NewsBeat

How US states approach 9/11 history in schools

Published

2 months ago

8 September 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — Here’s what U.S. states expect or suggest about teaching 9/11 in public schools, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Alabama

A 2024 revision to Alabama’s social studies standards expanded coverage of the modern era, including 9/11, the state Department of Education said. Now, fifth graders are required to “trace the United States’ military involvement in international conflicts since 1980, including those following the Sept. 11 attacks,” while high school juniors must “evaluate the effectiveness of the United States’ response” to 9/11, including the war in Afghanistan, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and passage of the Patriot Act. The act granted the federal government sweeping surveillance powers in the interest of pursuing possible terrorists.

Alaska

Alaska doesn’t have a statewide requirement or specific policy mandating instruction about 9/11, but the state’s “learning objectives support addressing important dates and events in history, which may include Sept. 11, within broader instructional goals,” the state Department of Education & Early Development said. Individual school districts decide whether and how to teach about 9/11, but the agency said it’s in the early stages of developing “core knowledge” documents to give more guidance on teaching specific historical events and dates.

Arizona

Arizona lawmakers decided in 2022 to require every public school to devote time on or around each 9/11 anniversary to “age-appropriate education” about the attacks. Three years later, they limited the requirement to seventh through 12th grades. State Sen. John Kavanagh, who sponsored the original law, said that he supported the change after hearing concerns about how younger students would handle the catastrophic images and complexity of 9/11. “You don’t want to introduce it too young, but by the same token, you want everybody eventually to know about it,” said Kavanagh, a Republican. State law also requires the state Department of Education to provide a list of recommended instructional materials on the subject.

Arkansas

Updated in 2022, Arkansas’ standards for modern U.S. history require students to be able to explain “change and continuity in foreign policy since 2001 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,” including the Bush administration’s response, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and anti-terror efforts, such as the Patriot Act and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, a Supreme Court case that concerned the legal rights of U.S. citizens detained as “enemy combatants.” The state Department of Education didn’t provide information to AP.

California

A 2021 California law encourages public schools to hold a moment of silence each Sept. 11. “Decisions about how and whether to address this tragic and pivotal event in our nation’s history are generally made at the local level by school districts and educators,” the state Department of Education said, but there are some recommendations in state guidance for teachers. Tenth grade world history students might get this prompt: “Since 9/11, the hopes for a more peaceful world that the end of the Cold War spawned have been displaced by a resurgence of international conflict. … Did 9/11 change everything? Or was the world in the 1990s less stable than it might have appeared at the time?” Seniors in a class on American democracy might discuss the expansion of presidential powers and the debate over national security and civil liberties after 9/11.

Colorado

Colorado’s social studies standards give school districts considerable flexibility, the state Department of Education said. But examples of topics for high school history include “the war on terror (e.g., 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Middle Eastern discrimination and the evolution of U.S. counterterrorism efforts).”

Connecticut

Connecticut leans heavily into local decision-making for schools, and its Department of Education said the state doesn’t have a requirement or policy about covering 9/11 in the classroom. However, its education standards suggest that high school students analyze the causes and effects of the Sept. 11 attacks and how they shaped perspectives in the U.S., from the Patriot Act and creation of post-9/11 agencies to the views of Muslims and Sikhs.

Delaware

Delaware doesn’t have a law or regulation that requires teachers to cover 9/11, but it’s often addressed in high school civics and U.S. history courses, according to the state Department of Education. “Many teachers include the Sept. 11 attacks when addressing contemporary U.S. history, terrorism, foreign policy and debates about the balance between security and individual rights,” the department said.

Florida

A 2023 Florida law requires at least 45 minutes a year of 9/11-related instruction in some middle and high school classes. The statute lists points to cover: historical context on terrorism, the attack timeline, acts of heroism and charity, the “importance of respecting civil liberties while ensuring safety and security,” and more. It notably mentions not only those killed and wounded but also people who fell ill after being exposed to toxins when the World Trade Center’s burning twin towers collapsed. State standards go into still more detail. It’s all intended “to ensure this important event in America’s history is not only remembered but also integrated into civics and resiliency education statewide,” the state Department of Education said.

Georgia

Georgia’s social studies standards require instruction on 9/11 beginning in fifth grade, when students are expected to be able to describe the attacks and analyze their impact on American life. High school U.S. history classes analyze Sept. 11 and the war on terror under the rubric of “challenges faced by recent presidents.” The state Department of Education didn’t respond to inquiries from AP. Georgia Association of Educators President Wayne Huston, a middle school social studies teacher, said his suburban Atlanta school also holds a moment of silence each Sept. 11.

Hawaii

Hawaii has no statewide requirement or policy mandating instruction specifically on 9/11, the state Department of Education said. But the state’s standards for high school U.S. history and government mention 9/11, the war on terror and the Patriot Act in lists of “sample content” that schools might use to illustrate the rise and impact of modern conservatism.

Idaho

Idaho added Sept. 11-specific requirements to its social studies standards in an overhaul approved this year, the state Department of Education said. During the lengthy revision process, “there was clear feedback that certain major historical events, particularly those with lasting national and global impact, should be more explicitly identified to ensure they are consistently addressed,” the agency said. High school U.S. history students now must assess government responses to terrorism, “including those after Sept. 11, 2001, and analyze the causes, progression and aftermath” of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Illinois

Illinois’ education law lists Sept. 11 among “commemorative holidays” that schools may mark with instruction, activities or events, but they aren’t required to do so. The state Board of Education noted that its “ Inclusive Calendar ” offers 9/11 teaching materials, but “local school boards and educators decide what instructional materials to use and how specific topics are addressed in the classroom.”

