It was revealed to viewers of the ITV soap last month that Sarah was the one responsible for the abuser’s death
Coronation Street fans think they have rumbled what will happen to Sarah Platt following her arrest for the murder of Theo Silverton, and it could see her get away with it.
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It was revealed to viewers of the ITV soap last month that Sarah was the one responsible for the abuser’s death, after he lured her to his flat under false pretences by using his husband Todd Grimshaw’s phone.
Corrie fans will recall that Theo’s lifeless body was found by a horrified Betsy Swain on the night of her mum, Lisa Swain’s, wedding to Carla Connor back in April.
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Viewers first learned that Theo was among the five villains at risk of being killed off during an episode of Corrie in February, which featured flashforward scenes showing Betsy being interviewed by the police about finding the dead body of someone she knew.
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Eventually, a week after the wedding aired, it was revealed that Theo was the victim, which came after he tried to torment Todd one last time. His death has since triggered a murder investigation, with Corrie confirming Todd as a suspect, along with George Shuttleworth, Summer Spellman, Christina Boyd, Gary Windass and Danielle Silverton.
But as Corrie fans now know, it wasn’t any of the six, as it was Sarah who appeared to deal the blow that sent a drunk Theo tumbling off the scaffolding outside his flat and plummeting to the ground – before she called on her former flame, Gary Windass, for help.
Corrie fans later watched as Sarah confessed the truth to Todd, while Kit remained determined to pin Theo’s murder on Gary, not realising that he has been covering for Sarah. That was until she confessed to her copper beau last week, just as he was trying to pop the question.
Kit eventually promised that he would protect Sarah from getting arrested and offered to get her and Gary’s phones scrubbed clean. However, he could be heard asking for a copy of the phone’s data, suggesting his plan wasn’t to help Gary at all. But it was during Monday’s (July 20) edition of Corrie that the police finally made a major move in their investigation.
Aware that the police were closing in, a panicked Sarah was disrupted by her brother, David Platt, who wanted them to record a birthday message with her son, Harry, for Audrey Roberts. Bethany went on to join them in Sarah and Kit’s flat, but they were soon interrupted by the police barging in through the door and arresting Sarah on suspicion of murder.
Down at Weatherfield police station, Lisa interrogated Sarah before providing evidence that they had found splatters of Theo’s blood on her clothing from the night of the crime, after her clothes were taken in as evidence from her own attack by Jodie Ramsey, which came after Theo’s murder took place.
While it’s not looking good for Sarah, and Corrie spoilers for upcoming scenes confirm her struggle behind bars, fans don’t think she will be the one to go down for murder – and they think they know who will instead.
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@RyanSoapKing25 said: “I hope Sarah doesn’t frame Gary – for once he is innocent #Corrie.” @snationed commented: “Sarah being manipulated into framing Gary by her truly awful boyfriend. #Corrie.” @MeeshyJay wrote: “Kit is vile. He’s definitely going to try and frame Gary #corrie.”
@mishybabez_ complained: “Kit is so desperate to pin this on Gary its getting boring. We get it you don’t like him. Move on fgs #Corrie.” However, @katsampson1984 suggested: “Gary’s gonna take the rap, isn’t he?” @snoosh2020 added: “It’s only a matter of time before Gary and Kit get dragged down. The police have Sarah and Gary’s phone.”
Expect ‘tomb’ much fun as the award-winning children’s history show confirms a new spot at London’s Battersea Power Station
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Families can step back more than 3,000 years this summer as the team behind Horrible Histories brings its trademark mix of comedy and history to London’s NEON at Battersea Power Station. Launching inside the blockbuster Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold exhibition, the new ‘Horrible Histories – Live at the Museum!’ experience promises an interactive adventure packed with ancient treasures, larger-than-life characters and plenty of laughs.
Inspired by the life and reign of Ramses II, the experience begins with visitors being led through the exhibition by “Ramses” himself. As families journey through the galleries, they’ll uncover fascinating stories from the legendary pharaoh’s rule while coming face-to-face with more than 180 priceless Egyptian artefacts, including the actual coffin of Ramses the Great and the dazzling gold mask of Amenemope.
