Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen, director of energy systems and resilience at National Gas, said: “While the situation in the Middle East has understandably raised questions about Britain’s gas supplies, our forecasts indicate the market has the capacity to deliver sufficient supply to meet demand this summer.
Gibbs-White and Sanchez’s collision did not produce the only head injuries of the day. Chelsea debutant Jesse Derry, 18, was knocked out cold after knocking heads with Zach Abbott. Both were substituted, with the former was hospitalised for precautionary checks. Chelsea have confirmed, however, that he is conscious and speaking.
For years the group has sat behind the scenes as the owner of Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and London taxi maker LEVC. Now it wants a slice of the action in its own right with this all‑electric C‑segment SUV.
The EX5 had already been launched in 33 countries by the time it arrived here late last year as the spearhead of an ambitious plan. Geely is targeting 100,000 annual UK sales by 2030, alongside a wider European push that will see 15 new models rolled out over the next five years.
Geely EX5 Max (Image: Newsquest)
That sounds like the sort of bold claim we’ve heard before from new‑to‑the‑UK brands, but the EX5 doesn’t feel like a half‑baked toe in the water.
On paper, it’s pitching straight into the heart of the market as a mid‑size family SUV, with the external footprint of something like a VW ID.4 but pricing more in line with smaller mainstream EVs.
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There’s only one battery size – 60.2kWh – and a single‑motor, front‑wheel‑drive layout. It develops 215bhp and can go from 0-62 mph in 7.1 seconds, with smooth and linear power delivery.
Geely EX5 Max (Image: Newsquest)
That’s swift enough, but the EX5 generally feels very much set up for a gentle life rather than back‑road thrills.
It’s not especially sporty, and the steering is light and rather remote, so keen drivers won’t find much to engage with here.
Where the car feels more at home is in everyday use – commuting, school runs and a steady cruise on the M62 or M1 – where its easy-going character comes to the fore and it proves a quiet, relaxing way to travel.
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Geely is going for value, space and a hefty standard kit list. There are three trim levels – SE, Pro and Max.
Geely EX5 Max (Image: Newsquest)
Inside, the EX5 makes a strong first impression. The cabin quality is genuinely impressive for a sub‑£40,000 SUV, with soft‑touch plastics, convincing artificial leather and neat patterned trim that give it a decidedly upmarket flavour. In higher‑spec versions you get toys such as heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, a big panoramic glass roof and a powerful branded stereo.
Space is another strong card. Rear legroom is excellent, with a flat floor and generous space for adults to stretch out. The compromise comes in the boot, which is smaller than those of several key rivals.
Dominating the dashboard is a 15.4‑inch touchscreen, which controls almost everything from navigation to heating. It looks sharp, the graphics are crisp and the system responds quickly, but it’s not without its frustrations. Too many core functions are buried a couple of presses deep in sub‑menus, and the native satnav can lag slightly behind your true position.
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With its 60.2kWh battery and single‑motor set‑up, the EX5 offers a claimed range in the mid‑200s miles depending on trim, which is broadly in line with similarly priced rivals. In mixed real‑world use you can expect something in that ballpark if you’re not heavy‑footed, and the car supports DC rapid charging at competitive speeds. What you don’t get is the option of a bigger battery pack, and that does limit its appeal for drivers who routinely cover big distances between charges.
Charging is one of the EX5’s stronger suits for the sort of medium‑range use it’s aimed at.
On a proper rapid charger, the EX5 will go from about 10% to 80% in roughly half an hour,
Taken as Geely’s opening statement to British buyers, the EX5 is a quietly convincing piece of work. It is smooth and undemanding to drive, the cabin looks and feels more upmarket than the price might suggest, and rear‑seat space in particular is excellent.
Coronation Street has confirmed six suspects will face questioning over Theo Silverton’s murder, but with the killer set to be revealed in the coming months did any of them kill him?
Fans wondering who killed Theo Silverton on Coronation Street could soon find out, ahead of the truth being revealed in the coming months.
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The ITV soap has revealed six suspects who will face interrogation over Theo’s death. It’s revealed to be murder after his body was found last week.
