WASHINGTON (AP) — Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday to confirm he won’t send U.S. troops to polling places during November’s midterm elections, as Democrats have raised concerns that the Trump administration could use the military to interfere with the vote.

“I’d ask you to confirm a simple statement: the Department of Defense will not send Federal troops to the polls or to seize election materials of any kind,” Slotkin wrote to Hegseth and to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in letters Tuesday.

The Pentagon said in an email that it will respond directly to Slotkin, as it does with all congressional correspondence. The Joint Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Slotkin told The Associated Press that Trump has been laying the groundwork to claim the midterms were stolen. She noted that Trump contemplated using the military to seize voting machines after his loss in 2020 and has deployed the National Guard to cities against the wishes of Democratic leaders. He also deployed active duty Marines to Los Angeles during his immigration crackdown in 2025.

“He’s very clearly laying the breadcrumbs to be able to say the day after the election that he didn’t really lose the House or he didn’t really lose the Senate,” Slotkin said.

Slotkin asked Hegseth during an April congressional hearing if he would follow orders to seize ballots. Hegseth called the question a “gotcha hypothetical,” but said, “I’ve never been ordered to do anything illegal, and I won’t.”

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles denied in a Vanity Fair interview last year that Trump would use the military to suppress voting in the midterms.

“I say it is categorically false, will not happen. It’s just wrongheaded,” she said.

Federal law prohibits the deployment of armed federal forces to election locations unless “necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.” If any element of the military were to get involved, it would likely be the National Guard under state control.

In 2020, Gen. Mark Milley, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded to a similar letter from Slotkin, then a congresswoman.

“I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military,” Milley wrote. “In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the U.S. military.”

By KATRINA SCHOLLENBERGER, US HEAD OF LIVE NEWS

Updated: 18:18 BST, 18 August 2026

A retired police officer revealed Tupac Shakur’s dying words at his murder trial on Monday.  

Garry Dale, a former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer, recalled his interaction with the rapper as he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance after being shot multiple times alongside Death Row Records boss Suge Knight on September 7, 1996. 

‘I was trying to talk to him to find out what had happened, gather information to see who had fired at them,’ Dale told prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo. ‘He was still talking, and I was trying to convince him to tell me the name of whoever his assailants were.’

Dale testified that Shakur responded: ‘No, we’ll take care of it.’

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Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis is on trial for allegedly orchestrating the drive-by shooting in retaliation for Shakur and his entourage’s attack on Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson. 

Davis, the only person to ever be charged in the hitmaker’s shooting, is charged with one count of murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang, but has entered a not guilty plea. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. 

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Las Vegas police officer reveals Tupac’s dying words in court

Garry Dale, a former Las Vegas Metro Police Department officer, revealed what Tupac told him as he lay dying in an ambulance on the night he was shot.

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‘I was trying to talk to him to find out what had happened, gather information to see who had fired at them,’ he told prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo.

‘He was still talking, and I was trying to convince him to tell me the name of whoever his assailants were,’ the former officer continued.

Dale testified that Tupac Shakur responded to the effect of: ‘No, we’ll take care of it.’

The officer was then excused after a quick cross-examination by the defense yesterday.

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Davis’ defense lawyer Michael Sanft asked Dale if he had written a report about his initial traffic stop of Suge Knight and Shakur’s vehicle that night, to which the cop replied: ‘No.’

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Witness testifies about security footage inside hotel on night of Tupac’s murder

The state called Michael Ingram, investigator for MGM Resorts, to the stand.

He confirmed security camera points at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on a map before grainy security footage was played to the court.

Ingram testified that surveillance video was recorded on VHS in 1996, which has deteriorated the quality of video over the years.

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Jurors see Tupac Shakur’s autopsy photos

Crime scene analyst Thomas Kern was called to testify about Tupac’s autopsy that he was present for in 1996.

Following Kern’s testimony, the state called on Dr Lisa Gavin, a forensic pathologist medical examiner.

