Virginia Sibanda worries that her 17-year-old daughter will be forced to elope with one of the well-off local men or one of the many gold-panners that have descended on the nearby Runde River in Zimbabwe’s parched Mwenezi district.
“Everyday I worry and fear that my daughter will fall pregnant for one of these gold-panners who often come to flash money in the community or that she might be enticed into having sex with one of the elderly men that are better off,” Sibanda says.
“Those who are panning for gold are able to get some money and they are using that money to entice young girls into sex, with several young girls in the community falling pregnant. I fear that my daughter will fall for this because of our situation,” she adds.
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International development and humanitarian financing from the United States – under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – and from other western countries had been pivotal in providing food aid and in supporting income generating projects in Zimbabwe. With the impacts of the climate crisis becoming more frequent and disruptive, international aid has been a key intervention in resilience and adaptation.
However after the Trump administration essentially shut down USAID last year, communities in the region have been hammered hard and families left struggling and desperate.
Sibanda’s daughter dropped out of school after the USAID agricultural support and food assistance that was sustaining her family was abruptly cut. The little money that Sibanda could spare for school fees when USAID was helping to provide food aid is now being channeled towards survival, with the family living on only one meal a day.
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Families have been left struggling thanks to drought (AFP via Getty Images)
Dropping her daughter, and another of her children, out of school was a painful but necessary decision for the family. Sometimes Sibanda stays awake at night, pondering over the future of her children tears welling up in her eyes as she describes the family’s plight and her fears over her daughter’s prospects with life. “There are no jobs; there is nothing to talk about regarding employment prospects,” she says.
An outbreak of January Disease – a tick-borne disease prevalent during the rainy-season from December to March – has decimated family cattle herds in that people in Mwenezi often sell-off to sustain livelihoods or pay for school feeds.
Earlier rains for the current cropping season brought hopes of bumper harvests but that too is quickly turning to despair as the current and lengthier dry spell in several of the country’s provinces has dented expectations of meaningful yields of the staple maize crop.
The UN’s WFP and Food and Agriculture Organisation have been providing food assistance in other parts of Mwenezi and Zimbabwe but not in Sibanda’s area this year.
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The WFP says it is stretched for resources; where it was planning to assist 538,000 people with food assistance during the current season, it will only manage to provide food aid to fewer than 200,000 people in four of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces.
‘A high increase in poverty’
Yet it’s not just in Zimbabwe where communities that counted on international aid funding for livelihood and food programs are now struggling to move on with life after the shutdown of USAID.
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Malawi has also been hit hard by Donald Trump’s aid cuts (AFP via Getty Images)
In neighbouring Malawi, the level of vulnerability and poverty has intensified since Trump slashed aid funding, Sekai Mudonhi, Malawi country representative for Catholic Relief Services (CRS), tells The Independent.
“Agriculture programmes… have been affected by the aid funding cuts and once agriculture is affected you will have a high increase in food insecurity and the poverty and level of vulnerability just increases,” she says.
Funded by USAID and other donors, CRS and other Catholic charities such as CAFOD taught farmers in Southern Africa new agriculture techniques to adapt to climate change impacts, helping to reduce these issues.
They also helped to drill boreholes in dry areas, bringing to life gardens that also acted as income generating projects for communities and individual rural farmers.
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One of the projects that CRS ran in Malawi involved the disbursement of cash transfers to communities which assisted with buying of food after climate shock events such as cyclones, flooding and droughts.
“They [communities] were banking on that support,” says Mudonhi, adding that she and her team – most of whom have also had to be laid off – “had to go back to the communities and tell them that that support will no longer be coming” due to the new policy under Trump.
‘I can’t imagine what they are going through’
In Zimbabwe, Amos Batisayi has also witnessed first-hand the impact of the withdrawal of US and other international funding. He worked with the Mwenezi District Training Center (MDTC), a local NGO that utilised USAID funding for community development and humanitarian programs in the Masvingo province.