After Monday’s episode saw people acting weirdly, and some clearly hiding something, the soap has named six characters to keep an eye on. They have been officially dubbed the suspects, and they will all be quizzed by Kit Green and Lisa Swain.
Interestingly though, the release does not say any of the six are definitely the killer. The soap has deliberately called them suspects who “face the heat” as police try to figure out who died.
It’s said that over the next month, Kit and Lisa ask questions and search for evidence as things reach “breaking point”. As the pressure mounts, all will be revealed.
The named suspects include Summer Spellman, Christina Boyd, George Shuttleworth, Todd Grimshaw, Gary Windass and Danielle Silverton. The first three to be interrogated are are Theo’s partner Todd, George and Gary.
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In the coming weeks the investigation shifts, and pulled in for questioning are Summer, Christina and Danielle. As lies are exposed, and arrests are made, it’s yet to be revealed if any of the six are actually the murderer.
It feels like it’s all cleverly worded to keep us guessing. So is the list of six a red herring and is someone else to blame? Or will all become clear very soon, resulting in one of these six being outed as the killer.
They all have motives, and upcoming scenes will reveal why they are a suspect. Todd was being abused by Theo, and the night Theo died he was trying to hunt Todd down – so did he find him?
For Summer, the last time we saw Theo alive was when he trapped her in the flat alone. So did Summer kill Theo? Gary was acting weirdly about Theo’s death to Kit on Monday.
We know Gary had threatened him and the pair had clashed, and he’s also killed before. Did Gary take revenge? George also stood up to Theo, and on the night of the murder he was alone at home.
Did he sneak out and kill Theo, and does this explain his change of clothing? George’s partner Christina left him alone to go and find a shaken Todd who was hiding from Theo. But with a storyline coming up for her and her clearly hiding something, will it be that she killed Theo?
Finally there’s Theo’s ex-wife Danielle. She was also acting suspiciously on Monday and upcoming scenes tease her marriage faced it’s troubles. So might she have killed her violent ex?
They will be at Nationwide branches to offer tailored support and guidance.
Dementia UK will share advice on how to look after yourself as a carer at free clinics in East Kilbride and Motherwell.
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Dementia specialist Admiral Nurses will be at the towns’ Nationwide branch to offer tailored support and guidance.
The clinics will offer practical and emotional advice on all aspects of dementia – from worries about symptoms through to getting a diagnosis and understanding how it can progress.
And the clinics in will be in the Nationwide branch at East Kilbride’s Princes Mall on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 26 and 27.
They will also be at thebranch on Motherwell’s Muir Street on Wednesday, May 6.
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Dementia UK said: “If you care for someone who has dementia or live with the diagnosis yourself, you can book a free 45-minute face-to-face appointment with a dementia specialist Admiral Nurse for expert, tailored support, whatever your questions or concerns.
“All appointments are confidential and will take place in a private space within the branch.”
When Tyler Chambers tells me that his birth year is 2005 – I tell him, it makes me feel old. He replies that he gets that a lot. In fact, when he decided to stand for election to the Senedd, he expected that would be the main thing people would say when he knocked on their doors.
Yet, he rattles off a range of jobs and experience far beyond his years. He’s been a paper (and milk) delivery boy and worked in the local chippy. When his dad, a builder, was made redundant, the pair set up a garden and property business.
If he isn’t campaigning, he’s studying, and if not that, he’s on his dad’s smallholding, in the shed helping with his Dorset sheep.
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But now, some polls are projecting Tyler Chambers’ next role could see him elected to the Senedd, likely as its youngest member, and potentially one of a few Conservatives who could be left standing, if the polls are correct.
Various pollsters have, this election campaign, suggested the party could drop to a single seat – or gather a handful of seats, depending on the decisions of the Welsh electorate.
Born in Rhayader, his parents split up when he was young, and he grew up living with his mum on the Maes y Brenin council estate. She works as a hairdresser in Rhayader. It’s safe to say, he admits, lots of the people he has speaking to on the campaign know about him through her.
He went to Rhayader Primary School, and then Llandrindod Wells High School, but when the A-levels he wanted weren’t available in Powys, he decided to go to Hereford Sixth Form College to study law, business and politics.
