West Lothian Council is one of 19 local authorities to receive support through the third round of the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund.
Families in Almond Valley and across West Lothian are set to benefit from new Scottish Government funding aimed at tackling child poverty and helping households with the cost of living.
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West Lothian Council is one of 19 local authorities to receive support through the third round of the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund.
Almost £1.9 million will back 21 projects across Scotland between 2025 and 2028, helping councils and local partners strengthen community-based services and improve access to financial support.
The funding is designed to test new approaches, improve benefit take-up and boost household incomes, ensuring families can access the help they are entitled to.
Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, welcomed the announcement.
She said: “Tackling child poverty and supporting families through the ongoing cost of living challenges remains a clear priority.
“I am pleased that Almond Valley will benefit from this investment, which will strengthen local services and help families across Almond Valley access the advice and financial support they need.
“Community-based projects make a real difference.
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“They connect families to practical help, improve wellbeing and ensure support is available close to home.
“Alongside measures such as the Scottish Child Payment, free prescriptions and free bus travel for under-22s, this funding forms part of a wider package designed to put more money into people’s pockets and give every child the best possible start in life.”
The draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 sets out plans to invest £8 billion through the social justice portfolio to tackle the root causes of child poverty, support vulnerable people and ease cost of living pressures.
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The Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund is now in its third year and continues to support local innovation and share learning on what works best to reduce poverty in communities across Scotland.
As conflict continues in the Middle East travel is still being impacted
Fresh travel warnings have been placed on 33 countries across the world as the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran escalates. Travel has been impacted globally since the war began with the US attacking Iran on February 28, with no sign of calming.
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At the beginning of the conflict many flights were cancelled in the Middle East, mainly in the UAE as the airspace was closed. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated travellers from the UK about the global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East.
For 34 countries, some of which are popular tourist spots have been advised: “Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights. Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East.
“Before you travel, check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through, check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator before travelling, review your travel insurance policy for coverage before you travel and monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts.”
Places issued with the warning
Australia
Bangladesh
Brunei
Cambodia
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Japan
Kiribati
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Tajikistan
Thailand
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
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Nicola Peltz has taken aim at her famous in-laws amidst the ongoing fallout with Brooklyn Beckham and his family, while revealing her own relatives class her husband as their son
Daniel Bird Assistant Celebrity and Entertainment Editor
16:56, 20 Mar 2026
Nicola Peltz has hit out at Brooklyn Beckham’s family. Amidst the ongoing fallout between the wannabe chef and his parents, Lady Victoria and Sir David Beckham, it doesn’t appear as though their feud will be slowing down any time soon.
And now, actress Nicola has shared a candid insight into her family life with her billionaire father, Nelson Peltz, and mother, Claudia Heffner Peltz. In a new interview, Nicola has made her position very firm and shared that Brooklyn has been welcomed with open arms by her family and has even started playing football with her siblings.
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She said that her parents view Brooklyn “like another son,” and he “loves” playing football with her brothers, in yet another swipe at David’s impressive career. Speaking to Elle Espana, Nicola said: “He gets along really well with my brothers; they play soccer together a lot.”
In another apparent dig, she commented: “Brooklyn supports my dreams and is the sweetest when I get too hard on myself. He has the biggest heart in the world.” Just last week, Brooklyn once again snubbed his parents and failed to acknowledge his Spice Girls mum on Mother’s Day.
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Instead, he praised his mother-in-law, Claudia, as she celebrated her birthday, just days before. Brooklyn said: “Happy birthday to the best mother-in-law. Love u so much and hope u had the most amazing day.”
Brooklyn previously insisted that he didn’t want any part in his parents “performative posts” on social media, but as he celebrated his 27th birthday, his relatives still took to Instagram to share pictures with him – despite being blocked by Brooklyn.
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“Brooklyn and Nicola are disheartened they chose to make public Instagram posts for his birthday,” a source said. They went on to tell ET : “These are the exact type of performative public actions that Brooklyn has been trying to put an end to, to no avail. Last summer they issued a legal letter to his parents requesting that any correspondence go through lawyers.”
While his family would often throw huge birthday celebrations, Brooklyn spent his day with Nicola, who treated him to a box of doughnuts. Despite his estrangement from his parents and siblings, it’s believed that Brooklyn has maintained a relationship with his grandfather Ted and his wife Hilary, with whom he is in contact.