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Amos Batisayi speaks to one of the female beneficiaries of Mwenezi District Center for Training (MDTC) in Zimbabwe. US funding for most of these programmes was cut by the Trump administration in 2025 (Mwenezi District Center for Training (MDTC))
He says that the organisation was targeting dry areas with boreholes for water access for agriculture and community water drinking in remote areas. MDTC, using USAID funding, also ran vocational training programmes for unemployed youths and provided support for income generating projects in remote areas such as Chiredzi.
With USAID shut down, irrigation schemes and gardens that had been brought to life through rehabilitation and drilling of new boreholes are now in trouble. This means that communities in remote and hard to reach areas such as Chiredzi where villagers walk up to three miles (five kilometres) to get to the nearest water source are now struggling.
“Now all these programmes have all stopped and this means that our communities, villagers and farmers are no longer able to generate an income, making their lives all the more difficult; I cant imagine what they are going through,” Batisayi says.
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One such beneficiary of the USAID-funded programs under MDTC was Silence Ncube from Ramadhaka Village in Chiredzi South, some 270 miles from the capital Harare.
Ncube enrolled for vocational training as a bricklayer through financial assistance from USAID while others in her community were given the ability to start raising chickens and begin vegetable gardening.
This, she says, provided valuable skills, income opportunities and access to clean water. But when the stop orders for financing of such initiatives under USAID were issued by the Trump administration last year, Ncube and her community were hit.
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Silence Ncube and Meriyini Baloyi constructing pit latrine toilet at Ramadhaka community Borehole in Chiredzi. USAID supported vocational training for community members (Mwenezi District Center for Training (MDTC))
Their lives and sources of livelihoods ground to a halt and hopes for the future turned bleak. Today, they are “struggling to move on with life”, she says.
‘The energy to go panning’
The challenges of the severe drop in US funding have prompted NGOs – previously focused more on competition to secure funding – to increasingly focus on collaboration and sharing of resources, skills and data.
It is a shift that is fuelling a broader rethink regarding international aid, according to Matthias Spaeth, Zimbabwe country director for Welt Hunger Hilfe. He says that the problem of international aid funding cuts is bigger than USAID, as countries like the UK also cut funding.
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He adds that his biggest fear regarding the impact of cuts to development aid is that “nothing changes” in the future and the cuts come coming at a time when communities are in dire need.
Back in Mwenezi, Sibanda hopes that one day soon donors such as the UN agencies that will return assist with food rations so that she can be able to go and pan for gold – the price of which has skyrocketed on international markets.
“If we can get donors who can assist us with food then we can have the energy to go panning for gold or if we are lucky we can get some money for income generating programmes such as farming,” she says.
This article has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project
North Restaurant, along Whitburn Bents Road in Seaburn was named the Good Food Guide’s Best Local Restaurant 2025, and the seafront venue has developed a loyal following, earning praise online for its “beautiful location”.
Estate agents, Rook Matthews Sayer, have listed the restaurant for sale.
North is yet to confirm the reason for the closure and did not respond to The Northern Echo’s request for comment in time for publication.
North in Seaburn is up for sale. (Image: ROOK MATTHEWS SAYER)
The agents say the venue has a ‘prime seafront location’, with ‘uninterrupted sea views and direct access to the golden sands’ of Seaburn Beach.
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The restaurant currently offers 32 internal covers and 12 external seats.
North in Seaburn is up for sale. (Image: ROOK MATTHEWS SAYER)
The North Restaurant also features an open-plan, fully-equipped kitchen and a dedicated bar area.
The restaurant has a leasehold tenure with six years remaining on the lease, at an annual rent of £21,000.
North in Seaburn is up for sale. (Image: ROOK MATTHEWS SAYER)
On Facebook, the restaurant boasts 6,400 followers and on Instagram, it is followed by 12,700 users.
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North in Seaburn is up for sale. (Image: ROOK MATTHEWS SAYER)
North’s menu comprises of brunches, evening dining, and traditional Sunday lunches, complemented by a wide variety of drinks.
