Ms Bunting has been at the centre of protracted litigation since she was banned from holding public office as a councillor in 2023.

Former Belfast councillor Jolene Bunting has won a new legal battle over the decision to impose a three-year ban on her seeking re-election.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday dismissed a challenge to the quashing of the disqualification decision taken by a local government watchdog body.

Senior judges held she was denied a fair hearing at an adjudication process where she had expressed fears about facing the leader of far-right party Britain First.

Ms Bunting has been at the centre of protracted litigation since she was banned from holding public office as a councillor in 2023.The Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards (NILGCS) imposed the sanction for a breach of its code of ethics. It followed a determination that she doctored a payslip in a bid to obtain cash from Britain First.

The investigation into her conduct was based on a complaint lodged by Paul Golding, leader and co-founder of the political grouping.

He claimed his party sent Ms Bunting money to cover an alleged fine from Belfast City Council for a publicity stunt involving its ex-deputy leader, Jayda Fransen.

Ms Fransen had been filmed making a statement while wearing robes and sitting in the lord mayor’s chair at City Hall in 2018.

But the tribunal was told that a £545 deduction in Ms Bunting’s council pay was actually because she exceeded the data allowance on her mobile phone.

The Commissioner held she improperly used her position to secure financial advantage by amending her payslip to gain from Mr Golding and Britain First, bringing her position as a councillor into disrepute.

Ms Bunting, a former independent unionist councillor, denied the allegations throughout the process and made a last-ditch attempt to halt the February 2023 hearing.

Legal proceedings centred on a refusal to grant her that adjournment in order to secure new lawyers.

Ms Bunting did not attend the tribunal, but sent an email the previous evening setting out her failure to obtain a solicitor or receive necessary documents.

She also referred to Mr Golding as someone who had caused her “great consternation and anxiety over the last number of years”.

Ms Bunting claimed to be “genuinely in fear” and not emotionally ready to face the Britain First leader.

In February this year she successfully argued in the High Court that she had been denied a fair hearing.

Counsel for Ms Bunting insisted her asserted fear of Mr Golding was reasonably based on his convictions for offences under hate crime legislation and harassment aggravated by religion.

A television documentary covertly recorded him admitting to assaults on two women, the court heard.

At that stage the judge identified an apparent lack of consideration for Ms Bunting finding herself without a lawyer at the eleventh hour, and no reference to the issue of her fear of Mr Golding.

He ruled that the adjudication hearing had been unfair, quashed the disqualification decision taken by an assistant commissioner and remitted the case for reconsideration.

The watchdog body challenged his determination in the Court of Appeal, contended that it was flawed.

But Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, sitting with Lady Justice McBride and Mr Justice McLaughlin, identified no legal error in the High Court verdict.

“We agree that the assistant commissioner in the decision did not sufficiently engage and give reasons which were intelligible and clear to Ms Bunting on why her adjournment application was refused,” Dame Siobhan said.

Rejecting the challenge, she confirmed: “There is no basis for the appeal in substance.”

Speaking outside court, Ms Bunting’s solicitor, Michael Brentnall, said: “Our client now welcomes the opportunity to clear her name regarding the allegations that underpin this challenge, and to unearth the truth about the nature and substance of these allegations made against her.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

This year’s new football game from EA is out for everybody today, but already fans are noticing some concerning problems that need fixing as soon as possible.

Although EA Sports FC 27 is officially only released today, if you bought the Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Plus Editions you could’ve been playing it a week early. That’s good for EA, because they make more money from the more expensive editions, but it also means that a lot of people already have firm opinions about the game.

We gave the annual football sim a positive review and it has a generally favourable score of 77 on Metacritic. That score, however, doesn’t reflect some serious issues making waves across the community.

It should be noted that many of these issues were actually discovered during the pre-release demo, and EA is usually quick to stamp out exploits, but, at time of writing, here’s everything that’s getting fans upset.

Corners

The first problem is the new corner system. EA has implemented a fresh way of taking corners this year and it’s not exactly won players over. The system introduces a third step whereby, after you’ve set up the corner and aimed where you want to deliver the ball, you take control of players in the box.

You’re essentially trying to move your attacker into position, avoiding defenders and shielding their obstruction attempts, before making contact with the ball. For many, it’s just too much.