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Before even getting the 6.30am bus, he would have already have had to get the 15 minutes by car to the bus stop, arriving in Hereford around 8.30am, returning home on the 6pm service from Hereford – after a day at college.
“That was a bit challenging,” he concedes, “I know loads of students face a similar struggle still.,” he says, saying transport for those in rural communities will be something he will pursue “if I get in”.
As well as campaigning, he is a second year student in Cardiff University, studying sociology and social policy. “But as you can imagine, my top priority now is is Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, and hopefully representing Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd in the Senedd,” he clarifies.
He had got involved in local activism as teen, knocking doors for people sign a petition to stop the closure of his local youth centre, but his journey into politics came despite the topic being “banned in nearly every room” at home. “Politics came because there was a bit of an issue that I ran into and I thought, ‘Do you know what? Politics can resolve that’.
“It was domestic abuse and seeing the level of support victims don’t necessarily have in difficult circumstances.
“That was my incentive and I thought, ‘you know what, I want to go into it, I want to change the system’.”
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He explains that it was learning about “the evidence-led programme which means that minors with evidence can go and present that evidence but they will need permission of a parent” when he was called upon to give evidence.
“I was in a fortunate case where it wasn’t my dad and mum, it was my mum and her partner at the time.
“So if I had needed permission I could have easily got it, but I genuinely thought for other children who need the permission of their parents and that would be really, really, difficult.
“So I got in touch with Fay [Jones, the former Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire] just asking for support and when I got a response I got to be excited so I asked ‘can I do a week’s work experience?’ I did a week and safe to say just didn’t leave.”
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Making a difference to people, is, he says his biggest motivation.
“It’s the difference you can actually make and whether that is getting someone’s bins collected, or one of the cases was a dropped kerb, because this girl, in a wheelchair, wanted to play with her friends in the park, which she wasn’t able to do.
“Whatever the issue is, it’s life changing to that individual. To us it might be a big issue, it might be a small issue, but the fact is, the constituent has got in touch with you and they’ve used all the other resources and there’s no one else.
“They’ve come to you because they think that you get the job done. I think it’s rewarding when you do help out people,” he says.
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One of those in his party had already praised to me the hours he is putting into the campaign, he seems to have, incredible drive
“I think it was my upbringing that shaped me,” he says.
“I had really good encouraging parents and whatever I wanted to do whether it was when I had my stint of playing rugby, and I really enjoyed playing rugby, they were always there on the sidelines cheering me on.
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“I do have a lot of drive and ambition, and if I see something that needs to be done, I just want to get it done,” he says.
Seeing Fay Jones lose her seat in 2024 when his party were wiped out in Wales, and then James Evans be sacked from the Tories before his defection to Reform UK, he has seen the messy side of politics. He knows the polls look bad for his party and isn’t going into any of this with his eyes closed.
“Despite all of that, myself and a small team have been out every single day since being selected as the lead candidate and I think it is because it’s that drive of the reward that we can make and the difference that we could make.
“Growing up in Radnorshire all my life, you see the things that aren’t necessarily working, things that need improving, I think that’s the biggest drive.
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“You see the difference politics can make, eah, you have difficult conversations on the doorstep, you get the occasional door slammed in your face, and the other day I woke up to a really nasty message on my Facebook, but then I go knock on a door, and, one of the constituents has got an issue that I can actually make a difference with, and I can contact the minister, and say, ‘look, this is the situation, let’s work together, and what can we do to resolve the problem’.
“A lot of it can be resolved, but it just takes a lot of hard work, and I think that’s what I hope I can provide,” he says.
As we speak, he’s taking a break from campaigning in Presteigne, and despite the grilling he’d just had in the Radnorshire Arms he’s about to go back, with more leaflets, and enough time for a quick sandwich.
“The polls don’t reflect what we’re hearing on the ground. I’ve been right across the constituency over the past few weeks and where other parties have just delivered leaflets, we’re knocking on the doors and that makes an impact. But when we are knocking on those traditional Conservatives [doors], they’re saying, ‘yeah, we’ll stick with the Conservatives’.