The adventure doesn’t end there. After exploring the exhibition, guests will be treated to a hilarious live stage show featuring the infamous Mummy Rap, audience participation and a funny, fact-filled look at the extraordinary process of mummification.
If ancient Egypt isn’t quite your child’s thing, there are plenty of other ways to keep the family entertained over the summer holidays. ATG Tickets is currently offering 15% off selected productions until September, including Wicked, Stranger Things: The First Shadow and other popular West End shows.
Book tickets for Horrible Histories here
Horrible Histories celebrate the Awesome Egyptians at Ramses and the Pharaohs Gold, and tickets are out right now.
For young dinosaur fans, Dinosaur World Live offers the chance to step into a prehistoric adventure, where families can come face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs, including a towering Tyrannosaurus rex and a Triceratops.
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While the new Horrible Histories experience doesn’t open until July 27, the Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold exhibition has already attracted glowing reviews on TripAdvisor from visitors who have explored its remarkable collection of ancient Egyptian treasures.
The exhibition has already earned plenty of praise on TripAdvisor, with many visitors describing it as both fascinating and beautifully presented. One visitor wrote: “Amazing- excellent audio and exhibition. Makes you wonder how the British Museum survives when you see such well organized and thoughtful pop up exhibits. The VR at the end was also worthwhile.”
Adele was very impressed with the experience, saying: “Fabulous exhibition. Very easy to hear and see all the artefacts. Very well laid out and a really good atmosphere. The admission slots are just right to allow good uncrowded flow through the different rooms. Lots of benches placed throughout for those with mobility issues. The fee I think is realistic for such an informative exhibition. We arrived via Tube and followed the yellow footprints to the exhibition halls quite easily. We were at the exhibition for around 90 to 120 minutes.”
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Judith was also delighted, adding: “Fabulous exhibition. We stayed 2.5 hours. Really informative for the non-specialist. Beautiful jewellery. Impressive top notch graphics. Lot of exhibits from the Cairo Museum. Also the staff are very pleasant and helpful.”
Another visitor described it as “the best” ancient Egypt exhibition they had seen in recent years, writing: “Ramses II gets a worthy exhibition in London. Like many ancient Egypt related exhibitions that come to the capital this collection has had a bit of a world tour. This has been the best I’ve seen in recent years with real artefacts from the time of one of Egypt’s longest ruling kings.
“Statues, gold jewellery, mummies and pieces from other kings and dynasties. The VR was definitely worth the £14 extra fee. Some amazing pieces that will end up in the recently opened GEM at Giza when this current tour comes to an end and of course there’s a gift shop and cafe at the end.”
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Not everyone was completely won over, however. One reviewer pointed out that the virtual reality experience comes at an additional cost, commenting: “Advertising shows VR experience. This is an extra payment. You would be better off going to the museum.”
A different five-star review was pleasantly surprised by the experience saying: “Wasn’t sure what to expect here but this is absolutely worth going to for museum fans – a treasure trove of fantastically well-preserved and priceless artefacts from the height of ancient Egypt. Well laid out and good descriptions that provide the context and history of the era in the right amount of detail – we learnt a lot about the incredible life of Ramses II and seeing his well-preserved coffin at the end was spectacular.”
There have been ongoing anti-social behaviour concerns in the area for a number of weeks
West Belfast rioters ‘holding community to ransom’, MLA says
Those involved in disorder have been holding a community in West Belfast to ransom, a local MLA has said. On Saturday night, July 18, large crowds of up to 100 people gathered in the Stewartstown Road area.
A police officer was injured, and several PSNI vehicles were damaged in the incidents. Bins and loading cages were placed across part of the road at its junction with Bell Steel Road, with fires being set from some of those bins.
Throughout the day, police launched an operation relating to dangerous driving in the area with a large number of young people travelling at speed on scrambler-type bikes. The PSNI said many riders had their faces partially covered and were not wearing helmets.
Speaking to Belfast Live in the aftermath of the most recent scenes of disorder, Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker said the local community has been “hemmed in” by those partaking in anti-social behaviour.
He said: “Tensions were building for a number of weeks, we had a major event here on May 4th which caused a lot of chaos, and it’s been building since then. What we saw on Saturday was a real escalation of that with huge numbers coming out onto the street, lots of young people on souped-up strong motorbikes driving dangerously, and there were lots of spectators.
