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Lena Dunham announces birth of first baby via surrogacy

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Luis Felber and Lena Dunham attend "Storytellers: Lena Dunham with Michelle Buteau" during the 2025 Tribeca Festival at Spring Studios on June 14, 2025 in New York City.

Lena Dunham, creator of the hit TV series Girls, has welcomed her first child with husband Luis Felber via a surrogate.

The writer and actress announced the birth of her daughter in an op-ed published by Vogue on Wednesday, where she wrote she was “bashful and dizzy with joy”.

Dunham, 40, has spoken publicly about her struggles with fertility and chronic illness, and grief around her dreams of motherhood after undergoing a hysterectomy when she was 31 years old.

Of meeting her surrogate, she wrote in Vogue: “While I’ve been known to make friends quickly – airport terminals, veterinary offices – ​this was the quickest leap from first coffee to gynecological procedure I’d ever done.”

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In the op-ed, Dunham wrote about the moment she met her daughter, who she said announced herself “13 days late, in the face of a solar eclipse and a meteor shower”.

“I sat on a hospital bed, between the legs of a woman I hadn’t known a year ago, waiting for a glimpse of this person who I had been waiting for with something related to patience, but also none at all,” she wrote.

“I forgot to look down until I heard our baby’s cry. I saw her face, gasping just as she did. Her eyes, wide and unfocused, taking in the light and shadow, blinking rapidly.”

Dunham has written extensively about her experience with endometriosis and its impact on her plans to have a family.

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“The moment I lost my fertility, I started searching for a baby,” she said in her memoir Famesick, which was published in April 2026.

Detailing the gruelling process of extracting her eggs during the pandemic, Dunham said would lie on her couch “one day obsessed with adoption and another, dying to locate a surrogate – one day sure I’d be fine if I never had children, and the next convinced my life had been a waste”.

Years later, in June 2025, Dunham told the Times that she and Felber were “in the process of expanding our family in new ways”, but refused to be drawn on how.

“I want to safely meet our children and then figure out how to talk about it,” she told the paper.

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In an earlier essay for Harper’s Magazine, in 2020, the writer said it is ironic that “knowing I cannot have a child – my ability to accept that and move on – may be the only reason I deserve to be anyone’s parent at all. I think I finally have something to teach somebody.”

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Man United could still add new signings to squad thanks to little-known Premier League rule

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Manchester Evening News

The summer transfer window has shut and Manchester United have named their Premier League squad but more changes could still happen at Old Trafford

After four games of the new Premier League season, Manchester United find themselves in the bottom half of the table with four points. Some of their summer signings are still finding their feet while one, Carlos Baleba, is still waiting to make his debut for the club after injury.

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The transfer window has shut and all 20 top-flight clubs have submitted their official squads for the campaign. The winter transfer window is still a few months away but Michael Carrick can still make some more tweaks before then.

Youri Tielemans has been a regular starter since joining from Aston Villa while Andrey Santos has featured less prominently after completing a £48m move from Chelsea. Even with the addition of those two arrivals – as well as Baleba and new goalkeeper Karl Darlow – United have used just 23 of the 25 available slots in their Premier League squad list.

This means further new arrivals could join the party. United and their Premier League rivals are restricted to free agents until the window opens but they don’t even need a new arrival to be homegrown, having already used their eight homegrown slots on Darlow, Amad, Tom Heaton, Harry Maguire, Dermot Mee, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw.

Additionally, those born after January 1, 2005, are not counted towards the squad allowance. This explains why younger first-teamers such as Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro are not included in the full squad list below.

United would still need to jump through some hoops if they want to add a free agent. The player in question would need to have already been unattached to a club when the transfer window shut, while the club would need written consent from the Premier League to add them to their pool of available players as per rule U7

Premier League rule U8 states that, in addition to other relevant documents, all clubs must submit any contract they propose to enter when attempting to sign a new player. Although United could bring in free transfers, section V4 states that the Premier League Board also has absolute discretion to refuse an application to register a player.

There is precedent for such a move. Other Premier League clubs have picked up unattached players outside the window in recent seasons, with Wolves signing Diego Costa in September 2022 and West Ham re-signing Lukasz Fabianski in September of last year.

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A number of international stars remain without a club at the time of writing. These include Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia – who left Old Trafford when their respective contracts expired at the end of June – and former Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi.

