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Government Criticizes Anti Migrant Protesters As Intimidating

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Government Criticizes Anti Migrant Protesters As Intimidating

The government has condemned “intimidating and thuggish” anti-migrant protesters after hundreds of demonstrators faced off with police in Portsmouth.

They blocked roads for hours in the second major anti-migrant protest of the weekend.

Large crowds of masked, black-clad men blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, in scenes which have been condemned by politicians, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

On Sunday night, another protest took place after around 140 migrants in a single dinghy were rescued in the English Channel as it headed for the Hampshire coast.

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It is thought to have made one of the longest journeys of any small boat.

The protesters, many of them wearing masks, said they were determined to prevent authorities from transporting the migrants to the Manston processing centre in Kent.

They blocked traffic along the road leading away from Eastney Marina, with photos showing police carrying riot shields forming a line and protecting a number of coaches that were parked up.

Early on Monday morning, a government spokesperson said: “We condemn the intimidating and thuggish behaviour we are seeing tonight.

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“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder.

“We thank the emergency services who are working to safely manage this situation.”

Livestreaming while standing in the sea at Eastney beach, Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo – an associate of ring-wing activist Tommy Robinson – said: “Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”

He added: “It was only yesterday (at the protests in Dover) when we warned them that we will not accept this any more, and that this is no longer an option to tell us that the boat numbers are down.

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“This isn’t about the numbers being down… this is about understanding that this has to come to an end now.”

Cllr George Madgwick, leader of Reform UK in Hampshire, posted on X that “over 100 migrant men” had arrived on the Portsmouth shores on Sunday.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted: “This week Andy Burnham struck an agreement for 45 more officers on French beaches. Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time. This is a joke. Only Reform will send the boats back.”

Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, Joe Robertson, posted: “Extremely concerning to see an illegal migrant crossing this far west.

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“We don’t know if this migrant boat was headed for the Isle of Wight but I’ll be contacting the Home Office first thing. We need to know exactly what happened and if new routes are being used for mega-dinghies by people smugglers.”

The Port of Dover rally was criticised by politicians from all parties, with questions expected to be raised on Monday over whether Kent Police were prepared for it, and there could be similar criticism of Hampshire Police.

The demonstrations brought traffic on routes to the UK’s busiest international ferry and passenger port to a halt, delaying some ferry services and blocking major roads, but there were no arrests.

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds criticised the demonstrations, which saw protesters march through Dover chanting “Whose streets? Our streets” and “Stop the boats”.

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Mr Reynolds told Sky News he condemned the behaviour and the disruption it caused, adding: “Peaceful protest – essential part of British life, but that’s not dressing up in costumes like this and disrupting people’s lives.”

On the same programme, Reform UK economic spokesman Robert Jenrick said: “I don’t like people going around in balaclavas, which is obviously very intimidating. In fact, our party’s policy is to ban face coverings like that.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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The Inbetweeners are back! Netflix announce third film has started production – with teaser showing stars sitting in Simon’s iconic yellow car

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The Inbetweeners are back, with a third movie set to his screens

The Inbetweeners are back, with a third movie set to his screens.

It was revealed that filming started on Monday in the UK The Inbetweeners 3, with Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas will reprising their roles as Will McKenzie, Jay Cartwright, Neil Sutherland and Simon Cooper.

A teaser clip for the film, saw the foursome sitting in Simon’s iconic yellow 1996 Fiat Cinquecento Hawaii edition, with the car failing to start much to their chagrin. 

The news follows months of speculation over the revival of sitcom, which was originally broadcast on Channel 4 between 2008 and 2010 before the release of two films in 2011 and 2014 and a reunion in 2019. 

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Creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris have returned to write and direct the film, which will be produced by Claire Jones alongside Banijay’s Patrick Holland and Fudge Park Production’s Mark Lesbirel.

Damon and Iain said of the film: ‘It’s been super-fun hanging out with our friends again, and we’re going to work hard every week to ensure there are no problemos making this new film for humans.’

The Inbetweeners are back, with a third movie set to his screens

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Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison (L-R) are pictured in 2011's first movie

Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison (L-R) are pictured in 2011’s first movie

They will also serve as executive producers alongside Caroline Levy, Caroline Leddy, Phil Gilbert, Suzanne Knight, Tom Jordan and Farhana Bhula.