‘Anyone else just hate the new corners?’ asks Reddit user Tegsmo. ‘Like seriously, why did they feel the need to change it? It’s awful now. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t ever control where I need my players to be since you can’t see where the ball is going.’

Stamphasadeathwish agrees, writing, ‘Corners are terrible. The two stage thing could work if there were some kind of indicator for where to expect the ball, but scoring headers requires too much precision for guesswork.’

EA is unlikely to strip this feature out completely, but hopefully they will respond to the complaints. There is already a mode where you can practice corners in a controlled environment; this is found in the Learn to Play section, where there’s a dedicated corner skill game.

Glitches

Not all of FC 27’s issues have players raging. Some hilarious glitches are having the opposite effect. Take one found by Reddit user Alternative_Smile866, who loaded up a match and found one of their subs wearing a black sports bra.

‘Can anyone tell me who this is on my bench?’ they asked the EASportsFC subreddit. ‘Paused game for a sub and this player flicked on for a split second… not sure if on bench or in shower but either way, I’m not sure which player they are of mine (no AI was used for this photo)’.

Elsewhere on the subreddit, one player discovered a glitch involving a goalkeeper who appeared to become stuck to the goal post after saving a freekick.

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Up43, meanwhile, discovered an interesting strategy in the new 2v2 street mode: getting their player tangled in the net so they double up as a makeshift keeper.

While silly, these glitches can be replicated and used online, interfering with the gameplay. EA will almost certainly aim to squash bugs like these as soon as it can. Gameplay is often subjective, but glitches just aren’t part of the experience, especially in a tightly controlled setting like competitive multiplayer.

Through balls

Outcry over through balls is something that returns every year, but FC 27 seems to have given critics more fuel than ever. Splitting the defence with a decisive ball should be an act of skill and timing, but this year, for some, it’s proving a little too effective.

Medium_Location1298 says, ‘In a few games I was trying the stupid through balls that worked last year as my only form of attack and was scoring consistently. It genuinely just makes the game boring.’

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You can see the player’s point. Why mess around in midfield when you can bypass it all with a simple tap of the ‘Y’ button? Players will always default to the easiest possible option and that spells disaster for the multiplayer meta if the devs don’t keep an eye on it.

On the other hand, some players are saying through balls aren’t effective enough. PM_ME_BAKAYOKO_PICS writes, ‘They’re not nerfed they’re just manual, they’re actually strong as f*** and it’s the new meta in high divs/pro play, but since they’re manual you have to put the correct power and direction on them.’

When you have an equal number of players calling for a feature to be both buffed and nerfed, it probably means it’s actually working fine.

Player switching

Another issue that has fans up in arms is player switching. This is a simple mechanic inherent to any group sports game, which involves switching control to a nearby player. When implemented well it’s barely noticeable. In FC 27, however, it is proving seriously noticeable.

Reddit user blutgraetsche says, ‘I’ve conceded nine goals in squad battles so far and seven were from me not being able to switch players and running around like a headless chicken with the wrong player.’

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Froduy says, ‘I agree that player switching feels a little bit off, but might have to do with sensitivity. I change it every year until I find the best one for me.’

This one is more of a teething issue. FC 27 hasn’t implemented a widespread change to player switching this year, so anyone having trouble with it would do well to heed Frouduy’s advice and have a play around in the settings.

To the game’s credit, the settings menu is full of sliders for almost every possible facet, from your defenders’ tackling aggression to how frequently your wingers will make runs. If something’s not to your liking, you have at least a bit of leeway to fix it.

Certain issues, though, like egregious bugs or poorly implemented systems, need more than a tinker in the menu to alleviate. Hopefully EA is listening to its playerbase and sensibly monitoring issues that crop up over the next year.

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Trump appeared to be visibly frustrated as protesters were heard above the noise of the national anthem before the President and Xi Jinping entered the White House

Protesters drowned out the noise of the US national anthem ahead of Donald Trump’s key state dinner with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Demonstrators could be heard as the Chinese president and his wife Madame Peng were received by Trump and Melania prior to the dinner on Thursday, September 25.

Trump was seemingly left ‘mortified’, surveying the scene with a disapproving grimace, before greeting his guests for the evening.

Pro and anti- China campaigners flanked either side of the road just several blocks east of the White House, divided by a police barrier. The pro-China contingent were blaring the Chinese national anthem while protesters across from them brandished the Tibetan flag.

A number of arrests were made by authorities outside the White House.