In early September, Carrick told Sky Sports he was satisfied that his squad has improved over the summer window. However, he recognised the challenges faced by the club in the market.

“Transfer windows are never straightforward and this window in particular has been challenging for different reasons,” he said at a charity golf day. “There’s a lot of money being spent in and around the league itself, and I think we’ve made the most of the situation that we’ve found ourselves in.

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“That’s the world we live in. Teams at certain points are going to spend a lot of money. Sometimes it’s going to be more than what we spend, sometimes maybe not. We’ve got to make the most of what we can and understand where we’re at. I think we’re a very good team, we want to keep getting better.”

Manchester United’s 23-man Premier League squad:

  • Bruno Fernandes
  • Diogo Dalot
  • Karl Darlow*
  • Matthijs De Ligt
  • Amad*
  • Patrick Dorgu
  • Tom Heaton*
  • Senne Lammens
  • Harry Maguire*
  • Lisandro Martinez
  • Noussair Mazraoui
  • Bryan Mbeumo
  • Dermot Mee*
  • Mason Mount*
  • Andrey Santos
  • Carlos Baleba
  • Marcus Rashford*
  • Matheus Cunha,
  • Benjamin Sesko
  • Luke Shaw*
  • Youri Tielemans
  • Manuel Ugarte
  • Joshua Zirkzee

*indicates homegrown players

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Michael Carrick opens up on JJ Gabriel conversations at Manchester United

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Manchester Evening News

Michael Carrick provided an update on JJ Gabriel after Man Utd’s defeat to Brighton in the Carabao Cup.

Michael Carrick has confirmed he is involved in conversations regarding JJ Gabriel’s future at Manchester United.

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It emerged on Tuesday that Gabriel had requested to leave the club. The revelation left United chiefs stunned, especially given that the plan was to include him in the squad to face Brighton ahead of a potential debut.

Gabriel would have become the club’s youngest-ever player if he’d played on Wednesday night.

United feel the situation is rectifiable given the time remaining on his contract. Gabriel cannot be de-registered, but he could negotiate a move abroad when he turns 16 next month, as he holds an Irish passport.

Gabriel’s future has dominated headlines over the last few days, and Carrick was asked about the situation at his press conference after the Brighton defeat.

“I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation, you know,” he said.

“He’s a young boy, he’s 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, is looking after our younger players, their welfare, their well-being, their exposure, and I think we’ve got to be really, all of us, I think we’ve got to be really conscious of that, really, in this situation.”

When Carrick was asked whether he gets involved with conversations over Gabriel’s future, or leaves it to club chiefs, he responded: “No, as a club for sure, we’re all involved in those conversations. I just think we’ve got to be very careful, you know, of that.”

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Carrick reiterated it was a sensitive situation with Gabriel when he spoke to Sky Sports.

“It’s more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child, really,” he said. “He’s certainly a young man. The situation is what it is, but we have to be careful about the exposure on that one.”

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Man City signing to make debut vs Norwich as Enzo Maresca rests stars

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Manchester Evening News

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca could give several debuts to players in the Carabao Cup game with Norwich

Enzo Maresca will hand out at least one Manchester City debut against Norwich as he looks set to rest several first-team stars for the Carabao Cup game. Geronimo Rulli will step in for Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal after signing in the summer to replace James Trafford, with Maresca continuing his policy of playing his No.2 keeper in the domestic cups.

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City’s manager could also hand the first minutes to Brazilian winger Allan, who has not featured since his move from Palmeiras last month but has been on the bench for the last two matches. Teenage midfielder Floyd Samba, son of former Premier League defender Christopher and with an older brother Tyrone also in the City academy, is also expected to make his first senior appearance for the club.

Maresca has been tasked with keeping City competitive in all competitions, and Pep Guardiola took a particular liking to the Carabao Cup, winning it five times in his ten years in charge – more than any manager in English football ever managed in the League Cup. But the Catalan was always pragmatic about resting his senior players when needed and Maresca is looking at star striker Erling Haaland and others who have had busy workloads recently.

“He’s one of the players that played 90 minutes back-to-back with Porto and United,” he said. “He’s not the only one – six or seven have played 90 and 90. Some of them will need some rest.”

Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Enzo Fernandez and Antoine Semenyo are among others in the squad to have featured heavily over the last week and may be due a rest. Maresca knows the expectation to win at home to Championship opposition but wants to balance the workload of his squad before they face Sunderland at the Etihad on Sunday in the Premier League.