Despite excitement over the return, it has been reported that streaming bosses aren’t satisfied with just the main men returning – they also want to see Emily Atack, 36, reprise her role as Charlotte ‘Big Jugs’ Hinchcliffe.

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The move comes as a surprise after Emily was axed from the Inbetweeners reunion five years ago following a ‘past fling’ with James.

A source told the publication: ‘The creators of the show have written the script and are ready to roll – but Emily is one of the missing pieces in the project they’re keen to get in place.

‘Fans will already be delighted that the four main leads are returning as there was concern that a reboot might see new, younger actors cast in the roles of the lads, who were all supposed to be teenagers in the show.

‘But it’s fair to say getting Emily back would be the cherry on the Inbetweeners cake.’

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Last month, sources told The Sun that all four of the main actors were ‘thrilled’ to be asked back, but noted that things would be a bit harder for Emily to commit to a reboot movie considering everything she’s got going on at the moment.

The teaser saw the group sitting in Simon's battered car

The teaser saw the group sitting in Simon’s battered car 

Despite excitement over the return, it has been reported that streaming bosses aren't satisfied with just the main men returning - they also want to see Emily Atack, 36, reprise her role as Charlotte 'Big Jugs' Hinchcliffe

Despite excitement over the return, it has been reported that streaming bosses aren’t satisfied with just the main men returning – they also want to see Emily Atack, 36, reprise her role as Charlotte ‘Big Jugs’ Hinchcliffe 

In 2019, Emily was reportedly axed from the Inbetweeners reunion after James told producers ‘it’s her or me’ following a past fling they had when they were both single.

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Reports suggested at the time that James was afraid his wife, Clair Meek, would find out about the brief relationship they had during their days in the show during 2008 to 2010.

As well as starring in Disney series Rivals, Emily is in the process of making a new programme for the BBC called Reputation.

She’s also waiting to find out whether or not ITV will commission a second series of Nobody’s Fool – the game show she hosts with Rivals castmate Danny Dyer.

If filming on the Inbetweeners kicks off soon, the results could air as early as 2027, the source added.

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Emily has been asked about a potential Inbetweeners return on numerous occasions in the past, telling Capital FM recently: ‘I don’t know. We’d all be quite a lot older now.

‘What was quite funny was when we filmed the series I was only 17, I’d just left school, but the boys were well into… I think they were in their late twenties, early thirties.’

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Elon Musk and Europe’s hard right figures hail AfD’s ‘historic’ election win in German state as leader predicts Chancellor Merz will fall by Christmas

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Ulrich Siegmund, hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)'s main candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, gestures as he addresses supporters at the AfD's election party following Saxony-Anhalt's state elections in Magdeburg, eastern Germany on September 6

Elon Musk and Europe’s hard-right figures today celebrated the historic state election victory of the Alternative für Deutschland party in Germany.

The tech billionaire wrote ‘Well done!’ after the party won a decisive victory in Germany’s eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, far ahead of mainstream rivals.

In an interview following the results, AfD co-founder Alice Weidel said she expected the current German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to be ‘replaced before Christmas‘.

But preliminary results show the party fell short of the outright majority needed to govern alone, with 43.8 per cent of the vote to the conservative Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) 17.2 per cent.

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The AfD was pursuing an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with the group. 

Now, tricky negotiations on who will run the state lie ahead, with final results showing the AfD falling three seats short, with 39 lawmakers in an 83-member parliament.

‘We have received a very clear mandate to govern here,’ Weidel told reporters.

‘We ran on a clear platform of representing the interests of our country, not those of Ukraine or any other country,’ she added.

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Ulrich Siegmund, hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s main candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, gestures as he addresses supporters at the AfD’s election party following Saxony-Anhalt’s state elections in Magdeburg, eastern Germany on September 6

The AfD was seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with the party

The AfD was seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with the party

‘If we receive the mandate to govern at the federal level and assume governmental responsibility, we will cut all unnecessary spending. We will control our borders. We will deport all those required to leave the country and all criminals. We will close the borders.

‘I also expect early federal elections, and I expect the current chancellor to be replaced before Christmas.’

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The AfD more than doubled its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin. 

Meanwhile, the CDU, the party of Germany’s unpopular leader, Chancellor Merz, slumped to a disastrous result, winning only 15 seats. 

The centre-left Social Democrats got 9.3 per cent, the Greens 8.9 per cent and the Left Party 8.6 per cent, all winning eight seats apiece. 