Indiana

Indiana’s standards for high school U.S. history expect students to “explain the background and effects” of 9/11 “on U.S. foreign and domestic policy.”

Iowa

A hotly debated 2024 Iowa law called for focusing social studies on “United States history, Western civilization and civics” and detailed many topics and events to teach, among them 9/11 and the war on terror. The state’s new social studies standards, approved this year, require U.S. history courses to cover Sept. 11, then-President George W. Bush’s address to Congress nine days later, the war on terror and the Patriot Act. The previous standards, from 2017, made no specific mention of these or other aspects of 9/11 and were more general overall.

Kansas

Kansas does not require schools to teach about Sept. 11, the state Department of Education said. The state’s social studies standards suggest, in appendices, that high school U.S. history students learn about the period of the “diminishing Cold War to 9/11,” the war on terror and the Patriot Act.

Kentucky

In Kentucky, “how the events of Sept. 11 or its commemoration are included in a school’s curriculum is a local decision,” but the state’s social studies standards invite discussion of the subject, the state Department of Education said. For example, high school U.S. history standards suggest exploring U.S. involvement in “international alliances fighting against terrorism around the world after 9/11.”

Louisiana

Louisiana’s “Freedom Framework” social studies standards, inked in 2022 after a fraught process, address 9/11 at multiple points. A second grade survey of monuments includes the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum; eighth graders are expected to place 9/11 and the war on terror in the context of U.S.-Mideast relations. High school U.S. history students are taught about the leadup to the attacks, details of the day including then-President George W. Bush’s brief speech from Louisiana’s Barksdale Air Force Base, and aftermath ranging from the expansion of intelligence agencies to the sense of unity many Americans felt for a time. Education Superintendent Cade Brumley said officials wanted students to appreciate that “what we have seen as a country is that when our freedom is threatened, we protect and we defend and we coalesce around that.”

Maine

Maine’s broad social studies standards don’t specifically require teaching about 9/11, but many schools do incorporate it into their curricula, the state Department of Education said.

Maryland

Sept. 11 is “embedded within required coursework” in Maryland, its Department of Education said. The state’s high school U.S. history “framework” tasks students with evaluating how government responses to the attacks “challenged the balance between safety and freedom” and with assessing the causes, course, and consequences of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has incorporated 9/11 in its social science “framework” since 2003, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said. The state expects high school U.S. history students to “evaluate the effectiveness of the federal government’s response to international terrorism in the 21st century,” including 9/11, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, post-9/11 expansions of the government’s powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The state education board devoted part of an April meeting to discussing materials available for teaching about 9/11 on this year’s 25th anniversary.

Michigan

Michigan’s social studies standards expect high school U.S history students to “analyze how the attacks on 9/11 and the response to terrorism have altered American domestic and international policies.” Suggested discussion points include not only the Department of Homeland Security, the Patriot Act and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but also NATO and the U.S. role in the United Nations.

Minnesota

Minnesota’s social studies standards generally focus on big themes, eras and context, and they don’t specifically mention 9/11, the state Department of Education said.

Mississippi

Mississippi’s social studies standards expect high school U.S. history students to be able to describe 9/11, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration. Standards for a required world history course also mention 9/11.

Missouri

Missouri’s high school U.S. history standards call for unpacking post-9/11 foreign policy, security challenges and the “balance of individual liberties and national security,” and the war on terror.

Montana

Montana doesn’t require schools to teach about 9/11, the state Office of Public Instruction said. But some lawmakers have been considering potential ways to change that. “We have 25-year-old young men and women right now that have no memory of this — we do need to have education along these lines,” said state Rep. Randyn Gregg, a Republican. “This changed America.”

Nebraska

Nebraska’s social studies standards mention 9/11 and its observance as Patriot Day among examples that educators might use to teach third graders about national commemorations, fourth graders about key events in U.S. history, and eighth graders about “the significance of patriotic symbols.”

Nevada

Nevada doesn’t specifically require instruction about 9/11, the state Department of Education said. The agency noted that Sept. 11 can fit within the state’s broad, thematic standards for high school history classes.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire doesn’t require teaching about 9/11, the state Department of Education said. The state’s social studies framework does mention the attacks as an optional example to teach elementary school students how major national events affect everyday life; similarly, the war on terror is a potential example for illuminating how events affect international relations.

New Jersey

New Jersey’s social studies standards require high school history classes to discuss the post-9/11 debate over national security and civil liberties, and to evaluate the U.S. decisions to wage the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Teachers in lower grades are encouraged to address Sept. 11 “in a manner that is age-appropriate and sensitive to the individual and community experiences of 9/11 in their districts,” the state Department of Education said. Some state lawmakers proposed this year to expand the 9/11 instruction requirement and to require all public schools to hold 9/11 commemorations annually.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s social studies standards require high school U.S. history students to evaluate how 9/11 and other major modern world events affected diverse groups of people, the state Public Education Department said. A supplemental, optional guidance document breaks down the 9/11 discussion into “sample concepts/content” including the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the Patriot Act, the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse scandal and the U.S. detention of suspected enemy combatants at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. State standards for high school world history classes also suggest discussing 9/11 and the war on terror.

