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Iran war diverts US military and attention from Asia

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Iran war diverts US military and attention from Asia

WASHINGTON (AP) — In 2011, President Barack Obama declared it was time for America to leave behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and “pivot” to Asia to counter the rise of China. Fifteen years later, the U.S. finds itself still at war in the Middle East and has pulled military assets from the Asia-Pacific as it aims to eliminate the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

The demands of the Iran war also caused President Donald Trump to delay by several weeks his highly anticipated trip to China, deepening worries that the U.S. is once again getting distracted at the cost of its strategic interests in Asia, where Beijing seeks to unseat the U.S. as the regional leader.

Those skeptical of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East say the war is preventing Trump from adequately preparing for his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month, when economic interests are on the line, and they warn that a failure to focus on Asia and maintain strong deterrence could lead to greater instability, if China should believe the time is ripe to seize the self-governed island of Taiwan.

“This is precisely the wrong time for the United States to turn away and be sucked into another intractable Middle East conflict,” said Danny Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “Rebalancing to Asia is highly relevant to America’s national interests, but it has been undercut by many bad decisions.”

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Others defend the president’s approach, arguing that the forceful steps he is taking elsewhere, including in Venezuela and Iran, serve to counter China globally.

“Beijing is the chief sponsor for the adversaries that President Trump is dealing with sequentially, and it’s wise to do this sequentially,” Matt Pottinger, who served as a deputy national security adviser in the first Trump administration, said in a recent podcast.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also said conflicts may not be confined to a single theater, suggesting that China could call upon its “junior partners” elsewhere to divert U.S. attention if it should move against Taiwan.

“Most likely it will not be limited, something in the Indo-Pacific to the Indo-Pacific,” Rutte said, speaking Thursday at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington. “It will be a multi-theater issue.”

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Repercussions in Asia of the Iran war

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently led a bipartisan group of senators to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, where they heard concerns about the impact of the war on energy costs and about the departure of U.S. military assets, including missile defense systems from South Korea and a rapid-response Marine unit from Japan.

She sought to reassure them of the U.S. commitment to deterring conflicts in Asia and shoring up regional stability.

“Failure is not an option,” Shaheen told The Associated Press after returning from Asia. “We know China has already said they intend to take Taiwan by force if they need to, and they’re on an expedited time schedule. And we also know that what happened in Europe, in the war in Ukraine, in the Middle East is affecting those calculations.”

Kurt Campbell, who served as deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration, said he’s worried that the military capabilities that the U.S. had patiently accumulated in the Indo-Pacific region might not return in full even after the Iran war ends.

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The longer the conflict goes on, the more it will pull resources and focus away from Asia, said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies the U.S. strategy in Asia. He added that future arms sales to the region also will be negatively affected.

“The United States has expended substantial numbers of munitions in the Middle East and will have to keep an increased force presence there, some of which has been redirected from Asia,” Cooper said. “Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s wisdom in preparing a ‘war time’ economy by stockpiling and adding alternate energy sources has shown itself to be beneficial.”

Shaheen said the U.S. defense industry will struggle to meet the demand to replenish the weapons stockpile. “We’re working on a number of strategies to improve that, but at this point, timelines for weapons delivery are slipping,” she said.

The senator from New Hampshire said she’s encouraged that Taiwan, Japan and South Korea are stepping up their own defense.

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After 15 years and 3 presidents, pivot to Asia remains elusive

Obama’s strategic rebalance to Asia reflected his understanding that the U.S. must be a player in the Pacific to harness the region’s growth and ensure continued U.S. leadership in the face of China’s rising influence.

“After a decade in which we fought two wars that cost us dearly, in blood and treasure, the United States is turning our attention to the vast potential of the Asia-Pacific region,” Obama said in a speech to the Australian Parliament. “So make no mistake, the tide of war is receding, and America is looking ahead to the future that we must build.”

But the strategy was set back when a proposed trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership with key U.S. regional partners failed to get through the U.S. Senate. After Trump first took office in 2017, he withdrew the U.S. from the partnership and launched a tariff war with China.

His Democratic successor, Joe Biden, kept Trump’s tariffs on China and tightened export controls on advanced technology, while strengthening regional alliances to counter China.

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Middle East again grabs US attention

By the time Trump rolled out his national security strategy in late 2025, the U.S. strategy in Asia had been narrowed to military deterrence in the Taiwan Strait and the First Island Chain, a string of U.S.-aligned islands off China’s coast that restrict its access to the Western Pacific.

The national security document says it’s in the economic interest of the U.S. to secure access to advanced chips, which are sourced primarily from Taiwan and are needed to power everything from computers to missiles, and to protect shipping lanes in the South China Sea.