The results put a hard-right ⁠party within reach of power at the ​state level for the first time since World ​War Two. 

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But because the AfD fell just short of an outright majority, it may not end up governing Saxony-Anhalt.

Rival parties have vowed that they would not form a coalition government with the AfD, whose leaders have previously used Nazi slogans and minimised the Holocaust. 

German intelligence has designated the party as a ‘suspected’ extremist group.

Now, tricky negotiations on who will run the state lie ahead, with final results showing the AfD falling three seats short, with 39 lawmakers in an 83-member parliament

Now, tricky negotiations on who will run the state lie ahead, with final results showing the AfD falling three seats short, with 39 lawmakers in an 83-member parliament

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French government ministers expressed their worries on Monday over ​the impact of the victory.

‘It clearly sends out a very, very worrying signal,’ French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL ​radio. 

‘This shows that we face a ​major challenge in the face of a populist wave ‌which ⁠is spreading around the world today and which we must resist,’ added Lescure.

Lescure’s views echoed similar comments made late on Sunday by ​France’s European ​Affairs Minister ⁠Benjamin Haddad.

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‘To see the far-right prevail in the German regional election ​marks a very grave moment for ​Europe,’ ⁠he wrote on X.

‘We must listen with humility to the anger, fears and worries ⁠and ​duly respond to these concerns. ​But nationalism and xenophobia will never be the answer,’ added Haddad.

Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s lead candidate, rejoiced at the results, saying ‘we have written history’.   

The anti-migration, Russia-friendly politician told public broadcaster ARD that voters had sent a signal that ‘things cannot carry on like this’.

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He added that ‘a very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz’.

Turnout was very high, at 77.8 per cent, with the AfD appearing to have won over many people who did not vote at all five years ago. 

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and leader of hard-right League party Matteo Salvini hailed the victory, declaring that ‘another Europe is possible’.

Spain’s Vox leader Santiago Abascal called the result ‘a great hope for Germany and for Europe,’ while Portugal’s André Ventura celebrated AfD’s ‘historic’ victory, linking it to public anger over immigration.

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Geert Wilders, leader of the hard-right Freedom Party in The Netherlands, wrote ‘congratulations’ to Siegmund and Weidel on X.

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Carbon credits make clean cooking affordable for millions of African households

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Carbon credits make clean cooking affordable for millions of African households

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Every morning, Mary Kavutha prepares breakfast for her two young children using an induction cooker in her Nairobi home. Two years ago, the businesswoman relied on a charcoal stove that filled her kitchen with smoke and cost about $1.15 in fuel each day.

Today, she says, for 80 cents in electricity tokens she can cook several meals.

“It cooks much faster, and is much safer because I have young children,” Kavutha said. “With charcoal there was always smoke in the house. Now I can cook indoors comfortably, and I spend much less.”

Nearly 1 billion Africans still rely on charcoal or firewood for everyday cooking. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that household air pollution from these fuels contributes to about 850,000 deaths annually on the continent.

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Like millions of other Africans, Kavutha switched not out of climate concerns but because the stoves are affordable since they are underwritten by carbon credit financing, which allows clean cooking companies to raise capital against future revenues from emission reductions.

Clean cooking companies are betting that carbon finance, long criticized over concerns about the credibility of some projects, could become Africa’s most important tool for expanding cleaner household energy and reducing pressure on forests.

Africa is moving faster to adopt clean cookstoves

In June, the IEA announced Africa had secured $900 million in new financial commitments towards clean cooking technologies.

More than 30 governments in countries accounting for about 80% of Africans who still lack access to clean cooking have introduced 121 new clean cooking policies since the Paris climate summit in 2015, the energy agency said.

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Clean cooking is not a luxury, but an everyday necessity affecting every household, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu said after co-hosting an IEA conference on clean cooking in Dar es Salaam earlier this year. That followed the African Union’s Dar es Salaam Declaration on Clean Cooking, adopted by 30 governments last year.

Carbon financing is making clean cooking affordable

Carbon finance has transformed what was once an expensive clean-energy product into one that millions of low-income households can afford, said Peter Scott, founder and CEO of BURN, which makes eco-friendly cookstoves.

“The only way clean cooking is going to scale on the continent is through carbon project finance,” Scott said. “Governments earn revenue and customers get a product they would never have been able to afford without that subsidy.”

