Connect with us

NewsBeat

First look at plans for NI’s first-ever Crocs outlet store

Published

on

Belfast Live

“Got an old pair of Crocs lying around? Why not trade them in for something back.”

A planning application has been lodged for the refitting of an existing retail unit to house footwear brand Crocs in The Boulevard.

The management team at the shopping complex have embarked on a quirky advertising campaign to promote the arrival of Crocs to the site.

They posted to potential future customers on their Facebook page last Thursday, saying: “Got an old pair of Crocs lying around? Why not trade them in for something back.

Advertisement

“Until August 31, bring your old Crocs to The Boulevard and we’ll use them to help decorate our Crocs archway. In return, you’ll receive an exclusive discount on your next pair when the brand-new Crocs store opens right here at The Boulevard. It’s time to give your old Crocs a new purpose.”

The plans include the installation of a new dividing wall, electrical systems, flooring and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. The planning application was lodged on July 31 by Silvaman Group Ltd, Tipton.

The planning application is at the consultation stage, and DfI Roads Craigavon Office have been asked to have their say on the plans. They have not responded yet.

Advertisement

The footwear giant is being described as follows on their website: “Crocs, Inc. is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for women, men, and children, combining comfort and style.

“The company’s brands include Crocs and HEYDUDE, and its products are sold in more than 85 countries.”

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

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

New study reveals how much caffeine is actually in your favourite cup of coffee

Published

on

New study reveals how much caffeine is actually in your favourite cup of coffee
A new Which? study has analysed the caffeine content of various drinks (Picture: Getty Images)

Many of us see coffee as a caffeine fix, whether it’s first thing in the morning or during the 3pm slump.

But as a new study shows, not all drinks are created equal, and the level of buzz you’ll be left with can vary wildly depending on where you order.

Consumer watchdog Which? analysed the caffeine content across chains including Caffè Nero, Costa, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, and Greggs.

According to the research, Costa was top of the list, with a medium sized capuccino — which features a mixture of espresso, hot milk, and thick foam on the top — containing 325 milligrams.

Advertisement

For context, that’s the same amount of caffeine as four cans of Red Bull,or almost three-and-a-half times the 89mg found in the same beverage from Starbucks.

Meanwhile, Greggs’ and Caffè Nero’s options featured 235mg and 221mg of caffeine, placing them second and third respectively.

Epsom London UK, March21 2021, Starbucks Coffee Shop Branding Logo With No People
Starbucks uses the least amount of caffeine (Picture: Getty Images)

If you order an espresso, you might expect a strong hit of caffeine. Arguably, that’s the whole point, right?

But at Costa, you’re looking at 100mg of the stuff, which again, makes it the most caffeine-heavy shot served by all UK chains. And when it comes to the flat white, a short drink made with three slightly smaller ‘cortissimo’ shots, the 241mg is enough to give you the shakes just thinking about it.

By contrast, Starbucks’ espresso features 45mg, while the 89mg of caffeine in its flat white is almost three times lower than the Costa equivalent.

Advertisement

Ask Metro


Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.

The last time Which? carried out a study of this type was 2023, and since then, Caffè Nero appears to have seriously embraced the buzz, with its cappuccino now containing double the previous amount, at 160mg.

Advertisement
Pret logo is seen on a cup of coffee in this illustration photo taken in Berlin, Germany on November 10, 2024. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
People who are pregnant will usually monitor caffeine (Picture: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)

In terms of why this is the case, it all depends on the type of bean that’s used, as well as the roasting style, method of brewing, and of course, the cup size.

According to the Caffeine Informer website, a standard espresso contains 80mg, while a latte and an Americano both also have 160mg.

So if you’re actively looking to reduce your caffeine intake, then Starbucks is your best bet, as the chain generally serves the least amount in its drinks. However, over the last three years, levels have slightly increased.

It’s also important to keep in mind that while matcha is often touted as a gentler alternative to coffee, it’s not completely caffeine-free.

In the Which? study, Costa’s hot matcha latte came out with the highest amount at 99mg, while Starbucks measured up at 57mg and Pret 28mg.

Advertisement

Metro has contacted both Costa and Starbucks for comment.

Just how much coffee is too much?

Registered dietitian Dr Frankie Phillips previously revealed the perfect number of cups we should be aiming for to optimise the health benefits of coffee.

