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NewsBeat

Former football hooligan left partner unconscious in violent attack

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Wales Online

Ex-Army training instructor Liam Lewis dragged his partner to the floor and knocked her out then threatened to make her disappear

A former football hooligan and soldier assaulted his partner in a fit of jealous temper and “threatened to make her disappear”, a court has heard.

A judge told ex-Army physical training instructor Liam Lewis that in attacking his partner her had demeaned her as a woman and demeaned himself as a human being.

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Ryan Bowen, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court the incident happened on April 17 this year after Lewis took his partner’s phone and began checking her messages.

When he saw one from a male called Alex he replied with a text telling the contact to “f*** off” before dragging his partner onto the floor, pulling her by her hair, and striking her.

The court heard the woman lost consciousness during the assault and when she came around the defendant told her to be quiet and “threatened to make her disappear”.

He then accused the woman of “antagonising” him.

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His victim then suffered a panic attack.

The court heard that the incident was not reported to the police at the time but two days later the victim happened to meet her mother in the street and disclosed to her what had happened.

The mum told her daughter to go to the police.

The prosecutor said on April 21 the defendant walked into a police station and was arrested.

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In his subsequent interview he denied the allegations saying his relationship with his partner was “toxic”. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter

In an impact statement which was read to the court the victim said she had been too frightened to report what had happened until she had met her mother.

She said she had suffered bruises to her arms, legs, and face in the incident and was left suffering with panic attacks and flashbacks.

Liam Scott Lewis, aged 36, of Haig Place, Gendros, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has five previous convictions for eight offences including violent disorder from November 2010 for which he was sentenced to 52 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.

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That conviction relates to disorder following a Cardiff versus Swansea football game during which missiles were thrown towards police.

Harry Dickens, for Lewis, said his client had served seven years in the British Army and said there was as a reference before the court from a staff sergeant who knew the defendant.

He said Lewis’ relationship with the complainant in the case had been a “toxic” one and said his client now has a new partner and wishes to “move on” with his life.

He said in his submissions there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and he said the defendant had the potential to contribute positively to society as he had previously served his country.

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Judge Huw Rees said on the day in question the defendant became jealous and lost his temper and he said in assaulting a woman he had demanded his victim as a woman and demeaned himself as a human being.

He said he had read about the defendant’s service as a physical training instructor in the Army and he noted the previous conviction for violent disorder – related he said to “tribal difficulties arising between two city football teams” – was committed when Lewis was a much younger man.

The judge said that based on everything he knew about the defendant he was satisfied there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty plea Lewis was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for 18 months and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and to do 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

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He was also made subject to a three-year restraining order banning him from contacting his ex-partner.

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse visit the Live Fear Free website or call the helpline on 0808 80 10 800.

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Boris Becker’s life in prison as axed BBC Wimbledon pundit banned from UK

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Wales Online

The three-time Wimbledon champion has opened up on his time in jail

Tennis legend Boris Becker has opened up on his time in prison, admitting that he “literally lost everything” and “95 per cent” of his former inner circle are now “gone”.

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In 2022, the six-time Grand Slam champion was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail for hiding £2.5 million worth of assets and loans to avoid paying debts, having been declared bankrupt five years earlier. He was released from prison after serving eight months of his sentence and was deported from the UK following his release.

Under the terms of his deportation order, he is currently barred from entering the UK but has revealed he is in negotiations with the Home Office to have the ban overturned.

While a long-time pundit on the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon – a tournament where he won the men’s singles title on three occasions – the 58-year-old was left out of the broadcaster’s punditry line-up last year while banned.

Having also decided not to return to his homeland of Germany following his deportation, Becker has now settled in Italy, living in Milan with his third wife, Lilian, and their seven-month-old daughter, Zoe, while returning to punditry work for the likes of Sky Italia.

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In a new interview with the Telegraph, he has opened up on his eight months in prison and the impact that his time inside has had on his life following his release.

“When you are incarcerated, you literally lose everything,” he said. “All that is left is your personality, your character. So you have to dig down inside to ask, ‘OK, who am I? Is this going to kill me, or is this going to make me stronger?’

“Each month, it gets a little bit better, you get closer to yourself. You think, ‘What went wrong for me to end up in Wandsworth?’ You have to be convinced you will survive. And once you do, the question is ‘What do I do when I get out?’