The Nairobi-based firm said it has distributed more than 7.3 million cookstoves in 11 African countries.

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“Our biggest innovation is not the stove itself, but the financing behind it,” Scott said. “Without that financing, many families cannot afford to switch.”

An efficient biomass stove that would normally retail for about $40 can cost customers as little as $5 after carbon subsidies. More expensive induction cookers are financed through carbon credits and short-term pay-as-you-go plans that spread payments over several months.

“Investors provide upfront capital that subsidizes the retail price of our stoves. In return, they receive revenue from carbon credits generated as households reduce their use of charcoal, wood and other polluting fuels,” he said.

Credit markets are still under scrutiny

The industry has adopted strict standards and more sophisticated measuring of emissions, including Bluetooth monitoring, digital verification and real-time usage data to address criticism of carbon credits.

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Critics of the approach say relying too heavily on carbon credits to finance clean cooking is still risky.

In one setback, the Kenyan clean cooking firm Koko Networks, hailed as a poster child of Africa’s green transition, closed in February after failing to win a government letter of authorization to sell carbon credits.

Carbon money can help but should not be the foundation of the transition, said George Mwaniki, WRI Kenya representative and head of Air Quality for WRI Africa.

The problem, he said, is that carbon finance generally comes after the investment required to put cleaner cooking equipment into households.

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“Carbon financing is more of a second financing source,” Mwaniki said. “That creates a problem for clean-cooking companies as they need money to manufacture and distribute equipment before they can generate the emissions reductions that ultimately produce carbon credits.”

“If we depend wholly on carbon credits to support the transition, it will be extremely slow and will not happen at the pace that we need it to,” he said.

Clean cooking is expanding despite the shortcomings

Companies are adapting their approach to suit local conditions. BURN, for example, says its electric cooking is more viable in Kenya and Tanzania, while biomass stoves are preferred in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar.

Eco Safi, which operates in Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi, offers forced-draft pellet stoves and clean, renewable fuel made from agricultural waste. In Rwanda, BioMassters produces smokeless, locally manufactured, solar-powered pellet stoves and biomass-residue fuel, while ENEDOM manufactures agricultural-residue briquettes in Kigali.

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For households like Kavutha’s, what matters is that a cleaner stove now costs less to own and operate than the charcoal she once depended on.

“My kitchen is cleaner, my children are safer, and I spend less,” Kavutha said. “That is all that matters.”

———–

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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ITV set to axe The Chase Around The World after 1 series

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ITV set to axe The Chase Around The World after 1 series

The Chase has been on air for more than 17 years, premiering on ITV back in June 2009.

The programme is hosted by Bradley Walsh and features the likes of Anne Hegerty (“The Governess”), Mark Labbett (“The Beast”), and Paul Sinha (“The Sinnerman”) as the Chasers.

ITV finished recording series 19 of The Chase in April before confirming it would not be recording any new episodes until 2027.

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In its place, ITV launched a new spin-off called The Chase Around The World.

The show featured contestants working in pairs to solve clues and track down Walsh and the Chasers for a chance to win £100,000.

The first episode aired on July 19, with the series concluding after six episodes on August 20.

All episodes are available to watch now on ITVX.

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ITV to ‘axe’ The Chase Around The World

The show is not expected to return, with reports from the Daily Mail suggesting ITV has axed The Chase Around The World after one series.

A source said: “The Chase is a simple quiz format that has worked incredibly well for nearly 18 years.

“Its spin-off Beat The Chasers also worked because it gave contestants the chance to compete against all six chasers at once, with more banter between the contestants, the chasers and of course Bradley Walsh.

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“The Chase Around The World has been one big flop.

“Bradley has pretty much been reduced to a voiceover man, and The Chasers, who are all adored by the viewers, hardly featured at all.

“God knows what they were thinking when this spin-off was dreamt up.

“It’s like they decided to do a Chase version of Race Across The World, and sadly for everyone involved, it has not worked.

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“There’s been quite a lot of embarrassment behind the scenes, and it has already been decided that there won’t be another series.”

The source added: “The Chase just needs to stick to what it is, a simple studio-based quiz show that everyone loves.”

ITV has not officially confirmed the cancellation.

A spokesperson said: “With The Chase Around The World only having finished its linear broadcast just over two weeks ago, discussions are naturally still ongoing about a recommission at this time.”