New York

New York, where two hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center on 9/11, wants to ensure that “future generations understand the profound impact the events of Sept. 11, 2001, had on our nation and state,” the Department of Education said. Under the state’s social studies “framework,” eighth graders are expected to learn about the attacks’ effects on national security, the Patriot Act, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the war on terror. Tenth graders examine Sept. 11 through the lens of “threats to global security.” Juniors drill down on the U.S. public’s and government’s reaction to the attacks, including “controversial foreign and domestic policies,” from the Iraq war’s basis in erroneous allegations about weapons of mass destruction to the constitutional and civil liberties concerns surrounding Patriot Act-empowered surveillance. A 2019 New York law provides for a moment of silence in schools each Sept. 11.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s social studies standards don’t specifically require teaching about 9/11, but supplemental guidance mentions it as possible material for various lessons in second, fifth and eighth grades and high school, the state Department of Public Instruction said. The high school guidance lists Sept. 11 as a potential example of multiple themes — from episodes of xenophobia and intolerance to power shifts among levels of government — and offers a sample class exercise about the Patriot Act.

North Dakota

North Dakota doesn’t require teaching about 9/11, the state Department of Public Instruction said, but its social studies standards mention the attacks as an event that U.S. history classes may use to “connect the changing political and social climate to the United States’ involvement as a global superpower.” The Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the debate between national security and individual liberties and the “social and cultural impacts of domestic terrorist attacks” also are mentioned.

Ohio

Ohio doesn’t require education about 9/11, as schools and districts control their curricula, the state Department of Education & Workforce said. It said schools don’t have to follow the state social studies standards, but they do offer material for high school U.S. history classes about how the nation faced “new political, national security and economic challenges” and foreign policy issues after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s social studies standards call for teaching high school U.S. history students about 9/11, “including examples of heroism and efforts to combat terrorism,” mentioning the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. As the state where an anti-government extremist bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and killed 168 people in 1995, the state is forthright with students about these difficult pieces of history, state Department of Education social studies project manager Brenda Beymer-Chapman said.

Oregon

Oregon has no requirement or policy concerning teaching about 9/11, the state Department of Education said, but its social science standards “emphasize analyzing significant historical turning points, evaluating causes and consequences and examining how governments respond to crises — making 9/11 a natural fit within high school civics and history.”

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, where one of four hijacked jets crashed on 9/11 after passengers and crew members tried to regain control of the plane, “has made it a priority to ensure that our students understand the historical significance of Sept. 11, 2001,” the state Department of Education said. A 2024 Pennsylvania law requires schools to hold a moment of silence for each anniversary. The statute also required the Education Department to identify a model curriculum on 9/11 for optional use. The resulting “ toolkit ” urges schools to “use the anniversary of 9/11 as a ‘teachable moment’” and offers an array of videos, lesson plans and more.

Rhode Island

A 2025 Rhode Island law allows public schools to hold a moment of silence on 9/11. They weren’t prohibited before, but sponsor Rep. Earl Read III, a Democrat, said he reasoned: “If we can bring it to the forefront that we can be doing this, it will give people more appetite.” The state’s social studies standards expect high schoolers to debate how 9/11 affected U.S. society and foreign policy. That starts by studying U.S. policy in the Mideast before the attacks and then examining both government responses and individual reactions, ranging from increased expressions of patriotism to attacks on mosques. The state Department of Education didn’t respond to inquiries from AP.

South Carolina

South Carolina’s social studies standards call for fifth graders to compare and contrast U.S. global leadership before and after 9/11 and encourage high school U.S. history students to examine “the relationship between the Cold War and post-9/11 eras on the shaping of the American identity.” Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver visits a school each year to lead a Patriot Day commemoration. Her department said it’s also offering schools new guidance on “teaching the historical significance of Sept. 11 in an age-appropriate and meaningful way, while also reinforcing broader lessons about courage, service, resilience and unity.”

South Dakota

South Dakota added specifics about 9/11 as part of a broad — and contentious — overhaul of its social studies standards in 2023. “The ripples from Sept. 11 are a key component to understanding the history of America over the last 2.5 decades,” the state Department of Education explains. The standards now require teaching eighth graders and high school U.S. history students about the events of 9/11, the subsequent expansion of intelligence agencies and tactics, and the Afghanistan war.

Tennessee

Tennessee’s social studies standards call for high schoolers to discuss the impact of 9/11, including then-President George W. Bush’s response, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and continued efforts to combat terrorism. There’s similar language in revised standards that are set to take effect in 2027-28.

Texas

A 2013 Texas law requires schools to hold one minute of silence every Sept. 11 that they’re in session. The state’s social studies standards — now undergoing a contested update — have covered 9/11 at multiple points in high school. U.S. history students have been expected to examine the attacks and their aftermath as a “turning point,” an international affairs topic and an illustration of “constitutional issues raised by federal government policy changes during times of significant events.” High school world history students have studied 9/11 under the rubric of “the development and use of radical Islamic terrorism.” The Texas Education Agency didn’t respond to inquiries from AP.

Utah

A 2026 Utah legislative resolution encourages both public and private schools to commemorate this year’s 25th anniversary. Under the state’s social studies standards, 9/11 is mentioned as a possible choice for a fifth grade exercise about the most significant event in U.S. history since 1899. In upper grades, a required high school U.S. history course addresses the war on terror, though it doesn’t mention Sept. 11 specifically. The state Board of Education said it’s also offering new primary school lesson plans with 9/11-related material at almost every grade level.