“That’s why the comeback happened so quickly, because I was already preparing while inside. I wasn’t whining, I wasn’t making other people responsible for my mistakes. I said, ‘OK, I f****d up’.

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“With the help of my wife and a very small group of people, I started to select who was with me, who was not with me. What would be my first move, my third move? It becomes like a really long, good chess game.”

While he has been supported by Lilian and close confidants, including Novak Djokovic, Becker admits that “90 per cent of [his] former circle is gone”.

“Probably even 95 per cent,” he added. “That doesn’t mean I don’t say hello – I see their numbers and I write them a friendly ‘No’.

“I find [people] look at me and shake their head, saying, ‘We can’t believe you’re back. How did you do it?’ And then I think to myself, ‘How should I take this? Are you happy for me or not?’ It’s the response I see the most.

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“Both privately and professionally, people can’t believe that I’m back in life, back in business, back in freedom.”

Becker has now been absent from four successive Wimbledon championships and admits that SW19 is what he misses most while banned from the UK, describing it as his “birthplace”.

“I don’t think I miss London, but I miss Wimbledon,” he explained. “It’s my birthplace, in a sense.

“I feel so close to the club, to the courts. I have a story on every court, in every corner, in the locker room, in the car park. I probably know Wimbledon better than anyone else alive.”

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Two tropical storms pound Japan, causing flooding and landslides

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Two tropical storms pound Japan, causing flooding and landslides

Two major storm systems pounded Japan on Saturday, causing landslides and floods and leaving one dead and several injured, media and officials said.

The storms, Mekkhala and Higos, have dumped heavy rain and damaged roads as Japan experiences its annual rainy season.

A man in his 70s died and three others were injured after a house collapsed in a landslide in Yamaguchi Prefecture on Friday, Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported.

Television footage from Kyoto showed the Kamo River swollen with churning, muddy water. A flooding alert was issued in parts of Kyoto, Osaka and other areas in western Japan.

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The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said more than 30 homes were flooded in Nara and Hiroshima on Friday. Heavy rain also disrupted some train operations and flights in the area.

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Iran targets Bahrain as a tanker is hit in the Strait of Hormuz

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Iran targets Bahrain as a tanker is hit in the Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched a drone assault targeting Bahrain while a ship in the Strait of Hormuz separately came under attack Saturday, likely Tehran’s response to overnight airstrikes by the United States.

The attacks across the Persian Gulf show the danger of the Iran war again spinning out of control, even after Iran and the U.S. reached an interim deal to try and agree on a final accord to end the conflict.

The U.S. had launched its airstrikes in response to an Iranian drone attack on a ship trying to get out of the strait on Thursday, continuing a string of attacks that have shaken the uneasy ceasefire in the war.

Meanwhile, a multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand a route near Oman in the strait to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic — likely setting up a new flashpoint with Tehran.

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Bahrain condemns Iran’s drone attack

That Iran targeted Bahrain likely was not coincidental. The kingdom has been one of the strongest critics of Iran and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. It just hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s foreign ministers, which ended with a call for an end to Iran’s attacks and the strait to be completely open.

A statement from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said a “number of Iranian drones” targeted the country. It called the attack “a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard earlier on Saturday issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency saying it had targeted several locations “of the U.S. terrorist army in the region.”

It did not name what areas were targeted.

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The U.S. military’s Central Command said the military struck Iranian missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites in the overnight strikes.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has led the American negotiations with Iran, said on social media Friday night that Iran should “pick up the phone” if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement.

“But violence will be met with violence,” Vance said.

The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating terms of the deal, including issues such as getting ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details.

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Ship comes under attack as strait route expands

Meanwhile, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that a tanker was attacked Saturday in the strait, saying the crew was safe and no environmental damage was reported. No one immediately claimed the strike, but suspicion immediately fell on Iran.

Just after the report of the ship attack, the Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, said the route near Oman’s shores is expanding to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic.

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Iran has insisted ships must obey its orders and is warning it will start charging fees for transit through the strait, through which a fifth of all oil and natural gas once passed. However, ships have been increasingly trying to get out of the Gulf in recent days, to Iran’s ire.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, wrote Friday that “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules.”