‘Drinking moderate amounts of coffee, that’s about three to five cups per day, has been consistently linked to a healthy diet and lifestyle,’ she told Metro.

‘Studies have shown promising evidence that drinking coffee may bring some health benefits such as lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular (heart) disease, as well as reducing tiredness, increasing attention, mental performance, energy and alertness and even improving some aspects of sports performance.’

Advertisement

She adds that many of the benefits of drinking coffee can be put down to the caffeine it contains, but there is increasing interest in the antioxidants that might have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects.

‘Coffee also contains small amounts of useful nutrients such as potassium and magnesium,’ says Dr Phillips.

The caffeine levels of coffee have an impact on how much of it you should be drinking. But how can you tell how much caffeine is in your coffee?

‘The amount of caffeine in an average cup of coffee can vary a lot depending on how you prepare it,’ Dr Phillips explains.

Advertisement

‘Typically, a cup of instant coffee might contain about 65mg of caffeine, a brewed coffee about 85mg and a single espresso shot has about 60mg caffeine. So, if you have your Americano or latte with three shots of espresso, that could be 180mg caffeine at once.’

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

zombie thriller that propelled the rise of Korean cinema

Published

on

zombie thriller that propelled the rise of Korean cinema

Ten years ago, a divorced father and his young daughter boarded a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan. But before they reached their destination, most of South Korea had been overrun by zombies.

This simple premise turned director Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan into one of the most successful Korean films of its generation. Following its premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, it went on to draw more than 11.5 million viewers in South Korea and broke box-office records for Korean films in several Asian markets.

The film is now returning to cinemas in a new 4K restoration for its tenth anniversary. However, this new version arrives in a world where Korean films and television shows occupy a very different cultural position from that of 2016. The genre-bending film Parasite won best picture (and a slew of other awards) at the 2020 Oscars, the hit TV drama Squid Game has become an international phenomenon, and Korean actors are increasingly familiar to audiences far beyond Asia.

Looking back from 2026, Train to Busan was an important stage in that transformation. It showed that Korean commercial film could attract global attention, while also depicting important social concerns and storytelling traditions coming from the film’s Korean context.

Advertisement

A society in crisis

The film follows Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a successful fund manager, taking his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) to visit her mother in Busan. Their train has barely pulled out from Seoul Station when a woman on the train infected with a zombie contagion begins to attack other passengers.

The train gathers a cross-section of South Korean society into one confined space. Its passengers include a pregnant woman and her husband, school pupils, elderly sisters, railway employees, a homeless man and a wealthy transport executive. The train is also a key character in the film, with its narrow corridors and automatic doors turning every movement between carriages into a tactical challenge.

As the infection spreads, social position offers little protection. Instead, each person’s character is measured by how they respond to the vulnerability of others. The executive, Yong-suk, tries to persuade other passengers to exclude people who have fought their way to apparent safety and his selfishness quickly spreads to others.

Advertisement

The main character, Seok-woo, initially shares this instinct. He tells his daughter, Su-an, to look after herself and uses his personal contacts to seek protection only for him and his daughter. But Su-an’s actions challenge this choice. Her concern for strangers draws her father towards a different understanding of responsibility. She shows that those who cooperate with each other create possibilities for survival, while those who treat others as expendable jeopardise their own safety.

Institutional Failure

Train to Busan also explores themes beyond individual behaviour. As panic rises among the passengers, government announcements and television reports describe the disaster vaguely as violent unrest, offering little useful information. A supposedly secure military presence at Daejeon Station is shown as being overrun with marauding zombies.

These images were especially poignant in South Korea in 2016, as two years earlier, over 300 people, including 250 pupils from a single secondary school, had died in the Sewol ferry disaster. Investigations into the incident exposed regulatory failures, poor emergency management and misleading official communication.

The national trauma surrounding the disaster persisted. In the years that followed, popular culture repeatedly returned to the fate of people failed by institutions that were supposed to protect them.

Advertisement

The government’s response to the Sewol disaster contributed to a wider loss of public trust in the then president, Park Geun-hye. In late 2016, millions joined candlelight protests against Park, leading to her impeachment over a corruption scandal. Although Train to Busan came before the largest demonstrations, its scepticism towards corporate and political authority reflected the public discontent of the time.

