The party leader initially insisted Britain should “do all we can” to support the operation, saying: “The gloves need to come off, we need to accept that we are part of this with the Americans and the Israelis.”
Some senior party members, like his deputy Richard Tice and Reform mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Andrea Jenkyns, quickly backed him.
During the same press conference, Farage also hit out at Sky News’ Beth Rigby, after she pointed out that Reform councils have not delivered on their promise to cut council tax.
He angrily shouted: “Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Never once in the county campaign, including here in Derbyshire, did I ever say we would cut council tax.”
Farage insisted that Reform’s “national literature” called for an overall cut to taxes, not to council taxes.
And on Friday, he adopted a more defeatist tone, saying he wished his party “hadn’t bothered” to take minority control of the bankrupt Worcestershire Council Council.
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Reform had to hike council tax by almost 9% in the area, one of the largest increases in the area’s history, to balance the books.
To rub salt in the wound, just seven days ago, Labour beat Reform with its first council by-election gain in almost a year in Durham County Council.
Farage somehow found time to fight with pollsters, too.
He attacked YouGov after the company’s surveys suggested his party had lower public support compared to other polls.
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He claimed it is “plainly deceptive” that more is not known about their methods and called for transparency around modelling assumptions.
It’s worth noting that YouGov’s latest poll put the party on 23%, still four percentage points above the Conservatives.
More In Common’s director Luke Tryl called the attacks on YouGov “unwarranted and unfair”.
Writing on X, he said: “They’re a gold standard in our business, have a great track record and the rest of the industry learns so much from them. Sometimes pollsters get different results from each other, that’s a good thing [and] shows we aren’t herding!”
A source pointed out they had three sold out rallies this week with thousands of attendees and deployed the “lowest council tax rises in the country” with an average of 4.32%.
The party claimed it had managed to get greater transparency from YouGov, too.
But questions remain around the way Farage has reacted to scrutiny this week,
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Savanta’s political director, Chris Hopkins, told HuffPost UK that Farage was reading off “the Trumpian playbook” by “reacting with hostility to scrutiny and blaming everyone but himself for his party’s fall in momentum in the opinion polls”.
The pollster added: “This week he’s even turned his ire directly towards us pollsters where, not for the first time, he publicly challenges polling figures that he doesn’t seem to like.”
Farage will therefore be under a microscope in the run-up to the next general election.
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Hopkins said: “The longer Reform stay at the forefront of British politics, the greater the scrutiny on Farage will be, and if his temperament is being questioned now, years away from a general election, it’ll be interesting to see how he’ll react to supporter expectation and the bright lights of an election campaign.”
The pollster warned that there is also a “general sentiment” that Reform may have peaked after more than a year leading the polls.
“The major challenge for Farage and his party will be to still be sitting atop of the pile when the music stops, especially when so much can change so quickly in British politics,” he said.
A Labour insider said it was clear that “Farage can’t deal with the pressure”.
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They added: “The wheels have well and truly fallen off the bandwagon this week, the cracks are beginning to show.”
A Green Party source also said: “Reform were able to play on easy mode, presenting themselves as outsiders to a failing Labour government but the mask has slipped.”
It took years for Farage to assert himself within mainstream politics.
He has managed to hold a confident lead in the polls for more than a year, winning over voters on his promise to offer something different from the “establishment” parties.
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But, with a general election expected to still be three years away, can the Reform leader keep his cool – and hold his growing party together – in that time?
The mast would have been 14 metres taller than the tree line
An application for a huge telecommunications monopole in North Belfast has been refused at City Hall for being too “prominent.”
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Elected representatives at the March meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee refused an application for a proposed 25 metres monopole with six antennas, four transmission dishes, and two equipment cabinets.
The site would have been at Loughside playing fields, Shore Road, BT15. The applicant was EE (UK) Ltd and Hutchison, 3G UK Ltd, Reading, England.