The U.S. and Gulf Arab states have rejected Iran’s demands. The strait is considered around the world as an international waterway, despite being the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

In its announcement, the Joint Maritime Information Center warned that the threat in the region to ships was “substantial.”

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“Mariners are advised of the existence of mines and should expect a naval presence as clearance operations continue,” it said.

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‘I found cheapest ice cream in UK at location you’d least expect’

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Daily Mirror

As summer is officially here, many will be cooling down by enjoying a sweet ice cream, and one shopper now claims to have found the “cheapest” one in an unlikely place

As most parts of the UK have recently been through a record-breaking heatwave which saw record temperatures of up to 37.1C in certain areas, it’s no surprise that many will have been enjoying an ice cream or two to help cool themselves down.

Whether you’re an ice lolly devotee or prefer to dig straight into the tub, there’s no shortage of refreshing goodies to help you keep cool. However, many will have noticed that ice cream, like most other goods, has increased in price, as it can be difficult to find a 99 that actually costs 99p in modern times – albeit not impossible.

But now, one user claims to have found “the cheapest” ice cream in all of Britain, and it’s not from a supermarket or an ice cream van, but at a store you might not have expected.

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Taking to Facebook, the account “Very British Problems” went on to share their bargain find for their 1.3 million followers to see.

“It’s sunny so I’ve come for surely the cheapest 99 in Britain. Such a cheap 99 that it’s a 95!” they wrote on the post, which included a photo of the advertised ice cream in question, confirming that the price was just 95p from Swedish furniture store Ikea.

“I’ll probably not feel the benefit of the savings once I’ve spent £400 on cupboards,” they added in the comment section.

Ikea’s soft serve ice cream is described on their website as a “traditional soft ice based on milk and cream” with a classic vanilla flavour.

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However, people were quick to point out one alleged “mistake” with the Facebook post, which was that it couldn’t actually be called a 99 because it didn’t come with the classic Cadbury Flake.

Not a 99 without a flake though!” one person wrote. Another user explained: “Without a Flake it’s just a Mr Whippy. You need that stick of crumbly chocolate goodness to make it a “99”.

Someone else said: “It’s 95p because there’s no Flake. The Flake would take it up to the average UK price of £6.50.”

What is a 99 ice cream?

In British culture, a 99 is a popular ice cream cone (usually vanilla soft-serve) that contains a Cadbury Flake bar that’s been inserted into the ice cream.

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Created at the Cadbury’s factory in Birmingham, England, the Flake was originally designed to be a cuboid and to fit into a wafer. By 1930, Cadbury’s was selling half-length Flake “99s” specifically for serving in ice cream cones. These were marketed under the name 99 Flake and sold loose in boxes rather than individually wrapped like the traditional Flake.

The early “99 Flake” took the form of an ice cream sandwich. It consisted of a Flake bar inserted between two servings of ice cream, then placed between two wafer biscuits.

However, the origin of the “99” ice cream remains a mystery. Some believe the name traces back to 1922, when a man called Stefano Arcari opened up an ice cream shop in Scotland at 99 Portobello High Street.

He would apparently break a Flake in half and then place it in the ice cream to serve to his customers, taking inspiration from the shop’s address for the ice cream’s name.

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But others speculate that the “99” Flake was so-called to honour the i Ragazzi del 99, “the Boys of ‘99”. They were a group of soldiers born in 1899 and so the last to enlist in the First World War.

Some also believe it was called a 99 because it used to cost 99p, which may have been true in the 90s or early 2000s, but was far from the truth when they first originated in the early 1900s.

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Parents and children devastated as Alderley Edge School for Girls closes with immediate effect as bosses claim it’s ‘unsafe’

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Manchester Evening News

“No chance to saying goodbye, no transition parents evening, no closure.”

Parents and schoolgirls have been left devastated after private school Alderley Edge School for Girls closed down for good weeks earlier than initially announced.

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Governors claimed the school is now “unsafe” for staff and pupils in an email sent out to all parents on Friday (June 26), blaming parent protests for the closure.

The fee-paying school outlined plans to close due to financial pressures earlier this year, saying the school would close at the end of the academic year on July 7.

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But the early closure announcement on Friday, after the school was already shut for the day, meant schoolgirls had no chance to say their final goodbyes to teachers and friends, leaving families in disbelief.