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Did you watch series one of The Chase Around the World? What did you think? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

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Olivia Attwood and Pete Wicks pack on the PDA in sizzling new snaps just days after vowing to stop ‘oversharing’

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Olivia Attwood and Pete Wicks put on a very affectionate display in new sizzling pictures after they enjoyed a date together

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Olivia Attwood and Pete Wicks put on a very affectionate display in new sizzling pictures after they enjoyed a date together.

Last week the Love Island star, 35, ‘hard launched’ her relationship with the former TOWIE personality, 37, two weeks after he first shared photographs of her on his own social media.

And Olivia sent fans wild as she shared another series of photographs on Instagram on Sunday night – just days after admitting she was trying to get better at ‘not oversharing’. 

The reality stars packed on the PDA, with Olivia seductively leaning over Pete’s knees in one snap, while in another he wrapped his arms around her.

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She captioned the post: ‘Went on a date with Pete Wicks from Towie can’t believe it he’s so hot in real life too xxxx.’ 

A number of the couple’s showbiz pals took to the comment section to gush over the romance. 

Olivia Attwood and Pete Wicks put on a very affectionate display in new sizzling pictures after they enjoyed a date together

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Late last month the Love Island star, 35, 'hard launched' her relationship with the former TOWIE star, 37, weeks after he first shared photographs of her on his own social media

Late last month the Love Island star, 35, ‘hard launched’ her relationship with the former TOWIE star, 37, weeks after he first shared photographs of her on his own social media

She captioned the post: 'Went on a date with Pete Wicks from Towie can’t believe it he’s so hot in real life too xxxx.'

She captioned the post: ‘Went on a date with Pete Wicks from Towie can’t believe it he’s so hot in real life too xxxx.’

Chloe Lewis, who is dating TOWIE’s Dan Edgar, said: ‘They’re not bad those ones from TOWIE.’ Lisa Snowdon added: ‘So here for this’.

Love Island’s Kaz Crossley added: ‘Are you guys looking for a third x,’ while Georgia Harrison said: ‘Now that’s the hard launch.’  

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The couple first met in 2017 and became firm friends, but things turned romantic this year following the breakdown of Olivia’s marriage to Bradley Dack.

After months of fan speculation and candid moments caught on camera, Olivia finally confirmed the romance with a series of loved-up Instagram snaps, joking in the caption that fans ‘bullied me into hard launching’. 

Now Olivia has confessed she genuinely has been struggling with how much to share about their romance, exclusively telling the Daily Mail: ‘We’re in the infancy of navigating it. So I guess we’re kind of working as it goes.

‘I understand the interest. For a lot of people it’s a crossover of two people that they’ve followed in different ways for a long time. So I understand and I have a very open dialogue with my audience. 

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‘Now that people know we’re together we’re working out not shutting people out who have been so lovely and happy for us and excited to watch our relationship grow, but also making sure that we keep enough back like that’s just for us.’

Olivia sent fans wild as she shared a series of photographs on Instagram on Sunday night - just days after admitting she was trying to get better at 'not oversharing'

Olivia sent fans wild as she shared a series of photographs on Instagram on Sunday night – just days after admitting she was trying to get better at ‘not oversharing’

The reality stars packed on the PDA in the photographs, with Olivia seductively leaning over Pete's knees in one snap

The reality stars packed on the PDA in the photographs, with Olivia seductively leaning over Pete’s knees in one snap

Olivia looked stylish in a black minidress, tights and heels for her date night with Pete

Olivia looked stylish in a black minidress, tights and heels for her date night with Pete 

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She styled her blonde hair up in a high bun and cut a glamorous figure

She styled her blonde hair up in a high bun and cut a glamorous figure 

The couple packed on the PDA

The couple packed on the PDA 

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A number of the couple's showbiz pals took to the comment section to gush over the romance

A number of the couple’s showbiz pals took to the comment section to gush over the romance

Olivia, known for her straight-talking, no-nonsense attitude, added she’s trying to work on scaling back what she shares with fans, to ensure she keeps some semblance of privacy.  

The TV presenter mused: ‘I never feel like I’ve said something I shouldn’t. It’s always the opposite. 

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‘I come from a reality background and I’ve had cameras in my home and I think that when I don’t share everything, I get a guilt complex!

‘I am reminded by people around me I don’t have to explain everything, but I guess I’m still trying to tell myself that.

