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‘Dead zoning’: the new travel trend helping people to think clearly

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'Dead zoning': the new travel trend helping people to think clearly
We no longer have work-life boundaries; instead, we have dead zones (Picture: Tuul & Bruno Morandi via Getty Images)

Not so long ago, luxury travel meant marble bathrooms, infinity pools and Michelin-starred meals.

But these days, many are turning to something more authentic.

If privacy is the new luxury, then getting away from it all – as in, really switching off – is the ultimate status symbol in our hyper-connected world.

The reason? Burnout. Algorithm addiction. The pressure to optimise just about every aspect of life and the erosion of work-life boundaries.

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With Google searches for ‘digital detox’ rising by 100% in the past year, and nine in ten UK adults reporting high levels of stress according to the Mental Health UK Burnout Report 2025, it’s little wonder that travellers are increasingly choosing destinations with limited connection where the landscape does the talking instead.

Insiders have a name for this shift, and it describes something that, in theory, we should already know how to do: unplug.

They call it ‘dead zoning’, which is essentially travelling somewhere remote enough to be totally disconnected from the digital world.

No signal and no WiFi means no inbox, no scrolling, no half-being-present with the people around you.

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‘I think the appeal of being somewhere really wild and remote isn’t just about whether you can get online. It’s about what happens when you stop wanting to be on your phone,’ Jools Sampson, founder of British travel company Reclaim Yourself Retreats, tells Metro.

A woman with her back to the camera looking out over an empty expanse of valley and mountains in Mongolia
The term derives from the concept of dead zone, which in telecommunications indicates an area without a signal (Picture: Paul Biris/Getty Images)

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‘You become so absorbed in what’s around you that you’re not constantly being pulled into your feed and all the noise that comes with it. There’s something really freeing about that.

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‘And I think that’s the reset people are looking for. Not just a holiday, but a chance to properly switch off for a while.’

A recent study into traveller happiness by global tour operator G Adventures showed that time to relax and de-stress, and wanting to disconnect from the pressures of work and everyday life were the top drivers for booking holidays.

Among younger travellers, the trend is even more pronounced, with over a quarter of those aged 25 to 30 saying that having the ability to switch off from their phone was what made them happiest on a trip.

The proof is in the bookings.

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Jools’ company has seen retreats to places like Kyrgyzstan sell out in just three weeks, a trend she believes is driven by rising screen time and ‘always on’ culture.

Next year she will run off-grid packages to Mongolia, Finland, India and more, places where you ‘don’t have to worry about everything going on in the world for a while’.

‘When you’re somewhere epic, swimming, walking, doing yoga, watching wildlife, eating together, looking at the stars, you’re properly immersed in what’s happening around you, and your feed just becomes a lot less interesting,’ she says.

Sounds nice, and there’s genuine health benefits, too.

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A person with their back to camera and a hat on their head, looking down onto a river surrounded by autumnal trees in Finland.
Finland, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstanare all popular destinations for travellers wanting to get away from it all (Picture: Paolo Graziosi/Getty Images)

Medical experts say that disconnecting from social media and digital devices can reduce stress, improve sleep, help the nervous system to reset and strengthen our connections with the places and people around us.

‘Digital notifications take up brain capacity, even when they’re fun and benign,’ says Dr Anna Batho, NHS Clinical Psychologist.

‘Getting away from a blinking red light or a pop-up on your screen means your brain gets to relax and you can be present, without distraction.’

When we disconnect from phones or laptops while travelling, Anna says we create a positive separation between our daily lives that can help us to feel more grounded.

‘There’s no point worrying about a delivery if we can’t see the Ring App,’ she says.

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‘You won’t feel bad comparing yourself to your mate if you can’t see her bikini pics. You will stop feeling guilty about not calling your aunt if your phone is locked away. You won’t be able to check your bank balance either!’

If the wilds of Kyrgyzstan are a step too far for your first ‘dead zone’ adventure, there are plenty of places to try it closer to home.

Jools’ recommendation is Campwell, an eco-village on a working farm in Wiltshire, near Bath.

‘It’s completely off-grid, tucked away in beautiful woodland, with cabins and yurts, campfires, a wood-fired sauna and lots of time spent outside,’ says Jools.

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‘It’s one of those places where it becomes very easy to forget about your phone.

‘The whole ethos fits so well with what we’re talking about here: getting off screens, spending time outside and connecting with the people you’re actually with.’

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Lindsay Clancy holdout juror breaks silence: Why he voted GUILTY… and how the others tried to sway him

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Ray Marcel, host of Fugitive TV, revealed a conversation with the holdout juror (not pictured) in the Lindsay Clancy trial who told him he held firm in his guilty vote because he was never convinced the mother was legally insane

The holdout juror who refused to acquit Lindsay Clancy says he ‘didn’t have any doubts’ about finding her guilty even as the others tried to sway him to find Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity of strangling her three children.

The juror, whom NewsNation identified as Michael P Desronvil, told the outlet he ‘didn’t have any doubts’ – refuting jury foreperson Roni Carlson’s earlier remarks.