Vermont

Vermont doesn’t have a requirement or policy about 9/11 instruction, the state Agency of Education said.

Virginia

In Virginia, where one of four hijacked planes crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11, social studies standards require addressing 9/11 in middle and upper grades. Middle-schoolers tackle how the attacks “significantly impacted domestic policies, American society and global perspectives on the war on terror,” with special attention to the heroism displayed by passengers on the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. High school juniors analyze 9/11 and other “key events and conditions that have given rise to terrorism as an attack on democracy and the United States’ role in defending democracy.”

Washington

Washington State doesn’t require education about Sept. 11, the state Board of Education said.

West Virginia

West Virginia’s social studies standards require instruction about 9/11 and its aftermath in sixth grade, eighth grade and high school, with particulars spelled out at each level. Various high school courses, for instance, entail evaluating the causes of 9/11, studying such preceding events as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and even the 1979-80 Iran hostage crisis, critiquing the effectiveness of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and debating “the necessity of infringements on American civil rights” under the Patriot Act.

Wisconsin

A 2022 Wisconsin law added Sept. 11 to a list of “ observance days ” that have to be “appropriately observed” in public schools. They decide how to commemorate the occasion.

Wyoming

Wyoming doesn’t require education about Sept. 11, the state Board of Education said.

___

Associated Press writer David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

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NewsBeat

What we know about RAF Fairford incident and counter-terror probe

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Satellite map of RAF Fairford and the nearby village of Whelford, showing the airbase boundary outlined in white. Labels indicate locations where vans were reportedly seen by members of the public and where suspects were arrested.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident was “deeply concerning” and the government would “always take every step necessary” to protect people.

The prime minister urged people “not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked members of the public for their vigilance and quick action to alert emergency services to the plot.

He added that the farmer who told the BBC about her 999 call “did the right thing” in reporting the men but said she only had a “partial picture”, without expanding further.

The defence secretary said “this is not the time for me to speculate” over whether there was any Iranian involvement in the plot.

On Iranian threats to the UK more generally, Streeting added: “We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm.”

“In the dangerous and turbulent world we find ourselves in, investment in defence is a price worth paying,” he added.

The Iranian embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” what it called “unfounded and malicious speculations” linking Iran to the incident, adding that these would “serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK”.

In a statement, the embassy said Iran “reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives”.

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Trump poised to send UK diesel prices soaring again with US exports embargo – as Burnham reveals he is pleading for an exemption

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Donald Trump says he is considering export curbs that could twist the knife again on motorists

Donald Trump is poised to hammer British drivers as he mulls curbs on US diesel exports.

The president is ‘very seriously’ considering restrictions in a desperate to keep costs for Americans down and shore up support ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The White House house has sparked market wobbles by teeing up a mystery announcement at 7pm UK time – after previously trying to play down the prospect of a full ban on exports.

Andy Burnham stressed ministers are ‘on it’ this evening, suggesting the UK is seeking an exemption from any action.

Mr Burnham said during an LBC phone-in that ‘we are working closely with the US’ on the diesel issue. Pressed whether he would ask for special treatment, the premier said ‘we do make that case all of the time’.

Mr Burnham admitted Brits are facing a ‘hard situation’ as UK diesel prices hit a new all-time high.

The RAC revealed average pump prices have reached 199.18p, topping the 199.09p seen in June 2022.

Brent Crude, which has soared during the Iran war crisis, topped $108 a barrel overnight, suggesting the problems could get worse.

The grim news on diesel will also heap pressure on ministers to ditch plans for fuel duty to increase from next year.

Donald Trump says he is considering export curbs that could twist the knife again on motorists

Andy Burnham said he knew people are ‘struggling’ after the RAC revealed average pump prices have reached 199.18p, topping the 199.09p seen in June 2022

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The RAC said average pump prices have reached 199.18p, topping the 199.09p seen in June 2022 (file picture)

The extent of any limits remains unclear, but they could have a devastating impact on British motorists. Experts fear that could reach £3 a litre.

Calls are growing for Chancellor John Healey to act to curb costs for motorists in the Budget next month.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘The average price of a litre of diesel has now reached the highest level in UK history at 199.18p, in what will be a financial blow to households and businesses that use their vehicles regularly.

‘The cost of filling up an average family car is now almost £110, £31 more than it was at the start of the US-Iran conflict.

‘By eclipsing the previous highest price of 199.09p seen in June 2022, the diesel price has entered new uncharted territory.

‘This spells pain not only at the pumps for drivers, but for everyone who buys goods or services that rely on diesel lorries and vans; undoubtedly these increased costs will be passed on to consumers.

‘Petrol prices, too, are continuing to rise. A litre of unleaded stands at 174.13p on average, 41p more than at the start of the war – taking the cost of a full tank to nearly £96.

‘These extraordinarily high prices are another reminder of just how exposed the UK is to events occurring far away from its shores.

‘Only a sustained lower oil price – over several weeks, not days – will lead to cheaper prices at the pumps.’

Mr Williams urged Mr Healey to take steps at the Budget to lower pressure on motorists.

Asked about the potential impact of US export curbs during a Politico event at Labour conference last night, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: ‘Clearly something like that … would be a significant concern to the UK.

‘Our resilience comes from a diverse supply in a whole range of areas and fuel is no different to that.’

