centre location.”

Noise concerns were addressed with conditions for acoustic glazing and trickle vents to be installed.

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New windows will be installed, a choice agreed upon as an acceptable compromise between preserving historical features and ensuring the building is functional.

Additional conditions tied to the planning approval include installation and retention of refuse and cycle storage before occupation, and submission of a final nutrient credit certificate.

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Wet February dampens retail sales amid Middle East conflict threat to confidence

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Wet February dampens retail sales amid Middle East conflict threat to confidence

Sarah Bradbury, the chief executive of analysts IGD, said: “As March begins, the outlook is deteriorating. The OBR’s latest forecast downgraded near-term growth, whilst the conflict in the Middle East is strengthening concerns over fuel costs, which could impact food price inflation, if the situation continues.”

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The planet just got incredibly close to breaching landmark global warming target | Science, Climate & Tech News

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The planet just got incredibly close to breaching landmark global warming target | Science, Climate & Tech News

Earth experienced its fifth-warmest February on record last month – with temperatures at 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, scientists have said.

The month was marked by “extreme rainfall and widespread flooding in Western Europe and the third-lowest sea ice extent in the Arctic”, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Tuesday.

Experts say climate change was at least partly to blame for the exceptionally wet season across Western Europe.

It saw a run of intense storms including Leonardo, Pedro, and Nils, which was described as having “uncommon strength” by French weather service Meteo-France.

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Pic: Copernicus Climate Change Service

France, Spain, and Portugal in Europe, and Morocco, Mozambique and Botswana elsewhere in the world saw remarkably wet conditions, leading to severe flooding that caused widespread damage and loss of life and livelihoods.

Europe’s wet and warm conditions mirrored those in the UK, which saw one of its five wettest Januarys since 1890 in the southern counties of England, and the warmest February day since 2019.

Just 0.1C below landmark target

The globe’s 1.49C above the estimated 1850-1900 average used to define the pre-industrial level made it the fifth-warmest February across the planet, the study said.

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The target of the 2015 Paris Agreement was to keep global temperatures to less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The UN has warned the chance of keeping to that goal is “virtually zero”, with the UK braced for a rise of at least 2C within the next 25 years.

Researchers based their latest assessment on Copernicus’ own ERA5 dataset, compiled from hourly readings of climate data, which it describes as a climate research standard.

The warmest February on record was in 2024, it said.

In the Arctic, the average sea ice extent in February was 5% below, meaning it was the third-lowest on record for the month. In the Antarctic, the monthly sea ice extent was close to the monthly average.

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Read more: Wettest winter on record for parts of the UK

Pic: Copernicus Climate Change Service
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Pic: Copernicus Climate Change Service

Sharp divide in Europe’s weather

Study author Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMRW), said there was “a really strong divide across Europe”, as Scandinavia and Eastern Europe were “much colder than average”, whereas the opposite conditions prevailed in most of western and Southern Europe.

Ms Burgess told Sky News the position of the polar jet stream was one of the causes, noting it “has gone further south over the winter, which is why we’ve had a very dim, very wet winter”.

Its unusual position, combined with a series of narrow bands of very moist air, named atmospheric rivers, “led to heavy-to-extreme precipitation over western and Southern Europe. This triggered widespread flooding and landslides, particularly across Iberia and western France,” the study said.

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Dogs saved from floods

Climate change’s impact

Ms Burgess said February’s extreme events “highlight the growing impacts of climate change and the pressing need for global action”.

It’s part of our changing winter and changing seasonality, she said, with summers “getting longer, starting earlier and ending later. They’re also getting more intense”.

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Winters, by contrast, are “getting less cold, and sometimes they’re also getting shorter”.

The wet winter has seen a surge in rain-related pothole incidents

Heavy rain at the start of the year caused a spike in drivers hitting potholes hidden in puddles.

The RAC said the daily average number of pothole reports it received from broken-down drivers in February was three-and-a-half times higher than the same month last year.

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It attributed this to the “incredible amount of standing water” on roads which was “hiding potholes”.

England saw 42% more rain than usual between December and February, with southern and central England especially badly affected, according to provisional Met Office statistics.

The RAC said 6,290 of its members mentioned potholes when logging breakdowns last month, compared with 1,842 in February 2025.

January saw 5,106 mentions at a daily average of 165, up from 63 in the same month last year.

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Damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels are a few of the common vehicle problems caused by potholes.

‘Blocked weather pattern’

Met Office climate spokesperson Grahame Madge was less sure, saying the recent wet weather in the UK, particularly in Cornwall, which experienced the wettest winter on record, was a “blocked weather pattern over Scandinavia and an active jet stream driven by cold conditions in North America”.

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Mr Madge said there is “no strong evidence linking this specific weather pattern to climate change, [but] climate change is expected to lead to warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers in the UK”.

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Aerial views of flood-hit Spain

‘Human-caused’ emissions

It’s a trend that is “already being observed in rainfall records, with an increased winter rainfall”, he said.