“Hence deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority,” the document says. “We will build a military capable of denying aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain.”

The Middle East, it says, should be getting less attention: “As this administration rescinds or eases restrictive energy policies and American energy production ramps up, America’s historic reason for focusing on the Middle East will recede.”

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Then came the Iran war.

___

AP writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

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World Snooker Championship 2026: Wu Yize in control of Crucible final against Shaun Murphy

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Shaun Murphy & Wu Yize pose with the trophy

Wu made a scintillating start to the evening, having resumed at 4-4 after an afternoon session that was briefly interrupted by a female spectator jumping over the front-row barrier before referee Rob Spencer and security intervened to remove her.

Breaks of 82 and 103 gave him a two-frame advantage and while Murphy, who had earlier recovered from 3-0 down, hit back with a 72 it appeared as though he was struggling to stem the flow of his opponent.

Murphy, 43, who is aiming to set a new record for the longest gap between first and second titles, openly admitted that Wu had blasted him off the table at the Masters in January – albeit in a best-of-11 contest.

And having never won a match on his two visits to the Crucible prior to this year, Wu has so far has answered every question posed of him in the longer format.

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Drawing linked to Mary Anning found at Yorkshire Museum

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Drawing linked to Mary Anning found at Yorkshire Museum

New research has revealed a fresh connection to Mary Anning, the renowned 18th-century palaeontologist, through a drawing held in the archives of the Yorkshire Museum.

The unpublished illustration was uncovered during a study focused on Lyme Regis, Mary Anning, and the drawings and letters of Elizabeth Philpot.

The research team, led by Tom Sharpe, Hugh Torrens, and Dr Sarah King, traced the origins of the drawing to 1833, when Yorkshire woman Anne Wickham sent it to the museum’s keeper, John Phillips, along with a letter.

Dr King, curator of natural sciences at York Museums Trust, said: “The Yorkshire Museum has held Wickham’s drawing since 1833, but it has been unknown and unpublished for almost two centuries.

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Anne Wickham’s Drawing of an Ichthyosaur Skull, 1833 (Image: York Museums Trust)

“Diligent research efforts have enabled us to track down the drawing and accompanying letter, which reveals more about the network of women interested in and writing about palaeontology in the eighteenth century.”

Wickham created the drawing using fossilised sepia ink, made from the ink sacs of fossilised cephalopods.

Her letter gives, for the first time, the recipe for reconstituting fossilised sepia for use as an ink, providing valuable insight into the other published drawings from Philpot’s collection.

The letter was found in the York Philosophical Society’s collection in the University of York’s Borthwick Archive.

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Drawings in fossilised sepia ink have long been studied for their connection to Lyme Regis and subsequently Mary Anning.

The drawing and letter from Yorkshire confirm existing evidence about how this ink was obtained and provide new insight into the production of the sepia ink drawings.

Dr King said: “Research and exhibitions like this are a wonderful thing, celebrating women in science and recognising the importance of Anning to these practices of recording fossilised specimens.”

Mary Anning Rocks at the Yorkshire Museum (Image: Anthony Chappel Ross)

The Yorkshire Museum currently has an exhibition dedicated to Mary Anning and her pioneering efforts.

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Tom Sharpe, a Mary Anning expert and a key figure in the research, added: “Working with different partners and institutions is always so exciting and rewarding, especially when a collective effort reveals something fascinating.

“Having worked with the Yorkshire Museum in the past on the Mary Anning Rocks! exhibition, it was a delight to discover more links to her and her livelihood within the Yorkshire Museum’s collection.

“Tracing the letter to the Borthwick Archives was also a special moment during the research process.

“The power of connections, museum archives and scientific networks has enabled this to come to light and solidify what we already know about the other sepia drawings and reveal more about the breadth of Anning’s influence on palaeontology.”

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The full research paper is now available on the Yorkshire Museum’s website.

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Three dead and British national in intensive care after virus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship

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Three dead and British national in intensive care after virus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship

Three people have died and five others have been taken unwell after a suspected virus outbreak on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

One case of hantavirus has been confirmed, while one British national, aged 69, is in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The outbreak was reported aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.

The MarineTraffic global shipping website identified the vessel as a Dutch-flagged passenger cruise ship. It located it as docked in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday night.

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South African authorities told the BBC the first person to show virus symptoms was a 70-year-old passenger who died on board. His body is now on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic.

Hantavirus infections are typically linked to exposure to the faeces or urine of infected rodents
Hantavirus infections are typically linked to exposure to the faeces or urine of infected rodents (PA)

His 69-year-old wife also became ill on board and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital.

The World Health Organisation said that it was working with authorities to evacuate two other passengers with symptoms from the ship.