Before Parasite and Squid Game

Before making Train to Busan, Yeon Sang-ho was already known for dark animated films. Films such as The King of Pigs and The Fake examined bullying, poverty and religious exploitation. Train to Busan, his first live-action feature, continued to combine social criticism with Korean melodrama. It marked his move into blockbuster filmmaking and brought his concerns into a much larger commercial production.

Korean cinema already had a strong international reputation by 2016. Directors such as Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook had spent more than a decade attracting film festival audiences and critics through films including Oldboy, Memories of Murder, and The Host.

Train to Busan moved beyond those established audiences to a wider market via the familiar zombie genre. Its action crossed language boundaries and its emotional stakes were widely understandable, but the institutions, social conflicts and family relationships were firmly rooted in the South Korean experience.

Advertisement

This ability to work through recognisable genres would become central to the global success of Korean screen culture. The film Parasite used thriller and black comedy to examine class inequality, and the TV series Squid Game turned children’s games into a story about debt, desperation and brutal competition. Like Train to Busan, both explored pressures experienced within contemporary South Korea in ways that international audiences could understand.

Yeon has argued that this international success developed over many years, as Korean creators gradually built credibility with global audiences, with Train to Busan helping to extend that credibility from film festival cinema to mass entertainment. Ten years on, the film retains its compelling message of human behaviour in the midst of societal challenge, at the same time as Korean screen culture continues to ascend in its commercial influence.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Huge inferno damages 140 cars at holiday parking site near Gatwick Airport as eight fire engines battled blaze: Man, 67, arrested on suspicion of arson

Published

on

The aftermath shows the burnt out shells of cars

Advertisement

A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after around 140 cars were destroyed in a fire near Gatwick Airport.

Police and fire crew were called to the ‘significant and complex’ fire in Caldyne Business Park in Rowfant, near Crawley, West Sussex, at 8.56pm on Saturday.

It is understood the car park is used mainly for travellers going to Gatwick, though the airport does not operate it.

Huge flames and thick smoke were pictured on Saturday night before a 67-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson.

Advertisement

He was bailed as an investigation continued, Sussex Police said. 

Eight fire engines and two water carriers brought the blaze under control overnight as more than 2,000 homes had their power cut after the fire damaged high-voltage equipment near the car park.

Members of the public have been told to avoid the area as firefighters remained there to ‘dampen down hotspots’.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue said its teams were ‘hoping’ to leave later today. 

Advertisement

The aftermath shows the burnt out shells of cars 

Fire crews battled a large fire near Gatwick Airport on Saturday evening, after which a man was arrested on suspicion of arson

Fire crews battled a large fire near Gatwick Airport on Saturday evening, after which a man was arrested on suspicion of arson

The 67-year-old man has been bailed as an investigation continues, police said

The 67-year-old man has been bailed as an investigation continues, police said

Advertisement
Around 100 cars are believed to have been burned during the fire at a car park mainly used for travellers heading to Gatwick, it is understood

Around 100 cars are believed to have been burned during the fire at a car park mainly used for travellers heading to Gatwick, it is understood

There were no casualties from the fire.

A London Gatwick spokesman told the Daily Mail: ‘We are aware of a fire at an unaffiliated third-party car parking site, which occurred on Saturday evening, and understand how concerning and distressing this will be for any passengers whose vehicles may have been affected.

‘We are advising any passengers who are concerned that their vehicle might have been affected to call the police on 101.

Advertisement

‘The parking company is not endorsed or operated by London Gatwick.’

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue said: ‘On Saturday (22 August) at 8.56pm we were alerted to fire at Wallage Lane in Rowfant.

‘Crews have been at the scene since the initial 999 call, responding to a significant and complex fire involving a workshop, vehicles (including electric and heavy goods vehicles), and cylinders.

‘Approximately 140 vehicles were damaged, and a number of the vehicles involved in this fire were parked at a site used for holiday parking. Any affected consumers are advised to contact their operator directly.

Advertisement

‘On Saturday night local residents and nearby businesses experienced a temporary loss of electricity as an overhead power line needed to be isolated.

‘Vulnerable customers were supported by West Sussex County Council’s Resilience and Emergencies Team, and the electricity supply has since been restored.

‘Fire crews have been at the scene this morning (24 August) damping down hotspots, and we are hoping to leave the scene later on today.

‘Fortunately there were no casualties as a result of this fire.

Advertisement

‘A joint fire investigation is now ongoing with Sussex Police. Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to report it online or call 101, quoting serial 1504 of 22/08.’