A frustrating 2-2 draw at Leeds, in which the Blues were two goals up, saw Liam Rosenior’s side miss the chance to leapfrog Manchester United into the top four.
And the new head coach will be aiming to avoid a similar disappointment when the Clarets come to town.
Burnley are licking their wounds after a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Mansfield Town, bringing them crashing back down to earth after a remarkable 3-2 win at Crystal Palace.
Date, kick-off time and venue
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Chelsea vs Burnley is scheduled for a 3pm GMT kick-off on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The match will take place at Stamford Bridge.
Where to watch Chelsea vs Burnley
TV channel: In the UK, the game will not be televised live as it lands during the 3pm Saturday blackout.
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Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights from 5.15pm with Match of the Day broadcasting on BBC One at 10.30pm GMT.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.
Chelsea vs Burnley team news
Cole Palmer is expected to return to the Chelsea matchday squad after being left out against Hull City, with Liam Rosenior confirming the midfielder is having his “minutes managed.”
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Romeo Lavia is also back in contention, but Marc Cucurella will miss out the hamstring injury picked up against Leeds. There is currently no timeframe on a possible return for the left-back. Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens, Filip Jorgensen and Dario Essugo are not expected back before the end of the month, and Levi Colwill is a long-term absentee.
It is a case of as you were for Burnley, with Axel Tuanzebe, sidelined until March, the only player approaching a return from injury.
Chelsea vs Burnley prediction
A blip against an impressive Leeds side will have deeply frustrated Liam Rosenior, but there is no cause for alarm. Burnley will offer far less threat, especially on the road, and this should be another straightforward victory for Chelsea.
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Rosenior will hope to have the result wrapped up early in the second half, allowing him to rest some of his stars – including Cole Palmer – ahead of facing Arsenal eight days later.
The couple are being held at Tehran’s Evin prison.
Caroline Barry and Simon Hamalienko
08:00, 19 Feb 2026Updated 08:00, 19 Feb 2026
A British couple, from East Sussex, have been sentenced to 10 years in Iran on charges of spying while their worried family plead with the UK government to step in.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman have denied the spying charges and their family have been highlighting concerns about their trial and prison conditions. The couple were arrested in January 2025 while travelling the country as part of a world motorbike trip, reported The Star.
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They are being held at Tehran’s Evin prison. Joe Bennett. The couple will appear before a court in Tehran in the coming days.
Lindsey’s son confirmed they were only told last week about the sentence. The family are “deeply concerned” for their welfare in prison, and “lack of transparency” in the judicial process.
“My parents have now been sentenced to 10 years following a trial that lasted just three hours and in which they were not allowed to present a defence,” he said.
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“They have consistently denied the allegations. We have seen no evidence to support the charge of espionage.”
“We were previously told that once sentencing occurred, further action would follow. We now hope the UK Government will act decisively and use every available avenue to secure their release.”
Craig asked the UK Government for help as he is kept in a hellhole prison. “One word would be: help. Full stop,” he told ITV News.
“I don’t understand why we have been here for 13 months, being held hostage in 2026. In what day and age does this (happen)? When does this end?”
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He described being held in an “eight-foot cell with a hole in the floor and a sink.” He said the effects of 57 days in solitary confinement had: “Emotionally and physically, it broke me to pieces”.
Craig said the infrequent meetings with his wife are what sustain him.
“I know her prison is just 70 metres away, and I get to see her once a month. For me and for Lindsay, seeing each other is the only thing that’s keeping us going right now. I love my wife dearly. She’s the love of my life.”
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The Foreign Secretary said the 10-year jail sentence for Lindsay and Craig Foreman in Iran was “totally unjustifiable”.
“This sentence is completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,” said Yvette Cooper. “We will pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family.
Joe Foreman, Lindsay’s son, launched a campaign and is joined by former detainee Anoosheh Ashoori and Richard Ratcliffe who fought a public campaign that involved two hunger strikes to have his wife freed from Iran.
