Is AI a boom that’s just getting started or a bubble about to burst?
Whichever you think, in San Francisco, once again the epicenter of a tech revolution, one thing is certain: AI is driving an already expensive housing market completely nuts.
In March, the median home price in the city topped $2 million. Bidders regularly pay more than $1 million above listing prices for houses that, in most other places, would be unremarkable single-family homes with a few bedrooms and small backyard. The California city has both the highest and fastest-rising home prices in the country, according to Redfin.
The median monthly priceof a one-bedroom apartment is hovering around $4,000. Since Covid, rent has roughlydoubled, at times hitting $10,000 per month on the iconic Victorian mansions sprinkled throughout the city, according to one real estate broker.
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Real estate insiders say the spike in property prices is unmistakably tied to the AI race as start-up investors and major tech companies alike throw around huge sums of money to attract top talent to the region.
In San Francisco, the median monthly price of a one-bedroom apartment is hovering around $4,000 (Getty)
“They make really good money,” commercial real estate broker Dimitris Drolapas told The Independent. “We’re seeing $500-, $600-, $700,000 of income isn’t unheard of, plus stock and all that.”
The AI boom has helped drive a “complete 180” from the pandemic era, he added, when San Francisco was a poster child of urban dysfunction with residentsleaving in droves and the downtown area resembling a ghost town due to remote work.
Mo Zhu, an activist with local housing group SF YIMBY, lives in Mission Bay – a revamped waterfront district that houses offices for the leading AI companies who have helped drive a commercial real estate comeback around the city and a return to in-office work.
Zhu’s own rent recently went up by 10 percent,a fact he attributes to the AI-related investment in the area. At first, he felt lucky the price hike wasn’t worse – then realized it was shocking to feel fortunate to be facing a double-digit increase in his bills.
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“I was upset that I felt lucky,” he said. “10 percent is not lucky in any objective sense of the world…I certainly was directly impacted by that with OpenAI down the street and Anthropic up the street.”
Many of his friends want to move into the neighborhood, which is home to scenic parks and the new Warriors NBA stadium, but can’t afford it.
In recent years, prices have roughly doubled for multi-bedroom rentals in San Francisco’s famous Victorian homes, which can be found scattered across neighborhoods including Alamo Square (pictured), Haight-Ashbury and the Mission District (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“They work in high-paying tech jobs,” he said. “They’re not even able to…It’s really squeezing out even families in good economic situations. I can’t imagine what it’s like for families who are not.”
The squeeze is only going to worse this year, thanks to three blockbuster initial public offerings from AI-related companies with deep ties to the city and state.
Elon Musks’s SpaceX just went public, making Musk the world’s first trillionaire, and the company soon expanded on its existing xAI division with a $60 billion deal to acquire Cursor, a San Francisco-based AI coding agent start-up.Rivals OpenAI and Anthropic are next up for sale, and will mint plenty of other new fortunes, too. Some Anthropic employees could be set to earn $50 million from the I.P.O. Together, the three I.P.O.s could generate as much as $4 trillion in value, Barron’s estimates. One local real estate agent predicted these offerings will unleash a “thermonuclear wealth explosion deposited squarely in San Francisco.”
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In anticipation, sellers around the region have been offering to accept shares in these companies instead of cash for home purchases, according to reports.
The influx of people and capital is welcomed news for some but it’s putting enormous pressure on the city’s existing lower-income renters, according to Jennifer Fieber of the San Francisco Tenants Union, as landlords stand to gain from replacing longstanding tenants with wealthier new arrivals. The city has struggled for years to build enough affordable housing and keep rents feasible for lower-income people, and state law prevents cities from enacting rent control on large swathes of the housing stock.
Housing construction in San Francisco hasn’t kept up with the region’s booming tech wealth, leading to high prices and intense competition for desirable homes (Getty)
“Because the rents have increased in the city, there’s going to be huge pressure to get rid of the people you have, regardless of whether they’ve been paying on time,” Fieber said.
There is also concern that the AI industry might be a bubble about to pop – with investors irrationally assigning too much faith, capital and value to ventures that won’t survive, while letting this same optimism drive other major investments in their lives, such as splashy home purchases.