“In the days leading up to it, there were stolen motorbikes and a stolen car came into the area, we were trying to get young people away from being spectators to that. There’s a real safeguarding issue here; if one of these cars or bikes loses control, with some of them being driven really dangerously, like going onto footpaths at high speeds, a life will be lost.
“Like many communities, we’re facing the difficulties of e-scooters, motorbikes, and scramblers. This isn’t unique, unfortunately. After the events at the start of May, we’ve seen the behaviours escalate, with more high-powered bikes coming into the area as well as stolen vehicles. This isn’t just traffic offences, this is putting lives at risk.”
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Following the trouble on Saturday night, a 14-year-old boy was among those arrested. A minority of young people are turning towards such disorder, but Danny said many adults and people from outside the area have been “adding fuel to the fire” by getting involved and spectating.
He said: “There were lots of adults there as well, we can’t solely just put this down to kids misbehaving. There were adults on these motorbikes, adults cheering it on and bringing their kids along.
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“They’re only adding fuel to the fire; they’re not doing any favours to the children or to the community. The more people come down and watch these behaviours, the more chance more people are gonna be coming in from outside of this community, and then it’s us as a community that has to pick up the pieces.
“Adults who have been coming as spectators need to reflect on their behaviour. There is an element of criminality, adults who are coming in a sinister way to try and influence our young people to get them into trouble.
“They don’t care about their young people’s futures, and I do; that’s the difference. This community does, and we want our young people to have the best future they could possibly have because the actions of Saturday and actions even leading up to that could follow them for the rest of their lives.
“It could cost them getting jobs, or it could cost them their life. The danger in all this is someone could be seriously hurt or killed.”
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The impact of the trouble over the past few weeks means many people have been afraid to leave their homes, with many local businesses impacted in the aftermath.
“I work hard with families with children with additional needs, and I’ve got to know a lot of them. They have been telling me their routines have been messed up by the trouble,” Danny explained.
“One parent said their child would walk up and get ice cream in the garage, and they haven’t been able to do that for three weeks.
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“That is not on. It’s a disgrace, and those behind that need to reflect on the real-life consequences that this is having for everyone in this community.
“People should not feel afraid to go about their daily business, and people should not be afraid to go to work, and that’s what is happening – businesses are being impacted. This community was hemmed in on Saturday, lots of businesses had to close and that has a massive knock-on effect.”
Danny said the disorder of recent weeks is not reflective of the wider Colin community, and he has called for those cheering on riotous behaviour or getting involved in it to pause and reflect.
He added: “We have hundreds of kids going through our youth clubs today, and we had a group of kids going off to represent this community in the Foyle Cup.
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“There are so many great activities and great sports people in this community, as well as great role models. Then, unfortunately, we have some who are hellbent on destruction; we can’t allow them to win, and they need to get off the back of this community.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and it’s true, that’s what we’re going to keep doing. We’re going to work really hard to give our young people the best opportunities, and those who should know better really need to reflect on what they have done. To those who want to exploit our young people, get off the back of this community.
“Anyone who is cheering this behaviour on or involved in it they need to reflect on what they’re doing. They’re holding a community to ransom with their dangerous driving, and at the end of the day, they’re putting their own life at risk as well.”
Chief Inspector Kelly Gibson, PSNI West Belfast Area Commander, said: “We know the local community is very concerned about what took place in west Belfast on Saturday night – and of ongoing antisocial behaviour in the area.
“We’re continuing to progress our investigation and to review evidence from the weekend. As such, we intend to make further arrests following these shameful scenes.
“Our targeted patrols will subsequently continue in the Stewartstown Road and surrounding areas to detect offenders on bikes who are driving illegally.
“We would reiterate our appeal to parents and guardians to speak to their young people and warn them of the dangers of getting involved in behaviour which could result in them obtaining a criminal record.
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“We’d also ask that the community continues to report the illegal and dangerous driving of scrambler-type bikes so we can help to make our roads safer for everyone. The safety of local communities is paramount, and our officers have been working closely alongside our partner agencies, local representatives and the community to address these problems.”