The monopole would have been situated to the rear of the Loughside recreation centre and in close proximity to the two playing fields.
Council Planning officers recommended the application for refusal. The official planning report on the application states: “Having regard to the development plan and other considerations, the proposal is unacceptable. The proposal is contrary to policies in the Belfast Local Development Plan: Plan Strategy 2035.
“The siting, height, scale and design of the proposal would negatively impact on the area of protected open space and it has not been demonstrated that community benefits would decisively outweigh the loss of the open space.”
It adds: “The proposal does not satisfactorily sit within this existing character and will create an overly prominent feature. The height of the proposal far exceeds that of the mature planting and trees, limiting the screening they can provide especially over medium and long distances thus failing criterion.
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“Whilst the development is situated away from the tree line, the visual impact is considered significant and will detract from the established tree line which characterises this part of Shore Road.
“The mast will be located in an area of open space to the immediate south of the currently vacant recreation centre. The surrounding area is mixed use with commercial and residential uses.
“It will be significantly taller than any other structures in the immediate area and the proposal is nine metres taller than existing street lighting. The proposal will be 17 metres taller than the recreation centre and 14 metres taller than the tree line. Public views will be open to the mast throughout the park and will be highly visible from the surrounding area.”
It concludes: “If permitted the proposal would significantly change the established skyline and would create an unacceptable level of visual clutter which does not integrate with the surroundings.”
Cruz Beckham appears to have made another subtle dig at older brother Brooklyn’s career, leaving fans in stitches.
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This isn’t the first time the 21-year-old has mocked Brooklyn, 27, for his ever-changing job titles.
Previously, at the height of rumours of a family feud, musician Cruz responded to a TikTok comment asking: ‘Are you going to stick with this job or going to become a race car driver next or something?’
Throwing some serious shade in former aspiring footballer/model/photographer Brooklyn’s direction, Cruz replied: ‘Wrong brother mate’.
But now, he’s taken things up a notch by creating his own cooking content.
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‘wanna see the best cooking video ever ?👌 don’t watch this then’, he quipped in his TikTok caption as he shared a montage of clips from making a ‘cheesy potato soup’.
Cruz Beckham told family friend Gordon Ramsay to ‘watch out’ as he showcased his own culinary skills (Picture: TikTok)
Of course, older brother Brooklyn is famous for his own cooking content (Picture: Instagram)
With Dolce Nonna playing in the background, the youngest Beckham boy chopped up his ingredients and combined them to make the dish, serving the soup in a bowl with seasoning.
Joking that, ‘as gross as it looks, it’s actually decent’, Cruz flashed the camera a thumbs up after the meal was ready to eat
Naturally, it didn’t take long for people to sense a hidden motive behind his social media content.
‘This is so passive aggressive. I love it!!’, commented @suzanneevans76.
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‘Cruz could you do a video of your photography as well please’, mocked @jayjayoasis, while @j.h9045 declared: ‘Cruz takes on Brooklyn and wins 💯’
@jnwood12 called him ‘probably the best Beckham child to cook’, and @sarahmeredith1804 said: ‘Now this is the level of pettiness I can really appreciate 😁’
Cruz served up a cheesy potato soup (Picture: TikTok)
…and everyone reckons it was a dig at his estranged sibling (Picture: Instagram)
‘Brooklyn currently trying to learn guitar as retaliation 😬🙈’, joked @liannegarner.
Despite Brooklyn insisting he has no desire to reconcile with his family, having accused his parents of ‘controlling’ him and ‘disrespecting’ wife Nicola Peltz, 31, Cruz still wished him a happy birthday earlier this month.
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Stepping out in Paris, France, with his girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, 30, Cruz was asked by a TMZ videographer: ‘Any well wishes to your brother? It’s his birthday,’ to which he replied, ‘Happy birthday,’ with a smile.
Cruz dipped his head and stayed silent when asked if he’d had any contact with Brooklyn lately, before the reporter probed: ‘Any chance you guys will repair the relationship? Are you hopeful for that?’