So far, according to Mike Simonsen, chief economist at real estate firm Compass, the AI boom hasn’t sent the San Francisco property market into full-on bubble territory just yet, where “junk starts getting overpriced.” Instead, the craziness is more concentrated.
In May, according to Compass data, homes were selling at 124 percent of their asking prices. The city’s wealthiest have begun “massive overbidding” on an even smaller basket of the most attractive homes in the most desirable areas. Last month, a five-bedroom mansion overlooking San Francisco Bay in scenic Pacific Heights sold for $3 million over asking price, and in nearby Presidio Heights, another palatial home went for nearly $4 million above the sticker price.
“Much of thewealth generation, especially around real estate, as a result of the AI companies is actually already in the system,” Simonsen said. “These are people who are already moved into town with big salaries and go, ‘I‘ll take whatever apartment is available.’”
By the end of 2026, AI-related companies SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI will have all gone public, generating $4 trillion and unleashing what one San Francisco real estate agent called a ‘thermonuclear wealth explosion’ in the city (Reuters)
“The concentration becomes overwhelming,” Simonsen added of those now pursuing top homes in the city. “Someone who is not armed with millions in new wealth, the scenario is just really stacked against ‘em.”
“The IPO mania is real and there are people making a lot of money, and there are clearly people moving here and taking very high-paying jobs at AI companies, but that’s also balanced with other people becoming unemployed and other jobs moving out of the city,” he said. “So there’s kind of a mix of many different things going on at once here.”
Simonsen, the Compass economist, said the soaring AI industry could eventually turn and resemble the early 2000s dot-com crash, which sent San Francisco real estate values plunging along with it.During the dot-com crash, tens of thousands of Bay Area workers lost their jobs, and San Francisco real estate took its worst hit since the Great Depression. By the time the bubble popped, commercial rents had fallen 60 percent from their year 2000 peak and residential rent was down 12 percent in the city.
If the AI economy suffers a similar bust, it could mean similar impacts. AI workers would lose their high-income jobs, and the stock some used as collateral to get home loans — or pay for houses outright — could become nearly worthless.
“All of a sudden, the stock is worth 90 percent less,” Simonsen said of this scenario.
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In a downturn, homeowners also would not be able to sell their properties at the same high prices they paid for them, compounding the economic pain.
As for solutions to prevent some kind of AI-related housing apocalypse, experts told The Independent about a variety of reforms that could make a difference. These include expanding rent control, cutting down on city bureaucracy, and supporting existing pro-housing zoning reforms and state laws.
For the time being, demand remains high for premium properties in scenic areas such as Pacific Heights, which has sweeping views of San Francisco Bay (Chris Coplans)
Groups like SF Yimbyarechampioning mid-rise, “single-stair” apartment buildings, which feature one central staircase, rather than the multiple required under state law, as a way to maximize the number of units in buildings on San Francisco’s typically small property lots.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and District Supervisor Myrna Melgar are backing $70 million bond to raise funds for affordable housing and a November ballot initiative to increase the city’s contribution to its affordability-focused Housing Trust Fund.
Whatever the future of San Francisco housing looks like in the age of AI, it doesn’t seem likely the city will return to the Covid days any time soon, when landlords were lowering prices to entice people to come back and keep residents who were on the fence about leaving. In an April 2020 survey, more than a third of San Francisco landlords said they had granted reductions, and 10- and 20-percent cuts could be seen on rents everywhere from finance-focused downtown to leafy, residential Glen Park.
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Jennifer Fieber, the tenant activist, was one of those who benefitted from this brief window of declining prices. “Those days,” she said, “are definitely gone.”
As Drolapas the real estate broker sees it, the region is stuck in a bind. A booming economy strains San Francisco’s renters, and a declining economy offers them a silver lining. Neither scenario is a win-win for the city as a whole.
“There’s always good, there’s always bad,” he said. “The good is it’s nice to see some economic stimulation, especially after things were so dire here. The bad would be, you know, it’s hard for everyone to be able to afford to live here. That’s really where the conundrum is.”
Ariana Grande has continued to raise eyebrows with her shrinking frame following the release of her new music video, ‘Petal’.
The singer, 33, looks incredibly gaunt in the video, which was directed by Christian Breslauer.