‘I sometimes put too much pressure on myself to share more than I need to, which is weird because I think everyone else in this industry is the opposite.’ 

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Greenbox Darlington joins environmental partnership DEEP

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Greenbox Darlington joins environmental partnership DEEP

Greenbox Darlington, a three-unit industrial and logistics scheme off Tornado Way near the A66, has become the latest member of the Darlington Employers Environmental Partnership (DEEP).

The development, created through a joint venture between Citivale and Partners Group, has already welcomed plumbing, heating and infrastructure merchant Wolseley as its first occupier.

Two further units remain available. Unit 1 measures 215,362 sq ft, while Unit 3 provides 84,947 sq ft of space.

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DEEP was launched in 2023 and brings together businesses, education providers and public-sector organisations to share ideas and support efforts to reduce carbon emissions across the town.

Its members include Amazon, Cummins, Darlington College, Teesside International Airport, Teesside University and Darlington Borough Council, alongside smaller local firms.

Greenbox Darlington was built to net zero carbon standards, according to its developers.

Features include steel frames made from 99 per cent recycled material, low-carbon concrete, air source heat pumps and roofs designed to accommodate solar panels.

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The scheme was constructed by Winvic, which is also a DEEP member.

James Appleton-Metcalfe, chief executive of Citivale, said joining the partnership would allow the development’s team to share what it had learned during the build while learning from other Darlington organisations.

He said: “We set out to prove that a net zero carbon business park could be commercially credible as well as genuinely sustainable.

“DEEP gives us a platform to share what we’ve learned with other businesses while continuing to learn from their achievements.

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“Sustainability only takes big steps forward when it’s a collective effort, and we’re very pleased to be part of that conversation in Darlington.”

Seth Pearson, director of Darlington Cares, which oversees DEEP, said Greenbox Darlington was an “important addition” to the partnership.

He added: “We continue to be delighted by the growth in DEEP’s membership, and welcome Greenbox Darlington as an important addition to the partnership.”

The group holds networking and knowledge-sharing events, publishes updates on members’ sustainability work and has recently launched a podcast series featuring environmental projects across Darlington.

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Mr Appleton-Metcalfe said new commercial developments needed to anticipate future environmental requirements rather than only meeting current minimum standards.

He said: “The regulations that commercial buildings will be judged against in the future are already being written.

“A building specified to today’s minimum standards is a building that starts falling behind the moment it’s occupied.

“Greenbox Darlington was built to a specification for where the market is heading, not where it currently sits.”

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Kyiv air raid alerts at record high as Russia launches round the clock strikes

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People take shelter inside an underground parking during Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine August 20, 2026.

The alerts are also disrupting the start of the new academic year and forcing school children to leave their classrooms throughout the day.

When another air raid began, some students at the Drahomanov Ukrainian State University in central Kyiv headed underground; others stayed chatting on the street, such is the normality of these alerts.

Diana, a student teacher, said she did not sleep well at night and her schedule was disrupted during the day. “Sometimes it is hard because most of the day I need to go to safe places, like the metro or somewhere underground,” she said. “It’s a terrible time, but thank God we are alive. We go day by day.”

Ihor, studying to become a chemistry teacher, said he was used to the alerts after many years of war but life was still hard. “We are annoyed by the sirens because they are constant,” he said. “It destroys the quality of our education… We cannot study normally.”

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After a drone attack in a residential part of central Kyiv, students from a nearby school were evacuated for fear of explosions or a secondary, so-called “double-tap” attack.

Sophia, 17, told us it was very sad but this is what life was like now. “It’s a little bit scary to live here in Kyiv,” she said. “It’s very difficult.” The interview was then interrupted by another siren. “We need to go,” she said. “It is very dangerous for you to stand in the streets. Maybe we can have a second detonation.”

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Nursing home near Galston undergoes spot check by inspectors

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Daily Record

West Park Care Home, on Glasgow Road, was subject to a core assurance inspection by the Care Inspectorate in August with the findings now published.

A nursing home near Galston has undergone a spot check on its care delivery.

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West Park Care Home, on Glasgow Road, was subject to a core assurance inspection by the Care Inspectorate in August with the findings now published.

Core assurance inspections are only carried out at what is termed as ‘better performing services.’ As such, no fresh gradings were applicable to the latest inspection.

Among the key messages, the Care Inspectorate said the service was operating “in line” with its conditions of registration and had “appropriate insurance arrangements in place.”