Taking to Instagram in January, Brooklyn fumed: “For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they’ll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.”
He instructed his lawyers to issue a “desist” letter to his parents and demanded they no longer “tag” him on social media. Brooklyn later blocked his entire family from following him on Instagram. This had been done in order to ‘protect his mental health’. A source familiar with the family’s feud, which kicked off in May, told the Mirror that Brooklyn’s mental health came first, adding that the letter was sent to ‘protect’ the wannabe chef after his “requests to stop” had gone ignored.
Robert Pattinson is co-starring alongside Zendaya in The Drama and has hailed the actress as one of the “greatest” of our time and also praised her for her calming energy on set
Zara Zubeidi Deputy Showbiz Editor
16:45, 20 Mar 2026
With the amount of time they have to spend together, not just filming but also on promotional events and weeks-long press tours, it helps when actors get along. So it’s a good job that Robert Pattinson and Zendaya have a close bond, given they have not one but three major films together out this year.
First for the pair comes Kristoffer Borgli’s twisted romance The Drama, out next month, followed by Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey in July and Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi Dune: Part Three in December.
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“I have this thing where I overthink lines and look for a deeper meaning but her calm manner always quickly bought me back to the moment.”
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In The Drama, Zendaya, 29, stars as Emma Harwood, a bookshop assistant engaged to Robert’s Charlie Thompson, a museum director from London. Days before the couple are due to marry, one discovers unsettling truths about the other that threaten to unravel everything.
While their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, their off-screen friendship has been just as important in shaping their performances. It was in fact Zendaya’s partner, Tom Holland, who first brought the pair together. Robert had previously worked with fellow Brit Tom on The Devil All the Time in 2020.
Robert says: “Tom has been a great friend of mine for a lot of years now, so we had met socially. “I can be a bit quiet in social occasions, so I think Tom had to convince her that I had a personality.
“Thankfully I think he succeeded, and I now consider the pair of them trusted friends.”
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For Robert, navigating high-profile roles is nothing new. He first rose to prominence as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, but it was his portrayal of Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga that catapulted him to A-list status.
The films, released yearly from 2008 to 2012, became massive hits and in 2025 the first novel celebrated its 20th anniversary. Looking back now, Robert admits his relationship with that period of his life has evolved.
He says: “At the time I wanted to move on, but as I have gotten older and the hysteria has died down I actually look back on Twilight with really fond feelings.
“I am still asked about Twilight more than I am asked about anything else, the impact it still has on fans is huge. Due to streaming services there is the new wave of fans. I get asked about it by people who were barely born at the time the first film came out.”
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Robert was 21 when he was cast in the vampire franchise – and he struggled with the attention that came with being a global heart-throb.
He says he’s “lost count of the times fans asked me to bite them”, adding that it used to be “a weekly occurrence”. He adds: “That was why I was so keen at the time to move on from those films. I really didn’t cope at all. The first Twilight movie was always my favourite time of the franchise.
“Not because it was necessarily my favorite but because the hysteria hadn’t yet started and we got to enjoy the experience for everything it was.”
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Over the next two decades Robert carved out a diverse and critically acclaimed career, landing notable roles including 2022’s The Batman, in which he played Bruce Wayne. During that time, he learned to deal with fame’s highs and lows.
When he was announced as the new caped crusader, fans questioned if he could step in to such an iconic role – but Robert took it in his stride.
At the time, he said he was shocked he wasn’t mocked more, and joked the backlash was only “70% negative”, which he viewed as a bonus compared to past experiences.
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Since then he has developed a thicker skin in terms of public opinion. He says: “When it comes to my work and performances I am my harshest critic.
“When I started out I was full of self-doubt, but as you get older you learn to block any criticism out.”
Away from the spotlight, Robert got engaged to actress Suki Waterhouse in 2023 and the couple had their first child, a daughter, in March 2024.
And this week rumours swirled that both he and Zendaya had tied the knot with their long-term loves. It could be said that becoming a father has proved his biggest lesson to date.
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He says: “They just bring so much fun, so much joy, so much laughter. Then there is what they teach you. I think I have become so much more patient since I have become a parent. Before, in your mind you think there is some sort of handbook that tells you what to do, but the reality is you learn as you go.”
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News said Friday it is shutting down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation as part of a round of layoffs, blaming a shift in radio station programming strategies and challenging economic times.
When it went on the air in September 1927, CBS News Radio was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow delivered reports from London during World War II as part of the service.
