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Ed Sheeran loses more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after ALL remaining opening acts drop out of his tour amid Macklemore ‘Free Palestine’ row

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Ed Sheeran has lost 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised him for dropping opening act Macklemore from his US tour

Ed Sheeran has lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised him for dropping opening act Macklemore from his US tour.

All of the remaining support acts have quit in response to rapper Macklemore being kicked off the live dates following a ‘free Palestine’ speech.

Macklemore was due to open for Sheeran at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, which continues on Friday in Philadelphia, but on Tuesday it was announced that he had been dropped. 

Among them were Finneas – pop star Billie Eilish’s brother – who said: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.’

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Sheeran’s close friend Myles Smith, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop band Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga – who have been serving as Sheeran’s backing band on the tour – have also released separate statements announcing they will not continue with their dates on the Loop Tour.

Breaking his silence amid the backlash, Sheeran, 35, insisted Macklemore coming off the tour was the ‘promoter’s decision’, not his. He added his audience is often young people ‘from different backgrounds’ who do not expect his shows to be a political forum.

While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6million on Monday, it has now dropped to 47.3million.  

Macklemore, aka Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, faced a boycott petition to drop him after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. 

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Responding with an Instagram statement after it was confirmed he was leaving the Loop Tour, the rapper claimed Ed told him billionaire Robert Kraft orchestrated the move having ‘rallied other stadium owners and issuing an ultimatum’ to Sheeran that the whole tour is cancelled or Macklemore is removed.

Kraft is the chief executive of the Kraft Group, which owns the NFL team the New England Patriots, as well as the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where Sheeran is due to play September 25 and 26.

Ed Sheeran has lost 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised him for dropping opening act Macklemore from his US tour 

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While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6million on Monday, it has now steadily declined past 47.4million

While his Instagram follower count stood at 47.6million on Monday, it has now steadily declined past 47.4million

Sheeran addressed the 43-year-old rapper being removed from the tour with his own statement which read that Macklemore’s speech had upset the owners of venues while reminding fans he will never personally take a political stance publicly.

After the news of Macklemore’s departure, all of Ed’s remaining support acts have also stepped away from the tour. 

Finneas wrote: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.’

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Rowe took a strong stance as he wrote: ‘Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.’

He continued by saying he ‘cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up’.

Lukas Graham wrote: ‘We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them.’

They said their upbringing in a small Danish community made it so speaking your mind was part of everyday life and having more money did not invalidate one’s opinions: ‘I love Ed, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand.

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‘I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision but it’s one I need to stand by.’

Musician and Billie Eilish's brother/music partner Finneas led the remaining acts who put out separate statements announcing that they will not continue with their dates on the stadium Loop Tour

Musician and Billie Eilish’s brother/music partner Finneas led the four remaining acts who put out separate statements announcing that they will not continue with their dates on the stadium Loop Tour

Finneas is seen in LA back in November 2025

Finneas is seen in LA back in November 2025

Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga also put out statements on Instagram Tuesday announcing that they are pulling out of the remaining concert dates

Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga also put out statements on Instagram Tuesday announcing that they are pulling out of the remaining concert dates

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Irish singer Rowe took a strong stance (he is pictured in England in June 2025)

Irish singer Rowe took a strong stance (he is pictured in England in June 2025)

Lukas Graham said that their upbringing in a small Denmark community made it so speaking your mind was part of every day life and having more money did not invalidate one's opinions

Lukas Graham said that their upbringing in a small Denmark community made it so speaking your mind was part of every day life and having more money did not invalidate one’s opinions

Danish soul pop band Lukas Graham is pictured

Danish soul pop band Lukas Graham is pictured 

Lastly, Irish band Beoga, who actually join Sheeran during Galway Girl on stage, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour

Lastly, Irish band Beoga, who actually join Sheeran during Galway Girl on stage, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour

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Beoga is pictured as they revealed they have been friends with Sheeran for over a decade

Beoga is pictured as they revealed they have been friends with Sheeran for over a decade

Irish band Beoga, who join Sheeran for eight songs including Galway Girl, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour.

They wrote: ‘We have been friends with Ed for over ten years now and will continue to be.

‘Playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.’

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Beoga also showed their solidarity for Macklemore as they echoed his sentiments by writing: ‘The whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire.’

Smith, who previously supported Sheeran on his tour last year, released a statement on Wednesday morning, telling fans: ‘For everyone asking me to drop out of Ed’s tour, let’s get something straight: I’m not on that tour anymore.’

Whilst Smith confirmed he had dropped out he went on to voice his support for Sheeran, insisting ‘Ed it not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let’s not get confused: Ed it also not the perpetrator.’

‘I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry.’

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‘Supporting Palestinian life, safety and freedom does not require me to betray someone I know to be a good human being. It requires me to keep the focus where it belongs: on the people suffering, and on the people with the power to stop it.’ 

Myles highlighted his background ‘working in a home with Holocaust survivors, spending time with the Jewish community and hearing stories of bravery, survival, loss and humanity from people who had lived through things most of us only read about.

‘I’ve also spent my life around Muslim friends and families, spend time in mosques, celebrated Eid throughout my youth and grown up in Luton: a working-class, proudly multicultural, predominantly ethnic minority town where Island and Muslim culture were part of the beauty and fabric of everyday life.’

‘Neither of those experiences taught me to sit on the fence. They taught me to be human.’