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“When we have knocked on doors of people who were voting Reform in 2024, they’ve now came back to us, whether that’s because they’ve seen the Reform group in Westminster or what not, there are a variety of reasons why people are coming back to us,” he says.
This new constituency starts just shy of Ludlow and goes right down to the Swansea Bay.
I tell him that candidates in a city measure their campaign by how many steps they’ve done a day, and pairs of shoes they’ve gone through, with a patch that vast, his Ford Fiesta’s mileage is his benchmark, that and the £10 shoes he grabbed in Tesco one day because the Sketchers he’d invested in weren’t comfy enough.
With just days to go until the polling stations in his vast patch open, how is he feeling?
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“It is excitement,” he says, “but we’re not taking votes for granted. The polls are all over the place at the moment and I’m just going into this election thinking, as long as we get to 10 o’clock on polling day, and can think we’ve done the best we could.”
Dolly Parton has been forced to cancel her upcoming Las Vegas residency due to her health and thanked fans for their ongoing support since the death of her husband
20:38, 04 May 2026Updated 20:38, 04 May 2026
Dolly Parton has given fans an update on her health. The country music legend, 80, initially moved her upcoming Las Vegas residency to September 2026, but has now been forced to pull the plug entirely.
“The bad news is it’s gonna take me a little while before I’m up to stage level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swim-headed as my grandma used to say and of course I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos and guitars and such on five-inch heels, not to mention all those rhinestone outfits, my big hair my big, uh, personality, that would make anyone swim-headed.
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“Think of me as an old-fashioned car, once restored, it can be better than ever. But when they lifted the hood on this antique, they realised that I need to rebuild my engine, my transmission is slipping and my mufflers need busting, my pistons need to be replaced.
“Spark plugs need to be changed because you know as well as I know that I can’t lose my spark! I know, I’m still crazy but they didn’t mention nothing about my mental health.
“I’ve always had problems with my kidney stones, my immune system and by digestive system got all out of whack and they’re working real hard on building and re-strengthening those. Hopefully I’ll be up to snuff again soon.
Ever the optimist, Dolly continued: “Maybe I shouldn’t have said snuff – that wouldn’t be good for either of those would it. I wouldn’t want my top lip to fall off on top of everything else. It’d be like losing a hubcap. I’m just trying to keep everything light and airy, they say that a happy heart is good medicine. Do you think I’m overmedicating?
“The truth is I am still working, videos, recording, I go up and down to Dollywood and I’m working hard on getting my hotel and museum open. And I’m spending a lot of time working on my Broadway musical open this year. I know you’re thinking ‘That girl’s always promoting something,’ that’s true, but that’s how you get it done. I am truly sorry.”
Dolly then turned to the subject of her late husband Carl, who passed away just over a year ago almost six decades after they tied the knot, and thanked her loyal fans for the way they had reached out to her in the time since his death.
“I’m gonna miss all of you that had tickets to see me in Las Vegas, you get along to Vegas, have a good time and hopefully sometime you’ll come up to New York and see my show, I’ll see you somewhere down the line. A lot of have been so concerned about me and Carl, and you’ve been so great about that, and after going through a year of firsts – the holidays, and our wedding anniversary and the day of his death, that was hard for me but I will always love him and I’ll always miss him.
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Known for her humorous quips and quotes, the former Hannah Montana star signed off her lengthy video by joking about her numerous bouts of cosmetic work over the years but acknowledged the “serious business” that is her internal health, as she reminded fans that, in a nod to her 1973 ballad that was famously covered by Whitney Houston, that she will “always love” them.
“You would be surprised at how much your love meant to me during that time. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you, you have been a big part of my healing. Speaking of Carl and my health, I remember years back, I was saying something and Carl said ‘You’re not getting any younger!’ and I said ‘Honey, as long as there are plastic surgeons in this world, I am not getting any older!’
“Plastic surgeons can make you look good on the outside but it’s serious business when you’re talking about internal medicine. I have great doctors, and I’m doing really well and they assure me that everything I have is treatable, so I am going with that and I just want to thank you for standing by me and I Will Always Love You.”