Economists have warned that export curbs could reduce US diesel prices in the short-term, but might actually push them higher in the long term. There are fears that the world’s largest exporter limiting supplies might well push European countries into recession.

Attending a golf tournament in Illinois last night, Mr Trump told Fox News: ‘We’re thinking about it very seriously…

Calls are growing for Chancellor John Healey to act to curb costs for motorists in the Budget next month

‘That can oftentimes lead to a little bit of an increase on gasoline for cars, so we’re looking at it very seriously. We may do it.’

Fuel duty, which raised £24billion last year, accounts for 52.95p a litre of the price for petrol and diesel.

It was due to rise by 5p but last May prime minister Sir Keir Starmer pushed that back until the end of the year.

Opposition parties are urging Mr Healey to extend the freeze further.

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Man and woman killed in workplace incident as emergency services race to scene

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

A man in his 50s and woman in her 20s were killed at the industrial premises

Husna Anjum Senior Live News Reporter and Cate McCurry (Press Association)

15:45, 28 Sep 2026

Two people were killed in a workplace incident this morning (Monday), according to Gardaí. The incident happened at an industrial premises in Banagher today (September 28), at approximately 11.40am.

Gardaí and emergency services responded to the incident where a man, in his 50s and a woman, in her 20s, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Their bodies remain at the scene.

Post-mortem examinations will take place at Tullamore General Hospital at a later date, and the coroner has been notified. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has been notified.

A spokesman for the HSA said: “The Health and Safety Authority is aware of the fatal incident and has launched an investigation. As such, no further information is available at this time.”

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives… To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

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Flutter and Entain warn over hit from Brazilian gambling ban

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Flutter and Entain warn over hit from Brazilian gambling ban

The group, which also owns brands including Coral, said it had launched a consultation that could see a fifth of its 2,000-strong customer care jobs go across 11 countries, including the UK, as part of ongoing efforts to “address the impact of the UK’s increased gambling taxes”.

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Royal jokes with Kevin Sinfield during York MND challenge

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Royal jokes with Kevin Sinfield during York MND challenge

Sir Kevin is completing an ultramarathon every day for seven days in his 7 in 7: The Grand Finale venture.

Sir Kevin Sinfield and Lewis Moody at the University of York Athletics Track on day two of the 7 in 7: The Grand Finale 2026 Challenge – Shiptonthorpe to Bishopthorpe (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

On Monday (September 28), he arrived at the University of York’s sport centre where he was greeted by the Princess Royal along with scores of well-wishers.

As the pair chatted, Sir Kevin agreed with the royal visitor that the term “fun run” was a “contradiction”.

Anne said: “I can run but I don’t do it for fun. I’m past that stage.”

Sir Kevin said: “Well, you’re welcome to join at any point”, to which the Princess Royal replied: “I’ll stick with horses.”

The Princess Royal and Jo Ropner, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, with Lewis Moody at the University of York on day two of Sir Kevin Sinfield’s 7 in 7: The Grand Finale 2026 Challenge (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

One of his team said nobody had ever joined them for a leg on a horse.

Anne laughed and said: “That would be nice.”

She asked Sir Kevin if he was enjoying the sunny weather, but he replied: “If I’m being brutally honest, I’d love it to be bouncing down”, telling the Princess Royal that it helps with fundraising if people watching on TV think he is having a hard time.

When she asked him about his diet and nutrition for the runs, Sir Kevin said he would let her into his secret about how he is fuelled by bacon butties.

Back on the track, Sir Kevin told supporters: “Really, really well done everybody.

“Keep sharing your stories, keep looking after each other.”

The royal visitor watched as Sir Kevin did four laps of the university’s athletics track with his supporters and then banged a drum seven times to send him on his way.

She also chatted to people who had come to support the event, including many living with MND.

The Princess Royal at the University of York Athletics Track, on day two of Sir Kevin Sinfield’s 7 in 7: The Grand Finale 2026 Challenge (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

Former England rugby union star Lewis Moody, who announced last year that he had been diagnosed with MND, surprised Sir Kevin by turning up at the track, after telling him yesterday that he could not make it.

Moody said: “Kevin Sinfield is a remarkable human being.”

He said: “If this is going to be Kev’s last big challenge – which we don’t believe for a second – then I had to be here to thank him for all that he’s done.

“I’m grateful to be here as someone living with MND.

“I’m also just proud to be here participating and supporting Kev.”

Asked about his conversation with Anne, Moody said: “Kindred spirit recognises kindred spirit. And I think she sees that in Kev.

“To have her energy and presence here today is just a fantastic thing for this community.”

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Inspired by former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with MND for four-and-a-half years, Sir Kevin and his team have raised more than £11 million for the MND community since his first annual challenge in 2020.

Six charities are set to benefit once again from this year’s fundraising – the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association.

Each ultramarathon is split into seven-kilometre blocks, which must be completed within the hour before starting the next.

There will also be an “extra mile” event every day, when Sir Kevin joins members of the MND community in completing four laps of a running track.

The home grounds of the 12 English Betfred Super League clubs will be visited, before finishing on the pitch at Old Trafford ahead of the Super League Grand Final, where his son Jack will play for Wakefield against Warrington.

Sir Kevin sets off on Sunday morning from Hull KR’s Craven Park before heading across the city to the MKM Stadium, the home of Hull FC, and out to Market Weighton, with the first day’s event finishing in Shiptonthorpe.