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The Daily Mail has reached out to Sheeran’s representatives for comment on the four acts resigning from the tour and has yet to hear back.

It remains uncertain how the Loop Tour will proceed with zero openers scheduled and 18 dates still set through the end of the year. 

Sheeran had assured his followers on Tuesday that Macklemore’s removal would not affect his tour, as he told them ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans’.

In his reaction, which came two days after Macklemore’s own statement, he said: ‘I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine

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‘The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.

‘Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.

‘After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting.’ 

Sheeran continued by explaining that he had tried to find a resolution so that Macklemore could remain on his tour but he was not able to.

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He said: ‘I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.

‘One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.

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Sheeran released a statement on Tuesday, addressing the American star's position and reminding fans he will never personally take a publicly political stance

Sheeran released a statement on Tuesday, addressing the American star’s position and reminding fans he will never personally take a publicly political stance

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‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.’

Sheeran then explained that there would be no alterations to the tour he has planned because he would never let his fans and crew down.

He said: ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.

‘I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

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‘I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

‘There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. 

‘I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.

‘There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.’

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Sheeran captioned his post: ‘It’s important I set out some facts’. 

In a statement on Instagram, Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

He wrote that ‘Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.’

In his 1,000-word statement the rapper went on to say that he did not blame Sheeran personally, writing that his friend was put in a ‘f***** up position’.

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‘He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,’ Macklemore continued. 

‘I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, “I don’t take sides.” And I get why people don’t.’

‘Taking a side can cost you,’ Macklemore added. ‘Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.’

He noted that the pair had had ‘some difficult conversations this past week’ and he hoped that ‘this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.’

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Kraft has defended his decision to block Macklemore from performing, saying the rapper ‘crossed a line’.

‘Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,’ Kraft said in a statement.

Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium

Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium

Macklemore stated that every human being deserves the same freedom, and told the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten. Above, Macklemore on August 30 performing at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in France

Macklemore stated that every human being deserves the same freedom, and told the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten. Above, Macklemore on August 30 performing at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in France

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‘Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25 and 26 concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.’

The promoter for the American side of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, Messina Touring Group, said in a statement that they were told by venues of future dates on the tour that ‘they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup’.

‘Which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” a spokesperson continued to Rolling Stone. ‘After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.’  

As seen in fan-taken footage from his September 5 performance in New Jersey, Macklemore wore a keffiyeh at one point during his set and also performed his 2024 song Hind’s Hall with footage of Gaza on the massive screen behind him.

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In the lyrics for Hind’s Hall the rapper criticises actions in Gaza. Proceeds from the song go toward humanitarian efforts from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. 

The full video from the performance shows Macklemore standing on stage and addressing the crowd. 

Pink reposted an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore's performance and demanded an apology to the concertgoers

Pink reposted an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore’s performance and demanded an apology to the concertgoers

‘One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine. I said, Free Palestine!’ he told the attendees.

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‘I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.’

He then introduced Hind’s Hall, stating that it ‘was inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world. Opened up hearts, myself included.’

‘So thank you to those students that risked their diplomas, that risked their tuition, that risked their scholarships, that stood up and said, “No.” CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. Thank you guys.’

He addressed the Jewish community, stating: ‘To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.’

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‘My message is for peace. Love. For all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality. So I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.’ 

Macklemore went on to post a video of his speech on social media with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial’. 

The singer Pink weighed in on the controversy, reposting an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore’s performance.

The caption on the post read: ‘Awful – Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in NJ, not to be ambushed by Macklemore’s anti-Israel propaganda.

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‘Instead, Macklemore walked onstage in a keffiyeh, shouted “Free Palestine,” accused Israel of a false “genocide,” and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state. Concert-goers are owed apologies and refunds.’

In response, Macklemore appeared to double down on his comments last week, as he posted a clip of his speech from MetLife Stadium with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial’.

Pink did not add any additional commentary aside from re-sharing the post.

In 2014, Macklemore issued an apology after wearing a disguise on stage in Seattle that many condemned as an anti-Semitic Jewish caricature.

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In his apology after the Jewish caricature controversy, he said: ‘There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended… I respect all cultures and all people. 

‘I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality, and… happen to love a weird outfit from time to time.’

Macklemore added that he never thought he looked Jewish. ‘Some people there thought I looked like Ringo, some Abe Lincoln. If anything, I thought I looked like Humpty Hump with a bowl cut,’ he said.

The uproar comes after the UK last week imposed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, sparking a furious response from Israel.

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Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the measures would target ‘illegal settlements and settlement expansion’, adding that there had been ‘ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists’.

It followed growing pressure for action to curb violence in the West Bank, amid reports of some 1,400 attacks by Israeli settlers this year – an average of over six incidents a day.

The British sanctions will ban settlement goods but also act against businesses and individuals providing services for settlement expansion. 

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded by accusing Miliband of spreading an ‘outrageous lie’.

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He later announced counter-measures, including shutting the UK’s consulate in East Jerusalem. 

But the UK was supported by France and Canada, who announced plans for trade bans on settlement goods, as well as nine other European countries who backed similar measures. 

The 12 countries issued a joint statement warning the Israeli government’s actions in the West Bank are threatening the two-state solution.

The measures mark a sharp shift in Britain’s stance on Israeli settlements under new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, representing the most significant attempt in many years – from a close Israeli ally – to use economic power to force change in the occupied West Bank.