‘Hopefully,’ Cruz said back, wishing the journalist a ‘lovely day’ before walking away.
Cruz recently wished Brooklyn a happy 27th birthday and said he’s hopeful they can reconcile (Picture: Instagram)
Brooklyn, on the other hand, ‘does not wish’ to patch things up with anyone Picture: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
He had already posted a throwback snap to his Instagram Story that day for Brooklyn’s special occasion, writing ‘I love you’ alongside it; his parents, David and Victoria, did the same, as did middle brother Romeo, 23.
Brooklyn did not respond publicly, however, nor did he wish Cruz a happy 21st in February.
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Instead, he celebrated his 27th in the US with Nicola, who penned an affectionate caption for her husband, whom she wed in 2022 and renewed her vows with last year.
The Lola actress wrote alongside a video of him blowing out his candles: ‘happy birthday baby 🎂 i hope all your dreams and wishes come true! you light up every room you walk into and anyone who knows you loves you 🥹 you’re the most special human and i love being your wife. i love you i love you i love you’.
It’s been claimed he and Nicola felt ‘disheartened’ upon seeing his family’s birthday tributes, with an insider telling ET: ‘These are the exact type of performative public actions that Brooklyn has been trying to put an end to, to no avail.
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The chef has vowed to ‘always protect’ his wife, having accused his parents of trying to break them up (Picture: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Vogue)
‘Last summer, they issued a legal letter to his parents requesting that any correspondence go through lawyers.’
Indeed, he previously called his family out for so-called ‘inauthentic relationships’ when he issued a scathing takedown of ‘Brand Beckham’ via a shocking statement in January.
Neither David nor Victoria has issued a full response to Brooklyn’s claims, but instead have kept up appearances with joint family outings to events and sweet online posts.
And despite the drama and being blocked by Brooklyn, sources have claimed they would still take him back ‘in a minute’ as they don’t want to ‘lose’ their son.
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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Oil has climbed above 100 dollars a barrel for the first time since 2022 amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, pushing up wholesale fuel costs.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said prices have “rocketed” and are likely to keep rising, with unleaded expected to hit 140p per litre and diesel potentially reaching at least 160p.
To help you get the best deal on your petrol or diesel, we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest garages in and around Sunderland, according to PetrolPrices on Friday (March 13).
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Cheapest Unleaded Around Sunderland
Sainsbury’s Riverside Road, Sunderland 133.9p
North Hylton BP 135.9p
Asda on Thompson Road 137.7p
Asda Station on Leechmere Road Industrial Estate 137.9p
Sainsbury’s on Silksworth Lane 138.9p
Shell on Ryhope Road 139.9p
Esso on Durham Road 140.9p
Cheapest Diesel Around Sunderland
Sainsbury’s Riverside Road, Sunderland 154.9p
North Hylton BP 156.9p
Asda on Thompson Road 157.7p
Asda Station on Leechmere Road Industrial Estate 157.9p
Clyde Valley High in Wishaw, St Andrew’s High in Coatbridge and Chryston High have new recycling bins located around the school grounds.
Pupils at three secondary schools in North Lanarkshire are playing their part in reducing litter and carbon emissions in their communities.
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Clyde Valley High in Wishaw, St Andrew’s High in Coatbridge and Chryston High have new recycling bins located around the school grounds.
The bins were provided by the council’s waste services team as a pilot project. Each bin has sections for paper and card, glass, metal and plastic, and general waste.
Pupils from the Sustainability Group at Clyde Valley High School met Councillor Helen Loughran, Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, Councillor Anne McCrory, Vice Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, to explain how they are promoting recycling and carbon awareness across the school.
The Sustainability Committee members said: “The new bins make it easier for everyone to recycle and really support the projects we’re leading to make our school more sustainable.”