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Although Dr Gavin was in medical school at the time of Tupac’s murder, she offered her professional opinion on Tupac’s autopsy photographs.

The court saw pictures of Tupac’s body and as Dr Gavin testified about the path of the bullets that entered his chest and ultimately killed him.

Prosecutors noted that the rapper was ‘skinny’ when he was alive, but looked ‘bloated’ in death, which Dr Gavin confirmed was a result of expanded tissue.

The pictures were not broadcast to the public.

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Day two of the trial begins

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis is sat in court in a black suit and white button up shirt today.

After jurors were seated, prosecutors played a recording of Davis speaking to LAPD about the murder of Christopher Wallace a.k.a ‘Biggie Smalls’ to the court.

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Tupac’s murder suspect placed gun in hands of the shooter in twisted bid to get revenge, attorney claims in first day of historic trial

The man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s murder personally handed the gun to the rapper’s killers in a twisted revenge plot, prosecutors alleged on Monday as one of America’s most notorious cold cases finally went before a jury.

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, 63, did not pull the trigger during the infamous 1996 Las Vegas drive-by, prosecutors conceded, but they claim he planned the retaliation, supplied the weapon and set in motion the shooting that killed the 25-year-old hip-hop icon.

‘Let’s be clear, Duane Davis did not pull the trigger. But he did plan the shooting in retaliation for the beating of his nephew,’ Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told jurors.

‘Remarkably, you will learn that from Duane Davis himself.’

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Defense lawyer said Duane Davis was known to ‘bull****’

Defense lawyer Michael Sanft said that his client Duane Davis was known to ‘bull****’ in court yesterday.

The defense argued that the detective who worked on the case did not work hard enough to verify his client’s accounts of Tupac’s murder in his 2019 memoir Compton Street Legend. ‘He treats that book like it’s fact,’ he said.

Sanft said the state relied heavily on questionable statements made by the defendant over the years.

Davis ‘was never charged for any of what he said during that time period, and it’s because they knew he was full of crap,’ Sanft continued. ‘Otherwise, they would have.’

‘The state cannot prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt the claim that Keffe had anything to do with first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon.’

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The mum and sister of 13-year-old Blake Gallier, from Kent, said the teen had accessed “worrying stuff” and had “disturbing videos” fed to her via social media accounts

The grieving family of a 13-year-old girl said they believe she took her own life after being bombarded by disturbing content they found on her phone.

Blake Gallier was found dead at her family home weeks after her 13th birthday. Her mum, Gemma Best, believes the young girl, who did not appear to be in poor mental health, took her own life – although an inquest into her death is yet to be held.

The family, from Gravesham, Kent, has joined a campaign to introduce an under-16s social media ban after discovering the distressing content to which their youngest member was being exposed.

Since the tragedy on October 30 last year, Blake’s mum Gemma and sister Tayla Gallier have been supporting the Raise The Age campaign to introduce a ban on social media for under-16s after they found social media algorithms had been feeding her suicide normalising content.

Remembering the teen, Gemma said: “Blake was really happy. She was an extrovert; she was funny; she was hilarious; she was the life and soul of the party. Blake was a confident, happy extrovert who was just phenomenal.”

Tayla, 19, added: “She was the youngest; I am the eldest sister, so if anyone knows that dynamic, they know it can be very challenging at times.

“She was annoying. She was always stealing my things. She was jarring, but she was amazing. She was very funny; she was the life of the party. You could hear her from a mile away. She was completely full of life.”

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Describing the type of content they found on her phone, Gemma said her daughter “reposted a lot of worrying stuff” of which she was not aware. Taylor said her sister had been viewing what she described as disturbing videos. The two were left convinced that young children should not be accessing social media.

Gemma, 47, said: “Children that age are on their phones, and I think social media was a big issue for Blake. From what I have gathered, Blake reposted a lot of worrying stuff, and I was not aware of that.

“I never realised what the content was. All her friends had phones; the age for social media was 13, and I stupidly never researched it. After going through what we have gone through, I 100% support the social media ban. I was not a parent who was convinced until this happened. Now I think, ‘why did she need that phone?’