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The Trump administration is taking a different stance, amid reports that it plans to sell to Israel a munitions package worth $2.8 billion, which will ​include tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs.

The package, which was reported earlier by the Washington Post, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, according to anonymous officials.

US public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. 

A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48 per cent ​of voters and 66 per cent of Democrats believe the United States ​is too supportive of Israel, up from 16 per cent and 20 per cent when the question ‌was ⁠first asked in 2017. 

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While the heaviest fighting has subsided since a ceasefire took hold in October, Israeli airstrikes have killed 1,369 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. 

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

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Prime suspect in ‘Putney pusher’ case found dead at his west London home

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Prime suspect in ‘Putney pusher’ case found dead at his west London home

The prime suspect in the notorious “Putney pusher” case has been found dead at his home in west London.

Banker Nicholas Brandram, 44, was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm following a decade-long manhunt after a female pedestrian, who has never been named, was shoved into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in 2017.

On Tuesday, Mr Brandram, a descendant of Queen Victoria , was found dead at his property in Chiswick in west London.

The Met Police said the death of a 44-year-old man was being treated as “unexpected”, and was not believed to be suspicious.

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CCTV captured the notorious “Putney pusher” following the incident in 2017
CCTV captured the notorious “Putney pusher” following the incident in 2017 (Metropolitan Police)

In a statement, the force said: “At 19:12hrs on Tuesday, 15 September officers and the London Ambulance Service attended an address in Chiswick, Hounslow after a man was found unresponsive inside a property. “Sadly, a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed.”

The force will prepare a file for the coroner in due course, a spokesperson said.

CCTV of the incident on Putney Bridge on 5 May 2017 showed a jogger forcefully shoving the woman with both of his hands into the path of a double-decker bus. Around 15 minutes later, he passed her as she was receiving help on the bridge and ignored her calls for him to stop.

The woman, who was 33 at the time, sustained a few minor injuries.

The suspect was described by the Met Police as in his early to mid-30s, with short brown hair and a stocky build. He was wearing dark blue shorts, trainers and a grey T-shirt.

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At the time, police interviewed more than 50 men and arrested three suspects, but the case was closed in 2018, and no one was ever charged.

But on 15 June, Mr Brandram was arrested at his home in connection with the case.

Mr Brandram was a senior relationship manager HSBC Private Bank, according to an interview he did with Citywealth earlier this year.

The Sun reported that he was a former British Army Captain who served in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan. He was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal at the time of her celebrations to mark 60 years on the throne in 2012.

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Mr Brandram was a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greeceand Denmark, who was the great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

This is a breaking story, more to follow…

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Successful start to four-day York CAMRA Beer Festival 2026

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Successful start to four-day York CAMRA Beer Festival 2026

Within minutes of the 1pm start, St Lawrence Church was starting to fill up with lots of happy drinkers.

The beer festival runs until Saturday, but the first session is for those in the trade.

Among them, Katie and Amanda Speed of Brewhemian Hopsody, a much-loved micropub in Fulford enjoying their first visit to the church location.

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Karen Crombie and staff from the Waggon and Horses. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Katie said: We have just been judging the beers, which was really good. I enjoyed it immensely.”

Katie said she was enjoying the festival due to the range of beers- over 200 beers and ciders are available.

The volunteers are keen to serve (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Amanda agreed: “There is such a different range and it is fantastic to try different beers that you never see.”

Amanda added: “It’s also research. It’s great research. We will definitely get ideas of what beers to stock. The festival is also lovely networking.”

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Eager customers keen to try an extensive range. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Karen Crombie of the Waggon and Horses was enjoying the festival with some of her staff.

Mike Webvale and Colin Povey of the North Riding Brew Co of Scarborough. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Karen said: “It’s a fabulous place for a beer festival. There much excellent beer. The beers here are great. They (CAMRA) have made good choices.”

The festival may also affect the guest ales she offers at the pub in nearby Lawrence Street.

Steve and Sally Scantleburn of the Half Moon at Strensall. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Karen added: “Even though the Waggon and Horses is a Bateman’s   p[ub, I can have some input on the beers we stock.”

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Steve and Sally Scantleburn of the Half Moon at Strensall agreed the festival was ‘really good.’

Sally said: “We have been coming here for three years. It always makes for a pleasant afternoon.

Steve said: The festival is really well run. There’s a great selection of beers. It’s also a bit of a fact-finding mission not a day out.”

Mike Webvale of Scarborough-based North Riding Brew Pub said of the festival: “It’s looking excellent as always. I have been coming here for so many years. I like the choice of beers. There’s something for everybody. The beers are also reasonably priced.”

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Craig and Millie Lee of Rudgate Brewery (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Colin Povey of the North Riding Brew Pub also liked the large selection of beers, agreeing the festival is well-run.

Colin added: “It’s lovely for us coming from Scarborough.”

Craig Lee of the Tockwith-based Rudgate Brewery was enjoying the festival with daughter Millie.

Craig said: “It’s a fantastic beer festival. It’s great to support it again. I’m pleased to showcase our beers again.”

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He continued: “Millie has just started at Rudgate doing social media and marketing. This is her first beer festival. It’s an eye opener for her. I’m teaching her all aspects of the trade.

York CAMRA officials were delighted to see the festival get off to a great start.

Rev Geoff Mumford, who had blessed the beers, noted a great start and thanked the many volunteers.