In the bizarre clip, Grande plays the character of Pepper, an aspiring starlet who attends multiple auditions in a bid to become famous.
A group of studio bigwigs brand her ‘unmarketable’, ‘unattractive’, and ‘inauthentic,’ before accusing her of having a personality disorder.
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‘We miss the old you,’ one tells her. ‘Maybe you could go out and find her and come back and give it another shot?’
Grande leaves, only to return moments later with a chainsaw, which she uses to violently dismember the men.
Ariana Grande has continued to raise eyebrows with her shrinking frame following the release of her new music video, ‘Petal’
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The singer, 33, looks incredibly gaunt in the video, which was directed by Christian Breslauer
‘I am actually so over us normalizing this and acting like this is okay,’ wrote one fan
Now drenched in blood, she returns to the waiting room, only to receive a round of rapturous applause from the other female auditionees.
Despite the clever social commentary in the video, many fans were more distracted by Grande’s weight than anything else.
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‘This is like looking at Karen Carpenter and everyone was like [shrug],’ wrote one fan.
‘I am actually so over us normalizing this and acting like this is okay,’ wrote a second.
‘Shocking and heartbreaking,’ wrote a third, while a fourth added, ‘For the love of God, please eat something.’
Another wrote, ‘Her bones are literally popping out.’
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Despite the concerned comments, other fans defended the singer and said that it was inappropriate to comment on her physical appearance.
‘If y’all actually cared are her you wouldn’t be publicly making comments about her body,’ argued one.
Fans were shocked by the star’s appearance, with many comparing her to the late singer Karen Carpenter
Grande murders a group of businessmen with a chainsaw in the disturbing video
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‘The irony of all the girls over 200 pounds saying she’s “unhealthy”. You think being 200 pounds is healthy? Good lord, the jealousy is screaming from you guys!’ wrote another.
Daily Mail has reached out to Grande’s management for comment.
Grande released her eighth studio album, Petal, on Friday.
The project was preceded be the lead single ‘Hate That I Made You Love Me’, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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The singer has addressed her weight multiples times over the years and has insisted that she’s healthy, despite the continued speculation around her shrinking frame.
‘There’s a comfortability that people have commenting on that that I think is really dangerous,’ she told YouTuber Sally in a 2024 interview.
‘I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all,’ she continued.
‘I’ve heard every version of it — of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons. But that’s everything from — even just the simplest thing — your appearance, you know?’
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She added, ‘I think in today’s society, there is a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health or how they present themselves.’
Grande is pictured in 2018, which she claims was an ‘unhealthy’ time for her
The Wicked star is pictured in 2020 (left) and in her Petal music video (right)
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In a 2023 TikTok, Grande directly addressed concerns about her weight and explained that older photos of herself, where she wasn’t as thin, were actually taken during an unhealthy period in her life.
‘I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that in fact wasn’t my healthy,’ she explained.
‘I know I shouldn’t have to explain that, but I do feel like having an openness and some sort of vulnerability here will [mean] something good might come from it. Healthy can look different.’
‘Take a look at Ariana Grande right now, of the music industry and now also as an actress starring in Wicked. Let’s check in on how Ariana, who was raised on television, on Nickelodeon… is doing,’ Kelly began.
‘She is very clearly anorexic. If she’s 90 pounds, it’s a lot. She looks like you could snap her in two with your fingers.’
North Yorkshire Police said there has been “no evidence uncovered” to suggest the alleged firing of the rifle in Bull Lane during the early hours of Thursday (July 30) was “motivated by anything ideological” or “hate-related”.
The force said there was also no evidence to suggest the alleged incident was “specifically targeted against the Muslim community in York”.
Police said a 44-year-old York man arrested in connection with the investigation has been charged with possessing a loaded air weapon, a .22 air rifle, in a public place.
He has been bailed with conditions, including to keep away from York Mosque, and is due to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on September 21, police said.
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No one was injured during the alleged incident and the mosque has since resumed its daily prayers.
York Mosque in Bull Lane (Image: Dylan Connell)
Superintendent Ed Haywood-Noble, senior operational commander for York and Selby, said it had been a “worrying time for everyone connected to York Mosque”, but the police investigation “has not identified an intention to cause injuries or distress to people”.