“If Blake had gone out more and not been on her phone so much or in her bedroom, she might not have done what she did. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.”

Tayla added: “When we got her phone back, we saw how many disturbing videos she was seeing. It only takes one bad night, and you like something you relate to, and then that is all the algorithm shows you. They are seeing videos normalising ending your life.

“I do not think young people can fully comprehend what ending their own life means at that age. We were completely unaware of the things that she was seeing online.”

“It made it very apparent that no young person should be on social media seeing those things.” Gemma and Tayla, who both work for Marks and Spencer in its Stratford and Orpington branches respectively, decided to start a charity in Blake’s name at the end of last year.

Blake’s Pink Promise is currently in the process of being registered with the Charity Commission but has already funded counselling for 76 pupils across four Gravesend schools and two adults.

They have been working with Blake’s secondary school and former primary school, Shears Green, to identify students aged seven to 13 who may need support and fundraise for them to have counselling. Gemma says it is important to target children as young as seven, as she believes Blake must have been struggling from a young age.

She continued: “It could happen to anyone. I would love to say it will never happen again, but I can’t.” Tayla, who also runs a baking company called Taysty Bakes, added: “When you are that young, you do not know what is happening to you and do not have the capacity to see that you need help.”

“I think it became very apparent after Blake’s passing that there is a lot more going on than what we realise, and a lot of young people do not have the support that they might need.

“Our whole lives were turned upside down, so even if we help one child not feel the way Blake must have, [that] makes doing this every day worth it. We want to prevent anyone else from going through the same thing that we have had to. We want to help people in the way we wish she was helped.”

For her work with the charity, store manager Gemma won Marks and Spencer’s Remarkable Woman Award and met fellow bereaved parent and campaigner Ellen Roome.

Ellen founded Jools’ Law in memory of her son, Jools Sweeney, after he died in 2022, requiring relevant platforms to preserve a deceased child’s digital data after being notified of their death, allowing coroners and investigators to examine it.

Burnham has banned children under 16 from social media

The principles were incorporated into the Crime and Policing Act this year, but Ellen was still left with questions about what happened to Jools and called for his inquest to be reopened.

Last month, the High Court approved her application, meaning the 14-year-old’s social media can now be examined, which had not been available at the original hearing. Gemma and Tayla, alongside several other bereaved parents, supported Ellen at the High Court while the decision was made.

In June, the Government announced that children under 16 will be banned from social media. Apps including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are among those that will be included.

It is hoped the measure will pass before Christmas, with the ban coming in by spring 2027. The new measures will aim to protect young people from harm online and address unhealthy late-night scrolling on phones. New PM Andy Burnham is yet to comment on the policy.

The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.

Darren McVey has already served a 32-month prison sentence for hounding the woman.

A builder left his former partner “terrified” by sending a string of emails despite court orders not to contact her.

Darren McVey has already served a 32-month prison sentence for hounding the woman.

This included climbing ladders to spy on her at her Bothwell home.

McVey, 44, returned to Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday and admitted breaching two separate non-harassment orders by contacting his ex-partner between January 5 and 15 last year.

Kevin Morrow, prosecuting, said one email contained a family photograph with the caption ‘Miss you both’.

Mr Morrow told the court: “Another email a week later placed her in a state of alarm. She was unable to focus on work.

“Further messages were received and the repeated nature of the contact left her in a terrified state.

“She contacted the police due to her concerns about the accused’s escalating behaviour.”

Defence lawyer Ryan Sloan said McVey had completed the 32-month jail sentence in May this year but because of the fresh charges has remained in custody.

He said a “desperate” family situation was at the heart of the matter, adding: “It was not the content of the emails that caused upset, simply the fact he had made contact.”

Mr Sloan said McVey employs 10 people in his building firm which he continues to run from prison.

Sheriff Liam Murphy deferred sentence until next month for background reports and McVey was again remanded in custody.

The court heard in the previous case that he bombarded his ex-partner with messages between October 2024 and January 4 last year.