Branch chairman Chris Tregellis said the fine weather was helping the turnout and he was pleased to see so many enjoying themselves.

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Festival organiser Karl Smith agreed and added: “We are very happy and a looking forward to another successful festival.”

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WTA Finals to move to Charlotte in United States from 2027 on three-year deal

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Elena Rybakina holds up the 2025 WTA Finals trophy

The American city of Charlotte in North Carolina has been chosen as the new home of the season-ending WTA Finals.

The WTA says it wants to create the “Super Bowl of women’s sports” and is hoping the three-year deal will bring more stability to an event that has had six hosts in seven years.

A planned 10-year stay in Shenzhen ended after just one year, with Guadalajara, Fort Worth, Cancun and Riyadh all taking turns since. Crowds have often been disappointing.

“The WTA has always owned the WTA Finals, but now we are going to operate it, too,” said WTA chair Valerie Camillo.

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“We are not going to do everything ourselves, but we are taking control of this event, of the creation of the revenue and the controlling of the expenses. And that allows us to control our own destiny.”

This year’s Finals will be held in Indian Wells, California, before the tournament moves to Charlotte from 2027.

Prize money is yet to be announced, but the pot for this year’s Finals will be $10m (£7.4m) – which is $5.5m (£4.1m) less than the sum put up by Saudi Arabia last year.

“2026 is a year of transition for the WTA,” Camillo said.

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“We are doing the normal belt tightening you would expect of any business while also absorbing the unexpected cost of relocating the WTA Finals to Indian Wells.

“What is most important to know is that we have a clear path to deliver consistent, sustainable financial performance in 2027 and beyond, supported by strong revenue and audience growth.”

Riyadh had been due to stage the Finals for a third time in November, but the arrangement finished one year early.

This was partly because of the instability caused by the conflict between the United States and Iran, but also reflected the waning interest of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

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The country’s sovereign wealth fund has recently stopped bankrolling LIV Golf, while the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters was another casualty earlier this year.

The Finals, which involve the best eight singles players and doubles teams of the year, will be staged at the Spectrum Centre where the Charlotte Hornets play their home NBA games.

The basketball season will be in full swing next November and, because of the frequency of home games, the Finals will be reduced from eight days to five, which is likely to affect revenue.

Camillo says the WTA has already started exploring alternative formats with the players, but if the round-robin element of the tournament survives, the finalists would need to play every day.

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The WTA will also move its global headquarters from St Petersburg in Florida to Charlotte as part of the agreement.

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how environmental progress can become unstoppable

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how environmental progress can become unstoppable

It must be tough being a judge on the world’s most prestigious environmental prize: imagine having to choose between an ingenious machine that removes microplastics from a river in Europe, or a company in East Africa that sells clean cookstoves through affordable weekly instalments.

Over the last six months, we have been working with colleagues at Green Futures Solutions at the University of Exeter to make that job a little easier. We have found a way to distinguish between solutions that carry on working as long as people keep putting money into them, and those with “tipping potential” that get better, cheaper and easier to adopt the more successful they are. Our new report applies the science of positive tipping points to the five Earthshot categories – nature, air, oceans, waste and climate – for the first time.

After a northern summer of record-breaking heat, wildfires, floods and a deadly glacier collapse in the Nepal-Tibet border region, it would be easy to conclude the planet is only headed towards collapse. But tipping points science says otherwise. The same dynamic principle that leaves coral reefs and rainforests vulnerable to a relatively abrupt breakdown can also work in our favour – if we know the right levers to pull.

What is a positive tipping point?

Most environmental interventions assume change is incremental and proportionate: bigger problems require bigger budgets and lead to slower progress. But many complex systems we rely on (technologies, markets, societal norms, ecosystems) can shift abruptly once a critical threshold is crossed.

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Solar power is a great example. Its cost fell around 90% in a decade because every panel sold stimulated innovation that made the next one cheaper. This attracted more investment, which cut costs again and improved performance. The tipping point happened when self-propelling feedback took over. Clean electricity, our report finds, is now a “master cascade”: as solar and wind have tipped in many markets, clean power can accelerate further progress in electric mobility, residential heating, industrial emissions and air quality.

Our report identifies the potential for such self-propelling feedback across 51 solution areas. Specifically, we identify whether the innovative solution is, or could quickly become, more affordable, accessible, and attractive than the polluting incumbent system it seeks to replace. We have also assigned measurable 2030 targets to each solution area, so progress can be tracked.

Three that could soon tip

Around 2.1 billion people still cook on wood, charcoal or dung and the smoke kills nearly 3 million people a year, including more than 300,000 children under five. Pay-as-you-go finance (borrowed from off-grid solar), turns an unaffordable stove into a small weekly payment. Clean cooking is now close to tipping in several African markets. People switch primarily because it saves them time and money.

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Founder and CEO, Charlot Magayi, launched Mukuru (one of the 2025 Earthshot winners) as an alternative to traditional cookstoves, which emit harmful chemicals and lack safeguards.
@TheEarthshotPrize

Methane is responsible for about 30% of global heating so far, but lasts only around 12 years in the atmosphere. Cutting methane emissions therefore helps cool climate within a decade, rather than a century. A new generation of satellites can now pinpoint methane leaks from individual oil and gas facilities from space, and they are cheap to fix. The gas saved is worth more than the repair.