Former England boss Southgate also joined Sir Kevin’s team during the run towards the finish.

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FAI to investigate alleged racist abuse of Swansea City star during Israel clash

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

The incident happened during a controversial contest in Debrecen

The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed it’s to launch an investigation into alleged racist chants aimed at Adam Idah during the Republic of Ireland’s tense UEFA Nations League clash with Israel on Sunday.

However, the incident will not be investigated by UEFA themselves as their protocols into racist abuse had not been followed on the night.

According to the Irish Times, Jayson Molumby claimed he heard racist chants towards the Swansea City striker, who was on target in a 3-0 win for his side.

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Molumby had allegedly told officials to listen out for the chants, but because he hadn’t actually stated a racist incident had occurred, and because the officials hadn’t heard anything themselves, the governing body won’t be launching an investigation.

Nevertheless, the FAI has pledged to review the video evidence from the game, and will present any findings to UEFA.

“We’re going to review the video evidence from the game and try and determine if there is any evidence of racism,” said an FAI spokesperson.

“If we believe that to be the case, we will send [the evidence] to UEFA demanding an investigation into the incident.”

It’s claimed Idah himself was unaware of any abuse.

Ireland’s clash with Israel has been in sharp focus all week, with Idah and his team-mates holding a meeting on Friday to decide whether they would even go through with the fixture, amid widespread protests against Israel from Irish fans and politicians.

The FAI voted to play both Nations League games against Israel, but they were moved to neutral venues.

Sunday’s clash was held in the Hungarian city of Debrecen, with some 300 Israel supporters admitted, and no tickets sold to ‘away’ Irish fans.

The return game this weekend is set to be held in Backa Topola in Serbia, and there is still some pressure on the Irish side to boycott that game.

It’s claimed further discussions are likely around whether the team decides to play the upcoming fixture.

Asked directly whether his team would fulfil the game, Irish boss Heimir Hallgrimsson had no update.

“It was a tough enough decision to play this game,” he said.

“You know the story, everything seems to leak from private player meetings. You probably know more than me.”

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Derry disorder sees police attacked with ‘cans of paint, petrol bombs and glass bottles’

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Fires were lit on roads and fireworks were let off in the area too, police said.

Petrol bombs, glass bottles, and cans of paint were thrown at police during disorder in Derry on Sunday night.

Police dealt with “sporadic disorder” in the Waterside area of the city from shortly after 7.30pm on September 27, with fires lit on roads and fireworks let off in the Strabane Old Road/Irish Street area.

Some of those involved in attacking police in the area had their faces covered, a police spokesperson said.

A PSNI spokesperson added: “A large number of people gathered in the area, watching on. Irish Street was closed as officers worked to bring the situation under control.

“By 11pm, the area had returned to normal, however, police maintained a presence for a time to ensure no further incidents occurred.

“While some police vehicles were damaged, fortunately, there were no injuries reported to police officers, or to members of the public, or properties. An investigation is underway to identify all those involved.”

Area Commander of Derry City & Strabane, Chief Superintendent Gillian Kearney said: “Our courageous and dedicated officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect the local community.

“Valuable police resources were used to deal with this situation last night, resources which should have been available to help victims of crime. It is completely unacceptable.”

Anyone with information, including dash-cam, CCTV or other footage, can contact police on 101, quoting reference number 1245 of 27/09/26.

Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter.

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Cheapest fuel in your area as prices hit all-time high

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Drivers are now paying the highest ever recorded prices at the forecourt

The average price of diesel in the UK has hit an all-time record high. Standard diesel climbed to an average cost of 199.18p per litre this weekend as forecourts around the country continue to hike up prices.

According to the RAC, that is the highest price ever recorded in the UK, beating the previous high of 199.09p per litre in June 2022. The price of diesel has risen by 20 per cent since the middle of July as the pressure on global oil markets caused by the Iran war caused a second spike in UK prices.

The average price of standard unleaded petrol is now at 174.1p per litre, and while this has also risen sharply in recent weeks, it has not reached the same record levels as diesel. Following the invasion of Ukraine, the price of unleaded peaked in July 2022 at 191.5p per litre.

The price of standard unleaded is also rising, and could break through the £2 barrier with more than 50 forecourts at motorway service stations now charging 199.9p per litre.

You can find the cheapest petrol prices in your area by using our postcode interactive here:

According to the latest Fuel Finder data published by the government and based on figures supplied by retailers, the highest price being charged for diesel around the country today is 219.9p per litre. That price is being advertised at more than 100 motorway service station garages mostly operated by BP and Welcome Break.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “The average price of a litre of diesel has now reached the highest level in UK history, in what will be a financial blow to households and businesses that use their vehicles regularly.

“The cost of filling up an average family car is now almost £110, £31 more than it was at the start of the US-Iran conflict.

“This spells pain not only at the pumps for drivers, but for everyone who buys goods or services that rely on diesel lorries and vans; undoubtedly, these increased costs will be passed on to consumers. Only a sustained lower oil price – over several weeks, not days – will lead to cheaper prices at the pumps.”

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Britain cannot afford a spending spree, warns Burnham’s Chancellor as he pleads for realism at Labour conference

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Chancellor John Healey made his first address to Labour conference in Liverpool amid mounting alarm at the state of the public finances

John Healey warned Labour cannot afford a Tony Blair-style spending splurge today as he tried to cool nerves about Budget tax hikes.