She was making dinner for herself and a child on Hogmanay when she heard knocking on the first floor window of her home in Langside Court, Bothwell.

She turned around and saw the accused chapping and waving through the window.

The woman took a photo of this immediately with her phone and then closed all of her blinds and called the police.

When officers arrived McVey was no longer there. A set of industrial ladders was propped directly under the dining room window.

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Rachel Claire Lemonofides was struck off after a tribunal found “belittling and degrading” towards a seriously unwell patient

A paramedic has been struck off after telling a seriously ill patient to “stop being a baby” and accusing her of lying about being unable to walk.

Rachel Claire Lemonofides made a series of “inappropriate and degrading” comments while attending a 999 call at the woman’s home in January 2024.

A tribunal heard the patient, who was later found to have suffered a stroke and a life-threatening burst aorta, was “forced to crawl downstairs” after Lemonofides refused to believe she was unable to walk.

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The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) paramedic told her: “You are lying, stop what you are doing, stop being a baby, let’s go downstairs”.

A tribunal heard Lemonofides also told the patient she was “wasting time” and “making a scene”, before telling her: “You have 60 seconds to get up or we are leaving”.

The patient was later transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital for emergency surgery after doctors found she had suffered a brain bleed and an abdominal aortic aneurysm – a swelling in the aorta.

A tribunal heard the patient had been in a coma for 10 days and was unable to speak until around March 2024. She said doctors had given her a 50 per cent chance of surviving emergency surgery.

The tribunal found Lemonofides had failed to recognise the seriousness of the patient’s condition, despite her experiencing chest pain, low blood pressure, numbness in her legs and a “not particularly normal” ECG.

The panel said there was “enough physical evidence” available to Lemonofides to recognise that the patient was seriously ill and required urgent hospital treatment. The tribunal also heard Lemonofides made a string of comments towards the patient while in her home.

She told the patient: “You are stuck on the floor like a child. I am really mad now because people are waiting for this ambulance, and you are acting like a child.

“You are not dying, you have got a bad back. It is not as though you have had your leg ripped off.

“You have gone through child labour which is worse than this pain, so you are just being dramatic.”

The tribunal heard the patient was crying out in pain on a number of occasions and that Lemonofides was heard telling her to “shut up”.

The tribunal also found the former paramedic had discriminated against the patient’s ethnicity and that elements of her behaviour were racially motivated.

The panel heard Lemonofides repeatedly referred to “black magic” and described the patient as behaving as if she were “possessed”. The tribunal found the comments were made about the patient’s race and showed “hostility and a discriminatory attitude” towards the patient.

It found the racial bias may have been conscious or unconscious but said it had been “at the forefront” of Lemonofides’ conduct with the patient.

The panel said the discriminatory behaviour resulted in the “wholly unfair and unacceptable treatment” of a vulnerable patient. It added that comments made throughout the visit were “totally unprofessional and wholly unacceptable from a Paramedic”.

They described the behaviour as “belittling and degrading” and said there had been a “clear hostility” towards the patient.

The tribunal also heard that another paramedic who was present during the incident was so shocked by her colleagues’ behaviour that she reported it to her employer – and Lemonofides was found to have later told the colleague: “If it had been filmed, you would watch it back and laugh at it.”

The panel found this was an attempt to “minimise or make light” of what had happened and influence her junior colleague into believing the incident was not serious.

A complaint was submitted by Lemonofides’ colleague on January 13, 2024, while a written complaint was sent by a relative of the patient two days later. Her operational duties were restricted by NWAS on March 5, 2024, before being dismissed on July 11, 2024 following a disciplinary hearing.

The tribunal heard Lemonofides admitted her conduct towards the patient was unprofessional and breached professional boundaries, and admitted failing to recognise the seriousness of the patient’s condition.

However, she denied that it had been discriminatory or racially motivated and denied making the comment about watching the incident back and laughing. The tribunal found all six factual particulars proved.

The panel found the conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct and there was a “high risk of repetition”.