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Yvonne McKenna, acting headteacher at Clyde Valley High, said: “We are very proud of the work of our Sustainability Committee and are glad to have the facilities to support the improvements pupils are leading in this crucial area.”
“Recycling our waste is a simple but important way we can all help reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change,” Councillor Loughran explained.
“Our kerbside waste service makes it easy for residents to recycle their household rubbish, and by providing these bins in schools, we are encouraging young people to dispose of their litter responsibly from an early age.”
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“Well done to the pupils at Clyde Valley, Chryston and St Andrew’s High Schools for raising awareness of the impact of litter on our local communities,” said Councillor McCrory.
“It was inspiring to hear the commitment and enthusiasm of the members of the Clyde Valley High Sustainability Group in making a difference to the environmental issues affecting us all.”
The council is supporting environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Spring Clean campaign which starts on 13 March and brings people together to take part in community litter picks.
The A64 will be shut overnight between Staxton and Seamer.
A spokesperson for National Highways said: “We’re carrying out essential carriageway repairs, technical surveys and routine maintenance on the A64 between Staxton and Seamer.
RECOMMENDED READING:
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“To protect the workforce and drivers during the works, we will need to close the route in both directions between Staxton and Seamer on the nights of 16, 17, 18 and 19 March.
“Each closure will take place overnight (9pm-6am).
“During the closures, traffic will be diverted via the A1039 and A165. Local access will be maintained.
“While these are essential maintenance and repairs, we will try to minimise disruption as much as possible.”
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For more information go to https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/yorkshire-and-north-east/yorkshire-and-north-east-maintenance-schemes
Javonnie Tavener was sentenced to five years and four months after killing Mayar Yahia as she walked home from Eid celebrations with her family on Upper Highgate Street in Birmingham
A motorist who killed a four year old girl in a collision as she walked home from Eid celebrations with her family has been imprisoned.
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Javonnie Tavener, 23, previously admitted causing death by careless driving after striking little Mayar Yahia with his vehicle on Upper Highgate Street in Birmingham on April 14, 2024. The collision also left two others – Mayar’s mother, Sara, and another mother, Awadia Hammed – seriously injured.
Tavener also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving and a further charge of causing death whilst driving uninsured.
At Birmingham Crown Court today, Tavener was imprisoned for three years and 10 months for offences related to careless driving. He received an additional 18-month sentence for assaulting and attempting to strangle his girlfriend several weeks later, bringing his total imprisonment to five years and four months.
He was also banned from driving for six years, reports the Mirror.
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The same court previously heard that two vehicles collided before Tavener’s Vauxhall Corsa crashed through a barrier and into the group. During the sentencing hearing, the judge heard that following the collision Tavener remained at the scene for nine seconds before reversing, causing Mayar to be dragged by the vehicle.
He and a passenger then exited the car and fled on foot, the court was told.
Emergency services arrived at the scene and discovered Mayar on the roadside, where she was tragically declared dead. One of the women Tavener injured spent nearly a month in hospital and needed surgery, whilst the other remained hospitalised for approximately three weeks.
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In a statement read to the court on Friday, Mayar’s father, Babiker Yahia, explained how the family lived close to the crash scene, providing them with a “constant reminder” of the tragedy.
“I stayed with Mayar when she was taken from the collision and transported to hospital – that night will remain with me forever,” he said.
He added that Mayar was the third of four children and was “full of love, always smiling” and “kind to everyone”. “Mayar’s siblings were with her at the time of the collision, [they] were young and witnessed it,” he said.
“They have been exposed to so much trauma, and we do not know how this will shape their lives as they grow.”
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Sentencing, His Honour Judge Cooke said Tavener had been driving at excessive speed whilst attempting to overtake another vehicle in a 20mph zone at night, “with cannabis in your system and using a phone”. The judge continued: “The victim was a vulnerable pedestrian – you were on your phone, it was a car with no insurance. You said you were a rear passenger instead of the driver. The passenger’s post incident conduct was a disgraceful as yours.