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They have delivered a 70.000 signature petition calling on the Government to do more to help. During his ITV news Interview, Joe added: “We were previously told that once sentencing occurred, further action would follow.
We now hope the UK Government will act decisively and use every available avenue to secure their release.”
Russell Bowen, a visual effects supervisor who studied creative digital media at Teesside University, has been nominated for Best Visual Effects for his work on The Lost Bus.
It is a survival drama based on a true rescue mission during the devastating 2018 Californian wildfires.
Mr Bowen said: “To be Oscar-nominated alone, regardless of a win, is quite incredible.
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“The four of us named as nominees for The Lost Bus represent hundreds of artists who poured their hearts and souls into the creation of the visual effects.”
The film tells the story of a heroic bus driver who saved 22 children from the blaze and includes 1,400 visual effects, with some proving so real that one viewer was reported as saying they could “almost smell the smoke.”
Mr Bowen is part of a four-strong team nominated for the award.
He said: “After joining, I realised it was also the staff that made the place pretty special.
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“When guest speakers used to come up to do talks for students about their work in film, from DNEG, MPC, and Framestore, I knew I’d found my career and Teesside was going to help me get there.”
Originally from Pembrokeshire, he graduated from Teesside University in 2009.
Mr Bowen spent 14 years at leading visual effects company DNEG, working his way up from runner to visual effects supervisor.
During his time there he contributed to major films such as Venom, The Fate of the Furious, and Star Trek Beyond.
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He now works for beloFX, where his credits include Star Wars: The Acolyte.
Typically based in Vancouver, Mr Bowen is currently working in Dublin on the forthcoming supernatural horror film The Mummy with Blumhouse and Warner Brothers, scheduled for release in April.
The Oscar ceremony will take place in Hollywood on March 15, where he will attend alongside team members Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, and Brandon McLaughlin.
He said: “For me, those are the artists at beloFX, our VFX house based in Vancouver, Montreal, and London.
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“I’m proud to represent them at the most prestigious film awards night on the calendar.”
The Lost Bus is directed by Paul Greengrass and is currently streaming on Apple TV following a limited theatrical release.
The film was chosen for the shortlist from a submission of 371.
Other nominees in the visual effects category include Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jurassic World Rebirth, and the vampire horror film Sinners.
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Mr Bowen said: “Amazingly, we’re up against some of the very people who inspired me to go into the industry.
“When I heard we’d been nominated, I went through the motions of shock which turned into overwhelming joy.
A woman has told of the terrifying moment boiling sugar water was poured over her as she lay in bed after she tried to help a man in distress. Sarah Tragner, 49, was also hit around the head with a hammer.
Sarah had taken Christopher Gillham into her home in Whitstable, Kent, as h e had nowhere to stay. But he turned on her just before 5.30am on Sunday, July 27 – throwing the kettle full of sugar water on her. The dangerous blend is commonly used by prison inmates, with the mixture creating a paste that sticks to the skin, causing deep, severe and long-lasting injuries.
She believes he attacked her because he realised she wanted him to move out. Bleeding, burnt, and dazed, Sarah went outside and managed to call the emergency services.
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The ordeal has left her with scars from her knee to her bottom. She also had to have her head “glued back together”.
Mum-of-one Sarah said: “I’m lucky. I’m lucky to be alive. It burned so much. I can’t explain it. I just jumped up and was thinking, what’s this? Then he threw the kettle itself at me as well. I went downstairs and was in shock. I reached for my bag and turned around, and then I felt a whack on the back of my head from a hammer.”
She added: “All I kept saying to the paramedics was that I didn’t know what had happened. I didn’t realise how much my blood was down the back of my T-shirt.”
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Gillham had already left the scene when armed police and ambulance crews arrived at the house. W hile Sarah was being treated at the QEQM Hospital in Margate, her doorbell camera alerted her that he’d returned to the property. He then attacked the police officer, who had been left at the scene.
She was also taken to hospital with serious injuries. It is understood she subsequently left the force. Appearing at Woolwich Crown Court, Gillham, of Willow Road, Dartford, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for grievous bodily harm with intent. Other charges, including assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage, were dealt with at the same hearing but did not increase the overall sentence.