Hantavirus infections are typically linked to exposure to the feces or urine of infected rodents, WHO said.

While rare, WHO said they can be spread between people and they can lead to severe respiratory illness. There is no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.

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In a statement, they said: “WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

The Hondius is currently docked off Cape Verde
The Hondius is currently docked off Cape Verde (Marine Traffic)

“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing.

“Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure (exposure to infected rodents’ urine or faeces). While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness and requires careful patient monitoring, support and response.”

Hantavirus was in the news after the late actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year. Hackman died a week later at their home.

The m/v Hondius is run by tour company Oceanwide Expeditions, described as the “first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel in the world, meeting the latest and highest Lloyd’s Register standards for ice-strengthened cruise ships.”

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A FCDO spokesperson said: “We are closely monitoring reports of a potential hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship Hondius and stand ready to support British nationals if needed. We are in touch with the cruise company and local authorities.”

The Independent has contacted Oceanwide Expeditions for comment.

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Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal

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Iran says US has responded to its latest peace proposal

In a brief post on Truth Social, the US president wrote: “I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years.”

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‘Let’s see’: Michael Carrick coy on Manchester United future after confirming Champions League return

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'Let's see': Michael Carrick coy on Manchester United future after confirming Champions League return

It is not yet confirmed, though, whether he will remain in the post next season. Questions have been raised as to whether Carrick is experienced enough for the role despite his remarkable impact this season, with more experienced managers in Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner both available as free agents.

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Kobbie Mainoo delivers perfect response to Roy Keane and Gary Neville with stunning Man Utd winner

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Manchester Evening News

Kobbie Mainoo struck a late winner against Liverpool to secure Manchester United a place in next season’s Champions League after Gary Neville and Roy Keane expressed pre-match doubts

Kobbie Mainoo marked his new Manchester United contract in spectacular fashion against Liverpool while simultaneously silencing Gary Neville and Roy Keane.

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Earlier in the week, Mainoo pledged his long-term future to United by putting pen to paper on a fresh deal that ties him to Old Trafford until 2031. United then made a dream start against Arne Slot’s outfit on Sunday when Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko found the net within the opening 14 minutes.

Nevertheless, a sluggish beginning to the second period allowed the reigning Premier League champions to mount a comeback. Dominik Szoboszlai capitalised on Amad’s wayward pass to pull one back before Cody Gakpo restored parity following a Senne Lammens error.

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Yet with 13 minutes of regulation time left on the clock, Mainoo fired home from the edge of the area after Liverpool failed to clear a delivery into the penalty area. His strike also guaranteed United a spot in next season’s Champions League.

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It arrived after Roy Keane had expressed pre-match reservations about the England international. He said: “Mainoo has given them some energy; he’s helped Casemiro.

“But I have my worries about them – the centre-backs and the centre-midfielders, you can get at them.” It was not only former United captain Keane who voiced his concerns about the midfielder.

Neville commented during the first half: “The one message that Michael Carrick will want to get to his players at half-time is that there’s a bit of a gap between the midfield and his defence.”

“Liverpool are getting players into that area. They are going to have to tighten up a little bit. Liverpool could score from around 20 yards.”

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Following Mainoo’s goal, Neville remarked: “It’s been a tough second half for Man Utd and Mainoo, but he could have just cancelled out all of that worry.” Neville, however, still pushed for a personnel change again shortly after that strike.

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“I’m sure they’re thinking about how to get more strength in the middle of midfield, where Liverpool are dominating. It would be dangerous to leave Mainoo and Casemiro in the midfield alone right now.”

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However, speaking after the final whistle, Keane appeared to temper his earlier criticism, saying: “It’s a great moment for him. He’s had his challenges over the last few months. That’s the journey of any young player. He’s taken his opportunity. To score the winning goal for any local kid, it’s fantastic.”

Mainoo’s future at United had appeared uncertain, having dropped down the pecking order under former manager Ruben Amorim, with a loan request in August rejected before transfer speculation intensified in January. However, Carrick’s arrival proved to be a turning point for the England international, who has since established himself as a key figure at United.

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Three passengers dead and one fighting for life after virus outbreak on cruise ship

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Manchester Evening News

Officials say three people have lost their lives following a Hantavirus outbreak

Three people on a cruise ship have died after a suspected outbreak of Hantavirus caused by rodent droppings.

The victims were passengers of the MV Hondius which was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Reports state that another person, who is a British national, is currently in intensive care. The disease is known as Hantavirus, and typically comes about following contact with urine or faeces from infected rodents.

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In some cases, the virus can spread between people and lead to a dangerous respiratory illness.

Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa’s health ministry, told the BBC that at least two people had died. The vessel is operated by Dutch tour company Oceanwide Expeditions.