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Manchester United U21s vs Ipswich Town LIVE updates and team news as JJ Gabriel set to star

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

United will receive a small sum when academy graduate Willy Kambwala completes a move away from Villarreal before the transfer deadline.

Italian club Como are reportedly in pole position to sign Kambwala, looking set to beat Spanish side Osasuna to his signature. United will receive a small percentage of the fee Villarreal bank due to a sell-on clause.

United sources described the sell-on clause for Kambwala as “sizeable” when he left the club two years ago, but Villarreal are not expected to sell him to Como for a significant fee, which will limit the cut United will receive.

(Image: 2026 UEFA)

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Balloon release planned for youths killed in horror A66 smash including near crash site

Published

on

Daily Record

Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington all died instantly in the horrific crash on Saturday morning.

Friends of the five young men killed in a head-on smash with a police car are planning balloon releases in their memory – including near the crash site.

Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington all died instantly in the horrific crash on Saturday morning.

Advertisement

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38 – who were not in pursuit of their Volkswagen Passat – were also killed in the devastating collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough.

Memorial events for the five youths, who Cleveland Police have said may have had links to organised crime groups, have been announced for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at different locations, including in South Bank, close to where the horror unfolded, reports the Daily Star.

The force has also confirmed it has arrested nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, into alleged criminal activity before the crash.

One message, dedicated to all five, said: “We all knew use [sic] and knew use [sic] had hearts of gold and most loyalist [sic] lads.”

Another social media message reads: “We have been made aware that there are two balloon releases taking place for two much loved young lads, Cole and Jacob. Both are happening at the same time and date.

“Please feel free to go to whichever one you would like to attend but if you can please take an extra balloon so both boys are remembered and both families feel your love and support.”

It adds: “There are also balloon releases arranged for Theo makai and Michael full details for each will be posted below this post so everyone is aware and can show their support for all five families.

“Five beautiful souls all gone too soon. All loved all missed all forever in our hearts.”

Advertisement

A balloon release in memory of Cole Worthy is due to take place at 5pm on Monday. At the same time, a memorial for Jakub Matusiak is due to be held in South Bank.

One for Theo Rae will take place at 6pm on Tuesday, balloons will be released in memory of Makai Saddington on Wednesday at 6pm, while Michael Ray will be remembered by the helium-filled tributes on Thursday.

READ MORE: Snooker champion Graeme Dott found guilty of sexually abusing two children

Advertisement

READ MORE: Joyrider branded ‘moron’ for driving car through busy city park in TikTok stunt

It comes as more than £250,000 has been raised for the families of the two police officers who died when the Passat crashed into their vehicle as it was travelling the wrong way on the dual carriageway.

A fundraiser created by the Cleveland Police Federation on Sunday reached £228,000 early on Monday. Organisers said funds raised would be split equally between the two officers’ families and the federation would continue to provide support.

Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Trains LIVE as lines blocked near Mossley as emergency services deal with ‘incident’

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Services are running again, but travellers have been warned to expect delays or cancellations until around 5pm.

TransPennine Express said: “Train services running through these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled or delayed by up to 45 minutes. Disruption is expected until 17:00 24/08.”

Content cannot be displayed without consent

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Twelve arrested over A66 wrong-way crash amid probe into ‘second car’ : Nine men and three women held after seven died including two police officers

Published

on

PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough

Twelve people have been arrested by police probing a crash on the A66 which killed five joyriders and two police officers. 

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died early on Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough crashed head-on into their marked armed response vehicle. 

Nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, have now been arrested on suspicion of offences ranging from possession of a firearm to participating in the activities of an organised crime group. 

Cleveland Police received several reports of the Volkswagen Passat being driven dangerously on Saturday. Separate reports involved a second car, a Volvo XC60, which was seen ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. 

Advertisement

Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were identified through the force’s automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system. 

The five young men in the VW, which had just been chased by other officers when the crash happened, all died and were named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23; Jacob Matusiak, 23; Makai Saddington, 18; Theo Rae, 17; and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.

Today, balloon releases will be held in memory of two of the joyriders, Worthy and Matusiak. Four of those killed in the VW had extensive criminal records, including convictions for offences such as drug offences, assault and robbery. 

Yesterday the Daily Mail revealed Saddington’s TikTok featured a string of videos appearing to show him in high-speed police chases.