In a plea for realism from Left-wing activists at the party’s conference in Liverpool, the Chancellor said the money that was poured into the public sector under New Labour is ‘simply not there now’.

Mr Healey insisted that he will stick to the fiscal rules, again fuelling speculation that taxes will need to rise at the Budget.

He also argued that it is ‘not progressive’ to run up a ‘bigger and bigger benefits bill’ – and suggested that Labour would focus on getting young people into work rather than giving them welfare.

The Chancellor claimed there was still room for ‘new hope’ despite ‘everything we face’, unveiling a new local apprenticeships push overseen by mayors.

But the Government is facing an increasingly bleak backdrop as surging inflation from the Middle East crisis and sluggish growth wreaks havoc with the finances.

Ironically, lower immigration forecasts from the Treasury’s Office for Budget Responsibility watchdog could also deal a blow to Mr Healey’s ‘headroom’ against the fiscal rules – potentially as much as £7billion – by reducing expected revenues.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made a series of big spending commitments, including a pledge yesterday to introduce an NHS-style social care service after the next election that could cost £18billion a year.

There is speculation that could be partly funded by downgrading the state pension ‘triple lock’ – which sees the payments rise by the highest out of inflation, earnings and 2.5 per cent.

Capital gains tax is among the levies floated for the Chancellor to bring in more cash and reassure markets that the Government will balance its books.

Chancellor John Healey made his first address to Labour conference in Liverpool amid mounting alarm at the state of the public finances

Andy Burnham was on the stage to watch his Chancellor’s speech today

Renewed Iran war tensions have seen Brent Crude hit $108 a barrel overnight.

And the pain for Brits could be about to get worse as Donald Trump has said he is ‘seriously’ looking at a US diesel exports embargo.

That would curb prices for Americans, but push them up dramatically in the rest of the world.

Mr Healey said: ‘I know the 90s is having a bit of a revival. To Andy’s excitement, Oasis is going back on tour, to Angela’s joy Gladiators is back on TV. But I have to level with you conference, the money New Labour had in the 90s is simply not there now.

‘Economic growth under Gordon (Brown) was more than double the Tory years that followed, and Britain has it harder now.’

Mr Healey blamed ’14 years of flatlining Tory growth and living standards’.

He said the Government wanted to restore confidence in the economy and help boost family finances.

‘Labour isn’t just here to cut the cake in a different way, we have to bake a bigger cake and make sure that it’s fairly shared,’ he said.

‘So whether it’s the cost of business or the cost of living, the only long-term answer is growth.’

Nodding to soaring interest costs on the Government’s borrowing, Mr Healey said: ‘The cost of the nation’s debt is not just a number in a Chancellor’s budget. It’s the money that we can’t spend on the NHS, on schools, on housing, on social care, on policing our streets, on controlling our borders, on defending our country.

‘I tell you, these levels of debt are an assault on our common sense. They’re an affront to our values, and that’s why the Prime Minister and I are in lockstep, that we will meet the fiscal rules, that we will maintain control of Britain’s finances.’

The Tories and Reform have been demanding Labour slashes benefits to fund more spending in areas such as defence, instead of hiking taxes.

Mr Healey said: ‘Conference, it is not progressive to allow a bigger and bigger benefits bill, and a system which offers an income but doesn’t offer a future.

‘So once again, as a Labour government, it falls to us to act. And this is more than just an economic must. This is a moral duty.

‘I refuse to write off a million young people like the Tories have done.’

He added: ‘I see a generation born this century, digital natives, whip-smart, questioning, ambitious, brave, I see the best asset we have in our young people, and I believe this generation has the potential to be a great generation.

‘And I believe we can help this generation move from generation jeopardy to generation hope.’

Mr Healey tried to strike an upbeat note, saying Britain can enter a ‘new age of industrialisation’.

The Chancellor argued that the UK cannot return to the coal mines of its past.

Describing his politics as ‘shaped by the industrial heartlands of South Yorkshire’, he pointed to the example of the former Orgreave mine, now the site of Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Park.

‘Our coal mines are not coming back,’ he said.

‘But this is how Britain’s industrial past is being remade now for the modern world.

‘This is the new age of industrialisation. A new confidence in Britain.’

Mr Healey, who quit as Sir Keir Starmer’s defence secretary in a row over funding for the military, confirmed more support for Britain’s shipbuilding industry, with investment in the Royal Navy’s Scottish submarine base at its heart.

He said three new floating docks at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, will be procured through a UK-only competition.

Known as Programme Euston, plans for the new docks were first set out in 2023 and are expected to upgrade Faslane’s facilities for the next generation of British submarines.

The Ministry of Defence has previously said they are expected to come into service in the early 2030s, and the docks form part of a wider £15billion upgrade programme for the Royal Navy’s shipyards.

The announcement follows a commitment by Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State, who said on Sunday the Government would commission a new marine research vessel as part of plans for a ‘new era of reindustrialisation’.

Mr Healey announced £115million in funding for the ship, which is also set to come into service in the early 2030s.

Ahead of his speech, he said: ‘By backing British shipyards, we are not only boosting national security but also securing resilience in the industries that will drive growth today while building the capabilities the country needs for the future.’

Plans for a new age of industrialisation echo Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s pledge to prioritise ‘reindustrialisation’ as a way of boosting Britain’s sluggish growth.