He said high-visibility police patrols will continue around the mosque in the coming days “as life begins to return to normal in the area” to “provide added reassurance for everyone in the city”.
“I again thank York Mosque for their understanding and patience during this time, and also our community partners and residents who have given so much support to the intensive police investigation,” Supt Haywood-Noble said.
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Recommended reading:
York Mosque’s president, Mohamad Douba, said the mosque has been “overwhelmed by the many messages of support we have received” after the alleged incident. “Once again, York has shown that our community stands together with kindness, resilience and unity,” he said.
Mr Douba said he did “not believe there is any further risk to those attending the mosque”, adding: “We remain hopeful that this will prove to be an isolated incident.
“York has always been a city built on mutual respect, friendship and understanding and we remain confident in the strength of our community to continue supporting one another.
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“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and prayers, as well as North Yorkshire Police for their swift response and ongoing support.”
Police urge witnesses or anyone with information about the alleged incident to phone 101.
Information can be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote reference number 12260145924 when providing information to police or to Crimestoppers.
In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Last year, a United Nations commission issued a report that concluded Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.
“Explicit statements by Israeli civilian and military authorities and the pattern of conduct of the Israeli security forces indicate that the genocidal acts were committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a group,” the UN commission wrote in its 2025 report.
On Wednesday, Rogan declared that in 20 years, this will be a “universally accepted opinion.” Rogan added that even when considering the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which killed 1,200 people and saw roughly 251 taken hostage, he couldn’t see how anyone would support Israel’s war in Gaza.
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“How could anybody defend that? I don’t even know how many people are dead,” Rogan said to his guest, actor Tim Robbins. “You have a complete wipeout of a city, like 90% of Gaza is gone.”
Rogan is a stanch ally of Trump and even hosted Vice President JD Vance on his show earlier this month. However, he has occasionally made statements that run up against the administration’s policies and positions, particularly regarding Trump’s actions in the Middle East.
Rogan first broached the topic with Robbins, who said it was “nuts” that the agent of his ex-partner, actor Susan Sarandon, had cut ties with her after she criticized Israel. Robbins added that Sarandon had had trouble finding acting work since making the comments.
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“I think the point of it is to make a show of it and to say, ‘See, we could do that to her, so we could do it to you, so shut the fuck up,’” Robbins said of Sarandon’s struggles.
Watch Rogan’s comments from Wednesday’s show here:
CHICAGO (AP) — A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy won’t get an early medical release from his two-decade prison sentence for killing Sonya Massey inside her home after the Black woman called 911 about a possible prowler, state officials decided Friday.
Sean Grayson had been diagnosed with colon cancer prior to the 2024 shooting, and his attorney noted in January that the cancer had advanced to his liver and lungs.
The three-member Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted unanimously Friday to deny Grayson’s application for early medical release, Liz Mitchell, a board spokesperson, said in an email.
Grayson, who is white, was convicted in October of second-degree murder for Massey’s killing, a case that sparked protests over systemic racism and a U.S. Department of Justice review.
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Body camera footage showed Grayson and another deputy enter Massey’s home in Springfield, Illinois. Minutes later, Grayson shot the 36-year-old single mother in the face as she moved a pot of hot water from the stove and told him, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson was given the maximum possible sentence.
He filed for early release from prison in May, six months into his sentence, according to a copy of his application published by Capitol News Illinois. Grayson apologized for Massey’s death at his January sentencing but in the release application wrote she had “attacked me with a pot of boiling water.”
Daniel Fultz, an attorney who has represented Grayson, declined to comment Friday.
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In a letter to the board opposing Grayson’s release, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser said the former deputy’s medical condition was already considered at sentencing.
“To release Grayson under these circumstances would be a miscarriage of justice,” he wrote, “and an insult to Sonya Massey’s memory and family.”
Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys representing Massey’s family, said Friday that the board “made the right decision.”
“Today the board recognized what this family has said from the start,” they said in a statement. “No one is above accountability, and a badge does not provide an early way out.”
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Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that Illinois law requires the Prisoner Review Board to consider medical release requests. He called Massey’s killing “a profound loss.”