Advertisement

One clip, filmed in May and set to rap music, showed the 18-year-old being driven in an Audi speeding through a housing estate while a police car with flashing blue lights followed behind. 

Another video on an account linked to him showed a green Nissan being driven around before it is set alight, while images posted elsewhere show him and a friend posing in cars wearing black balaclavas.

Police said there is no evidence to indicate that filming of the activities that took place on Friday night and Saturday morning happened for the purposes of TikTok. 

Advertisement

PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough 

PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off.

PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off. 

This morning it was reported that Saddington was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting police officers. 

A video from Matusiak’s TikTok profile appeared to show him driving recklessly with the caption: ‘Unfortunately I’m not a nonchalant boyfriend.’ 

Filmed by the driver, it showed a car barrelling through a neighbourhood before swerving onto a green in the middle of an estate.

Advertisement

The vehicle appeared to career down a footpath as the driver casually spun the wheel with one hand.

On Saturday night the pair had been fleeing from police with the three other men when they drove the wrong way down the A66 and smashed into the officers, who were not involved in the chase.

The police pursuit had been called off around ten seconds before the crash.

The Middlesbrough crash came less than a week after an incident in Co. Kildare, Ireland, when five teenagers died in a head-on crash while driving the wrong way down the M9.

Advertisement

A family in the other car – three women and a seven-year-old boy – were left seriously injured after the crash, when it is understood they were travelling to the airport to begin a holiday.

At least three of the teenagers had boasted online about driving the wrong way down motorways to evade police. 

Speaking in Kyiv today, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Government had urged TikTok and other platforms to remove videos which glorify dangerous driving.

Mr Burnham said those who share such videos are ‘doing something that’s truly reprehensible’.

Advertisement
Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

Jacob Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

Jacob Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW

Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW

Advertisement

A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful and that is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy.’

More than half a million pounds has now been raised for the families of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough following their tragic deaths. 

A fundraiser created by the Cleveland Police Federation yesterday for the two officers’ families reached £487,000 today.

Organisers said funds raised would be split equally between the two officers’ families, and the federation would continue to provide support.

Advertisement

A second crowdfunder for the families, started by former Cleveland Police officer Paul Cooper, raised more than £36,000.

PC Blades was a married father-of-two and dedicated football coach in his spare time.

He had recently joined Seaton Carew FC as a coach and was looking forward to coaching his son in its under-sevens Seahawks squad, the club said.

The officer also coached his eldest son and other youngsters in FC Hartlepool’s under-10s Reds team, which described him as ‘a role model, a mentor, a friend and someone the children looked up to and admired’.

Advertisement
Today, balloon releases will be held in memory of Jakub Matusiak

Today, balloon releases will be held in memory of Jakub Matusiak

Cole Worthy will also be commemorated with a balloon release

Cole Worthy will also be commemorated with a balloon release

PC Blades’ wife described him as ‘our superhero’ and said: ‘He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.’

Meanwhile, former soldier PC Clough, 38, was described by his family as ‘our hero’ who was ‘always on public duty’.

Advertisement

They said he ‘jumped into action whenever needed and was willing to help anyone for any reason’.

The family statement added that he ‘proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place’.

It continued: ‘We, as a family, and Tom’s partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community.’

A man who knew PC Clough described him on social media as ‘a true friend, a fantastic soldier and, I have no doubt, an even better police officer’.

Advertisement

PC Clough’s commanding officer from his time serving with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield paid tribute to him as the ‘epitome of professionalism’, while also recalling his ‘fun-loving, cheeky nature’.

King Charles said the ultimate responsibility lies with the drivers themselves. Last year there were 947 cases reported of drivers going the wrong way on English motorways, he added. 

In the past 30 weeks, 31 people have been charged with wrong-way driving.

‘It perhaps happens a little more than than we would think,’ Charles said. 

Advertisement

‘There have been a couple of cases with very elderly drivers doing so, but many cases are to get those social media clicks. 

‘In other cases it’s people being caught in congestion or they’ve missed their exit and they’re fed up and they do a U-turn and go back up the hard shoulder to try and exit.’