“We prepare all the games trying to win the games and trying to compete to win. It will be tricky – we are going to try to win it and then we’ll see.”

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San Francisco landlord searches for new tenant to live in sage-colored townhouse after he allegedly murdered his last renter

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Eric Bigone, 58, was allegedly shot and killed outside the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on May 17 by his landlord, Phillipe Chagniot, according to prosecutors

A home in San Francisco that was the site of an alleged gruesome killing between the landlord and his tenant is now available to be rented again for $6,300 a month. 

Eric Bigone, 58, was allegedly shot and killed outside the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home by his landlord, Phillipe Chagniot, according to prosecutors.

Bigone woke up at 5am on May 17 and rushed outside to find his car up in flames, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his son, Dino Bigone. 

The vehicle was parked outside the home he rented, which is less than a mile from Ocean Beach. 

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But when he rushed outside, Changniot, 68, allegedly shot him in the back of the head with a silenced MAC-20 submachine gun, the filing seen by the Daily Mail stated.

Chagniot, a retired dentist, then ‘stood over Bigone and shot him again’ before he ‘casually rode off on his bicycle’ to a home he shared with his wife Barbara, the lawsuit read. 

Bigone, a father, was pronounced dead at the scene in front of the home. 

Chagniot was arrested on May 27 and charged with murder, among other counts, and remains in custody without bail, according to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail. 

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Eric Bigone, 58, was allegedly shot and killed outside the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on May 17 by his landlord, Phillipe Chagniot, according to prosecutors

Now the three-bedroom, two-bathroom San Francisco home can be rented for $6,300

Now the three-bedroom, two-bathroom San Francisco home can be rented for $6,300

Attorney Michael Cardoza, who was representing Chagniot earlier this year, confirmed to the Daily Mail that the alleged killer is no longer his client. He did not disclose why they parted ways. 

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Now the home, which is still owned by the Chagniot 2007 Family Trust, is on the market to be rented again. 

The rental is advertised as ‘a beautifully updated single-family home in San Francisco’s desirable Outer Sunset neighborhood’ on Zillow. 

The listing also highlighted specific features that come with the home, including hardwood floors, natural lighting, a large private backyard, and a private garage. 

The suspect and his wife are still listed as beneficiaries on the property, the filing noted. 

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Chagniot has not revealed a motive for the alleged deadly attack, but according to the lawsuit, Bigone’s son said that the landlord took his life because he wanted to sell the home. 

Bigone rented out the home in 2023 for $3,200 a month, and when he did, Chagniot ‘demanded’ that the payment be made in cash so he could avoid reporting the earnings on his taxes, the lawsuit claimed. 

In January 2026, Bigone started to endure a ‘campaign of harassment’ brought on by his landlord, the filing stated. 

As part of the alleged harassment, Chagniot started to send the tenant ‘unlawful notices to enter without reasonable notice, without a valid basis for entry, and without proper service,’ Bigone’s son said in the lawsuit. 

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Chagniot then let Bigone know that he was checking the property to get it ready to sell, and ‘repeatedly tried to intimidate him with the intent of causing him to vacate the premises,’ the suit claimed. 

The rental is advertised as 'a beautifully updated single-family home in San Francisco's desirable Outer Sunset neighborhood' on Zillow

The rental is advertised as ‘a beautifully updated single-family home in San Francisco’s desirable Outer Sunset neighborhood’ on Zillow

Surveillance footage captured Chagniot with a silenced MAC-20 submachine gun in hand at the time of the killing, police said

Surveillance footage captured Chagniot with a silenced MAC-20 submachine gun in hand at the time of the killing, police said

The landlord told Bigone that he had to be out by March 1 and started to refuse payment from the tenant when he tried to hand him the rent money, the filing said. 

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In order for Bigone to pay his rent and avoid eviction, he had to obtain an attorney. The lawyer managed to get Chagniot to provide an address for the renter to send his rent checks to, the lawsuit read. 

After becoming ‘frustrated’ that his attempts to get Bigone out of the home had failed, Chagniot and his wife ‘conspired to murder Bigone’ so they could sell the property, according to the filing. 

Before allegedly murdering Bigone, Chagniot ‘spraypainted several cameras in the area’ to try and conceal his actions, the lawsuit said. 