It said the nature of her behaviour, “in particular the discriminatory and racially motivated conduct”, were “so serious that they are incompatible with continued registration”. As a result, Lemonofides was struck off the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “The individual no longer works for the trust. All of our patients are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect and there is no place within our organisation for colleagues who do not uphold those values.”

There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected

The Food Safety Agency (FSA) has issued a statement following a major outbreak of salmonella.

The outbreak, which the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed “may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK”, has seen hundreds fall ill with food poisoning.

One person has died and two people have developed potentially life-threatening blood stream infections, as more than a third of those affected were admitted to hospital.

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Salmonellosis is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food and can be spread rarely from person-to-person. Salmonella generally causes a mild illness, although vulnerable groups with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.

Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever. Anyone who is concerned about symptoms should contact their GP or out of hours service in the first instance.

The FSA have now issued a statement and provided advice for handling and cooking with eggs. In the statement they said they are working closely with the UKHSA to investigate the outbreak and declared that there is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are impacted.

Jacquelyn McCormick, Head of Incidents at the FSA said: “We are working closely with the UK Health Security Agency and other partners to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis.

“The exact cause has not yet been identified, however investigations so far have identified links to eggs imported from outside the UK, mainly used by food service and catering establishments such as restaurants or cafes, as a potential source. There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.

“While investigations continue, our advice around eating eggs remains the same. Eggs which are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk.

“Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat runny or raw eggs if they have a British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain egg assurance scheme. This advice does not apply to those who are severely immunocompromised and require medically supervised diets.

“We continue to advise people who are handling eggs, eggshells or egg packaging to always wash their hands thoroughly with warm water and soap and dry them properly afterwards.”

Symptoms typically start within a few hours or days of eating food which caused the infection, however some symptoms do not start for a few weeks. According to the NHS symptoms include:

• Feeling sick or being sick
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach pain
• High temperature
• And feeling generally unwell

The UKHSA said between August 11 last year and August 1 this year, 207 cases have been confirmed – 199 in England, six in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

Right ahead of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s first beta, EA has made Battlefield 6 free for the same period, as it plugs a Top Gun crossover.

Last year, EA finally scored a win over Activision with Battlefield 6, which was both critically and commercially more successful than Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7, thanks to a combination of smart marketing, continued frustration with Call Of Duty as a whole, and Battlefield 6 simply being a better game.

However, it didn’t take long for the honeymoon period to end, as Battlefield 6 quickly lost favour with significant portions of its player base, prompting a sizable update last month ,that added naval battles and the classic Wake Island map to try to win back favour.

EA clearly still has a lot of confidence in Battlefield 6 though, since while it’s kicked off a free week-long trial to attract new players, it just so happens to coincide with the beta for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

It can often feel like publishers never bother to check the release schedules of their competitors (unless it’s GTA 6), but there’s no way this isn’t a deliberate effort by EA to undercut Activision’s plans, and keep Call of Duty on a downward trajectory.

This isn’t even the first time it’s done something like this, as Battlefield 6 was made temporarily free to play shortly after the launch of Black Ops 7.

The free trial also arrives as EA adds a Top Gun crossover to Battlefield 6, which consists of cosmetics and character skins based on three of the characters from Top Gun: Maverick – Rooster (Miles Teller), Bob (Lewis Pullman), and Warlock (Charles Parnell) – who are all voiced by their original actors (Tom Cruise’s character of Maverick is notably absent).

If you’re at all interested, the trial runs from today until next Tuesday, on August 25 across consoles and PC, and can be accessed through Battlefield Redsec, the separate free-to-play battle royale mode.

It includes access to the two newest maps – Wake Island and Tsuru Reef – as well as five multiplayer modes for Battlefield 6 and the Battlefield Redsec exclusive Top Gun themed mode, Carrier Strike.

The Modern Warfare 4 beta taking place this weekend is only for those who’ve already pre-ordered the game and runs from Friday, August 21 to Tuesday, August 25.