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The school and its played fields, set in one of Cheshire’s most affluent areas, was put up for sale earlier this month with local estate agents Savills, despite a campaign by parents to try to save the school. Parents are now left with no school provision for their children for the final two weeks of term, and for working parents it means a desperate scrabble for childcare from Monday onwards.

The email sent out by the school, seen by the Manchester Evening News, states the sudden closure is “for health and safety reasons” as the school claimed that ongoing protests by parents means they “can no longer guarantee the safety of staff, pupils and parents on site”. They said the decision was taken after risk assessments reviews had taken place.

The letter from the school’s governors said: “We recognise the strength of feeling within the parent community and the distress caused by the proposed closure of the school. Peaceful and respectful expression of concern is entirely understood; however, since yesterday there have been incidents involving a small number of parents on or near the school site, on social media, and direct communications to staff which have caused serious concern for the welfare of pupils and staff.

“No member of staff, pupil, parent or governor should be placed in a position where they feel unsafe to attend school or are subjected to inappropriate comments on social media and/or receive unwanted communication by email or in person. We have requested on a number of occasions for this behaviour to stop, but sadly it hasn’t.

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“As the Governing Board, our priority must be the health and safety of our staff, pupils, and parents. With great sadness, we must therefore inform you that the school site will be closed to pupils and parents from 17:45 today, and will not reopen.”

It added: “We recognise the significance of such a decision, and we are personally devastated that it has come to this.This decision has not been taken lightly, and it is certainly not a reflection on our staff, pupils nor most parents and carers, who have continued to engage respectfully in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, we no longer feel we can guarantee the safety of staff, pupils and parents on site which has made this decision necessary”.

The school offers places for 400 girls aged from 2 – 18, with fees of £19,641 a year. When it first announced plans to close, the school cited the Government’s introduction of VAT on private school fees, falling numbers and a slowing birth rate in the area as reasons for it “no longer considered financially sustainable”.

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On Friday night many parents were attending a meeting with Tatton MP Esther McVey to discuss trying to save the school – only for them to discover minutes before it started that all hope was lost. Parents were seen in tears at the meeting as emails began to filter through from the school about the closure.

Parent Gary Chaplin was part of the Parent Rescue Group campaign led by eight parents, who had secured a potential £4m pound of funding to try and save the school. But their proposals were pushed back as being non-viable as a business plan.

Gary, 54, from Wilmslow, said: “Friday’s actions just defy belief. I have a 17 year old, who, along with hundreds of other girls from age three to 18, has just had her school life abruptly ended. No chance to saying goodbye, no transition parents evening, no closure.”

He was at the meeting at a local church on Friday night as the news began to filter through of the closure, while his wife Lisa was at home breaking the news to daughter Ava who was left in tears. He said: “You could see people at the meeting as the email dropped one by one reading it in disbelief. There was shock and real upset.

“Parents were dreading waking up this morning to tell their young children that their school is now closed – you could see the upset on faces.

“There was supposed to be a festival at the school on Wednesday, now one of the parents is going to try and do it on their field to say farewell – because the sudden closure means missing the ability to say goodbye to their friends.

“Parents at the meeting were saying ‘how can I get a full week of childcare as of 8am on Monday morning?’ It’s an impossible task.”

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Earlier this month the 100,000 sq ft school buildings and playing fields were put up for sale with estate agent Savills, with final bids requested by July 8. The school was described in the property pack as a ‘prime development opportunity… in one of Cheshire’s most desirable and affluent locations’. The listing added: “This varied building stock and layout present strong potential for redevelopment, including conversion and reconfiguration of existing structures, alongside new-build opportunities and phased delivery.”

The school sits in a prime spot right on the main road through Alderley Edge – known as one of the richest villages in the UK, and famously home to football stars and millionaires.

On Thursday morning there was a silent protest opposite the school, with families holding banners saying “Save our School”. We have asked Alderley Edge School Girls for further comment on the issues raised in their letter, and to respond to the concerns of parents, and await a reply.

The letter further added that “all school events have now been cancelled” including a planned festival for leavers and awards evenings – although two planned and paid-for school trips, to Greece and a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, will go ahead. They say that more information regarding the return of pupil property will be communicated to pupils and parents “early next week”.

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They have asked that pupils and parents do not visit the school in the meantime “unless by appointment only”. They also add that separate communication will be provided next week regarding any queries relating to parent fees and return of deposits.”