“You abandoned the car at the scene, after reversing, presumably to try to leave, dragging little Mayar. You walked off calling for your girlfriend.
“The callous way in which you walked away from the mayhem was sickening to watch. You blamed a phantom driver.”
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Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the West Midlands Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, previously said: “Mayar was just four years old when her life was tragically taken away from her. She was walking back with her family and friends after celebrating Eid.
“Pedestrians should be afforded and be reassured of protection when walking on the pavement and a split-second decision by Tavener to overtake where he did has led to this tragic chain of events. I would urge all drivers to think about this incident and how those decisions can have such catastrophic consequences.”
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduled for next month are set to be cancelled as a result of the war in the Middle East.
A formal decision to call off the races has not yet been made but is expected before the end of the weekend.
Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran coming to a conclusion, holding the races would put personnel at too great a risk.
Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees.
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The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.
Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey.
But it was accepted that the time to organise a race at any of those locations was too short, and there was little chance of securing a hosting fee.
The decision will mean there is a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and Miami on 3 May.
Dozens of MPs are calling for the government to formally apologise for Britain’s actions during its administration of Palestine in the first part of the 20th century.
In September, the Britain Owes Palestine campaign group submitted a 400-page legal petition to the government, but has yet to receive a response.
Leading British KCs Ben Emmerson and Danny Friedman wrote the substantial document, which provides details of what they say are unlawful actions and war crimes committed during the British occupation of the region between 1917 and 1948.
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It says Britain unlawfully failed to recognise Arab self-determination, lacked proper legal authority for the Balfour Declaration and the subsequent mandate, and committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, arbitrary detention and mass home demolitions.
Alongside the petition, 45 MPs and peers from all parties signed an open letter calling on the British government to formally apologise, as they say the UK must confront its historical role and responsibility to support peace efforts today.
VR headsets helping Gaza’s children
Palestine 1917-1948
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In 1917, the Balfour Declaration was signed as the British pledged support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
From 1920, the League of Nations (the precursor to the UN) formally granted Britain a mandate (known as the British Mandate for Palestine), which required them to facilitate Jewish immigration and self-governance in the territory – resulting in conflicting promises for both the Jewish people and Palestinians.
There were periodic violent uprisings, and in 1948, following the failure of the 1947 UN partition plan, Britain handed responsibility to the UN and withdrew, resulting in the State of Israel being established.
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, who is the first British MP of Palestinian descent, said: “During its occupation of Palestine, Britain violated a series of international laws that were binding at the time.
“The consequences of those actions have profoundly shaped the conflict we witness today, yet successive governments have refused to acknowledge this record or offer a formal apology.
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“If Britain is serious about promoting peace in Gaza today, it must begin by confronting its historical role, recognising the harm caused, and taking meaningful responsibility for it.”
Image: Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran is the UK’s first MP of Palestinian descent
Apology would be meaningful to Palestinians
Legal expert Victor Kattan, who helped write the petition, told Sky News: “Our main ask is for an official public apology from the prime minister and a conversation about reparations.
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“This project long preceded the government last year recognising Palestine, and that is a good step, but without an apology, it doesn’t address the past.
“An apology would be very meaningful to the Palestinian people, it’s a form of catharsis, recognising someone’s pain and suffering, even if it’s in the past.”
Professor Kattan, assistant professor in public international law at the University of Nottingham, said they are not asking for direct payments as part of reparations, but would appreciate that period being part of the national curriculum in schools, and for it to be detailed in museums.
A memorial would also be something they would appreciate, he added.
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Palestinian philanthropist Munib Al-Masri, 91, is leading the petition after being shot by British soldiers as a boy, with shrapnel still in his body.
He said: “What Britain did in Palestine did not end when it left in 1948. The policies and violence of that period helped create the conditions for the calamity we are living through today. An official apology is about recognising that history and the harm it continues to cause.”