While there’s nothing stopping you from double dipping and trying both games, the Call Of Duty beta isn’t free to access, at least not until the following weekend from August 28 to September 1. That second beta will also be available on Nintendo Switch 2, unlike the first one.

Activision also appears desperate to encourage people into playing the Modern Warfare 4 beta, since it’s stacked with a lot of multiplayer modes and, for the first time ever, includes a mission from the single-player campaign.

Modern Warfare 4 is facing a lot of pressure to make up for Black Ops 7’s failings, but things aren’t rosy for Battlefield 6 either.

Despite EA acknowledging that Battlefield 6 met ‘all milestones for a high quality launch,’ employees across all four of the game’s development studios were laid off, while CEO Andrew Wilson received a very sizable bonus.

There’s also the matter of EA’s recent acquisition by a group of private investors, which includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and has saddled the company with $20 bill of debt – that it intends to recoup with ‘organisational efficiencies.’

This can only mean even more layoffs and is expected to see EA further prioritise its most financially lucrative games, such as Battlefield 6 and the upcoming EA Sports FC 27.

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By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:44 BST, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 17:19 BST, 18 August 2026

A huge emergency response is underway following reports of four people getting into difficulty in the water at a British seaside town. 

Sussex Police said emergency services were called to the scene near Shoreham Fort, West Sussex, this afternoon. 

Several ambulances from South East Coast Ambulance Service have been dealing with the incident, alongside coastguard helicopters and other search and rescue vehicles.

Road closures have been put in place near the scene while the casualties receive emergency first aid. 

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A spokesperson from the RNLI said lifeboat crews were launched at around 2.50pm this afternoon. 

Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton lifeboat station shortly after 3pm. 

Two air ambulances are standing by at Shoreham Lifeboat station to attend an incident this afternoon

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Ambulances at the scene following reports of four people getting into difficulty in the water 

South East Coast Ambulance Service has a number of vehicles at the scene 

A large emergency response presence is in the area following reports of four people getting into difficulty in the water 

An ambulance spokesperson said: ‘South East Coast Ambulance Service is currently responding to reports of four people in need of medical attention after getting into difficulty in the water near Shoreham Harbour. 

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‘We were called shortly after 3pm and have a number of ambulance resources at the scene. We have no further information to share at this time but will provide updates as soon as possible.’ 

The Coastguard said it ‘responded to an incident reported at Shoreham at about 2.45pm’. 

They added: ‘An HM Coastguard helicopter was sent as well as Littlehampton, Shoreham and Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Teams, and an RNLI lifeboat from Shoreham.’

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘Emergency services are currently responding to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.

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‘A section of the A259 in Shoreham has been closed as the incident remains ongoing, and we’re urging the public to stay clear of the area in the meantime.’

Tom Rutland, Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, also made a similar request – posting on X: ‘Please stay clear of the area around Shoreham Fort and Kingston Beach as emergency services respond to reports of several people in difficulty in the water there.’

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.  

Michael O’Connor has cooked for high-profile guests like Hillary Clinton and Shania Twain

After more than 30 distinguished years in the culinary industry, celebrated Belfast chef Michael O’Connor is officially bringing the flavour and spirit of the famous The Barking Dog back to South Belfast’s BT9 district, joining the newly relaunched restaurant The Avenue Brasserie.

Michael will take the helm as Executive Head Chef at The Avenue Brasserie, located on Eglantine Avenue inside the newly redeveloped property, The Malone Hotel.

The launch follows a major multi-million-pound transformation of the historic South Belfast destination into a luxury boutique spot recently named among the UK’s top new hotel openings.

Michael originally opened The Barking Dog in 2008, running for 15 successful years in the heart of the community. The restaurant was built on consistent, exceptional London-and-gastropub-style dining focused on top-tier local produce.

Over the years, his cooking attracted high-profile guests, including Hillary Clinton, Shania Twain, and members of the Game of Thrones cast. Michael spent extensive time in a variety of other high-end, well-known restaurants and hotels in Belfast, Michael is ready to reignite South Belfast.