Two criminal damage charges and an allegation of escaping from lawful custody attracted no additional penalty. The court also imposed a 15-year restraining order. Sarah explained how she’d initially met Gillham on Facebook, where he claimed he was struggling and in need of a place to stay.
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She had just lost her mum and split from her partner, and said she wanted to be able to help someone. “We’ve all been struggling before, and I’ve got a spare room in my house,” she said. “There was nothing sexual in it. I thought he looked and seemed okay. It was for just a week, but I wasn’t thinking right. I’m embarrassed to admit it; he played me and he saw my vulnerability.”
What was supposed to be one week then became three. Sarah says she discovered that Gillham had gone through her personal belongings, selling her watches and taking money without her knowing. She added: “He had kept himself to himself. I was at a stage where any company was good company, regardless. I didn’t think anything of it until my sister came around and told me that he was really odd. He was very manipulative.”
Sarah says that she has struggled with mental health issues since the attack and her life has been on hold. “It’s awful when you have to sit and listen to it in court,” she said. “It just plays on my mind every single day. I’ve had to wait so long. No daughter should have to watch her mum be bandaged up from burns. If he comes out, he will kill someone. He’s just got that mentality.”
Team GB have their work cut out at Milano-Cortina though, with both the men and women requiring other results in the closing matches of the round robin to go their way in order to advance to the play-offs.
Bruce Mouat’s rink are now hopingfor help from elsewhere to seal a top-four spot, needing either Norway or Italy to lose their final match on Thursday morning. Italy face unbeaten Switzerland, while Norway take on already-qualified Canada, so things are looking promising for Team Mouat.
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Team GB’s women also face an uphill battle to finish inside the top four, but they snatched the most remarkable of 8-7 victories against the USA on Wednesday morning before thrashing Japan 9-3 in the evening to keep their hopes alive heading into the final set of round robin matches.
Here’s the schedule, results and current standings:
Men’s Winter Olympics curling schedule
Round robin fixtures
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All times GMT
19 February: Italy v Switzerland, 08:05
19 February: Norway v Canada, 08:05
Round robin results
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11 February: China 4-9 Great Britain
12 February: Great Britain 6-3 Sweden
13 February: Great Britain 7-9 Italy
14 February: Czech Republic 4-7 Great Britain
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15 February: Germany 4-9 Great Britain
15 February: Great Britain 5-6 Switzerland
16 February: Great Britain 6-7 Norway
17 February: Canada 9-5 Great Britain
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18 February: USA 2-9 Great Britain
Top 4 advance to play-offs; Switzerland and Canada have already qualified
Team
Pld
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W
L
Switzerland (Q)
8
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8
0
Canada (Q)
8
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7
1
Great Britain
9
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5
4
Italy
8
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4
4
Norway
8
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4
4
USA
9
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4
5
Germany
8
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3
5
China
8
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2
6
Sweden
8
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2
6
Czech Republic
8
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2
6
What do Team GB need to qualify?
After Team GB beat USAin their final round robin game yesterday to end with a 5-4 record they now need either Norway to lose their final match to already-qualified Canada or Italy to lose their final match to unbeaten Switzerland. Both those games are on this morning from 8.05am GMT.
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If either of those two teams get a win, they will finish on 5-4, the same as GB, and would move above the Brits as they hold the head-to-head advantage.
Play-off round
February 19 – semi-finals
February 20 – bronze medal match
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February 21 – gold medal game
Squad in full
Skip: Bruce Mouat
Third: Grant Hardie
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Second: Bobby Lammie
Lead: Hammy McMillan Jr.