The State Pension age in the UK is now rising from 66 to 67, with the phased increase due to be completed for all men and women across Great Britain by 2028, as experts warn a further rise to 68 faces significant challenges.
Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer
20:00, 04 May 2026
The State Pension age has begun its gradual rise from 66 to 67, with the transition scheduled to be finalised for all men and women throughout Great Britain by 2028. The planned adjustment to the official retirement age has been enshrined in law since 2014, with a subsequent increase from 67 to 68 set to take effect between 2044 and 2046.
The third State Pension age review was initiated in July last year. It will examine future increases, considering factors including life expectancy, employment patterns, expenditure, and long-term viability.
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Under the Triple Lock mechanism, State Pensions rise annually in accordance with whichever is highest among average annual earnings growth from May to July, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate in the year to September, or 2.5 per cent.
It’s crucial to note that any modifications to the State Pension age must adhere to the principle of providing people with 10 years’ notice of any alteration to their retirement age – or risk repeating a situation which has impacted an estimated 3.6 million women born in the 1950s.
Phoenix Insights has cautioned that approximately 3 million people could face postponed retirement plans if the State Pension age rise to 68 is accelerated, reports the Daily Record.
The most recent DWP statistics reveal there are currently 13.2 million people of State Pension age, including over 1.1 million in Scotland. Some 34 per cent receive the New State Pension (post-April 2016) while 66 per cent are claiming the Basic (or Old) State Pension (pre-April 2016).
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Those receiving the full New State Pension are currently entitled to £241.30 per week, and as payments are typically issued every four weeks, this equates to £965.20 per payment. Over the 2026/27 financial year, recipients will receive an annual sum of £12,547.
It is worth noting, however, that not all of the 4.1 million people on the New State Pension receive the full amount, as entitlement is tied to National Insurance Contributions.
Recipients must have made at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance Contributions (NICs) to qualify for any State Pension, with approximately 35 years required for the full rate — though this figure may be higher for those who have been ‘contracted out’.
Those on the full Basic State Pension currently receive weekly payments of £184.90, or £739.60 per four-week payment period. Over the 2026/27 financial year, annual payments will amount to £9,614.
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Patrick Thomson, Head of Research Analysis and Policy at Phoenix Insights, said: “The State Pension remains at a critical juncture with questions remaining over its long-term affordability and the future of the Triple Lock. Projections suggests there will be five million more State Pensioners in the UK by 2070 compared to just one million more people of working-age.”
The Northumbria Mysteries is currently in production in Northumberland and stars Robson Green as Joe Ruby, who teams up with DI Rose O’Connell to unravel a series of compelling crime mysteries.
The BBC One and iPlayer drama is produced by Lonesome Pine and distributed globally by Banijay Rights.
Robson Green (Image: PA MEDIA)
On his Instagram at the end of March, Robson Green said: “We have lift off! “Filming starts soon on ‘The Northumbria Mysteries’
“So proud to be part of this New Series set against the stunning, dramatic and spiritual backdrop of Northumberland. “It’s about two people who are opposites of each other, but who want to change.
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“Joe has so many regrets and is seeking redemption, while Rose has always done the ‘right’ thing but not always had the best outcomes.
“They want to make a difference in different ways. One wants to become more spiritual, the other wants to become more meaningful.
“They both have good hearts, but bad habits, and they are at a time in life where they are ready to think outside the box to make a difference.
“So when they unexpectedly find a connection in solving a mysterious murder, it takes them ages to realise what that connection is!
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“And then even longer to work out what to do about it.
“It’s a show for everyone who’s ever made mistakes, but who hasn’t given up just yet! “And just when you, as the audience, think you’ve solved the crime, you haven’t.”
Banijay Rights revealed: “Produced by Lonesome Pine and starring Robson Green, the drama brings together a compelling crime and the Northumberland coastline.”
First-look images from filming in Morpeth have now been released, showing Robson in character for the upcoming series.
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An official broadcast date for The Northumbria Mysteries has not yet been announced, but people have been expressing their excitement online at the upcoming TV show.
Chelsea may have won the football lottery twice but, this time, the return on investment under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital is being questioned.