It ended by saying: “This is not the outcome any of us would have wanted, however our priority must be the safety and wellbeing of our staff and pupils. We know this has been an extremely challenging time for everyone – above all else, we wish our pupils every success and happiness as they continue their educational journey.”

Dad Gary says: “This decision means we’ve all missed out on parents evening and things like the leaver’s assembly, awards evenings, my daughter was practicing for a valediction piece while other students were preparing musical performances. Why would they do this? To rob them of those moments?”

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Teacher at Edinburgh private school tied up boy’s wrists and ankles with cable ties

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Daily Record

Richard Greenwood was found guilty after a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

A teacher at an Edinburgh private school who restrained a child’s wrists and ankles with cable ties has been given an absolute discharge by a sheriff.

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Richard Greenwood, also known as Robin, was found guilty of one count of assault against a boy on Friday, June 26, after a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The 46-year-old was found not guilty of a separate assault charge and given an absolute discharge in respect of the guilty verdict, which means it will not result in a sentence or merit a formal criminal record, reports Edinburgh Live.

Greenwood, lead teacher of chemistry at Merchiston Castle School, where boarding fees are nearly £17k per term, told the court he was still employed in his role and that his employers are aware of the case after he told them about the charge at the end of 2024.

The incident on August 23, 2023, at an address in Edinburgh, did not relate to any pupils at the school, or take place on the school’s grounds.

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The court heard how the victim, now aged nine, was tied by his wrists and ankles with cable ties, which Greenwood said was part of a ‘cops and robbers’ game.

During evidence he told the court the cable ties were used instead of for toy handcuffs which had previously been left on a cabinet downstairs. The child, who was six at the time, was restrained with cable ties around his hands and ankles.

Greenwood told the court the incident was part of a game and distraction technique to get the child to calm down after he ran out onto the road and also tried to climb out of a window.

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He told the court: “I recall him being distressed on the evening. He opened the front door and ran onto the road towards the bus stop. I ran after him and returned to the house. I feared for his safety.

“He then escaped out the back of the house and onto the street. I locked the front door and put the key on top of a cabinet. He then tried to get the key from the top of the cabinet and tried to climb out the bathroom window. I was pretty calm and not shouting, but I remember saying to him ‘you’re going to kill yourself’.”

Greenwood then tried distracting the child with the TV, but then turned to play-wrestling which he said left the child “giggling.” Greenwood then used cable ties, as a pair of child handcuffs were missing from the cabinet, and told the boy “you’re under arrest” to which he claimed the boy held out his hands.

He was then restrained with the cable ties around his wrists and then his ankles – describing the child as a “wiggling like a worm.” However, Greenwood admitted he then realised the “connotations” surrounding the use of cable ties in the game and freed the boy by cutting him loose with scissors.

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He said: “It was just a game. He was in cable ties for no more than two minutes until I realised the connotations of the game and took them off immediately. I agree it doesn’t sound good and it was a mistake but I never meant any harm.

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Greenwood added: “Looking back on the cable tie incident I feel really stupid and naive,” when questioned by the fiscal depute if there was any malice involved, to which he replied: “absolutely not.”

Before delivering a guilty verdict to an amended charge, Sheriff McCormack added: “It was a brief episode but a child cannot consent. This conduct of tying up a child was an assault, albeit a brief one with no lasting effect.

He acknowledged the impact a conviction on Greenwood’s record would have on his job and income and granted him an absolute discharge.

A Merchiston Castle School spokesperson said: “Merchiston Castle School notes today’s court verdict. The case did not involve any pupils or any allegation connected to the school. The matter related entirely to circumstances outside any professional setting.

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“When the school was made aware of the charges, it followed its safeguarding procedures and sought appropriate specialist advice. Decisions regarding Mr Greenwood’s employment were made throughout in line with the school’s safeguarding responsibilities, legal obligations and the advice received.

“As this concerns an individual member of staff’s employment, it would not be appropriate to comment further while employment processes are ongoing.”

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Wonderskin beauty review: Do viral lip stains stand the test of time?

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Wonderskin beauty review: Do viral lip stains stand the test of time?

,If you forced me to pick one desert island beauty product, I wouldn’t have to think for long.