Alternate: Kyle Waddell
Women’s Winter Olympics curling schedule
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Round robin fixtures
All times GMT
19 February: Great Britain v Italy, 13:05
Round robin results
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12 February: China 7-4 Great Britain
13 February: Great Britain 3-9 Republic of Korea
14 February: Great Britain 7-6 Canada
15 February: Great Britain 7-10 Sweden
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16 February: Denmark 2-7 Great Britain
16 February: Switzerland 10-6 Great Britain
17 February: Switzerland 10-6 Great Britain
18 February: USA 7-8 Great Britain
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18 February: Great Britain 9-3 Japan
Top 4 advance to play-offs; Sweden and Switzerland have already qualified
A French crime comedy addresses serious themes with a light-hearted and stylish approach that provides endless entertainment, while being “beautifully acted”, according to fans
Directed by François Ozon and starring French acting legend Isabelle Huppert – along with acclaimed stars Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Rebecca Marder, Fabrice Luchini and André Dussollier – breezy crime comedy The Crime is Mine offers an alternative critique of fame, gender and the justice system.
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Set in the 1930s, with suitably gorgeous costumes, the film follows a struggling actress who gains unexpected notoriety when she is acquitted of murder on the grounds of self-defence.
It was warmly received on its 2023 release and despite tackling serious issues surrounding cancel culture and Me Too in a theatrical and superficial way, it was praised for its feminist twist – and it is currently streaming on BBCiPlayer.
Madeleine Verdier (Tereszkiewicz) is an impoverished, struggling actress who lives with her friend, the client-light lawyer Pauline Mauléon (Marder), in a rundown flat in Paris in 1935. Madeleine, who is engaged to the jobless André Bonnard, goes to meet the theatre producer Montferrand, hoping to secure a leading part in a play.
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However he attempts to rape her after she turns down a smaller role in return for becoming his mistress. She manages to escape serious physical harm but is visited by a police inspector afterwards who tells her Montferand has been murdered and she is a suspect.
After initially denying any involvement in the crime, she decides to plead self-defence after being advised that she may not be found guilty if she takes this route. Pauline, who represents her in court, writes an impassioned speech for Madeleine to perform in front of the all-male jury, which eventually acquits her.
The notoriety of the case brings great fame for both women whose careers take off and lives are massively improved by their immense wealth – until former silent film actress Odette Chaumette (Huppert) turns up and reveals she murdered the predatory theatre boss.
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Widely hailed as a wonderful piece of entertainment, critics praise the performances of the acclaimed actors, as well as admire the stunning visuals and charm.
“With urbane confidence, the film rattles its way through jokes about rape, murder and what a later generation would call Me Too; a British or Hollywood movie might hesitate about appearing to make light of these things,” wrote The Guardian. “But this is a French film we’re talking about; very French. It is tightly drilled, robustly performed and entertainingly shallow.”
On Rotten Tomatoes where it scores a near-perfect 98% rating fans also share their admiration. “What a breath of fresh air. Silly, glorious, beautifully acted. The best hour and forty-two minutes I have spent watching something in a very long time. A welcome break from the usual dross,” wrote one.
Another hoped more would get to enjoy it. “This film is such great fun – witty, funny and full of big personalities,” they said. “Yes, it’s in French with subtitles. That doesn’t take away from the enjoyment at all. Watching this film left me feeling like I do after watching a truly excellent play – it is so deeply satisfying. I hope it is made available more widely.”
An impressed film buff also wrote: “François Ozon’s fanfic [i.e. fan fiction] for the Jazz Age steers clear of pastiche and is utterly charming – throwing a few curveballs to keep you on your toes.”
The Crime is Mine is currently streaming on BBC iPlayer
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Princess Anne mistook England prop Joe Heyes for his former international team-mate Joe Marler when she greeted the players before the Six Nations defeat to Scotland
Jon Doel and Duncan Bech Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent
07:43, 19 Feb 2026
Joe Heyes has shared an amusing mix-up where he was mistaken for Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler by the Princess Royal, during her pre-match greeting of England’s squad ahead of Saturday’s clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.
Princess Anne, who has been a patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since 1986, paused to converse with a “starstruck” Heyes during the traditional team presentation before the anthems of the Guinness Six Nations match.