Previous convictions of the gang

Cole Worthy

Advertisement

Use threatening abusive language to cause harassment, alarm and distress on October 27, 2024 and pleaded guilty

Failing to surrender to custody on May 14, 2025 and pleaded guilty

Common assault of a police officer on 27 April 2025 and pleaded guilty

Driving without a licence on June 7, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Advertisement

Using a vehicle without insurance on June 7, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Driving without reasonable consideration on June 7, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Driving using a mobile phone on June 7, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Jakub Matusiak

Advertisement

Using a vehicle without insurance on March 22, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Driving without a licence on March 22, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Makai Saddington

Possession of a controlled class C drug on May 31, 2025 and pleaded guilty

Advertisement

Possession of a knife in a public place on May 31, 2025 and pleaded guilty

11 October 2025 three offences for assaulting a police officer and pleaded guilty

Assaulted a police officer on June 9, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm and distress on June 9, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Advertisement

Theo Rae

12 shoplifting offences between October 21, 2023 and May 4, 2024 and pleaded guilty to all offences

Three thefts from motor vehicle offences between January 31, 2024 and September 25, 2024 and pleaded guilty to all offences

One theft of vehicle on April 13, 2024 and pleaded guilty

Advertisement

Possession of cannabis on April 22, 2024 and pleaded guilty

Aggravated vehicle taking on May 16, 2024 and pleaded guilty

Aggravated vehicle taking January 2, 2025 and pleaded guilty

Conviction of an offence while a youth rehabilitation order is in force on February 26, 2025 and pleaded guilty

Advertisement

Assaulted a police officer on April 30, 2026 and pleaded guilty

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Why Do I Keep Having The Same Argument With MY Partner?

Published

on

Why Do I Keep Having The Same Argument With MY Partner?

For five decades, psychologists Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman of the Gottman Institute (GI) have studied couples and the issues that affect them.

This experience led them to develop their “four horsemen” theory of divorce, which found evidence to suggest that criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling usually precede separation.

Their research also showed that couples’ problems tended to split into three groups: solvable problems and perpetual problems.

Working out which one you and your partner are arguing about, the GI says, can help you identify the kinds of resolution you need.

Advertisement

What are solvable problems?

Solvable problems come about due to situational issues that don’t feel integral to a person’s character. That might mean one person is taking on the lion’s share of the housework, or you might disagree on a specific issue with your child.

GI notes that solvable problems in one couple might be perpetual problems (more on those later) for another. But the difference is in how the pair feels about it: “The conflict is simply about that topic, and there may not be a deeper meaning behind each partner’s position”.

Happily, solvable problems can usually be, well, solved through conversation and careful planning.

Advertisement

Maybe you can assign certain household domains to one another, for instance, or agree to compromise on where to spend Christmas.

What are perpetual problems?

These make up most (69%) of the arguments, the psychologists found.

Perpetual problems are ongoing differences or misalignments that are fundamental to you or your partner’s needs or lifestyles. For instance, maybe your beau values the financial benefits that can come with working hard over a fulfilling work-life balance.

Advertisement

So, you two might keep having what seems like the same argument about late nights and missed dinners.

Because they reflect core parts of each member in the relationship, perpetual problems will recur. If you like to see your family twice a week and they need more “me” time, compromise might leave both parties feeling like they’re denying a big part of themselves pretty regularly.

In this case, the goal should be to “establish a dialogue about the perpetual problem that communicates acceptance of your partner with humour, affection, and even amusement”.

Identify the drive, identity, belief, or “dream” behind each of your behaviours: this can make discussing the problem easier. Ask your partner to do the same, and try to get curious about their feelings instead of trying to “solve” the issue: this can create a healthier dialogue.

Advertisement

This will be an ongoing conversation, so try to get good at – and respectful in – having it.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Group of Travellers reported on Sunnyside Park, Bolton

Published

on

Group of Travellers reported on Sunnyside Park, Bolton

The group appears to have been based on Sunnyside Park, off Chelsea Street in Great Lever since around last Wednesday, August 19.

People living in the area say they have become concerned about how the Travellers appear to have entered illegally and about the length of time they have been there.

A resident said: “I think they arrived possibly Wednesday last week, I’ve tried to get hold of the council and the police but I’ve not had any response.”

She added: “They’ve literally trashed the place, they’ve left rubbish around the place, they’ve been litter.

Advertisement

A group of caravans and cars have been seen (Image: Public)

“If it was Moss Bank Park or Leverhulme Park they’d have acted about it a bit quicker than this!”

Images from the scene show a cluster of caravans and cars parked on the green space area on Sunnyside Park.

Sunnyside Park is a popular green space for families with young children and has recently been at the centre of plans for a new “community shop”.