Inside a well-enforced marine-protected area, where commercial fishing is banned, fish biomass typically reaches four to seven times that of the surrounding waters within five to ten years. Fish spill out across the boundary, nearby fish catches rise, and the fishers who initially opposed the marine-protected area become the constituency demanding more of them. Only around 3% of the ocean is fully protected, but the landmark high seas treaty (itself an Earthshot prizewinner) entered into force this year and aims to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Satellites can now monitor some industrial fishing fleets, so enforcement of marine-protected areas is getting easier. The science, the technology and the politics are coming together.

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The high seas treaty, one of the 2025 Earthshot prizewinners, is led by Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance.
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Not everything is about to tip. The biggest brake is investment: Africa receives only 3% of clean energy finance despite holding 60% of the world’s best solar resources. Our report shows where innovative financing could create the conditions to address these barriers, and highlights how the current investment gaps in adaptation financing can be closed.

By using our research to shape how the prize searches for, selects and supports solutions, Earthshot can help trigger positive tipping points to accelerate out of trouble.

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Perthshire councillors approve return of “vital” filling station to village

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Daily Record

The restoration of the filling station in Bridge of Earn was described as a “vital necessity” in the documents for the change-of-use planning permission.

Councillors have granted permission for Oilfast to reinstate a filling station on Bridge of Earn’s Main Street, on a site previously used as a vehicle sales forecourt.

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Motherwell-based Oilfast sought change-of-use planning permission to reintroduce a petrol station in the Perthshire village, arguing it was “a vital necessity”.

Perth and Kinross Council’s Planning and Placemaking Committee was told by a senior planning officer that the application was part-retrospective, as the applicant had carried out the “majority of the works without the benefit of planning permission”.

Presenting the application to the committee on Wednesday, September 9, Development Management team leader Paul Williamson said the application had been brought forward as a result of enforcement negotiations. It was recommended by council officers for conditional approval.

According to the Design and Planning Statement – submitted by JMS Planning and Development on behalf of Oilfast – the site had operated as a filling station until around 2008.

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They argued there was “a national need for additional and enhanced petrol filling station facilities” and “a significant absence of petrol filling station facilities within the local area, particularly between Perth and Kinross”.

Presenting the application for the automated, unmanned facility, JMS Planning and Development’s statement described filling stations as “vital community facilities” that “often function as a community hub”.

The agent’s statement read: “Petrol filling stations are a vital necessity and can often function as a community hub, but are facing significant threats in a harsh economic climate. Petrol stations have been likened to post offices and local shops as vital community facilities which are rapidly disappearing.”

The number of UK filling stations is reported to have fallen by 75 per cent between 1967 and 2023.

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There were five objections from members of the public alongside a further objection from Earn Community Council.

Addressing councillors, objector Sarah Stewart stressed her concern about the cumulative impact of lighting, noise, traffic and contamination on neighbouring homes.

Mrs Stewart said: “Our concern is not one element in isolation; it’s the cumulative effect of all these activities operating together.”

Neighbouring objector Iain Bethune felt there were “material gaps” in the information provided by the applicant regarding traffic, lighting, and contamination.

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Highlighting issues with parking and visibility, he said: “We request stronger action, such as double yellow lines.

“This would be an obvious solution.”

Oilfast chief executive Stephen Anderson told councillors that the company already operates two 24-hour petrol stations in Perthshire—in Guildtown and Balbeggie—“without issue”.

The pumps in Bridge of Earn will not operate 24 hours a day, but will be available from 6am to 11pm.

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The use of jet washes and air, water and vacuum units will be limited to between the hours of 7am and 8pm.

Mr Anderson said: “We pride ourselves on being considerate operators and, quite frankly, it’s in our best interest to be good neighbours.”

He added that Oilfast had commissioned a mail drop to 600 neighbouring households: “Eighty-four per cent of respondents were in favour of reopening the Cargill’s site for fuel sales, with 74 per cent voting ‘strongly in favour’.”

The current site owner, Cargill’s, has entered into a lease agreement with Oilfast for the forecourt area only.

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Cargill’s Autos will continue operating car sales and general vehicle maintenance and repairs in the area behind the forecourt.

Conservative councillor Ian James moved the plans for approval, seconded by SNP councillor Mike Williamson.

Local Conservative councillor David Illingworth (Almond and Earn ward) sought to restrict fuel sales to between 7am and 10pm for the benefit of nearby residents.

However, he was legally advised by council officers that there would need to be “a clear justification as to why there’s a need to reduce the hours”.

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He subsequently withdrew his amendment.

Planning permission was unanimously granted—subject to conditions—allowing the site to be used for fuel sales from 6am to 11pm.

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Sir Bradley Wiggins backing son, Ben, to achieve something that he never could

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Manchester Evening News

Ben Wiggins heads to London after success at the Tour of Britain and his father is looking forward to see him shine in London

Bradley Wiggins has used his own relationship with his father to shape his bond with son Ben – and hopes the newest Wiggins on the cycling scene can achieve something he never managed.

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Now 21, Ben Wiggins has started to establish himself as a rising force on two wheels, both on the road and the track. The latter is where Bradley Wiggins first made his name, winning four of his five Olympic gold medals in the velodrome but victory at London Six Day always eluded him.

The competition has now been slimmed down to London 3 Day, and after finishing third and second in each of the last two years, Ben Wiggins is aiming to go one better than his dad’s best result. This is London 3 Day’s third year, and it continues to grow – bringing world-class track racing and a brilliant live atmosphere back to London.