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“Sonya was innocent, unarmed, and calling law enforcement for help,” he said. “It was a painful reminder that too many innocent Black Americans have faced this kind of violence — and they deserve justice.”
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Mayes-Osterman is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
July traditionally sees a winding down of business from elected representatives at Bangor Castle and Church Street Newtownards, despite council officials continuing to bear their steady load in the background.
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But the business done in the few council meetings that were held had a decidedly sporty and cultural feel in July, though as usual controversy wasn’t too far away, this time over a “junket” down south.
Here is your latest round up of Ards and North Down Council matters so far this summer:
Petition against Bangor tennis club fails as floodlighting plan approved by council
A controversial plan for floodlights at a tennis club in Northern Ireland’s newest city was approved by the local council, despite significant opposition from locals.
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76 letters of objection and a petition from 181 addresses were not enough to stop a plan to install new floodlights for three tennis courts at Bangor Lawn Tennis Club, beside Farnham Park. The original proposal comprised eight columns at a height of 10 metres, but was amended to six columns of 12 metres.
Elected representatives at the July meeting of the Ards and North Down Planning Committee by majority approved the planning application, from Bangor Lawn Tennis Club. Seven councillors voted in favour of the application, and two councillors abstained from voting.
Plans for new BMX track and bike jump park in Bangor approved
Plans for a new BMX track and bike jump park in North Down were approved.
Elected representatives at the July meeting of the Ards and North Down Planning Committee unanimously approved a planning application by the council for the new facility, to be built at Bangor Sportsplex, 292 Old Belfast Road.
The proposal is for a BMX track, a bike jump park, as well as alterations to an existing spectator stand to facilitate the creation of a bicycle workshop and new shared space. The BMX track will be designed to national standard specification.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to kick off in Bangor, not Belfast
A Bangor Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann fringe programme, the planning of which caused controversy earlier this year, will kick off the huge Fleadh celebrations this weekend.
In an irony not lost on the people of Ards and North Down, the first ever Fleadh Ceoil to come to Belfast, and only the second ever to come to Northern Ireland, will be kicked off this weekend in Bangor.
As excitement builds for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast, North Down is preparing to strike the first note with Bangor Beats and Rhythms, a vibrant celebration of Irish music, dance and culture taking place in the city centre on Saturday August 1 from 1pm to 9pm.
NI council unveils USA 250 anniversary event line-up
Ards and North Down Borough Council revealed more details of the ongoing USA 250 celebrations in the borough.
While American Independence Day, the Fourth of July, has passed, from September to November 2026 Ards and North Down Council is highlighting a programme of commemorative activity continuing to mark the Semiquincentennial. This year the USA marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence when the US became an independent nation, overthrowing British rule.
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The council says the programme will reflect the borough’s historic connections with the United States and align with existing borough events.
DUP tries to block €50 council trip to conference in Wicklow
The DUP failed in an attempt to block a 50 euro council trip to a history conference in Wicklow, after a UUP Lord Mayor used a casting vote to back the trip down south.
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Ards and North Down Borough Council had to go to a knife-edge vote at its full council meeting after officers received an invitation from Wicklow County Council to attend the 36th La Touche Legacy Seminar and 11th Festival of History, which will take place on Saturday September 19 at Greystones Golf Club, County Wicklow.
The seminar will feature presentations by Professor Frank Barry, David McCullagh of RTÉ and Stephen Collins, covering aspects of Ireland’s economic, political and social history.
Darlington Borough Council said construction on the second phase of improvements along Woodland Road would start next week (August 3), with the project expected to take until November 2027 to complete.
The scheme forms part of wider plans to create a continuous walking and cycling route linking West Park and Faverdale with the town centre through the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s local cycling and walking infrastructure plan.
The junction of Woodland Road, Staindrop Road and Carmel Road North in Darlington. (Image: Chris Booth)
Council officers had previously said in August 2025 that work on the second phase would begin later that year.
The latest stage will extend the cycle route from the Hollyhurst Road junction to Deneside Road, near Tennis Dene, and introduce new priority crossings on side roads to improve safety and visibility for pedestrians.