‘As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberations, I kept getting cut off as I had doubts based on the evidence present,’ he claimed. 

The juror explained to the network that based on all the evidence he ‘thought it was enough proof that she [Clancy] knew exactly what she was doing and planned’ to kill her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan. 

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He also shared his thoughts about the high-profile case in an interview with Ray Marcel of Fugitive TV, saying he was convinced Clancy ‘knew right from wrong.’

‘He said he knew that she was guilty because of the evidence that he saw,’ Marcel recalled. ‘He felt she was not insane at the time and knew what she was doing.’ 

Marcel did not show their conversation directly, but he said the holdout juror told him over an hour-long phone call that he felt the need to speak his mind because other jurors slandered him in the media after the trial. 

‘He said some of the things they’ve said about him is either not the whole truth, the half-truth, or outright lies,’ Marcel said, including that the juror rejected their assertions he had ‘reasonable doubt’ about Clancy’s guilt. 

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Ray Marcel, host of Fugitive TV, revealed a conversation with the holdout juror (not pictured) in the Lindsay Clancy trial who told him he held firm in his guilty vote because he was never convinced the mother was legally insane

Clancy's trial sharply divided opinions across the nation, as the mother admitted to strangling her three children - Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan - but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity

Clancy’s trial sharply divided opinions across the nation, as the mother admitted to strangling her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity 

Clancy’s trial sharply divided opinion after she admitted strangling her three children, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. 

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The jury ended in a controversial 11-1 deadlock. Podcast host Marcel said the holdout juror told him their 40-hours of deliberations were contentious from the outset. 

Since the verdict, there has been a wild social media race to identify him publicly. 

NBC Boston published details of domestic violence allegations against him, but did not reveal his identity. They stem from a dispute involving his ex-wife. 

In his phone call with YouTube host Marcel, the juror explained his decision to convict was based on ‘preparation she [Clancy] did’ before killing her children, including sending her husband Patrick out for errands before attacking the kids

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The holdout juror also said he had been stunned by the vitriol he faced after he voted to convict Clancy, and felt the backlash from his fellow jurors was because he was a ‘black Republican,’ Marcel claimed.

Clancy used exercise bands to fatally strangle her children in 2023

Clancy used exercise bands to fatally strangle her children in 2023

Clancy’s murder trial ended in a mistrial earlier this month, but prosecutors have not yet indicated if they intend to re-try her or offer a plea deal 

After NBC Boston reported that the holdout juror was accused of domestic violence, which he was arrested but never prosecuted for in 2021, questions swirled over how he was admitted to the case – as potential jurors are required to disclose if they have ever been arrested or charged with a crime in the past.

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Marcel said the holdout juror insisted that he never lied to the court, and he ‘checked the box he was supposed to check’ on juror questionnaire forms, but was selected anyway. 

He said the holdout juror told him the allegations stemmed from a turbulent ‘fraudulent marriage,’ and their relationship rapidly deteriorated when Desronvil allegedly discovered she was an illegal immigrant. 

‘He didn’t know that, and he told me that’s pretty much when everything hit the fan,’ Marcel said on his YouTube show. 

He said the holdout juror told him that his former partner raised domestic violence allegations in retaliation after he filed for divorce.

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In 2025, the holdout juror was also alleged to have attacked his nephew by shoving him to the ground and striking him in the face, according to reported restraining order documents obtained by NBC Boston.

The juror was also not prosecuted over that incident, the outlet reports, and Marcel said the juror told him that he did not want to get into those allegations beyond saying that ‘the truth will come out.’

Jury foreperson Roni Carlson previously told NBC10 that the holdout juror ‘admitted he had reasonable doubt,’ but Marcel reported this was disputed.

‘He felt that she was sane when she did it. And that’s exactly what he told me,’ Marcel recalled in an interview with NewsNation

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Desronvil reportedly insisted that despite the deliberations ending in deadlock, the jury was not unanimously against the holdout juror from the start and their conversations began with just eight jurors wanting to acquit Clancy

‘They were doing their best to convince,’ Marcel said, adding that two of the jurors were undecided, and the holdout juror had at least one other person who also believed she was guilty. 

Marcel said Desronvil told him the other juror was on his side ‘until the last moment,’ at which point she ‘caved and voted with the rest.’

‘He said he didn’t know if it was due to the pressure (from the other jurors), but he didn’t care,’ Marcel continued. 

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‘He said he knew that she was guilty because of the evidence that he saw. He felt he was not insane at the time and knew what she was doing.’ 

Clancy admitted to killing her children, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity as she claimed she was suffering postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated

Clancy admitted to killing her children, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity as she claimed she was suffering postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated 

The holdout juror attempted to convince others of Clancy's guilt by using a water bottle and string to demonstrate how she strangled their 'little necks', Marcel revealed

The holdout juror attempted to convince others of Clancy’s guilt by using a water bottle and string to demonstrate how she strangled their ‘little necks’, Marcel revealed  

Over 40 hours of deliberations, Marcel said Desronvil told him the conversations grew agitated, and at one point he used a water bottle and a piece of string to demonstrate the force Clancy would have used to strangle her children to death.