Today CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country, and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.
“While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one,” CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski said in a memo to staff on Friday.
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Along with newspapers, radio was the dominant force in how Americans got their news from the 1920s through the 1940s, with Americans listening to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” during the Depression, before the format was largely supplanted by television in the 1950s. Radio is even less a force in modern society, with the world online and on phones. Those seeking audio often turn to podcasts before radio.
The front page of CBS News’ website did not immediately carry news of the demise.
Weiss is not a stranger to CBS’ storied history. Addressing her staff in January, three months into her job as CBS News boss, she invoked the network’s legendary newsman Walter Cronkite as a symbol of old thinking and said that if the network continues with its current strategy, “we’re toast.”
Weiss announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to do stories that will “surprise and provoke — including inside our own newsroom.”
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Weiss, founder of the Free Press website and without broadcast news experience before being hired by CBS parent Paramount’s new management, has quickly become a headline-maker and polarizing figure in journalism. She held a “60 Minutes” story critical of President Donald Trump’s deportation policy from being broadcast for a month and has critics watching to see if she’s moving the network in a Trump-friendly direction.
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David Bauder covers the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press.
Steven Dale and his son Christian Dale appeared before Chester Magistrates’ Court yesterday (March 19).
The 70-year-old is alleged to have committed fraud by false representation relating to a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan for Bury FC Heritage Ltd in February 2021.
Dale, of Heath Rise, Whitmore, Staffordshire, is also charged with failing to keep, preserve or deliver up adequate accounting records under the Companies Act 2006 and Insolvency Act 1986 for The Bury Football Club Company Limited and Dale Acquisitions Ltd.
His son, Christian Dale, 41, of the same address, is charged with the same offences under the Companies Act 2006 and Insolvency Act 1986 in relation to Dale Acquisitions Ltd.
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Both were bailed after appearing before the court, and the case has now been sent to Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Thursday, April 16.
The charges follow investigations into the pair by the Insolvency Service.
Businessman Steven Dale bought Bury FC from Stewart Day for just £1 in December 2018 when Day stepped down as Bury chairman after six years, a period which saw a number of financial problems for The Shakers.
In August 2019 the club was also expelled from the English Football League (EFL) after 125 years.
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In 2020, Dale placed the company into administration and fans formed Bury Association Football Club while Bury FC was in crisis.
This is based on the classic Italian tuna and bean salad, but I’ve gone further. If you have time to toss the beans with the dressing a few hours before you want to assemble and serve, do it. The beans taste wonderful once they’ve marinated for a while. You can roast the peppers yourself or use ready-cooked ones from a jar.
The quality of the tuna and the anchovies is very important. I use jarred Ortiz tuna or canned Charles Basset (the latter isn’t as good but it’s cheaper). Waitrose also do very good own-label jarred tuna in olive oil. This means it’s not a cheap meal, though, as good canned tuna is expensive. When I need this to be a cheap and cheerful lunch, I use supermarket own-label tuna tinned in olive oil. You don’t have to be strict about the quantity of tuna; jars and tins vary a lot in the weight they contain. Get whatever you can find and use your judgment.
The branch has named the Portly Pig in Ripon has its city pub of the year for 2026.
The Tapp on the Tutt in Boroughbridge is 2026 Country Pub of the year.
In a social media post, Portly Pig owners Stuart and Katie Ross said: “When we took over the PIG, we never expected to have such an incredible year – we’ve met the most amazing people, shared stories and laughed until our bellies hurt!
“It is lovely to be part of an incredible community that is Ripon, it is thriving because of all the amazing business’ it has to offer, with many Independents. It may be the 3rd smallest city, yet it has a HUGE heart.
“WE PIGGIN Love U ALL, thank you we are truly grateful.”
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Simon Wade, owner of the Tapp on the Tutt posted on social media: “For the last three years, we’ve taken immense pride in serving top-quality cask marque accredited real ales, alongside a fantastic selection of draught ales and ciders.
“This recognition is a testament to our commitment and passion for delivering the best experience for our patrons.
“A massive THANK YOU to all our tappers, the incredible breweries, and especially our dedicated staff! Your hard work and support have truly made this possible.”
As previously reported, York CAMRA this week announced its 2026 City Pub of the Year as The Last Drop Inn, Colliergate, and the Town and Country Pub of the Year, The White Bear Inn, Stillington.