The Foreign Office said it does not routinely comment on petitions.
Plans for a 618-space multi-storey car park at Cambridge North station have divided opinion, with some saying it’s desperately needed while others warn it will worsen traffic
David Prince and Cambridgeshire Live readers
18:00, 13 Mar 2026
Cambridgeshire Live readers have been debating plans for a multi-storey car park at Cambridge North railway station. Some readers say it will help drivers and make trips easier.
Others say it will add to traffic, does not fit with ‘sustainable’ travel, and ignores bikes and buses. Chesterton Partnership has proposed to build a three-storey car park with 618 spaces on land north of Cowley Road in Cambridge.
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The plans form part of the Cambridge North development. If approved, plans said the car park will provide a “strategically located parking infrastructure”.
The applicants added: “This arrangement establishes a clear and legible search pattern for drivers, improving wayfinding, reducing potential vehicle conflicts, and enhancing overall safety within the deck environment.”
For some, additional spaces are welcomed. Banthebikes says: “This is great news for car drivers and hopefully it will be full every day.”
Neil McArthur agrees that demand is genuine: “Yes, people actually drive in & around Cambridge, and desperately need convenient & affordable parking spaces across our city.”
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Others argue the proposal misses the point entirely. Freddly writes: “There is nothing sustainable in this plan, and it needs to be turned down. Traffic simply expands to fill the space available – the last 40 years have taught us that. Even if this was considered ‘park and ride’ for the station, there is nothing virtuous or sustainable about driving to a station to take a train.”
Charlesbranston asks: “Any plans on finally creating a safe place for commuters to leave their bikes? Or should we all continue to use the main station in the absence of somewhere reasonably safe to lock up a bike, with at least the glimmer of hope that it hasn’t already been pinched before your return journey?”
Windypants believes: “This will just escalate the already terrible congestion throughout the city. There should be no parking at all at any station in Cambridge. Walking is good for you! As is cycling!”
Calumen Nomen disagrees: “No – they have taught us that if you recklessly expand the population, then you will also expand the activities and services that population generates and requires. Such as traffic. btw – we have ‘sustained’ driving for well over a hundred years now. How much longer before the fuzzy-minded element amongst us accepts that it is very obviously ‘sustainable’ (as if that matters)?”
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Is this car park really needed? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.
KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — A former New York state trooper accused of ramming his vehicle into an SUV during a high-speed chase leading to the death of an 11-year-old girl was convicted of manslaughter Friday at his second trial.
Prosecutors say Christopher Baldner rammed the SUV twice on the New York State Thruway, causing it to lose control and flip over. Eleven-year-old Monica Goods, who was in the SUV, was killed in the December 2020 crash. Baldner’s attorneys said the accident occurred after the SUV cut the trooper off as he pulled alongside during the pursuit.
A jury acquitted Baldner of murder and reckless endangerment charges in November, but they deadlocked on a second-degree manslaughter charge. Judge Bryan Rounds declared a mistrial and a second trial on the lone remaining charge began last month.
Assistant State Attorney General Jennifer Gashi told jurors during Baldner’s latest trial that he chose to “recklessly use his patrol car as a weapon” during the chase north of New York City. Defense attorney Anthony Ricco argued it was the driver of the SUV — Monica’s father, Tristin Goods — who acted recklessly and caused her death, according to the Daily Freeman.
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Baldner pulled Tristin Goods over for speeding on the highway near Kingston the night of Dec. 22, 2020. Goods, his wife and two daughters were heading north from New York City to visit family.
Baldner and Goods argued, and the trooper pepper-sprayed the inside the vehicle. Goods drove off and Baldner pursued.
Defense attorneys said Goods collided with Baldner’s trooper car twice during the pursuit. An accident reconstruction expert for the defense testified that Goods lost control of the SUV when he overcorrected after “a very minor impact,” the newspaper reported.
The ex-trooper retired in 2022 after almost 20 years with the state police.