But the Chancellor’s conference speech coincides with more gloomy economic news from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

A survey by the business group found private sector firms saw falling activity in the three months up to September, and expect activity to continue to decline for the rest of the year.

Much of that decline was driven by retail and services, with manufacturing declining more moderately.

CBI deputy chief economist Alpesh Paleja said rising energy and employment costs combined with weak demand were continuing to put pressure on profit margins.

He added: ‘Uncertainty ahead of next month’s Budget is also holding back activity in some sectors.

‘Against the backdrop of renewed fiscal pressures, the Budget must draw a clear red line under any more rises in the cost of hiring, investing and doing business.’

The pain for Brits could be about to get worse as Donald Trump has said he is ‘seriously’ looking at a US diesel exports embargo

Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith said: ‘These are more reheated announcements without clarity on where the money is coming from. Additional docks were announced months ago in the defence investment plan, which still has a £4.7 billion black hole.

‘John Healey resigned warning that Labour’s failure to fund defence was making Britain unsafe. Now that he is Chancellor, he still won’t fund the 3% target he walked out over.

‘Labour are running scared of making the tough choices needed to pay for Britain’s defence. All they can offer is reannounced docks and more hot air from Healey. Only the Conservatives will cut the welfare bill to fund defence.’

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘The chancellor offered next to nothing to defuse the benefits bomb sitting under Britain’s economy.

‘The plans he did announce are little more than taxpayer-funded make-work schemes and bungs to trade unions dressed up as welfare and work reforms, all the while refusing to acknowledge the damage done to businesses and employment by his predecessor.

‘If the chancellor is serious about getting young people back into work, he needs to reduce the burdens on businesses and cut welfare spending.’

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Charity legend Kevin Sinfield reveals heartbreaking moment he said final goodbye to MND hero Rob Burrow

Published

4 weeks ago

28 September 2026

WordUp News Desk

Rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield kissed Rob Burrow on the forehead and told him that he loved him; they both knew ‘it was the last time’

Kevin Sinfield on his last MND challenge

Sir Kevin Sinfield has described his final farewell to his best friend Rob Burrow on the day before he died.

The rugby league legend kissed Rob on the forehead and told him that he loved him because they both knew ‘it was the last time’. He said the emotional encounter was ‘sad, but beautiful’.

Sinfield, 46, met former England captain Lewis Moody on Day Two of his ‘Grand Finale’ 7 in 7 epic fundraising venture.

Moody put his arm around the shoulder of Sinfield as they ran side by side.

And Sir Kev was also given a huge morale boost when he met with the Princess Royal in York.

He has already raised more than £500,000 for Motor Neurone Disease research, taking the total raised so far to more than £14.6m with Gift Aid. It means Sir Kevin and Rob, who died in 2024 after being diagnosed with MND, have raised more than £35m between them.

Sir Kevin told how Burrow was nicknamed ‘Stevie Wonder’ because he would keep his sunglasses on and fall asleep while people spoke to him.

Sir Kevin told the High Performance podcast: “The last day I saw him was the day before he passed and it was tough. I was in an England rugby camp and got the message. I knew all week he’d been poorly and got the message he was close.

“So I got back up north and went to see him. And as I looked through the little window to his private room he was fast asleep with breathing apparatus on.”

Sinfield continued: “Anyway I crept in and saw his mum and his sister and I sat with him and he woke up. So I did what I normally did: I tried to make him laugh and told him what I was up to. It was really sad. Sad, but beautiful.

“We both knew it was the last time. I knew, I was pretty sure and I’m pretty sure he did too. The minute he opened his eyes he had the biggest smile. I always got a smile regardless of what was going on.”

He added: “It was his way of saying that everything’s alright and no matter what’s going on in life, what’s weighing heavy on you, what you’re mulling over, it doesn’t matter.

“It was his way of saying to just get on with living and loving and taking some risks. In the final interaction I kissed his forehead and told him I loved him.

“As I was leaving, I looked back one last time and he was looking back at me with a smile, which was what he always did.”

He added: “Throughout all that time he couldn’t speak he would always smile at the start and smile when I left. Even his most difficult moments when I’m sure he knew, he still found the energy for a smile.

“I only saw him upset twice, when he was first diagnosed. After that he was so positive about life.”

The moving interview came as Rob’s son starred in a rugby match in honour of his late father.

Seven-year-old Jackson Burrow came on to score a winning try at the end of the fundraiser between Team Burrow, made up of rugby league legends, and Team Ed Slater, a team of rugby union icons. He was hoisted in the air at the end of the charity match, supporting Motor Neurone Disease research.

A teammate handed him the ball before the youngster set off on a mazy run from the halfway line, dodging his older opponents along the way. He rose elated after diving across the line to score, and his teammates lifted him into the air and patted his head.

A delighted crowd at Welford Road, home of Leicester Tigers, applauded every step of the way, and players from both teams clapped and congratulated Jackson.

“This is quality,” commented rugby fan Andrew Forde. “What an absolute joy to see. Truly remarkable,” said another, Mike Marsh.

Rob Burrow died aged 41 but not before raising the then total of more than £30m for MND charities alongside Sir Kevin.

Both were awarded CBEs for their efforts in raising awareness of the disease. Ed Slater, who was also represented at the charity match, is a former rugby union star diagnosed with MND in July 2022, aged 33.

He played for Gloucester and Leicester Tigers. Details of Sir Kevin’s latest challenge at https://www.therhinos.co.uk/the-club/sinfield-grand-finale

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