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‘He tied a string around the water bottle, and did it to set and example and show people, “Imagine the water bottle as their little necks,”‘ he recalled. 

Asked what convinced the holdout juror of Clancy’s guilt, Marcel told NewsNation that he was told that he felt ‘she was sane by the preparation she did’ before strangling her children. 

Marcel told NewsNation the fact Clancy took her time’ strangling each child, some in separate rooms to the other also helped sway Desronvil’s decision.

‘The preparation showed that she was sane and knew what she was doing, pretty much knew right from wrong, before she did what she did,’ Marcel said Desronvil told him.

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Marcel explained he decided to share the juror’s perspective amid the huge response and vitriol directed at the holdout juror.

‘No matter if you agree with him or not, his name shouldn’t have been put out there like that,’ the Fugitive TV host said. 

‘No juror should be put to the forefront like that, because it’s their civic duty to do that, and they should be protected. He never asked for any of this whatsoever.’  

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Royal family news live: Charles was ‘giddily elated’ hours after Diana’s death, Earl Spencer’s book claims

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Morning Headlines
King Charles Issues Rare Response To Earl Spencer’s Diana Book Claims

King Charles sounded “giddily elated” and “like a lottery winner” on the day of Princess Diana’s death, her brother, Earl Spencer, has claimed in his bombshell memoir.

“Unlike my other callers, who were stunned, barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help, he sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time,” Earl Spencer wrote in the memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, serialised in the Daily Mail.

“He let me know he had informed William and Harry of their mother’s death, first thing that morning, in their bedrooms at Balmoral. It all sounded strangely matter-of-fact, given the enormity of the disaster.”

Spencer said he believes Charles’ reaction reflected “how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved, rather than appreciating the loss of one he did not”.

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The book also alleges that in the days after Diana’s death, King Charles had said: “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.

His remarks were allegedly during a major dispute over funeral arrangements after Diana’s death in August 1997.

In an unusually strong rebuke, Buckingham Palace said that the King is mindful that “grief can cloud reason”, a response it reiterated after the latest allegations.

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Diana tried to break off engagement to Charles, claims Spencer’s memoir

Princess Diana tried to break off her engagement to Prince Charles after finding a bracelet that he had bought for Camilla, Earl Spencer has claimed in his memoir.

The princess had been seen in tears as she said goodbye to Charles as he left for official business, he writes, adding that newspapers believed it was “the pain of a lovestruck innocent being parted from her fiancé”.

Spencer adds: “The truth was very different. Diana was completely at sea, having found a bracelet that Prince Charles had bought for Camilla.

“A month or so after that, she became so concerned she even tried to break off their engagement. “

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The book also claims that Charles told Diana that he did not love her on the eve of their wedding.

“Only much later would I discover that, as she confided to a close friend, her husband-­to-­be had told her the previous day that she needed to know he was very happy to marry her, but he was not actually in love with her,” Spencer wrote.

“Diana had to absorb that hammer blow while also feeling certain that Prince Charles was entering their marriage with his heart elsewhere.”

Jane Dalton18 September 2026 06:00

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Watch: King meets AI tech bosses

King Charles attends AI summit in Scotland

Jane Dalton18 September 2026 05:00

Palace hits back at Earl Spencer’s book claims

Jane Dalton18 September 2026 03:40

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The complicated family bond between Charles and Diana Spencer

Jane Dalton18 September 2026 02:20

In pictures: William and Kate at Beachwatch Bute

The Prince and Princess of Wales (known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland) during a visit to Beachwatch Bute in Ettrick Bay
The Prince and Princess of Wales (known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland) during a visit to Beachwatch Bute in Ettrick Bay (PA)
(PA)
(PA)

Jane Dalton18 September 2026 01:00

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Spencer’s allegations fail to halt royals’ engagements

The royal family were out in force as a series of allegations were made against the King in a tribute book to Diana, Princess of Wales by her brother.

William and Kate met dozens of residents on Scotland’s Isle of Bute, posed for selfies and even played shinty as they celebrated the island’s community spirit and volunteering ethos.

The King presided over a gathering of the world’s leading AI companies and warned of the “existential dangers” of the new technology falling into the wrong hands.

Jane Dalton17 September 2026 23:30

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Harry gives speech at first public appearance

Giving a speech at the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, Harry told the story of how Invictus began.

He said: “In 2008, flying home from Afghanistan, I travelled alongside three seriously injured British servicemen and the coffin of a Danish soldier.

“That flight stayed with me because it helped me begin to understand two things about the military that would shape the rest of my life: it gives you purpose, identity, belonging, a team; and in a matter of seconds, injury or illness can take it all away.

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“Years later, after seeing the Warrior Games in America, we brought an idea back to London. We had less than a year to make it happen — which was probably useful, because it gave everyone less time to tell us it couldn’t be done.