Any photos or digital footage, including CCTV, mobile phone or dash-cam footage, can now be shared with police through the Major Incident Public Portal here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI26W20-PO1
Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can contact police using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals, quoting reference 346 of 18/07/26, or call us on 101.
When the news reached Coronation Street’s Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne) that Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) had suffered a stroke as a result of non-fatal strangulation, his immediate response was to claim he wasn’t responsible for it.
DS Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) told the police about Dylan being responsible, which led to him being questioned. Afterwards, Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) suggested that someone else was responsible for putting Betsy in hospital due to the gap in time from them having sex, and her first stroke.
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Sean and Dylan weren’t aware of the information that states a stroke may not occur immediately after the event. In fact, medical evidence shows it can happen days, weeks, or even months after the initial compression of the neck. This, along with the fact they were both in denial about the reality, meant they tried to accuse Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey) of sleeping with Betsy.
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The strokes were caused as a result of the pressure Dylan put on Betsy’s neck while they had sex (Picture: ITV)
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Everything changed for Dylan in this evening’s episode, as he visited Betsy in hospital. After hearing from her that he caused the strokes, Dylan panicked as he slowly started to accept the truth.
In the corridor, Dylan and Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) discussed how erotic asphyxiation, or breath play, is sometimes considered a kink, and reiterated that he didn’t squeeze Betsy’s neck very hard.
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In the pub later, Dylan told his dad that he did put Betsy in hospital. The youngster knows that there’s a very real chance he could go to prison for this, and told Sean how terrified he is about returning there.
This plotline was conceived as a way to raise awareness surrounding the incredibly little know risks of consensual strangulation during sex, which can occur regardless of how much or little pressure is used.
Non-fatal strangulation
A recent study conducted by IFAS revealed that of over 4,100 young adults (aged 16-34), over 55% have either been strangled or strangled someone else during sex.
The data highlights that non-fatal strangulation is a significant risk for young adults, with high prevalence reported among the 16-20 age group.
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Every year, around 85,000 people survive a stroke in the UK, but recovery can be long, complex and life-changing.
Brain damage, caused by a stroke, can leave survivors unable to move, see, speak or even swallow.
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Dylan initially believed he wasn’t responsible for causing Betsy’s strokes (Picture: ITV)
Coronation Street has been worked closely alongside the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS), The Stroke Association and Safeline while plotting the story to ensure complete accuracy.
‘By consulting extensively with IFAS, the Stroke Association and Safeline, we aimed to handle Betsy’s journey with the care and sensitivity it deserves while sparking a difficult and somewhat contentious conversation that helps raise awareness of the risks involved in partaking in such acts’ said Corrie producer, Kate Brooks.
‘When I first got told about it, I learnt that it takes more pressure to open a can of Coke than it does to cause brain damage,’ Sydney Martin exclusively told Metro.
‘There was a study where they did a blood test on 30 women, 15 who had partaken and 15 who hadn’t, and the 15 who had all showed signs of brain damage.’
In a major shock, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is quitting Holyrood to enter the House of Lords.
He will also become a minister at the revamped Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
Sarwar’s elevation comes despite the fact he led Scottish Labour to a disastrous result at the Holyrood elections on May 7.
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The party came a distant second to Labour, and saw their number of MSPs slump from 20 to just 17.
However, Sarwar did break ranks in February to call on Starmer to resign as prime minister in the wake of the Peter Mandelson scandal.
The disgraced former UK ambassador to Washington is accused of passing market sensitive information to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when he was business secretary between 2008 and 2010.
Sarwar said: “The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.
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“It is so obvious that we desperately need change in Scotland and in three months time the opportunity to get rid of a failing SNP government is one that is too important to be missed.
“We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue here in Scotland, because the election in May is not without consequence for the lives of Scots.”
Despite speculation that cabinet ministers were set to quit, Starmer managed to see off the rebellion to stay in office until he stood down last week.
Burnham last week insisted he would end “factionalism” in the Labour Party.
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However, on Monday he axed a host of Starmer loyalists while appointing a number of his own supporters to his cabinet within hours of taking over as prime minister.
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Keir Starmer’s regime got off to the worst possible start two years ago when, as soon as he took power, he said things were in a dire state, then his Chancellor discovered a £20bn black hole that meant things had to get even worse and to prove it, she clobbered the pensioners.