Bradley Wiggins said: “In the last two years he’s finished third, second. So he’s got a chance to do something I didn’t do. We, me and Cav (Mark Cavendish), got second. So definitely, it would be a great thing if it happens.”

Wiggins’ father, Gary, was an Australian professional cyclist who competed regularly on the Six Day circuit. Wiggins senior was not part of Bradley’s life growing up, and he has spoken previously about wanting to prove himself to his father and how that drove him on.

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They did reunite later in Gary’s life before he died following a fight at a house party in 2008. Given the dynamics of that relationship, Bradley Wiggins was keen to ensure that his own father-son connection with Ben was very different.

He explained: “The only thing I decided a long time ago was, and it was probably informed by my own relationship with my dad, first and foremost, I wanted to be his dad.

“He always looked at me as his hero, and it was in an unhealthy way, I thought. I think establishing our relationship as father and son – win or lose for him, I’m still his dad and still there for him – has served us well over time.

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“If he wins, I’m his biggest supporter. If he loses, like any dad, I stick my arm around him. I never wanted to be the one saying, “Right then, you didn’t do this right, you didn’t do that right.”

“My level of expectation, I never wanted to put that on him. In doing that, he’s always got a supportive dad who, win or lose, is going to be there for the rest of his life.

“He’s found his own way through the sport, navigating it, and he’s had success as well. I think he’s become his own person. It’s not about repeating what I did or trying to emulate what I did. I think that’s important.”

Given Bradley Wiggins’ success on the bike – Britain’s first-ever Tour de France champion and a five-time Olympic champion – he still has plenty of advice to offer if Ben ever requires it.

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And while he is always conscious of not overstepping the mark and interfering with coach’s plans, he is happy to share his mental approach to elite cycling with Ben.

He added: “He tends to come and ask me for things that other people probably can’t give him. His coach has all the conditioning stuff.

“There are things that he asks me, particularly about the mental side of it, the preparation and what you should be thinking going into it. So that’s quite nice, that I’m able to give him that from my own experience.

“Although the sport’s changed quite a lot, and maybe the preparation might change, the fuelling strategies and all that, the mental mindset going into something where you’ve got to arrive and be as fast as possible, that’s remained the same since the start of time.”

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London 3 Day returns to Lee Valley VeloPark from 13-15 November 2026, bringing together the world’s fastest riders, Olympic champions and cycling’s next superstars. Tickets and information: www.london3day.com | Instagram @LND3DAY

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The most expensive place to fill up in Cambridgeshire as fuel prices soar

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Cambridgeshire Live

Average pump prices are jumping by a penny a day in some cases

Soaring petrol prices have now reached their highest level since the start of the Iran war with the cost of filling up a family car with unleaded fuel edging towards £100.

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The average price of a litre of petrol has now gone through the 170p barrier which means it would cost around £94 to fill up a standard 55-litre tank car, and in many areas prices are much higher.

Motorists face a postcode lottery at the pumps with even the cheapest prices charged by supermarkets varying widely across the country. Maidstone in Kent has the highest average price for unleaded petrol this week at 175.2 per litre. That is 20p a litre more than motorists are paying in parts of Northern Ireland, and 15p a litre more than the average price in Watford.

In Cambridge, motorists are currently paying 173.2p per litre for unleaded petrol, making it one of the most expensive places in the country to fill up.

You can find the cheapest petrol and diesel on sale in your neighbourhood by searching our postcode checker.

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Owners of diesel cars are paying an average of just over 190p and dozens of forecourts around the country have seen the price of standard diesel go over the £2-a-litre mark in the last week.

The price of diesel has reached 215p per litre at BP motorway services, while a service station on the M61 motorway near Bolton is charging 195.9 per litre of standard unleaded, one of the highest prices in the country.

According to the latest data from Fuel Finder, at least 200 garages are charging 181p or more per litre of standard E10 unleaded, which would push the cost of filling up a standard family car on their forecourts over the £100 mark.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Since the start of this month, the cost of filling a family car has already risen by almost £5, to £94 for petrol and £106 for diesel. Average pump prices have jumped by yet another penny in just a day. Petrol has now broken through the £1.70-a-litre barrier and stands at 170.54p – its highest since 23 August 2022. Unfortunately for hard-pressed drivers, prices look set to keep on rising”.

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Average price for unleaded petrol:

20 most expensive areas

  • Maidstone – 175.2p
  • Brentwood – 174p
  • Dumfries and Galloway – 173.7p
  • Broxbourne – 173.5p
  • East Staffordshire – 173.2p
  • Cambridge – 173.2p
  • South Oxfordshire – 172.9p
  • North East Derbyshire – 172.9p
  • East Hertfordshire – 172.8p
  • Westminster – 172.7p
  • Cheshire East – 172.7p
  • Tandridge – 172.6p
  • Colchester – 172.6p
  • Chichester – 172.5p
  • Ashford – 172.4p
  • Breckland – 172.4p
  • Denbighshire – 172.2p
  • North Hertfordshire – 172.2p
  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole – 172.1p
  • Lambeth – 172.1p