In addition, people experienced care in an environment that promoted their “safety, wellbeing and rights.”

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The positives continued; infection prevention and control arrangements were said to be “effective” and the home was “clean, tidy and free from unpleasant odours.”

And medication systems supported people to receive their medicines “safely,” while medication administration records that were reviewed had been completed “correctly.”

In addition, the service benefited from “stable and effective leadership,” according to the report.

West Park Care Home provides a care service to a maximum of 15 older people who may have dementia. The service provider is West Park Care Home Limited.

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An extract from the Care Inspectorate report said: “People remained connected to family, friends and their local community. Visiting was unrestricted and there was evidence of community involvement and outings. People told us they were happy living in the home.

“One person described staff as lovely and helpful, while another told us they had no complaints and spoke positively about the food and staff team.”

The report continues: “During our visit staff were visible, responsive and attentive. We saw warm, respectful and person-centred interactions throughout the home. People appeared comfortable in the presence of staff and engaged positively with them. These observations demonstrated that people were supported by staff who knew them well and understood their individual needs.”

Back in January, one area of improvement related to the implementation of a “clear, person‑centred planning structure” covering “assessed needs, aims, personal outcomes, actions/interventions, and regular meaningful evaluations.”

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The Care Inspectorate confirmed this requirement has been ‘met.’

The report adds: “We found that the service had made good progress in implementing a more person-centred approach to care planning. Newly developed care plans followed a clear structure, setting out people’s needs, actions, goals and personal outcomes. The plans contained meaningful and well-formulated personal outcomes that demonstrated a good understanding of outcome-focused practice. Information was relevant to the person, specific to their circumstances and supported a consistent approach to delivering care.”

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Marcus Rashford sends message after Man United injury scare vs Everton

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Manchester Evening News

Marcus Rashford impressed on the left wing during Manchester United’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday

Marcus Rashford believes results will come for his Manchester United side after they were left stunned by Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ equaliser in added time against Everton. Despite twice taking the lead through Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, United were pegged back by the Toffees at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

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First, Tyrique George fired the home side level after Mbeumo’s fine individual opener before Maitland-Niles left Senne Lammens rooted to the spot in the sixth minute of added time when he curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Reds boss Michael Carrick shot down the suggestion post-match that it has been a poor start to the campaign from his side, and Rashford believes not only were the Reds unlucky not to come away with all three points on Sunday afternoon, but results will come.

Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “So unlucky not to come away with all the points today! The results will come. Big week coming up, starting with Thursday’s game.”

Rashford’s message came after he was withdrawn 20 minutes from time with Carrick later revealing the reason behind the change was that the forward was ‘feeling a bit of something’.

“He was just feeling a bit of something,” the United boss said. “He’s done very well. As I said during the week, he’s done really well since he came back. He looked really sharp today and dangerous.

“That final moment didn’t quite drop for him but nevertheless he created really good opportunities and gave us a big threat throughout the game.”

Reflecting on the result and his side’s start to the season, Carrick said: “We haven’t started the season that bad. It’s not that bad, we’ve got that close to coming away with three points today; that’s football.

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“There are moments we can deal with a bit better, but we’ll be fine. We’re bitterly disappointed to be up in the position we were in the game twice, so close to the end.

“All the work that went into putting us in that position at different stages to then come away like that – it’s not a great feeling. It feels like a defeat.

“It’s a bit of a cliche to say at this stage but we have taken the point and we can’t ignore that but it feels like we should have had a lot more.

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“The mentality is there. I think there’s obviously things we need to get better at as a team.

“There’s been two strikes from distance really, two really good strikes from their point of view, so sometimes they fly in the top corner and more often than not they probably don’t.

“Obviously we can’t ignore it, we need to concede less goals to give us a better chance of winning games, but we’ll certainly look at that and keep improving.”

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Portsmouth protests: Hundreds of demonstrators in standoff against police after small boat migrants brought ashore

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Portsmouth protests: Hundreds of demonstrators in standoff against police after small boat migrants brought ashore

Hundreds of demonstrators descended on Portsmouth after migrants heading towards the Hampshire coast on a small boat were intercepted and brought ashore.

Around 140 migrants are believed to have disembarked near Eastney in Portsmouth, and will be taken to Manston immigration centre in Kent for processing.