Andy Burnham’s reign has started in the opposite way. He says he wants to “bring back hope” and his first real announcement has been to remove VAT from electricity while saying that his cost-of-living government will “take that little bit of pressure off people’s shoulders”.
Now the £45 the VAT removal will save is paltry, especially as most of it will disappear when energy prices go up, as scheduled, this autumn.
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But it is better than the slap that Rachel Reeves delivered when she tried to remove all pensioners’ winter fuel payments.
It will be interesting to see whether new Chancellor, John Healey, can convince us that this money is coming from a genuine saving that is being made by scrapping the digital ID scheme or whether it is just another visit to the magic money tree.
Mr Healey, though, is a surprise but stable appointment as Chancellor. He was respected as Defence Secretary and his resignation fatally wounded Mr Starmer’s government because it was over a point of principle, unlike Wes Streeting’s performative departure.
Now it falls to Mr Healey to find new money, from a country that is heavily taxed but without any spare change, to pay the billions needed to upscale our defence.
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Mr Burnham might be hinting that things can only get better but the truth, for him at least, is that things will only get harder now he has to deliver from the hot seat.
But scientists might have just made a step forward in dealing with them.
Neuropsychologist Dr Sephira Ryman, who led a team of researchers from The University of New Mexico School of Medicine and the Mind Research Network (MRN), reportedly presented her team’s findings at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London last week. She explained that carbon dioxide can help to “pump” out tau before it can accumulate.
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This follows earlier Parkinson’s research
In 2025, Dr Ryman and her team published a paper which suggested that exposing the brain to low-level bursts of CO2 could help to “clear potentially toxic brain byproducts”.
It did this, they said, by activating our body’s glymphatic system. The glymphatic system removes waste from our brain (especially as we sleep) and seems to be impaired in people with conditions like Parkinson’s.
This initial paper found that three 10-minute sessions of inhaling higher-than-usual amounts of CO2 seemed to help Parkinson’s patients’ brains clear unwanted buildup – in this case, alpha-synuclein.
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At the time, Dr Ryman said: “we realised that we could reproduce, in the awake state, the glymphatic clearing response usually linked to deep sleep using intermittent CO2”.
Dr Ryman has been involved in a study involving 12 people – eight of whom had normal tau levels, and four of whom had more tau buildup, New Scientist shared. Three of the four people had mild cognitive impairment, sometimes seen as a precursor to dementia.
The researchers scanned participants’ brains as they wore masks that released bursts of higher-CO2 air, switching from normal levels of the gas to much higher concentrations every 35 seconds for half an hour.
This seemed to activate their glymphatic system, and after the procedure was done, tau clearance appeared to be improved among those with high levels of it.
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And all participants’ blood had higher levels of beta-amyloid (which can lead to the amyloid plaques we mentioned earlier) after the session too.
“This suggests this neurodegenerative marker was being cleared more out of the brain,” Dr Ryman said.
Researchers wonder whether this means breathing techniques might be good for our brains
In a paper for the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, Dr Ryman and her colleagues said: “Breath-centered practices such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong have been utilised for centuries to manage stress and promote psychological well-being.
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“Emerging research reveals an additional benefit: these practices also stimulate cerebrospinal fluid oscillations, potentially activating the glymphatic pathway during wakefulness.”
However, more research is needed to confirm their findings.
It’s also worth noting that the amyloid and tau-clearing power of the treatment seemed to stop an hour later (though the glymphatic system doesn’t work 24/7, either).
Additionally, some experts say we’re not yet sure whether clearing processes like these will definitely help to prevent or slow cognitive decline, even if they succeed.
A seven-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl have tragically died after being thrown from a boat that reportedly struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker off Berkeley Township, New Jersey, during a trip with their grandparents.
Two young children have died tragically following a collision between their boat and a channel marker.
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The nine year old girl and seven year old boy were flung from a 30-foot Tidewater Custom 280 on Saturday night into waters off Berkeley Township, New Jersey. State Police confirmed the vessel struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker, causing both children to be thrown overboard.
Boat operator Stephen Schneider, 63, and fellow passenger Laurie Schneider, 64, found the children unconscious in the water, according to reports. The pair are believed to be the youngsters’ grandparents, as per ABC7.
Jersey Shore Online sources revealed the group had visited MJ’s Restaurant Bar and Grill prior to embarking on the boat.
After the incident, the children were taken to hospital where Garden State officials confirmed they were declared dead, reports the Daily Star.
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The New Jersey State Police released a statement saying: “On July 19, at approximately 9:09 pm, troopers responded to the report of a serious vessel crash in the Berkeley Township Bay Area.
“Based on a preliminary investigation, a Tidewater Custom 280 30-foot vessel, while travelling through the Intercoastal Waterway, struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker, causing a 9 year old juvenile female and a 7 year old juvenile male to be ejected into the water.
“The operator, Stephen Schneider, a 63 year old male from Bayville, NJ, and occupant Laurie Schneider, a 64 year old female from Bayville, found the juveniles unresponsive in the water.
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“The youngsters were taken to a local hospital, where they were declared dead. This boat accident is still under investigation, and no further information is available.”
Meanwhile, flights have been grounded at a major airport following a devastating blaze in the vicinity, which has tragically claimed the lives of two firefighters.
Local reports indicate the inferno ignited on Avenue Roland Garros, near Bordeaux Airport’s long-term P4 car park, rapidly engulfing approximately one hectare since erupting at around 2.30pm local time.
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France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the deaths of two firefighters battling the blaze. Departures from Bordeaux Airport were temporarily halted, with numerous surrounding roads cordoned off to allow emergency services to respond to the crisis.
Fire crews continued their efforts to extinguish the flames as dense black smoke billowed into the sky, though the situation is now believed to be under control. Normal flight operations have since resumed at the airport.
Surrey Police have confirmed that the crash was caused by a lorry crashing into an embankment.
In a statement released earlier, the force said: “Officers were called to J6 of the M25 shortly before 9.20am this morning following a report of a single vehicle collision on the anticlockwise carriageway involving a lorry.
“The lorry driver was safely removed from the vehicle.
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“No arrests have been made.
“Highways England are facilitating recovery of the lorry and any necessary lane closures in order to do so.”
Hegseth says not supporting funding request ‘is the greatest threat our nation faces’
The Department of Defense is seeking a $1.5 trillion overall budget, which includes $67 billion in supplemental funding.
That includes $21 billion for military pay, replacing equipment, sustaining forces, and addressing “mission critical fuel shortfalls,” Hegseth said.
Another $46 billions will “expand production” as well as munitions, including counter-drone capabilities, and for “digital and space dominance,” he said.
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“Not fully funding this department I believe is the greatest threat our nation faces,” he said. “Either invest in our warriors … or this is all just talk.”
(Getty)
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 20:19
Protesters interrupt Hegseth testimony moments into opening statements
At least four protesters have interrupted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s opening remarks as he urges the committee to approve billions of dollars in taxpayer funding for the Iran war.
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“This is against the Iranian people,” one person said.
“Stop bombing our children in Iran and Palestine. This is illegal,” another protester shouted.
(AFP/Getty)
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 20:14
Top Republican blasts Hegseth and Caine for sidelining women and Black officers for promotions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly blocked at least two women, two Black men and three white men from promotions as the Pentagon allegedly violates the U.S. military’s apolitical and merit-based promotion rules.
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Hegseth also allegedly tried to prevent several one-star admirals from advancing in rank.
Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee, said the reports are “deeply troubling.”
“The United States is one of the greatest meritocracies. We need to make sure that it stays that way,” she said.
(Getty)
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 19:52
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Sen. Murray: Trump has ‘blundered’ US into ‘disastrous war’
Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, blasted the “astronomical” costs of the “disastrous” Iran war in her opening remarks.
Tens of billions of Americans’ tax dollars have been spent as Trump “blundered us into a disastrous war,” she said.
“What has actually been achieved?” she asked.
The way the administration has “blissfully operated with no plan of success is disrespectful to our men and women in uniform,” she said.
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Four months after the star of the war, Trump is now “threatening escalation and war crimes” after saying the conflict would be ending more than 40 times, she said.