Speaking on his return to BT9 and new role, Michael O’Connor said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing the heart and soul of what we achieved at The Barking Dog to The Avenue Brasserie. BT9 has a special energy, and this venue is the perfect home for my next chapter. I’m excited to join the Macklin family and the team at The Avenue Brasserie to bring top-tier local produce, crowd-pleasing small plates, and legendary comfort classics – cooked with the same passion that I always strive to bring to my dishes.”

Gareth Macklin, Director at The Malone Hotel, added: “This project marks the latest chapter in our ongoing journey of change and reimagination. Following our extensive refurbishment, bringing a chef of Michael’s calibre and local legend status into the kitchen at The Avenue Brasserie is a massive moment for us, for BT9, and for south Belfast hospitality scene as a whole.”

Michael’s 31-year career spans high-calibre international experience, including two years working under Marco Pierre White at London’s famed Mirabelle in Mayfair, and senior roles across top gastropubs in Chelsea and at The Gun in London’s Docklands.

His journey also took him to Sydney, Australia for two years, where he earned a prestigious Chef Hat in his first year.

The Avenue Brasserie is a relaxed neighbourhood spot focused on good food, welcoming service, and shared plates. Details on opening events will be posted on the Avenue Brasserie website in the coming weeks.

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

​More than 150,000 people are registered users at libraries run and supported by North Yorkshire Council, but the authority has said it does not know how many users have been banned or how many fines have been paid.

​Last year, more than 99,000 individual item fines were issued with 22,423 borrowers linked to those fines, a Freedom of Information (FoI) request has revealed.

​The council – which operates libraries in towns including Harrogate, Scarborough, Malton, Skipton, Northallerton, and Selby – said the lack of information was due to the absence of “consistent storage of data to retrieve”.

​The authority added that there were a “range of banning types and procedures” which include temporary bans issued verbally by local branches and which are recorded only on customer accounts.

​An FoI request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) also sought to establish how many library fines were issued and to how many people since 2021.

​However, the council said it did not have information for 2021-2024 after changing its Library Management System (LMS) in March 2025, and was “unable to access the previous system for data, and information requested is not recorded anywhere prior to loss of system”.

Bedale Community Library. Photo: NYC.

​Between March 19, 2025 and December 31, 2025, the council said it had receipts linked to 40,566 fines, which “may not include all fines paid” and added that it did not hold information on fines paid.

​The changes to the LMS also meant that the authority was unable to say how many of the issued fines had been paid and how much they were worth. Fines for the late return of items are capped at £8.20 for adults.

​Hazel Smith, North Yorkshire Council’s head of library services, said: “Our library service is hugely valued by the tens of thousands of people of all ages who use it every year. It’s very positive that our library visitor numbers are growing, and we run frequent membership initiatives to encourage people to use our services.

​“In recent years, this has included signing up babies to the library as part of the birth registration process, as well as encouraging schoolchildren to become members through a programme of class visits.”

​The number of registered library users in 2021 was 53,631; five years later in 2026, this had increased to 155,112, the FoI request revealed.

​Speaking to the LDRS, she added: “While some library members have outstanding fines, we do as much as possible to try and help them to avoid having to pay charges. We introduced a reminder system two years ago that notifies borrowers before items become overdue. Additional reminders are also sent when items are overdue, encouraging their prompt return. All notifications include guidance on how to renew items.

​“We are one of a small number of local authorities that still charge library fines. Fines collected at the council’s 11 main libraries contribute directly to the library service budget.

​“The county’s 31 community-managed libraries also collect fines, with that income retained locally by each of those libraries to help support their day-to-day running costs.”

​In 2023, Explore York Libraries and Archives announced it would no longer charge late fees or fines for items that were returned after they were due back, as well as cancelling historic charges.

​The organisation was originally part of the City of York Council but is now an independent organisation that operates 15 libraries, including York Explore.

​“We hope removing charges will help remove barriers that may put people off using our libraries. We know that charges are more likely to impact vulnerable people, including those on lower incomes, and we are delighted to offer a little extra help in tough times,” it said at the time.