However, England’s tighthead prop found himself being misidentified as his former international colleague Marler, who gained popularity as a finalist in the BBC’s hit reality game show Celebrity Traitors last November.
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Heyes recounted: “She thought I was Joe Marler, which was… quite upsetting. She said ‘You’re awfully funny on TV!’.
“It was a very cool experience. I do like it when you get to meet the patron of whatever union you’re playing against.
“I didn’t correct her because I was a bit starstruck to start with. Who am I to correct her? I didn’t really know what to say! I almost went with it!”.
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“I’ve had all sorts about me looking like Joe Marler – but not from a royal!”.
England’s Murrayfield curse struck once more as they suffered a decisive 31-20 defeat, extending their search for a first win at the venue since 2020.
In response, head coach Steve Borthwick has made three changes to the line-up for Saturday’s encounter with Ireland at Allianz Stadium, including Henry Pollock earning his first Test start after seven appearances off the bench.
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Even as a 21 year old newcomer, the bleach-blonde Northampton back-rower has become a Twickenham crowd favourite, and Heyes is confident he’ll excel in England’s number eight jersey.
“Henry’s a very confident, very skilful and very ambitious player,” the Leicester front row said. “He provides a huge amount of energy to the team. He’s going to go far.
“I remember his run down the left wing at Murrayfield. For someone who you may look at and think does not look hugely powerful – he is.
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“He’s one hell of an athlete and has a lot of impact. He has a lot of energy and he’s still young. He brings his personality in a physical way, which is a good thing to see.
“You don’t want someone who is full of personality but who does not provide on the pitch. He gives both. He’s a key player in our squad.”
Wales vs Scotland VIP tickets
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Seat Unique offers VIP hospitality tickets for Wales vs Scotland on February 21.
England skipper Maro Itoje reaches his century of caps on Saturday, becoming the country’s ninth male player to achieve the milestone.
“You know Maro is on your team – he’s talking to you at mauls, scrums, nominating and talking around the pitch,” Heyes said.
“He’s a genuinely brilliant leader by words – he is incredibly articulate – but also by his actions. He drives a lot of standards. He is one of the best captains that I have played under.”
A pharmacist has warned all medication users to avoid making a major error when taking tablets. Pharmacist Anum said the mistake can be very “dangerous” in some cases
Pharmacist Anum, as she’s known online, is recognised for sharing handy health advice, and her latest expert guidance will help a lot of people, and may just change the way they take medicine forever. She detailed the key error many people make when taking tablets, and it could be causing a lot more harm than they realise, so they need to take note.
In a recent clip, she said: “Did you know that crushing your tablets, or opening capsules and just taking the powder, can be dangerous? Yes, you heard that correctly. Not all tablets are suitable to be crushed, and not all capsules are suitable to be opened.
“Some are modified release so, if you are crushing these tablets, or opening the capsules, you could impact the release profile of the medication, meaning that it might not last as long, and you can increase the risk of side effects.
“Some have an enteric coating. What this means is that it can help to protect your stomach from the medication, and also it can protect the medication from the acid in your stomach.
“You do not want to be tampering with this coating. More concerningly, some tablets and capsules can be irritating and harmful to you if touched once they’ve been crushed.
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“So, before taking matters into your own hands, if you’re struggling to swallow your medication, please speak with your pharmacist or GP, so they can discuss your options. It could be liquids, it could be smaller tablets, but have that discussion first.”
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While crushing, cutting or opening capsules may seem like a “simple fix”, she warned people to avoid doing it. In a nutshell, it can result in some serious issues and can even make medication less effective.
What you need to know
Little you may know, you should never crush your medication before you take it without consulting a pharmacist or doctor first. This is because the action can destroy the medication’s effectiveness, cause dangerous overdoses or even result in harmful side effects.
While some tablets can be crushed, extended-release, enteric-coated or specialised medications should not be altered in any way. When you crush extended-release (e.g. XL, XR, CR) or enteric-coated medications, it can lead to the entire dose being released at once, which can cause toxicity.