I’ve always been obsessed with lipstick, loving its instantly transformative effect. It brightens, it animates, it puts a pep in my step and a sparkle in my eye. And it has range too: I can swipe it on my cheeks for a cheat’s blush or daub it on eyelids as an eyeshadow hack.

The only thing I don’t love about lippie? The maintenance. Rich colour demands constant reapplication, especially after eating and drinking.

I’ve dabbled with lip stains before, but few have measured up to the marketing. I like to think of myself as an optimist, so when my algorithms clocked that I had become fascinated by Wonderskin, a long-lasting makeup brand that’s wildly popular in the US, I had to give it a fair chance.

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What is Wonderskin makeup?

The all-vegan range began with lip tints, or Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masques, and the claim is as bold as the colour range: no-fade shade that lasts ‘all day’. The spiel promises it won’t budge, even when adding lip balm on top. What sorcery is this, I wondered?

Then my hardened journalistic skills kicked in. How long is ‘all day’, exactly? I made it my mission to find out.

How many colours are there in Wonderskin’s lip tint range?

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It’s a wonder: Before, during and after

Abha Shah

How long does Wonderskin Lip Tint last?

One coat gives a light tint, but Wonderskin is buildable, so just add another if you’re after a richer look. I tried Divine (a deep burgundy red), applying two coats to maximise the colour. I left it on for around 30 seconds, as instructed, before wiping off the blue with a damp cloth to find a gorgeous stain underneath.

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Wonderskin also sells an ‘Activator’ spray made from a seaweed polymer to spritz over the blue stain. This turns it into a film, allowing you to peel it off to reveal the colour. It’s not an essential part of the routine, but the activator can prolong the colour more than by just applying the masque alone.

Aside from the colour, one of the benefits of Wonderskin’s masques is the weightlessness of it. There’s no waxy or oily formula to fret over, no worrying if there’s lipstick on your teeth or if the colour is bleeding into your fine lines. Just stick it on and forget about it until the next time you catch yourself in the mirror.

Wonderskin

I applied my masque with the activator at 11.30am, adding a Laneige lip balm on top for extra moisture. A lunchtime salad and Coke Zero came and went, denting the colour’s intensity slightly. By 5pm, the opacity had faded further, but a decent ghost of the shade remained, strongest around the edges of my lips.

If I were headed out for the night, I’d apply the stain once more to see me through the rest of the evening.

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So not quite all-day colour, but longer lasting than anything I’ve tried before.

What other beauty products does Wonderskin make?

It doesn’t stop at lips. Wonderskin also makes long-lasting eyeliner, mascara and brow products which is excellent news if good brows can make or break your day.

The brow stain is offered in a range of natural brown hues and, unlike the lip masques, is the same colour on the applicator as it is for the final result, so no pearl-clutching moments here. The stain helps fill in patchy brows or give spindly shapes more body. It, too, can be given extra life by spritzing on the activator spray before wiping it off.

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A bestseller is Wonderskin’s FYP Filter Powder (£24). The formula comes in a purple mirror compact and instantly mattes shine while locking in makeup for long-lasting results. If you’re in constant war with an oily T-Zone, don’t miss this clever finishing step.

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A Gaza footballer’s struggle to watch the World Cup: ‘I want to enjoy the world cup like everyone else’

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A Gaza footballer’s struggle to watch the World Cup: ‘I want to enjoy the world cup like everyone else’

As millions across the world celebrate the football World Cup, one region remains cut off from the festivities.

With ongoing military attacks, intermittent access to electricity and infrastructure that has been all but devastated by a brutal war, Palestinian football fans in Gaza try to watch the ongoing tournament with an air of fear and sobriety.

The situation is especially severe for those with disabilities.

Haitham Al-Saqqa, a 38-year-old footballer and humanitarian worker with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAp), told The Independent of the life-changing impact that the war has had on his life and his ability to enjoy his passion of football.

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Having set up Palestine’s first national football team for people of short stature, he searched across Gaza for players and made his dream of becoming a footballer a reality.

‘I want to enjoy the World Cup like the rest of the world’ says Haitham
‘I want to enjoy the World Cup like the rest of the world’ says Haitham (Medical Aid for Palestinians / Haitham Al-Saqqa)

At three foot seven inches, he identifies as a person of short stature (of which there around 400 conditions) but he is unable to name his specific condition as there are no genetic tests of the kind that could help in Gaza.