The day after Bigone died, Barbara called Dino to share her condolences over his passing, ‘and to determine when he would be out of the premises,’ the filing read. 

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Her husband also texted Dino, stating, ‘this is something no one should ever have to experience,’ according to the lawsuit.  

At the time, Dino was not aware that Chagniot was allegedly behind his father’s murder, the filing detailed. 

He went on to ask Chagniot for his father’s security deposit to be returned to him, but the landlord insisted that one did not exist and that the late tenant’s family needed to get off the premises as soon as possible, the suit read. 

The retired dentist 'casually rode off on his bicycle' to a home he shared with his wife, Barbara Chagniot, after the deadly shooting, according to a lawsuit filed by Bigone's son, Dino Bigone

The retired dentist ‘casually rode off on his bicycle’ to a home he shared with his wife, Barbara Chagniot, after the deadly shooting, according to a lawsuit filed by Bigone’s son, Dino Bigone

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Chagniot was arrested for murder that same day, per the filing. 

He has also been charged with lying in wait in the commission of murder, discharging a firearm in the commission of murder, assault by a machine gun or assault weapon, using an assault weapon in the commission of murder, arson, transportation of a machine gun, possession of a silencer for firearms, and possessing a large capacity magazine. 

Renee Engelen, the broker on the listed home, told The San Francisco Standard that she is required by law to disclose crimes that occur at a home within two years, but claimed that the fatal shooting took place on the sidewalk, not on the property. 

She told the outlet that the lease discloses the alleged killing, but decided not to share a copy of that paperwork because it contains ‘privileged information,’ the report stated. 

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Bigone was pronounced dead at the scene

Bigone was pronounced dead at the scene

Bigone's loved ones, including his mother and father, gathered outside the home after he was shot and killed

Bigone’s loved ones, including his mother and father, gathered outside the home after he was shot and killed

Someone who toured the listing told The Standard that they were suspicious of the property after noticing that it is owned by a family trust. 

When the prospective tenant – who declined to be identified – went home, she found several news stories about the killing online. 

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She said she could have missed the disclosure on the lease, telling the outlet: ‘I wasn’t looking for if someone was killed in the lease.’ 

Other than the alleged crime, the woman said she was also left feeling unnerved by the suspect being her potential landlord. 

‘My money would presumably be benefiting this family,’ she added. 

The Daily Mail contacted Mr and Mrs Chagniot, Dino, his attorney, and Bigone’s parents for comment. 

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Iran-US war latest: Tehran vows to fight on ‘until the last drop of blood’ after Trump talks threat

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Iran-US war latest: Tehran vows to fight on ‘until the last drop of blood’ after Trump talks threat

Trump says US ‘hopefully’ nearing end of war

President Donald Trump told reporters that the US is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran, adding that he has spoken with Iran “directly”.

He also repeated his claim that Tehran was seeking a deal.

He told the crowd in North Carolina that gas and oil prices will “come down very quickly” after the war ends in Iran.

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Maroosha Muzaffar17 September 2026 03:55

Watch: US Air Force officer recalls ‘free-falling’ to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran

US Air Force officer recalls ‘free-falling’ to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran

Alex Croft17 September 2026 03:00

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Building collapse in Gaza kills 16 as perilous conditions persist

A building housing half a dozen families gave out in Gaza City overnight into Wednesday, killing sixteen people as they slept and leaving rescuers digging through rubble for dozens more who’d been sheltering inside the structure.

The sudden collapse of the building, which was known to be unstable due to damage from Israeli strikes earlier in the war, underscored how perilous and desperate living conditions have grown for the majority of the enclave’s population as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas stalls.

The sixteen dead include at least twelve women and children, according to Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry. The toll was expected to rise as more bodies were recovered from the wreckage.

James Reynolds17 September 2026 01:30

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Recap: Houthi rebels accused of targeting Mecca with drone as Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’

Saudi Arabia says its air defences destroyed an incoming Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city.

The drone, intercepted on Tuesday, marked the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca after a ballistic missile launch in 2017, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said, warning that the security of holy sites was a “red line”.

Saudi Arabia issued security alerts for Mecca – along with Taif and Jeddah – but Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Farah denied the group had targeted the holy city, calling the allegation “an outright lie”.

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James Reynolds17 September 2026 00:01

Catch up: Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report

Russia has been helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles in secret for years, including through the US-Iran war, according to a report.

Moscow has enlisted some of its most experienced specialists to help Iran to develop a new class of missile capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and warships stationed in the Middle East, according to an investigation by the Financial Times.

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The programme’s central objective was to help Iran to develop a special ‘ramjet’ propulsion system that would allow its cruise missiles to fly at several times the speed of sound, the report said.

James Reynolds16 September 2026 23:00

Top Democrat opposes sale of 2,000 bombs to Israel

The top Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks, has said he will not support the sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns the munitions would not be used in accordance with international law.

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President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to sell to Israel a munitions package worth $2.8 billion, which will include tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, according to a US official familiar with the sale.

The leaders of congressional committees review sales under an informal process, but Meeks’ objection alone is not enough to prevent the president from going ahead with the sale.

Alex Croft16 September 2026 22:00

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US Treasury pushes to advance Iran sanctions

The US Treasury has said that its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has called a meeting of global financial institutions to advance Operation Economic Outcast, a pushisolate Tehran and limit its ability to fund the war in the Middle East.

“The event armed financial institutions with the information they need to shut down revenue streams and procurement networks tied to the Iranian regime,” the Treasury said in a statement.

Alex Croft16 September 2026 21:00

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Catch up: Blow for Trump as Congress votes again to curb his powers over $38bn war

The US House of Representatives voted to end the war in Iran for the third time late on Tuesday, approving a war powers resolution that would halt president Donald Trump’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval.

The result – 220 votes to 204 – was similar to earlier efforts this summer, with a few more Republicans joining most Democrats voting to bring an end to the conflict.

None of the resolutions have made it to the president’s desk, where president Trump would almost certainly veto the measure.

The vote comes as a defence department report revealed that Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” assault on Iran cost $38bn in its first four months and has resulted in a munitions shortfall.

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James Reynolds16 September 2026 20:00

US defense chiefs warn of munitions shortfall as Iran war costs hit $33bn

President Donald Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” assault on Iran cost $33.4 billion in its first four months and has resulted in a munitions shortfall, according to a report by the Department of Defense’s inspector general.

The 44-page report to Congress states that, between February 28 and June 30, the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran saw the Trump administration spend $22.3 billion on munitions alone.

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The onslaught “has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply,” Inspector General Platte B Moring III concludes.

James Reynolds16 September 2026 19:00

What escalating Saudi-Houthi war means for Trump in Iran

Washington has largely ignored the lingering disruption created by the Houthis around the Red Sea. But a wider conflict with Saudi Arabia could force them to intervene.

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Here’s what the developments in Yemen mean for Donald Trump’s war with Iran:

James Reynolds16 September 2026 18:00

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DAN HODGES: Kemi will have to be swift and bold to halt the snap election Andy Burnham is planning – and is on course to win

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At the weekend Gabriel Millard-Clothier exclusively revealed in The Mail on Sunday that the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was contemplating scrapping Inheritance Tax entirely

In the autumn of 2007, Gordon Brown was on the precipice of calling a snap general election.

Campaign material had been printed. Some 100 slots had been booked at Battersea’s heliport to dispatch senior ministers to far-flung marginal constituencies.

Hundreds of activists were told to be ready to take up their posts within Labour’s dedicated ‘election hub’ on 24 hours’ notice.

But the call to arms never came. Aware of Brown’s plan – one that would see them consigned to inevitable defeat – George Osborne and David Cameron launched a desperate, final, holding action. In his conference speech, Osborne declared that on becoming Chancellor he would raise the Inheritance Tax threshold to £1million. ‘Only millionaires will pay inheritance tax’, he proudly proclaimed.

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The policy immediately resonated. A poll conducted in the days after the announcement saw a significant bounce in the Tories’ ratings in marginal constituencies. And a few days later, Brown sheepishly ordered the election plan shelved. The indecision saw his personal poll rating enter a tailspin from which he never recovered.

As a new Tory party conference approaches, Kemi Badenoch has the opportunity to make a similarly historic, and potentially game-changing, political announcement.

At the weekend my colleague Gabriel Millard-Clothier exclusively revealed in The Mail on Sunday that the Tory leader was contemplating scrapping Inheritance Tax entirely.

Officially, Badenoch would only confirm: ‘I’ve asked my team to explore fiscally responsible ways to address this burden.’ But, off the record, her aides made clear it is something she is seriously contemplating. ‘When she announced the abolition of stamp duty in last year’s speech, it was the moment her personal approval rating began to turn,’ an ally told me. ‘We think a big policy announcement like this could potentially have the same impact for the party as a whole. It’s a way of communicating, “OK, the traditional, solid, tax-cutting Tory party really is back”.’

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Which is why Kemi Badenoch should tell her team to finish their exploration, get back to base camp and have a finalised policy ready in time for her conference speech next month.

At the weekend Gabriel Millard-Clothier exclusively revealed in The Mail on Sunday that the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was contemplating scrapping Inheritance Tax entirely

There is currently a policy vacuum sitting at the heart of British politics. Andy Burnham began his premiership by stating that we would have to wait until ‘later this year’ to hear his ten-year plan for the nation.

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And, like the Chief in the Asterix comics who fears the sky may fall on his head tomorrow but reassures himself with the fact that tomorrow never actually comes, ‘later this year’ is proving to be an elastic deadline.

Badenoch has a golden opportunity to fill that Burnham-shaped void with a stance that is bold, radical and populist. She also has an opportunity to put some distance between herself and a Prime Minister who seems increasingly intent on leaning heavily on his party’s socialist traditions.

Perhaps even more crucially, she has an opportunity to define herself against the political threat to her Right.

This week has been dominated by the row over Reform’s acceptance of a combined £72million donation from two British crypto billionaires recently based abroad. But what was even more significant was Reform’s bone-headed reaction to Badenoch’s Inheritance Tax proposal.

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One would expect a party that aspired to replace the Conservatives as the main opposition to an old-school, tax-and-spend Labour government would have recognised and embraced a policy that sought to reduce the tax burden on hard-working families. Instead, the party’s treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick made the incomprehensible statement that he believed the plan was ‘morally wrong’. It was, he said, ‘a tax cut predominantly for the well-off’.

Had Jenrick simply dismissed the proposal as something that did not align with Reform’s current fiscal priorities, that would have been one thing. But to claim there is something inherently immoral in people simply aspiring to pass on more of their wealth to their children was a staggering assertion. And one that is likely to cost him and his party dear.

Whether a policy pledge by Badenoch along these lines will have the same transformative effect on Tory fortunes as George Osborne’s momentous announcement almost two decades ago, is open to question. But now is not the time for timidity.

Because despite the denials, the plan taking shape inside Downing Street is clear. Burnham is preparing to call a snap election in the spring of next year. And, based on the current trajectory of the polls, he will almost certainly win it.

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Reform’s collapse in support is accelerating. This time last year the party stood at 31 per cent in the polls, 11 points ahead of Labour and 14 points ahead of the Tories. Now they are two points behind Labour, a slender 4 points ahead of the Conservatives, and trending downwards. In just over a year, they have lost a third of their support, all at a time when Keir Starmer’s premiership was imploding.

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage’s personal approval ratings have become radioactive. According to the most recent poll, 24 per cent of people have a favourable opinion of Reform’s leader, while a staggering 69 per cent view him unfavourably. This represents the worst level of antipathy towards Farage since records began.

Burnham is preparing to call a snap election in the spring of next year. And, based on the current trajectory of the polls, he will almost certainly win it, writes Dan Hodges

Burnham is preparing to call a snap election in the spring of next year. And, based on the current trajectory of the polls, he will almost certainly win it, writes Dan Hodges

On these numbers, the idea of Reform securing a majority at the next election is for the birds. And that’s before you factor in the impact of tactical voting, the likely further erosion of support to Rupert Lowe’s insurgent hard-Right Restore party and the plethora of ongoing investigations into Reform’s increasingly murky finances.

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The stark political reality is this: There is only one thing that will stop Burnham from calling a snap election and securing a five-year term in No 10. And that is a recovery for the Tory party along the lines we saw in 2007.

That would not require them to leapfrog Labour immediately.

Even after Osborne’s dramatic announcement, Brown still led in the polls for a time. But the shift in support in battleground seats that the policy precipitated was enough to make him think again.

That’s what the Tories need now. Not a miraculous resurgence. But a policy statement that will capture the attention and imagination of the British people. And that will demonstrate there is a party of the Right that provides them with a genuine and serious alternative to the Burnham government, not just an opportunity to register a protest.

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Because Burnham remembers well the moment Brown hesitated – and lost. A member of that administration, he was subsequently asked what he thought about that decision. ‘Momentum is a curious thing in politics,’ he reflected. ‘Thousands of us who’ve worked around these jobs could sit in a room and try to work out how to get momentum and how not to lose momentum, but the truth is it hinges on the most unexpected little moments in politics.’

It will take something significant to force Andy Burnham to abandon his own plan for a snap election. Kemi Badenoch is the only person who could still do it. But she will have to be swift, and she will have to be bold.

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Warning over controversial Traveller site in North Yorkshire

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Warning over controversial Traveller site in North Yorkshire

Sir Alec Shelbrooke has raised concerns about Bridge House, on Oxmoor Lane, Biggin, near Selby, where a long-running planning dispute has resulted in enforcement action and several appeals.

In an update due to be presented to the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee next week, the MP for Wetherby and Easingwold, said enforcement action had given the site owner until August 11 to remove additional caravans and return the land to its approved use.

READ MORE: York council draws up new plans for Traveller pitches

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However, he said: “No attempt to adhere to this notice has been forthcoming.”

The MP said he understood North Yorkshire Council had scheduled a series of site visits with a view to formally enforcing the notice now the deadline had passed.

He added that residents were frustrated that people who breached planning controls could seemingly delay further action by simply failing to comply with a formal notice.

The issue is also due to be discussed at a meeting of Biggin Parish Council next week.

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The dispute dates back several years.

Planning permission granted in 2020 allowed Bridge House to operate as a holiday touring caravan site with up to 16 touring caravans and four grass tent pitches, together with tracks, sewage treatment facilities and an amenity building.

However, concerns emerged during 2024 that development and residential use had gone beyond the permission granted.

North Yorkshire Council issued a temporary stop notice in November 2024 preventing further caravans being brought onto the land and additional engineering and hardstanding works.

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An application was also submitted for a mixed-use transit traveller site and tourism operation, with proposals publicised by the parish council including 48 pitches and two static caravans.

The council refused permission and issued an enforcement notice in December 2024 over what it said was an unauthorised change of use and associated development.

Following a hearing, planning inspector R Merrett dismissed the planning appeal in August 2025. Appeals against the enforcement notice were also dismissed, although the notice was corrected and varied before being upheld.

A separate enforcement appeal concerning commercial and workshop activities was determined in March this year, when another notice was varied and upheld.

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Sir Alec also expressed concern about recent government announcements which he said appeared to weaken previous rules allowing councils to tackle illegal traveller encampments.

He said he understood why residents who “play by the rules and do the right thing” were frustrated when others appeared able to “play the system”.

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BARONESS CASEY: Just as we did for cancer treatment, this country must come together to create lasting change

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BARONESS CASEY: Just as we did for cancer treatment, this country must come together to create lasting change

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Many will remember when cancer was widely seen as a death sentence and little treatment could be offered beyond making people as comfortable as possible in their final days.

Since the 1970s, we have largely transformed that story through decades of research, earlier diagnosis, public awareness, clinical trials and better treatments.

This tremendous progress did not come from one miracle cure or the actions of one government. It came because the country decided cancer mattered and deserved our effort. And we kept up the fight year after year.

It is time we afforded that same seriousness and ambition to treating dementia.

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September is World Alzheimer’s Month. It should be a moment of national resolve: a commitment to make dementia Britain’s next great national mission, just as cancer was for previous generations.

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing, but a collection of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Yet, too often, it is treated as part of a person’s inevitable decline or a social care problem rather than a series of major health conditions that can be diagnosed, researched and treated.

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It’s people with dementia, and their families and loved ones, who feel the consequences.

I have met far too many people who receive a diagnosis… and then are left alone to cope.

Alzheimer’s Society is right to call for those with dementia to receive a diagnosis, care plan and access to treatment within 18 weeks of GP referral. This standard, or better, is already in place for other major health

conditions. Dementia should be no different.

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But this is just the beginning. The lesson from cancer is that our efforts work best as part of a wider mission: investment in research, expanded trials, better treatments, support for people after diagnosis and a workforce ready to deliver those new treatments.

That is why we must make this country a great place to conduct dementia trials.

I implore the NHS to get ready to deliver the next generation of breakthrough treatments. