The Tan Hill Inn Challenge Walk, organised by North Yorkshire charity Dementia Forward, will take place on Sunday, July 26.

The 15-mile sponsored begins at the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub at 1,732 feet above sea level.

It will raise funds and awareness for those living with dementia.

Participants will follow a circular route across the Dales, passing through Ravenseat, Keld, Swinner Gill and part of the Pennine Way.

Entry costs £20 and includes a breakfast sandwich, a Dementia Forward T-shirt and a goody bag.

Walkers can take part individually or as part of a team, with registration opening on the day at 8.30am.

The event is designed to be accessible yet rewarding and aims to offer walkers a meaningful way to support a local cause.

Funds raised will help Dementia Forward continue its work with more than 5,000 families across North Yorkshire affected by dementia.

The event is sponsored by Harris Irwin Architects, a Richmond-based practice specialising in residential, extra care, and dementia care homes.

According to Dementia Forward, more than half of the UK public has been affected by dementia in some way.

It is the leading dementia support charity in North Yorkshire and currently supports more than 6,000 people across the region.

The charity’s services include a dementia specialist support team, a helpline, and community wellbeing services.

Dementia describes a range of symptoms caused by diseases of the brain, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common type.

Symptoms often include memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating.

To book a place on the walk or for more information, visit www.dementiaforward.org.uk, call 01765 601224, or email amy.senior@dementiaforward.org.uk.

The charity also offers a helpline for those living with dementia or caring for someone who is.

The helpline is available on 03300 578592, or queries can be sent to info@dementiaforward.org.uk.

In an article for the Record, IPPR Scotland Director Stephen Boyd says benefits play a huge role in tackling poverty.

Next week, new statistics will reveal how much progress the Scottish government has made towards achieving its legally binding target to reduce the rate of child poverty to 10% by 2030.

The statistics will almost certainly confirm that child poverty is trending lower in Scotland than the rest of the UK. This is largely because of actions taken by the Scottish government. Devolution is working to reduce child poverty.

However, the Scottish government’s own modelling shows that, on the basis of current policies, the 2030 target will be missed by some distance. The First Minister’s often-stated ambition to ‘eradicate’ child poverty looks even more remote. The new statistics are likely to confirm this grim reality.

Reducing child poverty isn’t easy but we have a very good understanding of what works. It is possible to make more paid progress. Measures to lower housing costs and provide direct financial support to families are highly effective. Investment in social housing is key to any strategy to reduce child poverty.

The Scottish Child Payment, and other benefits provided directly to families with children, have a very significant impact – indeed, lower housing costs and the SCP largely explain the lower rate of child poverty in Scotland.

But these measures don’t come free and, given the intensifying pressures on the Scottish budget, there are legitimate concerns that the next government might struggle to maintain – let alone increase – investment in these areas.

Whoever takes the reins after May’s election must recognise that there is no viable path to eradicating child poverty that doesn’t involve increasing the Scottish Child Payment and/or other benefits.

Put simply, to reduce child poverty society needs to redistribute resources to those who need them most through the tax and benefit system. If we want to live in a country with much lower rates of child poverty, then we will all have to contribute to achieving it.

Such a country is possible. Recent IPPR Scotland research shows that other countries with significantly lower rates of child poverty are also home to more productive, innovative and dynamic economies. They manage to sustain a virtuous cycle in which better economic performance enables higher social investment which supports further economic development.

At the coming election, politicians need to be clear about their strategy for reducing child poverty. Pretending it can be eradicated with current levels of tax and benefits isn’t serious.

It started with a smell. A soldering iron smell, like hot metal wires. But I was driving through an industrial estate in Miles Platting, so I didn’t give it a second thought.

I was on my way back from Ramsbottom. After almost seven miles on the motorway, I’d made my way towards a junction with Manchester Road and was waiting at a traffic light before the plunge into a labyrinth of 20mph residential roads that eventually wound their way to my home.

It was at this junction that my ABS (automatic brake system) warning light started flashing at me from my dashboard.

Now, I’m no mechanic. I bought my second-hand Fiat Panda Pop less than a year ago, a month or so after passing my test, and I just about knew how to open the bonnet and check my tire pressure. But I did know the ABS light coming on is generally not a good sign.

I passed through the junction and pulled over as soon as I could. As I came to a stop, the soldering smell grew stronger, and something caught my eye in the left-hand side of my peripheral vision. I turned my head and watched, mesmerised, as a needle-thin wisp of smoke slowly snaked its way out of the far side of my dashboard.

This was also not a good sign.

All my belongings were scattered across the passenger seat – a backpack with my work laptop, two phones, my housekeys and press card. I knew I had to act quickly and get my stuff out as quickly as possible, and thought it would be easier to access from the passenger door. So, I darted out and around my car. The door wouldn’t budge.

I ran back round to the driver’s seat and swooped up my belongings. By this point more tendrils of smoke had started to emerge from around the dashboard, and the smell of burning plastic and metal pierced into my nostrils. Now I was starting to panic.

I slammed the door shut behind me and for some reason even locked my car as I crossed the street.

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By the time I got through to the fire department on 999, my car had started going batsh*t. The lights were flickering, the alarm started going off, the horn was blaring. A thick plume of smoke gathered inside the windscreen. The passenger seat, where I’d fished for my belongings, was ablaze. Minutes later – as I called my editor to tell him, in disbelief, what was happening, all the glass shattered with a tremendous bang and a three-metre high flame shot out of the top of the vehicle.

In complete disbelief, I watched the car I’d been sitting in just a few moments earlier utterly self-destruct.

The Panda – nicknamed Frieda – was my first ever car. I bought Frieda for £4,000 from a garage in Manchester, with the help of some money gifted from my dad, who has since passed away. It was massively granny-core. 2013 license plate. Top speed 80mph (on flat road, with a run-up). And the only way to play anything other than Heritage Radio was to buy a CD.

But I loved my little granny-mobile, which helped me zip across my patch in Oldham and Bury, and across the Peaks to visit my partner in Sheffield without a single problem.

At least until it suddenly burst into flames.

After what could only have been a few minutes but felt like an eternity, a fire engine appeared and fire crew made quick work of Frieda. They left a sad, burnt husk.

Still in shock, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I’d never had an accident before, so had no idea who I needed to speak to or where to go. Luckily, one of the very kind firefighters approached me to see if I was ok. He told me to take myself home and ‘make yourself a brew’.

“It’s not like there’s anything more that could go wrong with your car at this point,” he quipped. “Don’t think anyone’s going to steal it in that state.”

Except – someone did.

The next day, when the recovery crew arranged by my insurance company turned up, I got a call out of the blue to inform me my Fiat Panda had disappeared, leaving nothing but a sprinkling of shattered glass.

After some stressed-out calls, it turned out the car had in fact been impounded by GMP – who’d ordered the vehicle to be removed. Probably because by this point, it looked like someone had taken it for a joy-ride, then dumped and petrol bombed it.

Thankfully, I was completely unharmed. But I did spend a few days in shock wondering – What if I’d been a few minutes slower to pull over? What if I’d still been on the motorway? Or come to a stop somewhere busy?

Most of all, I just kept thinking ‘What the actual hell just happened’.

So I asked a mechanic.

“It sounds a bit like a brake failure,” said Dave, whose full name and garage I’m omitting for his peace of mind, after a moment of shocked silence over the phone. “I couldn’t say with any certainty without taking it apart, but it’s the number one cause for truck fires.”

Brake failures are when a mechanical or technical fault stops the brakes from disengaging properly. The friction builds up so much heat, which is funnelled through a ventilation shaft close to the car’s electrics, it can lead to a fire.

It’s likely I might never know what happened. I’ll miss Frieda. But I also feel incredibly lucky that the situation didn’t turn out far worse.

The only thing that keeps haunting me is that smell. At odd moments, when I’m telling this story, or thinking about finding a new car… I’m sure I can smell it wafting in the air. That soldering iron smell, like metal wires melting.

So for now, I shall be taking the bus.

You’ll struggle to find so much power in such a small form factor

Portable power stations come in all shapes and sizes – and Bluetti is hoping it has hit the sweet spot for many users with the new Elite 300.

Jam-packed in its relatively small frame is a high-capacity 3kWh battery, meaning that it sits in the ‘serious power’ category rather than casual camping gear. It can comfortably run your home essentials, not just phones and laptops.

The system delivers 2,700W of continuous AC output and 4,800W in lifting mode, making it capable of powering high‑demand appliances such as kettles, microwaves, coffee machines, fridges, freezers, and power tools.

BLUETTI markets this as one of the most compact 3kWh units, and that certainly checks out. You’ll struggle to find so much power in such a small form factor. Be warned: it’s heavy. Still portable enough to lug around using the built-in handles, but 26.3kg is still 26.3kg no matter which way you look at it.

The Elite 300 is pitched as an all-in-one, suitable for home backup, outdoor activities, and professional use. You get 10 output ports, so they cover every device you can think of: 4 AC outlets, 2 USB‑C ports, 2 USB‑A ports, 1 cigarette lighter port, and 1 DC port.

You get plenty of choice when it comes to charging methods, with five to hand: AC. solar, car, AC + solar hybrid, and generator charging. This makes it viable for off-grid living or long camping trips, not just emergency backup. You also get UPS functionality for home use, with a ~10 ms switchover.

It’s worth noting that the power station is not exoanable like modular home battery systems.

The LiFePO₄ battery rated for 6,000+ cycles is a big win, so you can use it daily for a good ten years before major degradation, while you can monitor performance, adjust settings, and manage charging profiles through the Bluetti companion app via Bluetooth and wi-fi. I’ve always found the app rock-solid, but a few users have complained about connection issues.

The Elite 300 is a well-engineered, high-density power station that hits a sweet spot between portability and real home backup capability. A solid choice for serious users – but overkill for casual ones.

The Bluetti Elite 300 is currently available for £1,399 (that’s a whopping £800 off) via the Bluetti website.

What reviewers say

Digital Reviews Network: “For all other incidental uses, especially touring and camping, the Bluetti Elite 300 is one travelling companion you want to have along. With its claim to be the smallest 3kWh power station, there should be enough room left in your van to take some more electronics along.”

Greener Ideal: “The BLUETTI Elite 300 is a compact 3 kWh portable power station designed for home backup, RV travel, and off-grid power. With a 2,400 W inverter, fast recharging, and solar compatibility, it delivers reliable electricity for appliances, electronics, and emergency preparedness.”

Alternatives

AFERIY Portable Power Station

VTOMAN Jump 2200 Portable Power Station

Several airlines entered liquidation in 2025, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, including:

• Blue Islands Limited (UK) – November
• Air Kilroe Limited t/a Eastern Airways (UK) – November
• Play Airlines (Iceland) – September

This turbulence in the airline industry has carried over into 2026, with more airlines shutting down or entering insolvency.

The 3 airlines that have entered liquidation or administration in 2026

Three airlines have entered administration or liquidation in 2026 (so far), resulting in the cancellation of more than 4,000 flights:

EcoJet Airlines

EcoJet Airlines, based in Edinburgh, launched in 2023 after being founded by entrepreneur and Ecotricity founder Dale Vince OBE and pilot Brent Smith.

It was billed as “the world’s first Electric Airline” and had a fleet comprised of conventional planes retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains.

What has a nose, wings and runs off of hydrogen? Ecojet 😎 pic.twitter.com/y8QGiBdFe2

— ecotricity (@ecotricity) July 17, 2023

EcoJet Airlines flights across the UK were scheduled to begin in 2024, starting with an Edinburgh to Southampton route.

The company had also planned to expand to mainland Europe, with long-haul flights planned for the future.

However, EcoJet Airlines has now entered liquidation, according to Companies House.

Court documents revealed that Paul Dounis and Mark Harper from Opus Restructuring were appointed as liquidators last month.