But when the war broke out in October 2023, his dreams of travelling abroad for tournaments was shattered. Amid the devastation the group were unable to travel to Morocco for a regional tournament and several members were killed in Israeli strikes.

Two of his teammates from the national team, Ahmed Awad and Salah Shaalan were killed along with their entire families in northern Gaza during the war. There were others too including Dr Adnan Al-Bursh, an orthopaedic surgeon and member of the Palestinian Football Association, who was killed during the war.

Haitham himself witnessed people killed as he tried to watch a Champions League match in November 2023. The old football stadium they played in is now a displacement shelter.

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Two of the team were killed in Israeli strikes
Two of the team were killed in Israeli strikes (Medical Aid for Palestinians / Haitham Al-Saqqa)

“Their loss affected me profoundly,” he said. “They were friends, teammates, and partners in a dream we had spent time building together.”

Since the deaths of his friends and teammates Ahmed and Salah, he has tried to bring the old team together, but he says people are too occupied with the struggle to survive, which is especially hard for those with disabilities.

“My home is not far from the yellow line, it’s less than one kilometre,” he explains about the deadly zone that has led to the deaths of several Palestinians. “This makes us afraid to walk in the street, especially at night after 9pm when the matches are starting. I’m afraid to go to the cafe or restaurant to watch the games with my friends. If I do decide to watch one, the electricity regularly cuts out.”

Haitham will not allow his son to watch football matches with him if it involves leaving the house, for fear he will be killed
Haitham will not allow his son to watch football matches with him if it involves leaving the house, for fear he will be killed (Haitham Al-Saqqa)

Haitham, a Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Al Ahly Egypt fan, has been able to watch 20 games using a mixture of methods. But the father-of-three refuses to allow his son to join him. Since the ceasefire, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed, creating a climate of terror among civilians who fear they could be next. Last week, one of Haitham’s neighbours was also killed.

As the UN concluded this week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza by deliberately and “intentionally” killing Palestinian children, Haitham fears his four-year-old son may not be spared. Israel denies claims of genocide and insists its military operates within the bounds of international law.

“My son, Nahedh begs me: ‘Please I want to go with you, I want to watch a match.’ But I can’t do that. I tell him we can stay home and watch the summary on YouTube if the electricity keeps up,” he explains. “Because, to be honest, I’m afraid to lose him on the outside. We may still get killed in our home, but I would feel worse if they went out and it happened.”

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Haitham Al-Saqqa and his family
Haitham Al-Saqqa and his family (Haitham Al-Saqqa)

The fears are real, with footage shared in The Guardian showing the moment an Israeli strike hit a children’s school in the middle of a football match. And it is not the first time. In 2015, nine Palestinians watching a World Cup match in a cafe were killed in Israeli strikes.

With up to 92 per cent of all infrastructure destroyed in Gaza, Haitham says children regularly play in the rubble, painting goal posts on to wreckage, and have been injured as a result.

Before the war, he describes feelings of festivities around the World Cup with streets decorated with flags and cafes packed with people.

Occasionally, when people are able to break through the tight Israeli control that restricts free movement in and out of Gaza, Haitham says that the news of football and the outside world are much welcomed.

”During the war there were small moments of humanity that reminded us of our connection to the outside world,” he says. “Doctors and colleagues who came to Gaza spoke with us not only about war and suffering, but also about football and life.

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Haitham was gifted a signed t-shirt by Liverpool star Mohammed Salah
Haitham was gifted a signed t-shirt by Liverpool star Mohammed Salah (Haitham Al-Saqqa)

“One moment I will never forget was when a friend brought me a Liverpool shirt signed by Salah. It may seem like a small gesture, but it meant a great deal to me. It reminded me that our friends from outside Gaza still saw us as human beings with things to love and cheer about, not just as victims of war.”

Haitham says his dream is very simple: “My hope is to go outside in any stadium and to watch and to play football.”

He says he wants his family, which includes his wife Besan, four-year-old twins including a son and daughter, and older eight-year-old daughter, his parents and siblings, to be safe. He hopes his children can get suitable healthcare and a proper education.