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Reading University climate science professor Richard Allan said the “serious weather extremes” seen during the month were “a classic winter battleground between warm and wet versus cold and dry conditions over Europe”.

“Heavy and persistent rainfall in Western Europe was further intensified by the additional moisture carried by winds from the oceans that are warmer than they would otherwise have been due to the progressive heating from human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases,” he added.

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Dr Michael Byrne, reader in climate science at the University of St Andrews, said the UK “is in a pretty wet part of the world and very much influenced by this warmer air, [creating] more moisture when it rains”.

He warned “it’s very likely we should expect more flooding events, more rainstorms, both in the winter but also in the summertime, delivering large volumes of rain in a short period of time”.

It is, he said, “very much what we expect the UK to be seeing more of in the future”.

Ms Burgess agreed, saying “we’ve got to adapt” by recognising that climate change is “here to stay”, and said she remains “optimistically hopeful”, pointing to a doubling in the number of cities that have adaptation measures since 2018.

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Teacher dies after student prank goes wrong in ‘terrible tragedy’

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Teacher dies after student prank goes wrong in 'terrible tragedy'

The prank is understood to be tradition, in which pupils play practical jokes on teachers during prom season

A teacher has died after a prank involving some of his students went horribly wrong.

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A group of teenagers unspooled rolls of toilet paper outside the home of North Hall High School teacher Jason Hughes, 40. Jason tripped in the street and was hit by a pickup truck as the teens started to drive away.

Jason, who taught mathematics and helped coach golf, football and baseball, died after being taken to a hospital late on Friday, March 6, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said. The high school is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

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The teenagers arrived in two vehicles outside his home close to midnight on Friday and began wrapping his trees with toilet paper. The sheriff’s office said in a news release that the teens started to leave when Jason came out of the house. The toilet paper prank is understood to be tradition, in which North Hall students play practical jokes on teachers during prom season.

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As one of the teens began to drive away in a pickup truck, “Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over,” the sheriff’s office said. The teens stopped and tried to render aid until emergency responders arrived.

Jason’s family said he had heard in advance about their prank and hoped to surprise them. It is understood that he was not trying to confront them.

Authorities charged the driver, an 18-year-old, with first-degree vehicular homicide, a felony punishable by three to 15 years in prison under Georgia law. He was also charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanour.

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The four other teens were charged with misdemeanour counts of criminal trespassing and littering on private property, the sheriff’s office said.

Jason’s family said he knew and loved the five students involved and have urged authorities to drop all charges against them.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” Jason’s family said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

“This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”

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Decisions on whether or how to prosecute the teens ultimately lie with Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh.

The Hall County school system posted a message urging students to refrain from any prom-season pranks resulting in property damage or destruction, just one day before Jason’s death. It warned of “serious consequences that can arise from engaging in destructive behavior.”

The school’s football coach, Sean Pender, said that Jason helped players with their academics. He also said Jason was a man of deep faith who led a weekly Bible study for other coaches.

“What made Jason so special was the way he did it,” Sean wrote in a social media post. “He never judged. He never forced anything on anyone. He simply loved people well. He met people where they were, lifted them up, and reminded them that they mattered.”

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Students and teachers created a makeshift memorial of flowers along a section of fence outside the school.

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Person ‘hit by car’ in Greenock as emergency crews rush to scene

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Daily Record

Part of a major Scots road remains locked down tonight after someone was reportedly knocked down.

Part of a major Scots road has closed this evening after a person was reportedly hit by a car.

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The A8 westbound is closed at Gibshills Road in Greenock after an incident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle.

The crash happened shortly before 7.30pm on Monday, March 9.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland, rushed to the scene in the Inverclyde town. They remain in attendance.

A photo taken at the scene shows a police car blocking the affected road to motorists and passers-by. Two uniformed officers stand guard to stop drivers and pedestrians from entering.

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It is not yet known the extent of the person’s injuries, if they were taken to hospital, or if any arrests have been made.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A8 westbound is closed at Gibshills Road in Greenock following a crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle which happened around 7.20pm tonight.

“Emergency services are in attendance. Local diversions are in place.”

Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment.

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Alexander brothers convicted of sex trafficking

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Alexander brothers convicted of sex trafficking

NEW YORK (AP) — Three brothers, including two of the nation’s most successful luxury real estate brokers, were convicted of sex trafficking Monday after a five-week trial over accusations that they drugged and raped scores of women they had dazzled with their wealth and opulent lifestyle.

The verdict came after 11 women testified in Manhattan federal court they were sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers: twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 38, and Tal Alexander, 39. All three shook their heads as the jury foreperson said “guilty” 19 straight times, a powerful reckoning that could put them behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Tal Alexander dropped his head into his crossed arms. Their stunned parents sat in the gallery behind them. Alon Alexander’s wife shielded her face with her hand and appeared to fight back tears.

Judge Valerie E. Caproni set sentencing for Aug. 6. The brothers, jailed since their 2024 arrests, will appeal the verdict, their lawyers said.