Chants of “we don’t care about Clearlake, they don’t care about us, all we care about is Chelsea FC” are increasingly becoming the anthem of a turbulent season.
Not A Project CFC, a growing but still fringe protest group, are planning two further protests. The first will take place on the steps of Wembley Way before the FA Cup final against Manchester City. A second protest to take place inside Stamford Bridge, where fans are asked to turn their backs in the 22nd minute of the final home game vs Tottenham.
There have also been previous chants of “Roman Abramovich” but those recollections are rose-tinted, particularly towards the end of the Russian oligarch’s reign, where Chelsea were widely regarded as a cup team and had lagged behind their rivals in terms of revenues.
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The £490.9m turnover last season was Chelsea‘s second highest on record but still lagged well behind their rivals in the so-called ‘big six’. That gap needs to be bridged as debt grows within the parent company.
Inside Chelsea they say debt is part of a highly-structured investment approach, common in elite sport, and there is a long-term plan for sustainability.
Still, Chelsea spent the most on agents’ fees and the third most on both transfers and wages last season, despite a reduction in overall spending following the unprecedented outlay in the early BlueCo years.
The cost remains evident through a league-high ‘amortisation’ bill – where they have spread transfer fees across the length of a contract up to five years – of more than £200m.
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What has been squandered by this ownership is the strong Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) position they inherited. More than £1.5bn has been spent on talent, but the return in terms of consistent success in the Premier League has yet to materialise.
Chelsea are looking to add some experience to their squad at the end of the season, but more drastic decisions are not being discussed openly, with mid-campaign decisions to be avoided, especially with an FA Cup final still to come.
Yet, club sources have also stressed that accountability across the organisation is embedded through annual reviews and could draw in anyone at any level should poor performance be identified.
The possibility of star players such as Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill being sold is constantly denied by the club, but some player sales have always been necessary, since Abramovich and into the BlueCo era, to balance the books.
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“Chelsea have always been very successful in terms of player sales, which have generated substantially more money for the club than ticket sales over the last decade,” Maguire said.
“The 22 Holdco business model is similar to that of a hedge fund in that signing young players on long-term contracts can be profitable and reduces the chances of players leaving on a Bosman deal for no fee.”
However, everything is threatened, even attracting a new high-profile manager, without Champions League football.
Omar Majed was ordered to go down to the cells part-way through an 11-minute hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court was told thousands of fans had to be evacuated after the teenager allegedly “barged” his way into Birmingham’s Utilita Arena without a ticket.
Prosecutor Ros Buttler told the court that Majed was alleged to have indicated to a police constable and others that a bomb may have been left at the venue.
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The alleged hoax had “serious repercussions” at an event with an expected crowd of almost 13,000 people, she added.
The charge against Majed alleges that he communicated to a police officer and others information, which he knew or believed to be false, that a bomb was present in the arena.
After confirming his address and date of birth at the start of the hearing, Majed, of Graham Road, Saltley, Birmingham, was repeatedly asked to be quiet by District Judge Michelle Smith.
District Judge Smith, appearing in court via a video-link, also made several requests for Majed to sit down.
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After Majed shouted that proposed bail conditions for him were “not acceptable” he was taken down to the cells before the end of the hearing.
Majed gave no indication of plea to a single charge of communicating false information to police contrary to the Criminal Law Act.
Adjourning the case after submissions from the prosecutor and defence lawyer Lauren Clark, District Judge Smith also refused a bail application.
The judge said: “Based on everything I have read and have heard I am satisfied that the case should be dealt with in the Crown Court.
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“The case will be sent to Birmingham Crown Court on June 1.”
Kay, aged 52, was ushered off stage during his show at the Utilita Arena on Friday.
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The show was cancelled after the evacuation and West Midlands Police later said “nothing suspicious was found” during searches.
In an update on Saturday evening, the force said: “An evacuation of the arena was ordered yesterday evening after a report of a suspicious bag being left in the area.
“Following searches, nothing suspicious was found and we are grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding.
“As always our priority is the safety of the public.”
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The show was part of Kay’s Better Late Than Never national tour, which will see all proceeds donated to 12 cancer charities.
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