A Palestinian football player moves with a ball between tents sheltering displaced Palestinians at the war-damaged Khan Yunis Services Club in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2026 The Khan Yunis Services Club, once one of southern Gaza's main sports clubs, has been turned into a shelter for displaced families after sustaining major damage during the war.
A Palestinian football player moves with a ball between tents sheltering displaced Palestinians at the war-damaged Khan Yunis Services Club in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2026 The Khan Yunis Services Club, once one of southern Gaza’s main sports clubs, has been turned into a shelter for displaced families after sustaining major damage during the war. (AFP/Getty)

“Football is not just a game to me. It is part of who I am. It has always been a source of hope, belonging and joy,” he says. “I want to enjoy the World Cup like the rest of the world. It is time to show Israel the red card.”

Rohan Talbot, MAP’s director of advocacy and campaigns where Haitham works, said: “Our colleagues, such as Haitham, shouldn’t have to deliver humanitarian aid under bombardment. What we’re seeing in Gaza right now is a ‘ceasefire’ in name only,”

“Palestinians continue to be killed in Israeli military attacks, and aid restrictions mean hospitals are still dangerously short of supplies and power. The UK government cannot claim to support a ceasefire while failing to take any meaningful action to enforce it.”

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‘One of the best spy thrillers ever made’ better than Homeland

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Daily Mirror

It is hailed as one of the best series ever made for TV and fans simply cannot stop binge-watching it

Devoted period drama fans are racing through a ‘masterpiece’ series.

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They’re also hailing the show, The Americans, as one of the finest spy thrillers ever produced for television. Every episode is currently streaming on Disney+.

Despite spanning six seasons in total, viewers insist they can’t resist binge-watching at breakneck speed. For anyone unfamiliar with the premise, The Americans is classified as a period drama centring on the marriage of two KGB operatives masquerading as an ‘ordinary’ American family in suburban Washington D.C.

The action unfolds against the backdrop of the Reagan administration during the 1980s. What begins as an arranged marriage between the pair for operational purposes gradually evolves into something far more passionate and authentic, reports OK!

Yet as the pressures and demands of their work intensify, the personal cost becomes almost unbearable, particularly when it comes to safeguarding their American-born children, Paige and Henry. They must also contend with the constant threat of exposure by their friend and neighbour, FBI agent Stan Beeman, whose job involves rooting out Soviet illegals concealed in plain sight.

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The series stars Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, more recently seen in Widow’s Bay, and The Diplomat star Keri Russell as the married operatives. Many credit their leading performances as a key reason the show keeps audiences utterly transfixed.

Rhys even secured an Emmy for his performance in the final season. Throughout its original run from 2013 until 2018 it established itself as one of the most critically acclaimed series on television.

This is reflected in its overall rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 96%, with season three earning a perfect 100% rating.

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A number of devoted fans have shared their endorsement of the series online and encouraged others to give it a go. One declared: “I simply devoured this series.”

Another proclaimed: “I genuinely think this is up there with the best things ever created on TV. No year’s complete without a 6-season binge of this thrilling masterpiece.”

A fellow viewer concurred: “One of the greatest series of all time. Action, suspense, thought provoking drama and politics are all combined in what I think is the best spy series I’ve ever seen. Can’t get better then this.”

In a similar vein, one viewer predicted that others would inevitably find themselves binge-watching it. They commented: “The Americans is one of the best spy shows ever created. I can’t recommend this show enough. Just go watch it, but make sure you give yourself a lot of time because you’re going to want to binge it as fast as you can. I loved every second of every episode!”.

One enthusiastic fan even suggested it had toppled their previous favourite: “Homeland is the best, the king of spy series. Well, that’s what I thought before. The Americans is better.”

Highlighting its quality, one viewer remarked: “There’s a reason that The Americans is one of the best reviewed shows and that’s because it’s fantastic! There have been a ton of spy shows over the years but The Americans is without a doubt one the best of them! It’s easily one of the two or three most thrilling spy shows ever created! Loved it!”.

Another fan confessed: “We wanted a series to binge watch and we’re so glad we chose this one! We probably stayed up way later than we should have watching episode after episode many nights in a row, but we couldn’t stop. I will not give anything away. I will just say that this is the best show we have ever watched and we were very sad that it came to an end.”

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The Americans is streaming on Disney+.

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Reason given for Wales v Barbarians being played in London instead of Cardiff

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Wales Online
Reason given for Wales v Barbarians being played in London instead of Cardiff | Wales Online

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