Opus, speaking to The Herald, said the move followed a “voluntary liquidation initiated by the company’s board”.

It added: “EcoJet was a start-up business and has no material assets.

“The members have elected to fund the liquidation process to ensure that the company’s employees receive their full statutory entitlements.”

Despite EcoJet falling into liquidation, Mr Vince, in The Herald, said: “We remain committed to electrifying all forms of transport – aviation is the last frontier and the hardest.

“It’s taking longer than we hoped to get the technology and regulatory pieces of the puzzle in alignment, and so we’re pausing work at this time.”

Royal Air Philippines

Royal Air Philippines is a budget airline based in the Philippines, which first began operations in 2018.

It operates domestic flights in the Philippines and international flights to other Asian countries, including:

• Cambodia
• China
• Hong Kong
• Macau
• South Korea
• Taiwan

Royal Air Philippines started as a charter airline, named Royal Air Charter Service, in 2002, before receiving a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Civil Aeronautics Board in 2017, allowing it to offer regular commercial flights (which launched in 2018).

“By 2020, the airline had expanded its fleet with the introduction of Airbus A319/A320 jets – this allowed the airline to carry more passengers and offer long-haul routes,” Alternative Airlines added.

But Royal Air Philippines has now fallen into administration, with around 4,000 flights between January and March (2026) cancelled as a result.

The airline is currently working to provide affected passengers with refunds, according to the Daily Express.

The airline’s website previously read: “We are working on providing refunds and hope to resume flights at an unspecified date in the future.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you aboard soon.”

Access to the Royal Air Philippines website is no longer available, with those trying to access the website greeted with a “ready when you are” message, with a type of ‘loading’ spinning circle.

The failure of Royal Air Philippines is believed to be a result of decreased flight numbers in recent years, Philstar Global said.

Dove Airlines

Dove Airlines is a charter airline based in Kolkata, which launched back in 2007.

The Indian-based airline entered voluntary liquidation in January, according to The Street.

Meanwhile, fellow chartered carrier Legend Airlines (Romania) has reportedly shut down.

The Street reported the airline has “officially gone dormant” after retiring two of its A340 planes.

UK travel companies that have closed in 2026 (so far)

Four UK travel companies have also ceased trading in 2026, resulting in the cancellation of flights and holiday packages to destinations around the world.

The four UK travel companies that have closed down in 2026 (so far) are:

• Regen Central Ltd
• Gold Crest Holidays
• Asiara UK Ltd
• Simply Florida Travel Ltd

All four have ceased trading, according to Companies House, and have lost their Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL).

Have you been impacted by the insolvency of any of these airlines? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

Record View says Holyrood should mirror the Unauthorised Entry Act and bring in banning orders for those who sneak into matches.

The recent Old Firm riot sparked a great deal of hand-wringing from our political leaders.

But there has been little in the way of action to avoid a repeat of the shameful scenes beamed around the world on live television. This weekend in England, however, a change in the law will come into force that could make a difference.

The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act targets fans who force their way into games without paying. It’s a sensible measure and a similar law in Scotland is long overdue.

Ticketless fans forcing their way into games – either through tailgating other supporters or forcing their way through security gates – has become a major problem for clubs. The trend comes as we are witnessing the growth of “ultra” groups across the country.

These young fans bring passion and a party atmosphere to our football stadiums and that has been widely welcomed. But in some cases the boisterous behaviour has spilled over into anti-social behaviour – including gaining entry to games without paying.

English authorities have moved to target this practice – and the Scottish Government cannot simply watch from the sidelines. We have repeatedly seen fans double-up at turnstiles, charge barriers or use counterfeit tickets.

Stewards are shoved aside, paying supporters are crushed against turnstiles and clubs haemorrhage revenue. The English law makes sense because it includes strong deterrents, such as heavy fines and football banning orders.

The solution is straightforward. Holyrood should mirror the Unauthorised Entry Act and bring in banning orders for those who sneak into matches. Ticketless entry is not harmless fun. It is theft from honest fans and a risk to the safety of ordinary supporters.