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Construction will begin at Dene Grove and be carried out in phases to reduce disruption. Two-way traffic will be maintained where possible, although temporary traffic lights, junction closures and pavement diversions will be required during the works.
The project has been beset by delays since wider proposals for the route were first unveiled in January 2022.
Plans initially stalled after the council failed to secure funding through the Conservative government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2023, raising uncertainty over whether the scheme would proceed.
He said projects that had been “designed, costed, audited and approved” had “languished on the drawing board for a year or more”.
The wider scheme also includes proposed changes to roundabouts at Cockerton, Staindrop Road and Woodland Road.
Separate plans linked to those improvements remain outstanding. A planning application submitted by the council to demolish a council-owned property at 267 Carmel Road, rebuild a retaining wall, remove trees and divert utility services has yet to be approved, despite demolition work previously being expected to start in spring 2026.
Libby McCollom, the council’s cabinet member for local services, said the project would help deliver the authority’s ambitions to encourage more sustainable travel.
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“This work feeds into the ambitions we laid out in the Council Plan,” she said.
“It will make it safer and easier for people to use more sustainable modes of transport, which will benefit not only their health but also the wider environment.
“It will also help to connect our communities by giving one safe, accessible route from West Park to the town centre.”
Bev Craig and Sian Astley mill around counting floor
Labour Party candidate Bev Craig arrives at the vote count for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester (PA)
Dan Haygarth31 July 2026 20:59
First time that a GM mayoral election has gone into a second round
For this, by-election, voting changed back to the “supplementary vote” (SV) system used in the mayoral elections in 2017 and 2021, whereas 2024 was first-past-the-post.
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If any candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the first-choice votes, they are declared the winner.
If no candidate has more than 50 per cent of first-choice votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated and the count moves to a second round.
Mr Burnham did not require a second round to win his two SV elections, winning them both with more than 60 per cent of first-choice votes.
Dan Haygarth31 July 2026 20:35
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Second round counting continues into the evening
(PA)
Dan Haygarth31 July 2026 20:20
Rupert Lowe claims Restore ‘won tens of thousands of votes’
We didn’t make the final two, but Marlon and Restore Britain won tens of thousands of votes across Greater Manchester – who we beat will become clear soon.
A huge step forward for our party today.
I am incredibly proud of Marlon and everything he has achieved. Enjoy that pint. pic.twitter.com/7nOrjy0qJZ
Second preference votes from the city of Manchester are being counted here at the Co-op Live arena, to find a winner between Labour’s Bev Craig and Sian Astley of Reform.
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As no candidate won more than 50 per cent of first choice votes, all but the top two candidates have been eliminated and the count moves to a second round.
The ballot papers of the eliminated candidates are counted again and if there are any second-choice votes for the two remaining candidates, these are added to their first-choice totals.
Today’s counting has already been a long-winded process, with verification of ballots beginning at 9:30am.
We may be here for a while as the candidate with the highest overall total of first and second-choice votes across the ten boroughs is found.
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Dan Haygarth31 July 2026 19:48
Ballots are sorted for the second count of votes
(PA)
Harriette Boucher31 July 2026 19:43
Who are the remaining two candidates in the Greater Manchester by-election?
Labour’s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley are the remaining candidates in the Greater Manchester by-election.
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Ms Craig, who has been described as Andy Burnham’s “protégé”, has been leader of Manchester City Council since 2021.
She is the first female and first LGBTQ+ leader of the local authority and is the combined authority member for economy, business, and inclusive growth.
Sian Astley was elected as a councillor for the Baguley ward on Manchester City Council in May 2026.
She is a professional landlord and also runs an interior design and property renovation business in Manchester.
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The five eliminated candidates are Geraldine Coggins (Green), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Marcus Farmer (Independent), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) and Marlon West (Restore Britain).
Harriette Boucher31 July 2026 19:33
Greater Manchester by-election goes to second round
The Greater Manchester mayoral election will go to a second round, with Labour’s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley proceeding into the next stage.
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For the by-election, voting changed back to the “supplementary vote” (SV) system used in the mayoral elections in 2017 and 2021 – which gives voters a first and second choice.
As no candidate won more than 50 per cent of first choice votes, all but the top two candidates have been eliminated and the count moves to a second round.