Campaigners from a separate anti-China demonstration moving south toward the White House were chanting “Keep Taiwan free!”, “Stop the Uyghur genocide” and “Free Jimmy Lai.” Shouts and chanting were audible above the ceremonial music before the leaders went inside for the dinner.

Social media users flocked online to remark on Trump’s response to the demonstrations.

One user said: “Trump is humiliated as protestors can be clearly heard at the White House as President Xi arrives at his state dinner.

“Look at his face, he is boiling mad.”

The guest list for the glitzy dinner boasts names such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and OpenAI President and Co-Founder Greg Brockman.

Elon Musk is positioned at the top table alongside Melania Trump, with Apple’s Tim Cook seated next to Xi Jinping’s wife, Peng Liyuan.

Both presidents addressed the guests prior to the dinner, reflecting on the “long history” shared by the two nations.

The state dinner comes after what Trump labelled a “great meeting” between the leaders.

The official Chinese summary of the morning discussions between Trump and Xi reveals they touched on subjects including trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, the Middle East and Ukraine.

The Friday letters page isn’t sure which game counts as Rare’s best, as one reader explains why he sold his Xbox Series X console.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Old favourites
Nice article about Rare and how Microsoft got it wrong right from the start, in terms of buying companies and making them first party. You could maybe argue that they did score with Bungie but considering how they let them slip through their fingers, and the state of Halo today, it’s not exactly a total success.

I have mixed opinions on Rare myself. All my N64 memories of them are very positive but whenever I play one of their old games they’ve not really aged well. GoldenEye 007 was my favourite but even with the altered Nintendo Switch Online version the magic’s not there anymore. I think you just had to be there at the time.

I feel the same about Banjo-Kazooie too, so I really struggle to say which is their ‘best’ game. I’ve got a feeling it may actually be Sea Of Thieves, which is kind of a boring answer, so instead I’m going to say Blast Corps. It may be simple but it’s the one game of theirs that’s just as much fun now as it was when it first came out. I’m curious to know what other people think though, especially if they’ve played the games recently.
Cranston

Limited edition
No offence to anyone that plans to get it but that GTA Collector’s Edition is the biggest load of worthless rubbish I have ever seen. It’s £350 and yet I can’t see anything that looks like it would be worth more than £20, except the Oakley sunglasses. Maybe the bag and hat, if they’re a cool brand I don’t know about, but a spoon? A keychain? A sticker pack?!

And that alligator figure looks so cheap, worse than an amiibo, and they’re what now? Less than £20? I just don’t get it. And that’s not even counting that the map used to come free with the game, when games were something you bought in a box.

I’m not doubting that GTA 6 is going to be amazing value for money, but this collector’s edition is the absolute worst. I’d love to hear from anyone that thinks otherwise.
Kent

GC: We think the spoon is for… very specific uses. But yes, it does seem expensive.

Shareholder concerns
Focus is right, there is a vast difference between how Japanese and US companies operate. But I think it’s less to do with the type of people running the companies than it is corporate law. Companies like Microsoft have their hands tied, having to always prioritise shareholders and quarterly results at the expense of healthy long-term investment and talent.

What people like Asha Sharma should be doing is trying to influence change within US corporate law. Japan has regulations in place to allow their corporations to operate in a way which also benefits customers and staff. If these ideals were incorporated into US law, then it could not only help gaming companies, which thrive on nurturing talent, it would also help other companies be able to make better choices when it comes to how they treat their staff, customers, and the environment.

When a company like Microsoft has to lay off vast amounts of staff to avoid being sued by their shareholders then you know something is broken.
PjDonnelli

GC: It’s a bit of an urban legend that US companies have a legal obligation to maximise profits for shareholders, although they do have a ‘duty to promote the success of the company.’ We’re not aware of any publisher exec that has ever spoken out against the issue though.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Rare misses
Am I just an old dad now in his 40s or is Microsoft sat on a goldmine and they don’t realise it?

Diddy Kong Racing was amazing back in the day. It was better than Mario Kart 64. It was the first open world racer if I’m not mistaken, please correct me if I am.

I remember my mum asking me what I wanted for Christmas. I said a N64 with Diddy Kong. That was it. £99 I think, from Comet.

No Diddy Kong Racing 2. No GoldenEye 2. OK we have Perfect Dark, but if it had the licence it would have been miles better.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day 2? Please Microsoft, please. Don’t keep telling us about these studios merging and not one person being there to talk about the past.