Prince Harry arrives at the Invictus Spirit Awards
Prince Harry arrives at the Invictus Spirit Awards (AP)

“In September 2014, more than 400 competitors from 13 nations came together for the first ever Invictus Games. Now 12 years later, thousands have benefited. We have 26 nations in our community, and the games are coming home!

“And something happened that was bigger than sports competition. People who thought a part of their life was over began to see that something else might just be beginning. Their families, too, saw loved ones return to them in mind and spirit.”

The duke also had a message to veterans at the awards and around the world.

He said: “And to the veterans here tonight, and those wherever you are around the world, I want to say this as one soldier to another: your service matters. What you gave in uniform matters. And people far beyond the military community who see in your example what courage, resilience and leadership actually look like.

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“People are watching. The teammate who is struggling. The young soldier wondering what life after uniform might look like. The family trying to find its way forward.

“You may no longer wear the uniform, but you still lead. Every time you get back up, reach back for someone else, or turn what happened to you into purpose for others, you are serving again — just differently.

“And that matters far beyond our military community. National resilience isn’t built by governments alone. It is built in communities – by people who know how to endure, adapt, lead under pressure and look after one another when things get tough.

“At a time when societies around the world are being tested, the Invictus spirit has something to teach all of us. This community doesn’t just demonstrate resilience. It helps build it.

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“Never underestimate what your example gives to the world.”

Holly Evans17 September 2026 22:57

Opinion: Charles should have listened to his mother – ‘Never complain, never explain’

Jane Dalton17 September 2026 22:30

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Charles Spencer’s memoir stolen from lorry

Jane Dalton17 September 2026 21:30

Flashback: Diana claimed Charles said they were disappointed Harry wasn’t a girl

In a previously unearthed old recording, Princess Diana claimed her husband had said they wanted Harry before he was born to be a girl.

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Princess Diana recalls Charles saying they were ‘disappointed’ Harry wasn’t a girl

Jane Dalton17 September 2026 20:30

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Alexander Isak: Moving from Newcastle to Liverpool was an ‘easy decision’

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Andoni Iraola

Alexander Isak says joining Liverpool last summer was an “easy decision”.

The Sweden striker arrived from Newcastle on transfer deadline day in September 2025 for a British record transfer fee of £125m.

“[Liverpool] is a massive club, and everything about the club made it pretty clear,” he told BBC Sport’s The Football Interview.

“And the club’s ambition and the club’s will to get me in as well. It was a big part of it.”

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Isak missed pre-season last summer and trained at his former club Real Sociedad amid uncertainty around his Newcastle future, saying promises made to him there had been “broken”.

However, he struggled for goals in his first season at Anfield before a leg break ruled him out from December to April.

This season the 26-year-old has already matched last season’s tally of three Premier League goals, after only four games.

Asked if there was ever a point last season when he regretted the move, Isak replied: “No, never. I would never think like that.”

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He added: “[The leg break] was tough. Anyone who had a long injury would know. But on the other hand, when you’re in a good place and when you feel good, you don’t really tend to look back because it doesn’t really benefit you.

“So I’m just looking forward and feel really optimistic and excited about the season, and what it can bring to us.”

Over the summer, Isak made his World Cup bow for Sweden after managing just 1,032 minutes for Liverpool over 22 appearances last season.

He scored once and assisted three goals for Graham Potter’s side before they were knocked out by France in the last 32.

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“Playing for your country in a World Cup is a dream of most people,” said Isak.

“With the injuries last season, the World Cup was perfect. I had that period where I could play and gain rhythm and form.

“And, on top of that, it was a massive experience, so that was perfect to do and come back here for pre-season and to start the season.”

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Man accused over Stewartstown Road rioting to be released on bail, judge rules

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Belfast Live

Based on his mother’s assurances, Mr Justice McAlinden granted bail in what he described as an exceptional case

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A man charged with rioting amid serious disorder in west Belfast is to be released on bail, a High Court judge ruled on Thursday.

Daniel McManus, 27, is accused of taking part in the unrest which erupted in the Stewartstown Road area on July 18 this year.

A police officer was injured and several PSNI vehicles were damaged as a crowd of up to 100 people gathered in the street.

Bins were also set on fire during an operation linked to the reckless riding of scrambler motorbikes in the neighbourhood.

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McManus, of Springbank Drive in Dunmurry, faces charges of riotous assembly, obstruction of a road, assault on police, indecent and disorderly behaviour.

He is also being prosecuted over separate allegations of driving while unfit, criminal damage and driving while disqualified in connection with an incident at Bradbury Place in the city a week earlier.

Opposing bail, Crown counsel confirmed the unrest in west Belfast related to vehicle activity in the area.

She highlighted the widespread publicity around the disorder, adding that tensions remained high.

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The court heard McManus has accepted some of the alleged behaviour but denies the rioting charge.

“He broadly made admissions during interviews and gave an account of being on a binge,” the prosecutor said.

Defence counsel Peter Coiley confirmed McManus disputes playing a central role in the unrest.