South African authorities report the first person to show symptoms was a 70-year-old passenger who died on board. His body has since been transferred to the island of Saint Helena.

His 69-year-old wife also became ill during the voyage and was evacuated to South Africa, where she later died in a Johannesburg hospital. A 69-year-old British man was also evacuated to Johannesburg and is currently receiving treatment in intensive care.

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The WHO said it is assisting with coordination between member states and the ship’s operator, including the medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, a full public health risk assessment, and support for those still on board.

Their full statement reads: “WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases.

“Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing.

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“Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure (exposure to infected rodents’ urine or faeces). While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness and requires careful patient monitoring, support and response.

“WHO is facilitating coordination between member states and the ship’s operators for medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, as well as full public health risk assessment and support to the remaining passengers on board.

“WHO is grateful for the rapid actions and coordination amongst all involved.”

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Cruise ship virus outbreak leaves three dead as Brit fights for life in South Africa

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Daily Record

Hantavirus is most commonly contracted through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rodents

Three passengers have died aboard a cruise ship after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, thought to have been triggered by rodent droppings.

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Health officials have confirmed one case of the rare virus and are investigating five more, while a British traveller is reported to be in intensive care. The infections were detected on the MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, according to the World Health Organisation.

Hantavirus is most commonly contracted through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rodents, though it can, in exceptional circumstances, spread between people and cause severe respiratory illness., the Mirror reports.

Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa’s health ministry, confirmed at least two people had died onboard the vessel, which the Dutch tour company Oceanwide Expeditions operates.

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The ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20, according to the company’s published itinerary, due to arrive in Cape Verde on Monday (May 4).

A 69-year-old British man was evacuated to Johannesburg during the trip as passengers showed signs of the virus, and is currently receiving treatment in intensive care.

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South African authorities confirmed the first person to show symptoms was a 70-year-old passenger who died on board. His body has since been transferred to the island of Saint Helena.

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The man’s 69-year-old wife also became ill during the journey and was evacuated to South Africa, where she later died in a Johannesburg hospital.

The ship measures 107.6m (353ft) in length and can carry up to 170 passengers across 80 cabins, according to Oceanwide Expeditions

The WHO said it is assisting with coordination between member states and the ship’s operator, including the medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, a full public health risk assessment, and support for those still on board.

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Premier League relegation permutations and what Tottenham need after Aston Villa win

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Daily Mirror
Premier League relegation permutations and what Tottenham need after Aston Villa win – The Mirror

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Coronation Street boss reveals when we discover Theo’s killer and Todd twists | Soaps

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Coronation Street boss reveals when we discover Theo's killer and Todd twists | Soaps
A long road lies ahead (Picture: ITV/Metro)

Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) has been confirmed as the murder victim in Coronation Street.

After a week of dramatic episodes, Friday’s instalment saw us learn that Theo, who abused Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) for months, has now lost his life.

As the aftermath kicks off next week, detectives Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) and Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) begin their rounds of questioning.

Of course, a number of people are in the frame for Theo’s death. There’s Todd himself, George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley), and also Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby).

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Don’t forget about Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard), who went up against Theo after telling Summer that he could prove he murdered Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank).

With gossip spreading in Weatherfield, you’re probably reading this wondering when exactly we will find out who killed Theo, and how long the investigation is going to go on for.

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Fortunately, producer of the show Kate Brooks has the answer.

‘It’s later in the summer. We reveal to the audience who it is during late June, July. There’s lots of people you definitely think it could be. It’s a massive story, there’s so many different twists, and there’s so many different offshoots to the story as well’, she revealed.

‘You think you’re watching one thing, and then it diverts into a completely new kind of story territory. It’ll definitely keep people guessing.’

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Detailing what lies ahead for Todd, who is now recovering from the abuse in the middle of this whodunnit story, Kate said: ‘It’s Todd rebuilding his life – this is a guy who’s been subjected to the most horrific abuse, who is traumatised, who was grieving.

Theo Silverton berating Todd Grimshaw in their flat in Coronation Street.
Theo abused Todd for months (Picture: ITV)
Theo Silverton holding a phone in Coronation Street
Plenty of people wanted to see the back of Theo (Picture: ITV)

‘And it’s how he kind of tried to rebuild his life while still kind of struggling to comprehend the fact that this man’s been murdered by potentially somebody he knows or maybe even him.

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She added: ‘It’s an interesting mix of ‘whodunnit’ thriller story, but also about Todd’s family and friends, George, Christina, Summer, Sarah, all rallying around Todd to make sure that he’s okay, to try and build them and repeat them back together.

‘What he’s been through at the hands of Theo has been such an ordeal for him, and to get that love and to get that trust in people again, it was very important to show that with Todd.’

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