Life-saving advice

A warning has been issued to parents about the dangers to babies of “co-sleeping”.

It comes after the deaths of 29 babies were linked to the practice after a review of fatal accident inquiries. Solicitor General Ruth Charteris deserves credit for raising her concerns.

Every single one of these fatalities is an unimaginable loss for the families involved. The fact they could have been avoided makes the tragedy even greater. The Lullaby Trust, which advises parents, has issued guidance to keep babies safe.

If you or anyone you know has a wee one, please read the guidance in today’s Record or online – and let’s try to avoid any more needless heartbreak.

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Hawaii suffered its worst flooding in more than 20 years as heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago, officials said Friday while warning that still more rain was expected during the weekend.

Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu‘s North Shore, a community world-renowned for its big-wave surfing. Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu. Authorities cautioned that a 120-year-old dam could fail.

Gov. Josh Green said the cost of the storm could top $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, people’s homes and a Maui hospital in Kula.

“This is going to have a very serious consequence for us as a state,” Green said at a news conference.

Most of the state was under a flood watch, with Haleiwa and Waialua in northern Oahu under a flash flood warning, according to the National Weather Service.

Green said his chief of staff spoke to the White House and received assurances the islands would have federal support.

Most serious flooding since 2004

No deaths were reported and no one was unaccounted for. About 10 people were taken to a hospital with hypothermia, he said.

Crews searched by air and by water for people who had been stranded — efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.

The National Guard and Honolulu Fire Department airlifted 72 children and adults who had been attending a spring break youth camp at a retreat on Oahu’s west coast called Our Lady of Kea’au, according to city and camp officials. The camp is on high ground but authorities didn’t want to leave them there, the mayor said.

Green said the flooding was the state’s most serious since 2004 floods in Manoa inundated homes and a University of Hawaii library.

Dozens — if not hundreds — of homes were damaged Friday but officials haven’t been able to fully assess the destruction, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. Some 5,500 people were under evacuation orders.

“There’s no question that the damage done thus far has been catastrophic,” he said.

Officials blamed some of the devastation on the sheer amount of rain that fell in a short amount of time on saturated land. Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) of rain overnight. Kaala, the island’s highest peak, got nearly 16 inches (40 cm) in the past day, the National Weather Service said.

More rain was expected: Blangiardi said 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) of rain was forecast to fall on Oahu in the next two to three days.

Winter storm systems known as “Kona lows,” which feature southerly or southwesterly winds that bring in moisture-laden air, were responsible for the deluges in the past two weeks. The intensity and frequency of heavy rains in Hawaii have increased amid human-caused global warming, experts say.

Eyes on an aging dam

Officials have been closely watching the Wahiawa dam, which has been vulnerable for decades, saying it was “at risk of imminent failure.”

Water levels in the dam receded by late Friday but that could change if more rain falls. Overnight into Friday, the dam went from 79 feet to 84 feet (24 to 25.6 meters) — just 6 feet (1.8 meters) shy of what it can handle, authorities said.

As she prepared to evacuate to a friend’s home on higher ground, Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui told The Associated Press in a phone interview that the aging dam is a concern every time it rains.

“Just pray for us,” she said. “We understand there’s more rain coming.”

The state has said Wahiawa dam has “high hazard potential,” and that a failure “will result in probable loss of human life.”

The earthen dam was built in 1906 to increase sugar production for the Waialua Agricultural Company, which eventually became a subsidiary of Dole Food Company. It was reconstructed following a collapse in 1921.

The state has sent Dole four notices of deficiency about the dam since 2009 and five years ago fined the company $20,000 for failing to address safety deficiencies on time, according to records.

Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for the state’s agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.

The state passed legislation in 2023 authorizing the dam’s acquisition. It also provided $5 million to buy the spillway and $21 million to repair and expand it to comply with dam safety requirements. But the transfer has not been completed. A state board is due to vote on the acquisition next week.

“The dam continues to operate as designed with no indications of damage,” Dole said in an emailed statement.

The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

___

Associated Press writer Hallie Golden contributed to this report from Seattle.