20 areas with the cheapest average prices

  • South Ayrshire – 163.9p
  • Basingstoke and Deane – 163.8p
  • Hartlepool – 163.8p
  • Erewash – 163.7p
  • West Suffolk – 163.5p
  • Ashfield – 163.2p
  • Tamworth – 162.7p
  • York – 162.2p
  • South Tyneside – 162.2p
  • Ipswich – 161.7p
  • Antrim and Newtownabbey – 160.6p
  • Watford – 160.2p
  • Fermanagh and Omagh – 160p
  • Derry City and Strabane – 159.2p
  • Causeway Coast and Glens – 159.2p
  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon – 157.2p
  • Mid Ulster – 156.2p
  • Mid and East Antrim – 156.1p
  • Ards and North Down – 154.2p
  • Scottish Borders – 149.3p

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Proposed curriculum in Northern Ireland would restrict children’s language learning

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Proposed curriculum in Northern Ireland would restrict children’s language learning

Northern Ireland is in the process of establishing a new curriculum for primary and secondary education. The proposed Northern Ireland Curriculum Framework 2028, TransformED – currently under consultation – sets out a new, knowledge-rich curriculum.

Knowledge-rich means a strong understanding of subject-specific content, rather than, for instance, more general skills. There are many similarities with the 2013 educational reforms in England spearheaded by then education secretary Michael Gove, such as the influence of cognitive science and the belief that secure knowledge underpins higher-order thinking.

Some of the most far-reaching proposed changes in Northern Ireland are in language teaching.

Over the past 20 years, modern languages taught in schools in Northern Ireland have included French, German, Irish and Spanish.

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When the curriculum was last reformed in the early 2000s, there was a missed opportunity to include statutory languages in the primary school curriculum. This effectively rendered Northern Ireland as having European Union’s shortest compulsory period of language learning.

Nevertheless, many of Northern Ireland’s post-primary schools teach [two or three languages]. The current curriculum requires the study of at least one language of the European Union but it provides ample flexibility to study more.

The new proposals still do not include modern languages in primary school. They shift to focus attention on “a single core modern language”, only required at secondary school in the 11-14 age range. Teaching practice would be focused on the three pillars of phonics, vocabulary and grammar. This includes concentrating on teaching pupils a high-frequency list of 800 words.

In Northern Ireland schools where teaching is in English, Irish is considered a modern language with the same status as French, German and Spanish. In Northern Ireland’s two Irish-medium post-primary schools, pupils learn through Irish and study English and either French or Spanish.

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This differs from other Celtic jurisdictions, where language provision has been expanded, not reduced. Since 2013, Scotland has offered all pupils the chance to learn at least two modern languages. The Republic of Ireland and Wales have bilingual plus one policies, meaning that all pupils learn Irish or Welsh, plus an additional foreign modern language.

In fact, the explicit focus on only one core language from ages 11 to 14 in Northern Ireland is a significant policy shift not seen elsewhere in the British Isles. In England, language study is compulsory from ages seven to 14 and can include ancient languages in the primary phase.

Depth of knowledge

The argument from the Northern Ireland devolved government is that research evidence supports spending learning time concentrating on “developing depth of knowledge”. Yes, depth of knowledge of languages and linguistics is essential, but there is no peer-reviewed international research which says young people should only learn one language at school or that this should be confined to the 11-14 age range.

The proposals prioritise depth of knowledge.
Javier Bermudez Zayas/Shutterstock

Informed by international research, EU policy sets a goal of all pupils acquiring, before the end of upper secondary, proficiency in the language of schooling and knowledge of two additional languages. It also calls for particular attention to be paid to language awareness in multilingual classrooms.

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In the UK, this approach has been widely embraced in recent changes to the curriculum in Wales.

The word list of 800 high-frequency words, which differ across each of French, German, Irish and Spanish, is an approach that has also been used in England, where, at GCSE level, pupils have defined word lists. But as applied linguist Gianfranco Conti notes, a high-frequency word list tells us how often a lexical item occurs in a corpus a word is used but it does not tell us how useful that word will be to an 11-year-old.

The word for “pencil case” may not be in the top 800 words, but it’s still important to a young person in a classroom and worth knowing, not least because it helps to explain gender in languages.

The arguments for multilingualism are well rehearsed – and this is a time when Northern Ireland’s schools educate over 21,350 newcomer pupils and are home to speakers of more than 90 languages.. The decisions made now will shape language learning for a generation.

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Wales breaking news plus weather and traffic updates (Wednesday, September 16)

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Wales Online

Plaid Cymru leader and first minister Rhun ap Iorwerth will speak at a march for independence later this month, it has been announced. Thousands of people are expected to descend on Aberystwyth on Saturday, September 26, for a YesCymru Welsh independence rally.

It is the first YesCymru march to be held in mid Wales and follows the 10 marches held since 2019, including in Cardiff, Wrexham, Swansea and Carmarthen, which have seen tens of thousands of people from every corner of Wales attend. Campaign organisers confirmed Mr ap Iorwerth will be among the speakers at the rally following the march.

It comes after what YesCymru described as an “historic week” in the independence movement. Full details here.

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Putney Pusher suspect is found dead: Millionaire HSBC banker, 44, an ex-Army captain with links to royalty was under investigation in hunt for jogger who shoved woman into bus

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Nicholas Brandram - who was arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher - has been found dead. He is pictured 2013

A 44-year-old private banker arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher has been found dead. 

Nicholas Brandram was detained on June 15 at his home in Chiswick, West London, for attempted grievous bodily harm.