Demonstrators blocked roads for hours and vowed to stay all night in the second major anti-migrant protest of the weekend. Video footage showed protesters facing up to police and shouting “stop the boats” on Sunday evening.

Treasury minister Emma Reynolds condemned the demonstration, saying it had “crossed the line” of peaceful protest.

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“As a politician, I absolutely support the right to peaceful protest,” she told Sky News. “But this has crossed the line. This is thuggish and intimidating behaviour.”

Far-right agitator Daniel Thomas, an associate of Tommy Robinson, was live-streaming from a beach in Eastney and encouraged his supporters: “Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”

He added: “It was only yesterday (at the protests in Dover) when we warned them that we will not accept this any more, and that this is no longer an option to tell us that the boat numbers are down.”

Many of those at Portsmouth were dressed in all black and wore face masks, similar to those who attended the Dover rally.

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Police officers at the scene near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where protesters have gathered, after a small boat thought to be containing asylum seekers and heading towards the coast sparked a major response with a helicopter, aeroplane and lifeboats sent to the scene.
Police officers at the scene near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where protesters have gathered, after a small boat thought to be containing asylum seekers and heading towards the coast sparked a major response with a helicopter, aeroplane and lifeboats sent to the scene. (PA)

Police asked people to avoid the area and said a dispersal order was in place until Monday evening.

The protest in put pressure on the emergency services and required support from forces across the country, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) said.

Donna Jones said the Government needed to act to counter changing patterns from people traffickers shifting away from crossings at the Strait of Dover.

The Conservative PCC said: “Last night we had mutual aid, public order police officers sent from police forces across the country including the Metropolitan Police Service.

“We also had a number of our own police officers, obviously, from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary trying to take back control of the roads, forming a line and holding a few hundred protesters back.

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Emergency services rushed to intercept the small boat on Sunday evening, with two RNLI lifeboats called out and a HM coastguard helicopter and plane also deployed.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “In response to a report on 6 September of a small boat heading towards the Hampshire coast, HM Coastguard sent lifeboats, an HM Coastguard helicopter, an HM Coastguard aeroplane and HM Coastguard Rescue Teams.

“Border Force, Border Security Command, Hampshire Police and South Central Ambulance Service were also sent.”

Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed that the boat had launched from Baie de Seine, near Caen, saying: “Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time. This is a joke”.

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The French maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said on Sunday that around 140 migrants had set out on a small boat from the west of the Baie de Seine overnight on Saturday. The departure was “unusual for the area”, with small boats usually launched from further up the French coast near Dunkirk.

Police officers at the scene near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where hundreds of protesters have gathered, after a small boat thought to be containing asylum seekers and heading towards the coast sparked a major response
Police officers at the scene near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where hundreds of protesters have gathered, after a small boat thought to be containing asylum seekers and heading towards the coast sparked a major response (PA)

The French maritime prefecture said on Sunday that the “migrant boat is currently continuing its journey towards the United Kingdom”, after people on board refused assistance.

Footage taken from the scene near Eastney showed a large emergency presence, and men wrapped in blankets were seen being taken ashore on RNLI boats.

Christine Martin, who was on a boat on the Eastney Cruising Association pontoon, told Portsmouth’s The News that she was unable to leave due to the incident. She said: “Being on my own in the boat, I am a little bit worried. The coastguard has been here sometime not letting anyone in or out. I just don’t know what to do.

“There have been lots of ambulances turning up. There is maybe 50 or 60 police and ambulance officers down near the Hayling Ferry pontoon.”

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Conservative MP for MP for Isle of Wight East, Joe Robertson, posted on social media on Sunday: “Extremely concerning to see an illegal migrant crossing this far west.

“We don’t know if this migrant boat was headed for the Isle of Wight but I’ll be contacting the Home Office first thing. We need to know exactly what happened and if new routes are being used for mega-dinghies by people smugglers.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said: “This evening, we have been working alongside and assisting our partners from Border Force, Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Portsmouth City Council at Eastney Marina following the arrival of a boat crossing the Channel.

“We have officers in the area to ensure the prevention of any disorder. We ask that people please avoid the area. A dispersal order is in place until tomorrow evening. Anyone who refuses to comply with the direction to leave the area is liable for arrest.

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“We can also confirm that Border Force has advised us that individuals will be transported outside of Hampshire for processing in the normal way after they have been safely disembarked.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election.

“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020.

“But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40 per cent more boots on the ground on French beaches.”

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