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If you struggle to take medication, you should always consult your GP to see if there is a better alternative available to you. However, there are times when they may advise you it’s safe to crush medication.
In this instance, you should always use a designated tablet crusher or pill splitter. Never use kitchen utensils, as you need to ensure the full dose is administered.
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Cllr Angus Ellis, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment said: “We need people’s help not only to report fly-tipping to us but also to encourage others not to do it. “
A Peterborough resident has shared their frustration towards “horrendous” fly tipping in places around the city. Mark Fishpool, who has lived in Peterborough all his life, runs a community volunteer group and carries out a clear up most days.
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Mark expressed his frustration after finding fly-tips in various places across Peterborough and particularly in Fengate. Some of the places Mark and his volunteer group have recently found fly-tips include Storeys Bar Road, Edgerly Drain Road, Willow Hall Lane, and near Manor Drive Academy.
Mark is calling for “urgent action” to fix the “epidemic”. He said that he is lucky to have not found a “huge industrial fly tip” so far but if it carries on, he said “one day it will be somewhere hidden away”.
Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Cllr Angus Ellis said: “We are fully aware of fly-tipping levels locally and are actively working to tackle the issue. Several measures have been implemented across Peterborough and surrounding areas, including investing money in new cameras in hotspot locations and are working with communities to educate them about correct waste disposal.”
The 70-year-old resident explained that Willow Hall Lane is a fly-tipping hotspot, and described it as “horrendous” there. Mark said that he finds fly-tips on both private and publicly owned land, and he documents all his findings with photographs to report to Peterborough City Council.
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Mark explained that he has been campaigning for the last three years in order to “get things changed”. He believes that the “system needs to change” and “more pressure put on from people with a little bit of power.”
He said: “It is the pollution of the river courses and the streams that is the heart-breaking thing. When I see all this in dikes and ditches, I think, this isn’t doing the environment any good whatsoever.”
The waste that Mark said he is finding can sometimes leave roads blocked. Some of the worst things that Mark and the volunteer group have found include oil containers, old chemicals, and tins of paint, which can leak into the watercourses and once it gets into the water “it is impossible to clean it out”. It is “killing all the wildlife and wild animals” and “it must make them suffer tremendously”, he said.
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The volunteer has previously been sent pictures of animals caught up in wire, netting or in a tin can, and said “I don’t think the general public realise the damage they are causing by just going out and thinking ‘I’ll just dump this here’.”
Mark works everyday to clear the fly-tips, and said: “I see things that other people don’t. When you drive along a road in your car, you only see half the picture but when I am walking along, I can see the dikes and the ditches, and the fields that other people don’t see.
“What annoys me most is, instead of just dumping it on the side of the road where it can be collected easily, they [fly tippers] are throwing it into dikes and ditches, which sometimes are ten feet deep, making it difficult to clear it. I do not agree with fly tipping, but they are causing a double problem.”
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“It makes you wonder what goes through their mind when they are doing it”, Mark added.
Last week Mark was litter picking on Highbury Road in Peterborough, and he said that “when you look down into the dikes and ditches, it is full of everything under the sun that is laying there in the water.” He also sends his photographs to local councillors but they are only able to report it he said, and he assures that “they probably try their best”.
Peterborough City Council said they have also set up a cross-party task and finish group to look at fly tipping and increased Fixed Penalty Notices for fly tipping offences to the maximum amount.
As well as this, Cllr Ellis said that they have also ran a public awareness campaign to educate residents about the environmental and legal consequences of fly-tipping and plan to continue these in future.
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Cllr Ellis continued: “As part of our most recent campaign, we updated our website section on fly-tipping which now contains helpful advice about using registered waste carriers and how businesses and landlords should dispose of waste. Our officers also regularly visit local schools to teach children about the importance of proper waste disposal.
“We need people’s help not only to report fly-tipping to us but also to encourage others not to do it. I would also like to remind people that we are only responsible for cleaning fly tipping from council land and if people witness a fly-tip taking place they should report it immediately to the police.”