This came after plans were approved back in April this year to turn the abandoned Sunnyside Community Centre into a new shop and café.

Advertisement

Earlier in August, Bolton Council announced that the community shop would be opening with the support of the authority itself and of bakery chain Warburton’s in September.

The shop will aim to offer vegetables and bread for only 20p and will also be the site of a new community café.

But the presence of the Traveller group over the last few days has alarmed residents about the safety of their children on the park.

Cllr Mohammed Ayub, of Great Lever, said: “Obviously we’ll go through the correct legal process to deal with this.

Advertisement

“I think it’s a shame these people have chosen this site where we are developing the Sunnyside Community Shop.

“We’ve working together very closely to open the shop on September 16 so we need to make sure the site is cleaned out.”

Bolton Council have said that they are aware about the Traveller group on Sunnyside Park and are taking the appropriate legal steps to move them on.

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation and will be going through the appropriate legal process.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Experts Explain How To Tell If You Have A Calcium Deficiency

Published

on

Experts Explain How To Tell If You Have A Calcium Deficiency

Despite growing up with celebrities donning milk moustaches on glossy magazine pages and TV commercials, many of us don’t prioritise our calcium intake as adults as much as we should.

And who can blame us? There are so many other nutrients to chase – like vitamin B12, magnesium and probiotics.

Those are important, of course, but calcium shouldn’t be neglected, either.

Calcium is a mineral that helps maintain strong bones, teeth, nails and hair. It’s also critical for many other body systems, as it helps muscles, the heart and nerves to work, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Advertisement

If you aren’t getting enough, a calcium deficiency (also called hypocalcemia) can show up in sneaky ways that are sometimes hard to detect.

“Calcium isn’t just about bones; it’s essential for every cell in the body that needs to contract, signal or fire,” Dr Damola Aje, a board-certified endocrinologist and co-director of a Bone Density Program at Berkshire Medical Center, told HuffPost. “Muscles need calcium to contract and relax. Nerves need it to transmit signals.”

If this deficiency continues, it can make your bones weaker and raise your risk of osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones brittle, according to the NIAMS.

“Beyond bone density, adequate calcium reduces the risk of osteoporosis, fractures, and has been associated with lower blood pressure,” Dr Aje said, adding that she sees patients who haven’t addressed their calcium deficiency in decades and have lost significant bone mass because of it. “Prevention is so much easier than treatment.”

Advertisement

Because calcium is so vital, your body will try its best to maintain its fill of calcium any way it can. “Your body will actually pull calcium from your bones to keep blood levels normal, which is why a blood test can look fine even when your bones are being silently depleted,” Dr Aje explained.

Calcium also affects blood clotting and normal heart function, which can lead to bleeding complications. Dr Francesco Bajani, an emergency and internal physician and founder of CheckUP MD, told HuffPost that he sees another unique sign of calcium deficiency that can have detrimental effects.

“During massive blood transfusions, citrate contained in stored blood products can bind calcium and cause transfusion-associated hypocalcemia,” Dr Bajani said. “This can impair blood clotting, weaken heart function and contribute to low blood pressure.”

“This highlights how essential calcium is not only for bone health but also for some of the body’s most critical life-sustaining functions,” he added.

Advertisement

Grace Cary via Getty Images

Issues like muscle spasms, brain fog and dry skin can all potentially signal a calcium deficiency.

There are physical signs of a calcium deficiency

Calcium is important, but since it’s difficult to detect your body’s calcium levels on a regular blood test, how do you know if you aren’t getting enough? There are many signs that could clue you in to hypocalcemia – and they’re worth a call to your doctor if you notice them.

“When it comes to deficiency, one of the more common signs I look at is muscle symptoms, such as cramps, twitching or spasms,” Stacie Stephenson, a board member of The American Nutrition Association, told HuffPost. “These often show up in the hands, legs or around the mouth and can be an early sign that calcium regulation isn’t working smoothly.”

Advertisement

Dr Aje added that she also sees “tingling or numbness in the fingers and around the mouth” first.

In addition, some of the harder-to-define symptoms of a calcium deficiency include brittle nails and dry hair more prone to breaking, as well as fatigue – although these could be chalked up to many other factors, making it even more complicated to diagnose.

Changes in nails, skin, and hair “reflect longer-term nutrient insufficiency affecting tissue health,” according to Stephenson.