Comic Relief: Funny For Money star Joel Dommett took a swipe at Meghan Markle’s past comments about Prince Harry, while opening up about his own marriage
In conversation with Oprah Winfrey, she stated: “Well, I didn’t do any research about what that would mean… I’d never looked up my husband online. I just didn’t feel a need to because everything that I needed to know, he was sharing with me, right? Everything that he thought I needed to know, he was telling me.”
In the pair’s Netflix documentary released a year later, a resurfaced 2015 clip showed Meghan being questioned about Harry and his brother Prince William at a red carpet event.
When asked who she preferred out of the two, she selected Harry – whom she would later wed in 2018. Discussing the start of his own relationship with his wife Hannah, Joel couldn’t resist alluding to Meghan’s comments while speaking on Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast.
He quipped that his wife professed she didn’t know who he was after messaging him, following an appearance on Lorraine Kelly’s show.
“My wife slid into my DMs. The TV was on in the corner of the bar and she saw me on Lorraine,” he shared. “She hadn’t seen any of the junk [about a previous catfishing situation he fell victim to].”
He then joked: “That same way that Meghan Markle didn’t know Prince Harry – ‘Oh, what is a Prince?’”.
Joel, 40, wed Hannah in Mykonos, Greece, three years after they met. The pair share a son, Wilde, and are currently expecting their second child.
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Harry and Meghan, meanwhile, have two children together – Archie and Lilibet. The duo stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020 before discussing their decision to depart in their high-profile interview with Oprah.
They subsequently released a six-part Netflix documentary providing a more personal glimpse into their relationship, from how they met to their exit from royal life.
Harry additionally elaborated on his experiences as a royal in his memoir, Spare. Since 2020, the pair have been living in the US, making only occasional visits to the UK.
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Meanwhile, Joel returns to screens tonight as one of the presenters for this year’s Comic ReliefRed Nose Day.
The BBC One programme will feature an evening of entertainment, with appearances from stars including Davina, Joel, Katherine Ryan, Nick Mohammed and Catherine Tate.
Comic Relief: Funny For Money airs tonight at 7pm on BBC One.
One person also said the area has ‘gorgeous’ green spaces to explore and walk around
People living on a modern housing estate say it is a nice place to live, with lots for families with children to do. Built on the former RAF Alconbury air base, Alconbury Weald is a fairly new community, with its first residents moving in just 10 years ago.
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While the development has been up and running since 2016, new houses are still being built on site. As part of the Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we spoke to people those already living in Alconbury Weald.
Moving from Huntingdon, Sandra and her partner Brian, who wished not to include their surnames, have lived in the area for the last three years. Sandra said Alconbury Weald is “nice” and they are “happy” living there.
She added: “It’s a very nice neighbourhood. There are a mix of different people here. We have a Co-op, and while I think we could do with something else like a Lidl or little Tesco, we still support them [Co op].
“What I love is they thought about the children and they put a lot of play areas here.” Brian added that the area has a “good tennis court” and praised other sports in the area.
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Alconbury Weald has a popular beer festival, which offers a chance to relax and unwind over three days from Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. This year’s event will see local ales and ciders on offer, as well as a barbecue with plenty of options. There will also be live entertainment to enjoy.
Tereza Mistolerova moved to Alconbury Weald with her husband in September last year. The couple moved to the area from London since there is a lower cost of living.
Tereza said: “It was impossible to live in London and we have a lot of friends in Cambridge. We weren’t able to buy a house in London. We couldn’t afford a two-bed place, but got a four-bedded house here.”
Tereza also praised the green spaces. She added: “There is so much green. It’s gorgeous for walks. Everyone is also really friendly, you tend to talk to a lot of people with dogs. I have not come across anyone sketchy. Everyone seems lovely.”
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Paul Todd moved from Sawtry to Alconbury Weald in 2021. He said the area is “nice” and is its “own little unit”. He added: “The only people here are the ones who live here. It’s safe for the children and I can safely let them out and about.”
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said Alconbury Weald is “very clean and well kept”. She added: “There are a good range of house sizes, and the green spaces are great to walk dogs around. With summer coming, I will definitely be going out a lot more.”
Another man, who also wished to not be named, said it is a “lovely little place” to live. He added: “There is hardly any trouble. The one school is massive and I think they are building another, which will be good. There are also lots of places to go outside with kids and plenty of places to have a picnic.”
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