The ballot papers of the eliminated candidates are counted again and if there are any second-choice votes for the two remaining candidates, these are added to their first-choice totals.
The candidate with the highest overall total of first and second-choice votes is declared the winner.
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In 2021, the last time Greater Manchester was contested under the SV system, Mr Burnham won in the first round with 67 per cent of first preference votes.
But more counting is to come here at the Co-op Live as we find out who will succeed the now-prime minister as mayor.
Dan Haygarth31 July 2026 19:03
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Nigel Farage plummets to lowest approval level since election in new poll
Exclusive Ipsos polling seen by The Independent along with a More in Common poll have both revealed that Mr Farage’s approval rating has hit an all time low of -32 per cent as new prime minister Andy Burnham soars into the lead.
Harriette Boucher31 July 2026 18:35
In the Room: Why Zack Polanski keeps making the same mistake
After another online row, Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson discuss whether the Greens are struggling to adapt to life in the political mainstream. Maja Anushka reports.
An F-35 fighter jet has crashed at the original Top Gun base in San Diego, California.
The plane crashed near the Miramar Air Base around 10am Friday, the Marine Corps confirmed to the Daily Mail.
The pilot managed to eject from the jet and has been recovered, officials said.
‘We can confirm a Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of MCAS Miramar,’ a spokesperson told the Daily Mail.
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‘The pilot ejected and has been recovered, and is enroute to a medical facility. More information will be made available shortly.’
The pilot is in stable condition and being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Emergency responders remain on the base as billows of black smoke continue to rise from the crash site.
The cause of the crash is unclear at this time.
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The pilot was flying an F-35B Lightning ll jet, which is regarded as the world’s most advanced and lethal fighter jet.
An F-35 fighter jet has crashed at the original Top Gun base in San Diego, California
Emergency responders remain on site as billows of black smoke are seen rising from the plane
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The Marine Corps said the pilot ejected from the jet before it crashed. Their condition remains unknown at this time
The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin and is the cornerstone of US and Israeli air forces.
The ‘unkillable’ F-35 has a top speed of Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph) and an internal weapons payload of up to 5,700lbs.
What makes this long-range fighter so deadly is its ability to avoid or confound enemy radar systems, letting it strike targets without being hit back.
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Radar systems work by sending out bursts of electromagnetic signals and listening carefully for how those waves bounce back – like a bat hunting by echolocation.
To avoid detection, the F-35 is specially shaped so that radar signals deflect off its surface like light on a slanted mirror.
The fighter also has the capacity to keep its weapons inside the body of the plane, safely protected by its radar-baffling panels.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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Military aircraft are parked at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar earlier this year
Lucia, in Swinegate, York, has unveiled its new terrace—an al fresco space blending Italian cuisine and champagne in partnership with Veuve Clicquot.
The move marks the start of Lucia’s new seasonal terrace programme, with more transformations planned for autumn and winter.
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Darioush Shahidi, operations director, said: “For 18 years, Lucia has been part of York’s dining scene, and our terrace has always been at the heart of the experience.
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‘This is just the beginning’
He added: “This collaboration with Veuve Clicquot is a natural evolution of that space and reflects our commitment to continually investing in the restaurant and creating memorable experiences for our guests.
“We’re already working on exciting seasonal concepts that will see the terrace transformed throughout the year, giving guests something new to discover every season” (Image: Newsquest)
“This is just the beginning.
“We’re already working on exciting seasonal concepts that will see the terrace transformed throughout the year, giving guests something new to discover every season.”
Lucia has earned the reputation as the go-to spot for relaxed lunches, evening drinks and special occasions in York.
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The move marks the start of Lucia’s new seasonal terrace programme, with more transformations planned for autumn and winter (Image: Newsquest)
Its Italian-inspired menu is one featuring fresh pasta, pizza, antipasti, premium steaks, seafood, and handcrafted cocktails.
A popular “Twosday” offer, available every Tuesday, includes starters, mains, desserts, and drinks for two people for £50.
The Veuve Clicquot Terrace is now open and will remain in place throughout the summer, offering guests a vibrant space to enjoy cocktails, Champagne, and Italian cuisine outdoors.
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