Some of the other physical symptoms of calcium deficiency include:

Advertisement
  • Dry skin

  • Dental problems, including thin, pitted, or grooved teeth

  • Weakness

  • Cardiac rhythm abnormalities

  • Seizures

Neurological symptoms are common, too

It may be surprising – and it certainly wasn’t mentioned in the “Got Milk” ads – but calcium plays an important part in our nervous system, which is why we can experience neurological symptoms if we are deficient.

“Calcium plays a direct role in nerve signalling, so when levels drop, the brain feels it,” Dr Aje noted. A drop in calcium can cause the nervous system to become “hyperexcitable,” according to Dr Aje, which is what leads to the muscle spasms and tingling mentioned above, as well as mental symptoms.

“On the cognitive and energy side, people may experience fatigue, low stamina, or brain fog, which can feel like difficulty concentrating or mental sluggishness,” Stephenson explained. “Sometimes calcium deficiency is difficult to identify because its symptoms can closely resemble those of other imbalances in the body.”

Advertisement

Memory issues, mood changes,and poor sleep could also be signs of a calcium deficiency, according to Dr Bajani. He says that confusion and neurological symptoms like seizures, psychosis and encephalopathy can occur in more severe cases.

“Persistent cognitive or mood changes should not be ignored, especially when they occur alongside muscle cramps, tingling sensations or fatigue,” he added.

Vitamin D and magnesium may be important when addressing calcium issues

Fixing a calcium deficiency is not as easy as just taking a calcium supplement, which is why it’s important to talk to your doctor about your concerns. In fact, you may not need more calcium at all; instead, you might have to take other supplements like vitamin D and magnesium to help your body absorb calcium.

Advertisement

“When you look at calcium deficiency, you must consider that calcium doesn’t function properly without adequate vitamin D, since vitamin D is essential for helping the body absorb and use calcium effectively,” Stephenson said. “If vitamin D is low, calcium can look deficient even when intake seems adequate.”

Another important nutrient for healthy calcium levels is magnesium. Stephenson says magnesium “plays a key role in regulating how calcium moves in and out of cells and how muscles relax.” She added, “When magnesium is out of balance, it can contribute to symptoms that might be mistaken for a calcium deficiency alone. It’s all connected.”

Because vitamin D and magnesium are both important for calcium absorption and regulation, Stephenson recommended asking your doctor to check if the levels of these nutrients in your blood are adequate, as “calcium can’t work properly without them.”

Dr Aje suggested seeing your doctor for a full blood workup if you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, and be sure to check vitamin D levels, parathyroid hormone, and do a 24-hour urine calcium test.

Advertisement

“Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, so you can be eating plenty of calcium and still be deficient if your vitamin D is low,” Dr Aje added. “Dietary changes and supplementation can help, but it’s important to identify the underlying cause first.”

How to increase your calcium intake safely

The National Institutes of Health recommends adults take 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, and women over 50 and men over 70 take 1,200 milligrams daily. But that doesn’t mean you should just pop a calcium pill.

“What matters to me is how people get it – I prefer calcium to come mainly from whole foods, with supplements used only when there’s a clear medical need,” Stephenson explained.

Advertisement

She recommended adding calcium-rich foods to your diet, like leafy greens, dairy, fortified alternatives, nuts, and seeds, among others.

“Your body more readily absorbs calcium from food than it does from supplements,” Stephenson said. “The body knows what to do with calcium in food. It is absorbed along with all the other nutrients in, for example, a kale salad or a cup of yogurt.”

On the other hand, taking a calcium supplement instead might “introduce a much higher dose of calcium” than your body needs, according to Stephenson. “This can cause problems like kidney stones and constipation.”

“I would focus on getting calcium from food, support bone health with weight-bearing exercise, and only consider supplements if labs or risk factors show I truly need them,” Stephenson said.

Advertisement

Even if you don’t think you have a calcium deficiency, it’s important to get yearly checkups to make sure everything looks healthy before it’s too late to reverse course.

“The silent nature of calcium deficiency is what makes it dangerous,” Dr Aje said. “Your body is remarkably good at keeping blood calcium normal by robbing your bones, so you can be significantly depleted for years before a standard blood test flags anything.”

“This is why bone density screening matters, especially for women approaching menopause,” she added.

You may not put much thought into your calcium intake on a daily basis, but if you don’t get enough, your body will tell you – and trust us, you’ll want to listen.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025