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“We believe in our clients’ innocence and we’re not going to stop fighting until we prevail, and we believe that we will one day prevail,” defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said outside the courthouse.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton lauded the verdict as vindication for victims of crimes that often go unreported and unpunished.

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“The truth is sex trafficking and other federal sex offenses are present in many walks of life and we have not done enough to root it out,” Clayton said in a statement.

Dozens of women say they were drugged and assaulted

The verdict represented a spectacular fall for Oren and Tal Alexander, once known as real estate’s “A Team” for their high-ticket sales and celebrity clientele. After smashing sales records at industry powerhouse Douglas Elliman, the brothers started their own firm. Alon Alexander ran their family’s private security company.

Victims testified that they met the brothers at nightclubs, parties and on dating apps, and were attacked after accepting their invitations to all-expense paid getaways to the Hamptons; Aspen, Colorado; and a Caribbean cruise. More than 60 women say they were raped by one or more of the brothers, according to prosecutors.

Defense lawyers suggested the accusers had faulty memories or were hoping to cash in on the brothers’ fortunes. The brothers were womanizers, their lawyers conceded. But they insisted any sex was consensual.

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In addition to the top charges, Alon and Tal Alexander were also convicted of sex trafficking of a minor while Alon and Oren Alexander were convicted of aggravated sexual abuse by force or intoxicant and sexual abuse of a physically incapacitated person. Oren Alexander was also convicted of sexually exploiting a minor after prosecutors showed the jury a video he recorded of himself appearing to assault a drugged 17-year-old.

Lawsuits expose an open secret in the real estate world

Besides the criminal case, the brothers have faced about two dozen lawsuits over the last two years, including one filed last week in which Tracy Tutor, a star of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” alleges Oren Alexander drugged and assaulted her while she was in New York City for a real estate event.

When the first of the lawsuits were filed, multiple women came forward claiming they had also been assaulted, and that the brothers’ misconduct had been an open secret in the real estate world. The government took notice and opened a criminal case.

During the trial, many women who testified said they believed the brothers had spiked their drinks. Some described feeling like they’d lost control of their bodies.

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One woman testified that she met the brothers in 2012 at a party at actor Zac Efron’s Manhattan apartment. She said she had almost no interaction with the actor, who was not accused of any misdeeds, and went to a nightclub later in the night before waking up naked with a nude Alon Alexander standing over her.

“I don’t want to have sex with you,” she testified telling him. “Haha, you already did,” she recalled him snapping back as he “laughed in my face.”

Testimony challenges claim that money drove allegations

Prosecutors pushed back against the idea that the accusers were hoping to cash in on lawsuits. Only two have lawsuits pending, prosecutor Elizabeth Espinosa told jurors, and both are wealthy.

One woman who testified said she was raped by Alon Alexander in Aspen, Colorado, in 2017, when she was 17. She said she was the daughter of a billionaire.

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“I don’t want their money. I just don’t want them to have it,” she told jurors.

Lindsey Acree, an artist and gallery owner, testified she was raped by Tal Alexander and another man at a home in the Hamptons in 2011 after taking a drink that left her feeling paralyzed.

The woman said she sued last year even though she will “never need their money” because the Alexanders “kept calling us gold diggers, shake down artists, con artists.”

“If there’s a kid with a stick who keeps hitting people, you take their stick away,” she told the jury. “Money is their stick, so you take it away so they can’t hurt people anymore.”

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The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly, as Acree and Tutor have done.

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NFL: Travis Kelce to play 14th season for Kansas City Chiefs, who agree to sign Kenneth Walker

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Travis Kelce waves before the start of the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2026

Travis Kelce will return for another season with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have also agreed a deal to sign Kenneth Walker, according to reports.

Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl winner, has spent his entire NFL career with the Chiefs and the veteran tight end is out of contract after his 13th season.

But a social media post, external by New Heights, the podcast he produces with his brother Jason, said: “He’s back! Travis Kelce is back with the Chiefs for year 14.”

Kansas City hoped the 36-year-old would commit to another season and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Kelce has turned down more lucrative offers, external from other teams to agree a one-year deal worth up to $15m (£11.2m).

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After reaching five Super Bowls in six years, the Chiefs missed the play-offs last season for the first time since the 2014 campaign.

But they have given their offence another boost by moving for running back Walker, the Most Valuable Player in last season’s Super Bowl, with a three-year deal worth up to $45m (£33.5m), according to NFL Network., external

During the regular season, Walker passed 1,000 rushing yards for the second time in four years with the Seattle Seahawks, and the 25-year-old then helped fill the void after fellow running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the play-offs.

Walker led the NFL for most carries (65), rushing yards (313) and rushing touchdowns (four) during the post-season, becoming the first running back to be the Super Bowl MVP since 1998.

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Champions Seattle were willing to let Walker test the free agency market and he will become the first Super Bowl MVP to immediately switch to a new team since 2003.

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