The administration is “now asking for $70 billion more and to just trust him that it will work out fine,” she said.
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 19:48
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Trump’s meeting with Aoun ‘went very well,’ White House adviser says
Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to Trump on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, told reporters that the president’s meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “went very well.”
“There was a very good chemistry between the two presidents,” Boulos said. “It went very well. It was very productive.”
Asked whether the U.S. has any leverage over Hezbollah, Boulos said “there are always options.”
There are always tools that the president has at his disposal that he can employ at any time,” he said.
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“There are many, many tools,” Boulos added. “You have seen already some of them by the Treasury Department, by other departments. The president and Secretary of State have always said they have tools at their disposal that they may choose to take up at any time.”
(Getty)
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 19:18
Pentagon names North Carolina soldier killed in Iraq by downed Iranian drone
Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was killed in action during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq on July 19.
Sgt. Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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Swinton was among at least three service members who were killed in recent days. At least two other service members were killed during a strike in Jordan, and remains that were recovered are believed to belong to a third service member who was missing after that attack.
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 19:02
Dignified transfer of service members has been postponed, White House says
The dignified transfer of the remains of at least one U.S. service member killed in the Middle East has been postponed, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
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Donald Trump was expected to attend the ceremony with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the remains returned to the U.S. on Tuesday night at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
“The exact day and time are still being finalized,” Leavitt said.
The reason for the postponement was not immediately clear.
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 18:45
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Top Democrat wants ‘quick’ end to war, not billions in tax dollars ‘to keep it going’
Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, is expected to tell top defense officials from Donald Trump’s administration that Americans “want to see a quick and strategic end to this war, not $70 billion of their tax dollars sent to keep it going.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine are asking for another $67 billion from Congress to cover mounting costs for the war after asking for $88 billion earlier this year.
They last testified to members of Congress about the war in May, around the same time they last delivered a public briefing to the press.
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(Reuters)
Alex Woodward21 July 2026 18:30
Trump’s Iran war has the military running out of cash — and Hegseth running to lawmakers hat in hand
The war in Iran has reportedly left the U.S. military cash-strapped, forcing the Pentagon to divert funds from training and weapons purchases to plug the gaps.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is sure to be grilled about the funding crunch by lawmakers Tuesday to explain why his department requires another $67 billion when he goes in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
That hearing begins at 2:15 p.m.
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Rhian Lubin21 July 2026 18:20
US issues ‘worldwide caution’ alert for Americans
The US has issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans in the Middle East following the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreement.
“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions,” read a social media post on the government’s travel page.
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“Please monitor embassy and consular security alerts, local authorities, and the news for breaking developments. Americans outside the Middle East should reconsider travel to and through the region.”
It said that the environment “remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation”.
“US diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” the statement continued.
“Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world.”
Political correspondent Dave Burke writes in…One decision Andy Burnham will have to make quickly is whether to scrap David Lammy’s controversial jury trial reforms.
Under proposals put before Parliament, Mr Lammy said jury trials would be limited to cases with a likely sentence of three years or more.
This sparked an outcry, but the former Justice Secretary – who left the government yesterday – defended it by saying it was necessary to clear court backlogs.
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The change of government will add to calls to do away with the plan.
But the PM’s official spokesman was tight-lipped about what Mr Burnham plans to do.
He told reporters today: “I’m not going to get into speculation over possible policy positions of every subject today.
“The Prime Minister has said before that he understands the pressure on the courts and the impact of thousands of victims waiting years for justice, and that this is not acceptable. But we will update in due course on that.”
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There have been indications that Mr Burnham is sceptical – adding to speculation the policy could be reversed.
He urged ministers to pause the plans last year, stating: “My instinctive reaction is… I think proceed with huge caution and do not take away something that’s a lynchpin of a fair society. My call on the Government is to pause this and take a step back and have proper consideration.
“I understand the pressure on the courts but this is about a fundamental part of our country. It has to proceed with broad consent if it’s to proceed. Perhaps there’s a case in some trials not to have a full jury trial. But it should be done with the broadest possible consent in society.”
New Justice Secretary Alex Norris said his prorities are delivering swifter justice and safer communities.
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But a statement issued through the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) did not specifically mention the reforms.
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