The last formed the greatest games in front of them.
Nick the Greek

GC: The first open world racing game is widely agreed to be 1986’s Turbo Esprit on the ZX Spectrum. Diddy Kong Racing was only open world in terms of the hub; the actual races were all linear – as far as we recall.

Out of Control
Well, Control Resonant one of the most disappointing reviews I have read!

Control was one of most enjoyable games of recent times in my opinion. Jesse was a great main character, the Bureau was really interesting, the Hiss were creepy, and the whole game has just stuck in my head years after playing!

I was really looking forward to the sequel, but having read your review it sounds more like a chore than a fun experience, so I’ll give it a miss unless it appears as a freebie on Epic in a couple of years’ time.

Anyway, currently playing Undead Nightmare (PC gamer, late to the party) not normally one for zombie games, but this one is so tongue in cheek I can’t help but enjoy it!

Whatever you’re playing, have fun y’all!
The Dude Abides

Between stock
Those prices for the Nintendo Switch 2 are genuinely really great; I pushed the button on it because I don’t think we’re going to see better than that this year. I suspect maybe it’s old stock of the old version with the non-removable battery (or the new screen, I forget which is the newest change).

I’m not sure why Argos and Smyths would want to sell them off cheap – it’s not like ordinary people are going to care about the different versions – but it might explain why Amazon don’t have any in stock at the moment, as they wait for the new version.

If that is the reason then it’s even less likely they’ll be this cheap again, so I advise anyone that’s interested to take advantage of it.
Bolan

Beyond 16-bit
The hill I’ll die on: if you’re older than nine years old and in any way interested in what a teraflop is, and how many of them a piece of technology may have, you’re an idiot.

All serious people know that bits is where it’s at!
Chris

End of an era
I sold my Xbox Series X today. CeX gave £364 cash, only £116 less than I paid for it a few years ago.

It’ll mark the end of a 25 year period owning and using Xbox hardware. I was there day one and fully agreed with Edge’s front cover assessment of the original Xbox. But the Xbox 360 was peak Xbox for reasons we are all familiar with.

It’s been a struggle since then though, with first party software taking a nosedive, leading to unprecedented acquisitions for IP and Game Pass filler that backfired somewhat and resulted in the massive restructuring we see today.

As much as I rate the Xbox Series X/S hardware I can’t see any scenario where Xbox hardware or ecosystem would be something I use going forward.

I do rate Game Pass, but it sounds like that’s going to change pretty dramatically with the restructuring, features spun off, ad tiers, less day one games, etc… But even if none of that came to pass, I’ve not the time to get the most out of it these days, so won’t be subscribing again when my current sub ends soon. As Xbox games will release on PC the future choice will be a PlayStation 6 or PC paired with a Nintendo console.

On a side note, had really good service from CeX. Dropped the machine off as a Drop and Go item at 11am, money was in my bank account by 4pm.
Simundo

Inbox also-rans
GTA 6 merchandise collector’s edition. 100% pure tat. Alternatively, put the money towards a Switch 2 and get the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake. You know it makes sense.
Paul C.

Looking forward to playing Silent Hill: Townfall this weekend. Now it gets dark earlier it’s the perfect time for scary video games!
Limpton

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New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

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The world’s two most powerful men – Xi Jinping and Donald Trump – have just met in Washington after days of pomp and pageantry.

While there were many symbolic gestures, including Chinese pandas from President Xi, there were few big movements – although they committed to a six month extension of the tariff truce.

The BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker unpacks how the trip panned out for Beijing and Washington.

Read more on this story.

The previously unpublished letter is being shared on Give Like Dolly Day, 25 September, as people around the world honour Dolly’s extraordinary generosity and the lasting impact of her work.

Dolly has always been an important figure in my life.

It started with my Mum, she was obsessed with Dolly’s voice and introduced me to her Music. When I was seven, my younger sister came along. Mum named her Jolene. For as long as my sister can remember, when someone is introduced to her, they sing a chorus of that famous song. Luckily, she’s a huge Dolly Fan too.

But we didn’t just love her music. We loved her, her story, her unique character.

From a one-bedroom cabin in Tennessee to global musical stardom, Dolly never forgot where she came from or felt the need to change who she was. Her work is so completely rooted in one place, with that distinctive Tennessee country sound, yet somehow it belongs to everyone.

That really inspired me when writing about my wee city of Derry in Derry Girls. It made me believe that world so personal to me — with all its quirks, idiosyncrasies and very specific local stories — might somehow translate to the wider world.

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And that’s why, in Derry Girls, we had Dolly’s picture hanging on the wall — above the Pope, no less — and why, whenever anyone was told to prove they were telling the truth, they had to swear on Dolly.

As a writer, I have long been in awe of Dolly’s lyrics and storytelling power, the way she could draw you in and make you think and feel.

And then there’s her legendary generosity. Dolly was such a genuine force for good in the world. And in a sea of achievements the creation the Imagination Library is one of her most remarkable.

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Dolly understood how enriching and life-changing stories can be, and how important it is to get children reading from a young age, but was also very aware of the barriers that can stop that happening. For Dolly to use her success to try to give children that gift is truly incredible.

In My Neflix mystery How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, the fearless Booker Bradley potrayed by the insanely talented Bronagh Gallagher, is a huge Dolly Parton fan. She wears a belt which proudly displayed the word ‘ DOLLY’ across it’s buckle – and sang a haunting rendition of ‘ Love is like a butterfly’ in the show. I’ll end with a quote from Booker which perhaps best sums up how I feel ** ** ” Dolly Parton is one of the greatest artists ever to have graced this planet, a musical icon, a storyteller, a philanthropist.”

Rest in Peace Dolly. There will never be another quite like you.

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Give Like Dolly Day- September 25

As today is Give Like Dolly Day, a heartfelt letter from Dolly Parton has revealed her personal hope that every child in Northern Ireland could one day receive free books through her Imagination Library.

The previously unpublished letter is being shared as people around the world honour Dolly’s extraordinary generosity and the lasting impact of her work.

Written in August 2025, the letter celebrates the achievements of Imagination Library partners in Northern Ireland, who had gifted nearly 90,000 books to children and families over the preceding decade.

Dolly also recalled her own connection with Northern Ireland, writing of her “fond memories of performing in Belfast” and saying that it meant the world to her that the Imagination Library had found “such a special home” there.

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Most powerfully, the letter shares Dolly’s dream of making the Imagination Library available to every young child across Northern Ireland and invites others to help make that ambition a reality.

Dolly wrote that every child deserved the opportunity to dream big, with books at home, a lifelong love of reading and the inspiration to make a difference in the world.

The letter is being shared as part of Give Like Dolly Day, a day inspired by Dolly’s lifelong commitment to giving back and helping others. Individuals, communities and organisations are being encouraged to celebrate her legacy through acts of generosity and by supporting the causes she cared about.

Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995 in honour of her father, who could not read or write. Today, the programme works with local partners to send a carefully selected, age-appropriate book by post every month to children from birth to age 5. Families do not pay to take part.

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Brenda McMullen, ex-Headteacher at Cliftonville Integrated Primary in Belfast first brought the programme to Northern Ireland in 2015, she has since served on the Imagination Library’s book selection committee. Currently, the Imagination Library programmes across Northern Ireland are generously supported by Hagan Homes, Belfast City Council, Apex Housing and Clan Mil Housing.

Meg Fletcher, Regional Director at The Dollywood Foundation UK, said: “On Give Like Dolly Day, this letter is a precious reminder of Dolly’s love for Northern Ireland and her determination to help children dream big.

“She was immensely proud of what local Imagination Library partners had already achieved, but she always wanted to reach further. Her hope was that every young child in Northern Ireland could experience the excitement of a book arriving through their door each month, addressed especially to them.

“Dolly’s message was also an invitation. She knew that bringing books to every child would only be possible if people and organisations came together to make it happen.

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“We would love to hear from communities, funders, businesses and public bodies who could help us take her dream forward. Supporting more children to build their own library at home would be a powerful way to give like Dolly and continue her remarkable legacy.”

Research shows that having books in the home and sharing stories from a child’s earliest months can support language development, school readiness and the bond between children and their parents or carers.

The Imagination Library is a universal programme, open to every child within a participating community. This principle was deeply personal to Dolly, who experienced poverty and bullying as a child and never wanted a family to feel singled out for receiving books.

The Dollywood Foundation UK is inviting organisations, funders and public-sector partners interested in expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across Northern Ireland to get in touch.

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