Acknowledging his client’s issues with drugs, Mr Coiley argued that if released he could cut himself off from any potential distractions.

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McManus’ mother also pledged to seek police help if she thought her son was going “off the rails”.

Based on her assurances, Mr Justice McAlinden granted bail in what he described as an exceptional case.

“I am minded that this was a significant public disorder situation (and) acutely aware of the difficulties that police encountered,” the judge said.

“But I think there is a way forward, a package that has some chance of addressing what is the underlying blight on this man’s life, substance abuse.”

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McManus was ordered to live under curfew, wear a monitoring tag and banned from being in the front seat of any car.

Mr Justice McAlinden further directed: “He is not to engage in any public demonstrations.”

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

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Tons of fishing gear and plastic are washing up on Seychelles beaches. We tracked where it was coming from

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Tons of fishing gear and plastic are washing up on Seychelles beaches. We tracked where it was coming from

Vast quantities of plastic and fishing gear are washing up along the shores of the Seychelles, destroying fragile ecosystems and causing significant economic problems.

Aldabra Atoll, a Unesco world heritage site in this archipelago nation of 115 islands, is estimated to have accumulated more than 500 tonnes of plastic on its shores alone. Most of this plastic debris continues to pile up along its beaches today. It was estimated that removing it would cost approximately US$4.68 million (£3.46 million) and would require 18,000 hours of labour.

Small island developing states are particularly vulnerable to plastic debris on their beaches. It can damage tourism and fishing in these coastal communities, which is essential to their economies. Clean-up costs can be prohibitive.

Fish and other marine life can also be killed by getting entangled with or ingesting plastic debris.

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It is impossible to tackle this growing problem without knowing where this pollution is coming from and who is responsible. We investigated this in our recent study using computer simulations and observations, focusing on pollution in the western Indian Ocean from fisheries and shipping.

We found that most pollution probably comes from vessels in or near the Seychelles’ own waters. This challenges the assumption from previous work that island plastic mainly drifts in from distant shores.

Fishing gear on the Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles.
April Burt and Seychelles Islands Foundation

We know fishing vessels lose nets and gear, and shipping vessels illegally discard plastic and other items. But to work out which vessels are responsible and where their debris ends up, we needed to know which ships and fishing boats operate near the Seychelles.

To do this, we used satellite tracking data from fishing and shipping vessels over five years (from 2018 to 2022) to estimate activity across the region. Using this map, we simulated the drift of billions of virtual pollution fragments and followed where they ended up.

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A map showing location of fishing gear.

A map showing debris fishing gear.
Author’s own.

From this we built a map showing how likely a given vessel location is to pose a risk to the Seychelles’ islands. We did this separately for fishing and shipping.

Our research shows, based on previous fishing activity, that most fishing gear that is swept up on the beaches of the Seychelles comes from fishing within its own exclusive economic zone. These are the waters, extending 200 nautical miles (370km) offshore, over which a state has exclusive control over marine resources, including fisheries.

These waters are full of tuna, and the Seychelles’ economy leans heavily on industrial fishing, both as an employer and as a large source of foreign currency.

Where does the waste come from?

It is likely that some of the gear and plastic waste is coming from EU vessels. The Seychelles’ waters are heavily fished by two types of European fishing boats, purse-seiners and longliners. This falls under a longstanding agreement between the EU and the Seychelles granting them the right to fish here. Purse-seiners circle around tuna schools with a large net, and longliners trail baited hooks over many kilometres.

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Indeed, a report presented to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission found that 76% of 214 of the drifting fish aggregating devices used by tuna fisheries to attract shoals of fish in the Seychelles’ exclusive economic zone were from Spanish-owned vessels. This is an industry making significant profits, while leaving behind environmental damage.

A turtle on the Aldabra Atoll next to lost fishing gear and plastic.

A turtle on the Aldabra Atoll next to lost fishing gear and plastic.
April Burt and Seychelles Islands Foundation

Recently, the Seychelles–EU fishing agreement was renewed for 2026–30 at €5,750,000 per year (£4.89 million), allowing 38 EU fishing vessels to operate in these waters. The Seychelles government is believed to have pushed for a 30% rise in this annual payment from the EU but it is believed they settled on 7%, according to some reports.

Given that the cost associated with cleaning up a single island already runs into millions, the Seychelles-EU deal is small compared to the indirect damages imposed on the nation.

Other proposed solutions

International shipping creates other issues. Our study suggests that more than 90% of plastic being swept up on the Seychelles’ coast from shipping comes from just five lanes crossing the western Indian Ocean. The origin and destination ports of these lanes line up with the countries named on labels of plastic bottles washed ashore on Aldabra.

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Debris from international shipping lanes requires a different solution. Unlike the tuna fleets fishing under the agreement between the Seychelles and the EU, this is international traffic passing by. A solution to the plastic waste coming from these ships would be more rigorous enforcement of existing international rules against dumping waste at sea, and bilateral cooperation between the Seychelles and the many nations whose ships use these routes.

Even simple measures could cut litter. For instance, ensuring vessels carry enough safe drinking water to reduce the use of plastic bottles should cut some debris found on Aldabra.

The true cost of cleaning up this huge level of plastic pollution tends not to fall on those who have left it there. The Seychelles needs to work out the cost of the damage being done by these mountains of waste to get a better deal in future negotiations with the EU.

That should help fund clean ups and repair the fragile ecosystems of the islands, helping to preserve them for the future.

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DAILY MAIL COMMENT: As he tells tech bosses that we must ‘not lose control of our destiny’, the King clearly gets it on AI. But what about Labour?

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DAILY MAIL COMMENT: As he tells tech bosses that we must 'not lose control of our destiny', the King clearly gets it on AI. But what about Labour?

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When even Big Tech executives are sounding the klaxons about the threat from artificial intelligence, it is time to pay attention.

The growing spectre of a ‘silicon species’ capable of earning money and acquiring assets – as described by Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman – is terrifying. Not only could these agents potentially compete with humans for basic resources, he says, they could also prove ‘impossible’ to control.

His warning comes after last month’s World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing and the unsettling spectacle of a physical AI model smashing the long-standing 100 metres record.

It also follows a spate of near-misses involving rogue software. These include AI models using fake online identities in a bid to trick human coders into giving the green light for a cyber attack.

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Another incident saw a test agent escaping from a supposedly secure ‘sandbox’ to hack into a rival firm’s data. The parallels with Mary Shelley’s horror classic Frankenstein – which, of course, involves a highly intelligent monster running amok after scaring the wits out of its creator – are more obvious by the day.

It is also increasingly apparent that existing fears about the technology – including its potential for collapsing the banking system – could underplay the real dangers. Anyone who dismissed Sir Stephen Hawking‘s warning more than a decade ago that AI could ‘spell the end of the human race’ may well be reconsidering.

King Charles’ summit on safety and ethics in the AI sector is to be welcomed. So is the fact that he highlighted the need for ‘reassurance’ from tech masterminds ‘that we will not lose control of our destiny’.

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Against that disturbing backdrop, King Charles’ summit on safety and ethics in the sector is to be welcomed. So is the fact that he highlighted the need for ‘reassurance’ from tech masterminds ‘that we will not lose control of our destiny’.

Yet there is a distinct lack of urgency from Labour on the issue. In a rare comment this week, Kanishka Narayan – the minister responsible – said AI could have ‘profound consequences’ for national security. While it was nice of him to let us know, we had already managed to work that out for ourselves.

A clerical error

It seems decidedly odd that the Most Rev Sarah Mullaly – the first female Archbishop of Canterbury and firmly on the Church of England’s liberal wing – agreed to be photographed alongside a woman covered from head to toe in Islamic garb.

Yet it is even more peculiar that she handed a prestigious award to Muslim cleric Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi – the woman’s husband – despite his praise for Osama Bin Laden. Adding insult to injury, the ceremony took place on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 outrage.

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Lambeth Palace has now stripped him of the award after reviewing the situation. An obvious question, perhaps, but should that review not have been done before the decision was made to honour him?

The pain threshold

With the Bank of England warning of an autumn interest hike, the outlook for hard-working Britons is getting grimmer.

Inflation is at 3.1 per cent and several lenders have increased mortgage rates. While experts say food inflation is set to continue for at least two years, energy prices could go up by a quarter.

Little wonder that shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith says we are approaching ‘nosebleed territory’. Even if Andy Burnham manages to resist the temptation to put up taxes, it will take more than his so-called ‘everyday fixes’ to numb the pain coming our way.

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York dog walking park plans lodged with council

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York dog walking park plans lodged with council

An application submitted to York Council would see the site created on a 0.13ha plot between Landing Lane and The Wier, Haxby.

The park would have space for up to four dogs at a time and would be open from 6am to 8pm every day all year.

Plans from Ms Vollans stated the site would provide a controlled environment where dogs could exercise and be mentally stimulated, improving their wellbeing.


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The proposed site is 60m away from the applicant’s home which lies to the south west.

The plot was previously used as a paddock for horses.

It is surrounded by public footpaths which are popular with dog walkers.

The park would operate by taking private bookings, with plans stating there would likely only be one or two dogs on site at any one time.

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It would not be lit and its opening would depend on the availability of daylight.

A 1.8m-high dog-proof deer chain link fence would be put up around the site and access would be gated.

The site proposed for the dog walking park in Landing Lane, Haxby (Image: Ms Vollans/City of York Council)

Plans stated the amount of dog parks across the country had increased by 40 per cent nationwide over the last decade.

It added they offered a vital space for dogs to socialise, improve their behaviour and building confidence.

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Plans stated: “As dog ownership continues to rise, the requirement for safe, secure recreational spaces for both dogs and their owners has proven to have numerous benefits, due to the off-lead exercise opportunities for physical and mental stimulation, without the risks associated with public areas.

“The exposure to the sights, smells, sounds, provides mental enrichment.

“The scheme proposals comprise the provision of a secure dog exercise field with safety, engagement and enjoyment as the forefront of the offering.

“The deer fencing system is ideal to keep all sizes of dogs secure and safe while off the lead and free to take in all the sights and smells of this space.

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“Undercover facilities for owners are also proposed in the field so that both owners and trainers can be comfortable while utilising this space.

“The area has a distinctive rural feel.”

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The cheapest and most expensive places to rent in Cambridgeshire

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Cambridgeshire Live

Cambridge remains the most expensive area to rent among the six Cambridgeshire districts covered by the figures

Private renters in Cambridge are paying an average of £1,805 a month, as housing costs continue to rise across Cambridgeshire. Average private rents in the city increased by 1.8 per cent in the year to August 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures. Cambridge’s monthly average was £405 higher than the UK figure of £1,400.

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The city remained the most expensive place to rent among the six Cambridgeshire districts covered by the data, although its annual percentage increase was smaller than in most neighbouring areas. In South Cambridgeshire, average monthly rents rose by 3.4 per cent to £1,408. That was £397 below Cambridge’s average, but slightly above the UK figure.

East Cambridgeshire recorded the smallest annual increase locally, with rents edging up by 0.5 per cent to £1,038 a month. Peterborough saw the sharpest rise among the six districts. Average private rents there climbed by 4.9 per cent over the year to £1,012 a month, outpacing both the UK and East of England growth rates.

Huntingdonshire and Fenland each recorded annual increases of 3.7 per cent. Average monthly rents reached £1,057 in Huntingdonshire and £842 in Fenland, which remained the least expensive of the six areas.

You can see how rent prices have changed by using our interactive map:

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Average UK monthly private rents rose by 3.8 per cent in the year to August 2026, reaching £1,400. That was £52 a month more than a year earlier – equivalent to an extra £624 over 12 months. Annual rental growth accelerated from 3.7 per cent in July to its highest rate since December 2025.

London remained England’s most expensive region, with average rents of £2,332 a month, up 3.5 per cent annually. The North East had the lowest regional average, at £788.

Among the local areas listed in the data, Tewkesbury recorded the steepest annual rise, at 13.4 per cent, taking its average rent to £1,093. Kirklees followed with a 12.8 per cent increase to £782, while Oldham’s average climbed by 12.5 per cent to £942.

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How Sienna Miller’s lookalike daughter Marlowe, 14, is slowly making her mark in Hollywood as the ‘little fashion monster’ attends War premiere

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How Sienna Miller's lookalike daughter Marlowe, 14, is slowly being introduced to the spotlight

She has been known for keeping her personal life to herself.

But Sienna Miller is now slowly introducing her daughter Marlowe, 14, into the spotlight.

On Wednesday, the actress, 44, was supported by the teen at the London premiere of her new series War at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square.

She posed with a protective arm around her offspring, who was wearing a yellow graphic print T-shirt with a black silk midi skirt and ballet flats.

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Sienna shares Marlowe with ex Tom Sturridge – whom she split with in 2015 – and has largely kept out of the public eye.

Although joint appearances with the teenager are rare, the pair have enjoyed a handful of events together in recent years. 

In 2024, the mother and daughter duo attended Cannes Film festival alongside Sienna’s now fiancé, Oli Green, for her film Horizon: An American Saga.

Marlowe looked the spit of her stunning mother, wearing a sweet pink dress with a large bow.

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How Sienna Miller’s lookalike daughter Marlowe, 14, is slowly being introduced to the spotlight

On Wednesday, the actress, 44, was supported by the teen at the London premiere of her new series War at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square

On Wednesday, the actress, 44, was supported by the teen at the London premiere of her new series War at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square

It marked her first ever red carpet appearance, with Sienna only showing her face for the first time in July 2020 in a spread for Vogue.

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That year, Sienna revealed to The Guardian that Marlowe has a huge passion for style, describing her as ‘a little fashion monster’.

‘She’s so stylish. And very critical. She’s like a young Anna Wintour in her total disdain for some of the things I wear,’ the American Sniper star said. 

‘In New York she thought I was mortifying. She wishes I would brush my hair. 

‘Although now that we’re back in England she’s starting to appreciate the undone-ness.’

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Marlowe also sat in the front row with her mother at Proenza Schouler’s New York Fashion Week in 2023, where the pair posed for cameras together in sleek sunglasses.

Sienna opened up to PEOPLE in 2020 about motherhood and described it as the ‘most loving, intense relationship that I have’.

‘She knows me, I know her. She’s really stubborn, which is very like me. I see her as her own person but I also see genetic things. She’s heaven, my kid,’ she said of her daughter.

Although joint appearances with the teenager are rare, the pair have enjoyed a handful of events together in recent years (pictured with Sienna's fiancé Oli Green at Cannes Film Festival in 2024)

Although joint appearances with the teenager are rare, the pair have enjoyed a handful of events together in recent years (pictured with Sienna’s fiancé Oli Green at Cannes Film Festival in 2024)

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Marlowe also sat in the front row with her mother at Proenza Schouler's New York Fashion Week in 2023, where the pair posed for cameras together in sleek sunglasses

Marlowe also sat in the front row with her mother at Proenza Schouler’s New York Fashion Week in 2023, where the pair posed for cameras together in sleek sunglasses

Marlowe was born in July 2012 and Sienna previously revealed how the birth did not go as planned.

‘My birth went all wrong. I had my heart set on this natural water birth and I ended up, after 27 hours, having an emergency C-section,’ Sienna told the magazine.

‘I spent so much time thinking about the birth and not realising that you take a baby home at the end of it.

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‘It’s a shock, of course it is, and some people find it really easy, but for me I found it really hard.’

Sienna also touched on motherhood in another interview with The Guardian at the time, saying: ‘I think having a baby really changed everything, if I’m honest.

‘The stakes are higher, you have someone that you want to be proud of you eventually. 

‘You’re aware of your own mortality, For me, as soon as I had a baby I had a vision of my life – and what was left of it.’ 

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Meanwhile dad Tom has gushed that Marlowe is wiser than he is and he wouldn’t want to prescribe changes for her future world.

In an interview with Wintour, he said: ‘The world is not as I would wish it to be. 

‘I am a sentient adult, and have the responsibility to inflict change on it. I am excited to see how much better she will do with that than I am.’

Following her split with Tom, Sienna revealed her battle with mum guilt.

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The actress spoke to Vogue about what she calls ‘the curse of motherhood’ and how much pressure and guilt women feel in their efforts to do things right.

She explained: ‘I’d like to be better at managing things; I’d like to be more super –although we’re never going to feel it, even if we are.

‘That’s the curse of motherhood – we just run ourselves ragged, I’m just trying to get a sense of what that guilt is. 

‘I sometimes feel like it’s a totally invented emotion, It’s strange to be punishing ourselves this way… It’s not healthy.’

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Sienna shares Marlowe with ex Tom Sturridge - whom she split with in 2015 - and has largely kept out of the public eye

Sienna shares Marlowe with ex Tom Sturridge – whom she split with in 2015 – and has largely kept out of the public eye

Sienna now shares a toddler daughter and a newborn baby with Oli.

In May, she appeared on the Jimmy Fallon show just three weeks after giving birth to her third child. 

During her sit-down interview with the TV host she confessed that motherhood was exhausting at times.

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Sienna said: ‘It feels like stringing sentences together is a bit challenging.

‘I’m on very little sleep but I’m madly in love with my baby.

‘It’s crazy to be talking words and wearing a dress. What has happened from pajama gate.’

Asked by the host which of her children are tougher to look after, she said: ‘I would have said the teenage girl would be harder to juggle until the transatlantic flight I took yesterday with the toddler and the newborn.

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‘The toddler now wins hands down. It was an absolute disaster.

‘There’s no negotiating. I got to the immigration line and just broke down.’

Sienna also spoke about motherhood in a different interview with Vogue recently.

She said: ‘I’d wanted another baby for so long that my postpartum was just bliss. I had thought, by the time I was 40, that it wouldn’t happen.

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‘That I’d have my one baby and I kind of made peace with it. It was such a surprise, and it was such a bonus that I was just euphoric. I felt existentially relieved.’

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Barnard Castle Meet fundraiser cancelled over low sales

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Barnard Castle Meet fundraiser cancelled over low sales

The Barnard Castle Meet Committee announced with “great disappointment and regret” that its fundraising evening, due to take place on Saturday, September 26, will no longer go ahead.

The event had been organised to raise money for the annual Barnard Castle Meet, a longstanding community celebration which brings together residents and visitors for a weekend of activities and traditions.

In a statement shared online, organisers said they had been forced to make a difficult decision after sales failed to reach the level required for the event to proceed.

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The committee said: “Unfortunately, due to lower than expected ticket sales, we have had to make the very difficult decision to cancel the event.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we are genuinely sorry for any disappointment or inconvenience caused.”

The fundraiser had been scheduled to take place at Barnard Castle Cricket Club and was set to feature live music, pie and peas, a raffle and fundraising activities.

Organisers had hoped to build on the success of previous fundraising events, which they said had attracted strong support from the community.

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The committee thanked everyone who had purchased tickets, shared information about the event and supported fundraising efforts.

They said: “We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the event, purchased tickets, shared our posts and helped us with the fundraising. Your support is hugely appreciated.”

Anyone who has purchased tickets has been advised to contact the person they bought them from for information on refunds and arrangements.

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Despite the cancellation, organisers confirmed that raffle prizes donated for the event will still be given to good causes.

The committee said: “All raffle prizes that had been donated will still be donated to good causes, so the generosity of those who supported the raffle will not go to waste.



“This may be a disappointment, but it certainly isn’t the end of our fundraising efforts.

“We will take some time to regroup and look to organise another fundraising event in the future.

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“Thank you once again for your understanding and continued support of Barnard Castle Meet.”

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