It was in relation to a notorious incident on May 5, 2017 when a jogger shoved a female pedestrian into the path of a double-decker bus on Putney Bridge – which only avoided her thanks to the lightening quick reactions of the driver. 

Police searched Mr Brandram’s £1.4million house and subsequently rearrested him for possession of Class A and Class B drugs – believed to be cocaine and cannabis. 

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A Metropolitan Police spokesman said today: ‘At 7.15pm on Tuesday, September 15 officers and the London Ambulance Service attended an address in Chiswick, Hounslow after a man was found unresponsive inside a property. 

‘Sadly, a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed. At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner in due course.’

Mr Brandram – a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, Queen Victoria’s last female descendant – was a director at HSBC’s private bank before being suspended after his arrest. 

His name was not released at the time of his arrest for legal reasons, but his identity was the subject of intense online speculation. He can now be named following his death. 

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Mr Brandram was a decorated former British Army captain who served with the Scots Guards in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan. In 2012, the Newcastle University philosophy and psychology graduate was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his military service.

A year later, he appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court after colliding with a female cyclist on Hyde Park Corner on March 6 of that year. 

Nicholas Brandram – who was arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher – has been found dead. He is pictured 2013 

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Mr Brandram crashed his 1948 Harley-Davidson into the woman and then drove off without leaving his details or checking if she was hurt, the court heard. 

Representing himself, he told magistrates: ‘I ride a bicycle myself and realise the risks.

‘I’m an upstanding member of society and have recently resigned as a member of the British Army and have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

‘I have a very loud bike so it’s not impossible I collided with her without me realising it. At the same time with such a big bike I don’t know how I didn’t feel the collision.’

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He pleaded guilty to a count each of driving without due care and attention and of failing to stop after a road accident. 

He received five penalty points, a £200 fine and was told to pay £105 compensation. Mr Brandram thanked magistrates and said he would pay the fine immediately. 

The Putney Pusher incident took place during rush hour on May 5, 2017 at about 7.40am.

A woman was walking southwards on Putney Bridge when the jogger approached her from the opposite direction.

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There was plenty of room on the footpath for him to run around her safely, but instead he shoved her onto the road – directly in the path of an incoming 430 bus going at 12mph.

Thanks to the rapid reactions of the driver, Oliver Salbris, the bus missed the 33-year-old victim’s head by inches, and she survived largely physically unscathed. 

The jogger continued his run across Putney Bridge without so much as a backward glance.

After the vehicle stopped, passers-by rushed to help the shaken woman – who has never been publicly identified.

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The jogger returned in the opposite direction about 15 minutes later, passing the victim again while she was still being assisted on the bridge. He ignored her calls to stop. 

Nine years ago, police released dramatic CCTV footage of the moment this jogger appeared to push a woman into the path of an incoming bus on Putney Bridge

Nine years ago, police released dramatic CCTV footage of the moment this jogger appeared to push a woman into the path of an incoming bus on Putney Bridge 

The jogger was seen appearing to push the victim into the path of the incoming vehicle. The driver swerved and missed the woman's head by inches

The jogger was seen appearing to push the victim into the path of the incoming vehicle. The driver swerved and missed the woman’s head by inches

In April, Mr Salbris told the Mail that he would never forget what he saw.

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‘I always think about the case and I still drive over Putney Bridge several times a day,’ he said.

‘Whenever I’m on the bridge, I look very carefully at the pedestrians on the pavement, I just can’t help it. I wouldn’t say it haunts me, but it’s not something I can easily forget.

‘I’m glad my reactions were quick on that day, or it would have ended very differently, both for me and the woman who was pushed. Her head was only a few centimetres from the bus and the wheel, even after I swerved to avoid her.’

At the time of the original appeal, the suspect was described as a white man in his early to mid-30s, with a stocky build and short brown hair. He was wearing a grey T-shirt and dark blue shorts.

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Metropolitan Police detectives interviewed 50 men and arrested three suspects, including an American investment banker – who was able to prove ‘irrefutably’ that he was in the US at the time.

No suspect was ever charged, and the investigation was closed in 2018 before new information led to Mr Brandram’s arrest. 

Earlier this month, he was released under investigation to give police time to complete outstanding enquiries. 

The Met said at the time: ‘On Monday, June 15, a 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. 

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‘The arrest relates to an incident on May 5, 2017, where a woman was pushed into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in Putney.

‘Once in police custody, he was also arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs.

‘He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.’

Mr Brandram - a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, Victoria's last female descendant - was a director at HSBC's private bank before being suspended after his arrest

Mr Brandram – a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, Victoria’s last female descendant – was a director at HSBC’s private bank before being suspended after his arrest

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Mr Brandram’s late father, City executive Paul Brandram, was the only child of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark and Major Richard Campbell Andrew Brandram, who served with the British Army during the Second World War.

Princess Katherine was Queen Victoria‘s great-granddaughter, a first cousin of Prince Philip, and the daughter of King Constantine I, who ruled Greece between 1913 and 1922.

Queen Sofia of Spain, Paul Brandram’s cousin, told of her ‘great sadness’ after his death in 2020 at the age of 72. 

Like his father, Nicholas has had a successful career in the City, working at leading stockbrokers Killik & Co and Israeli lender Bank Leumi before moving to HSBC, where he managed the assets of wealthy individuals.

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He was nominated Private Banker of the Year for 2026. 

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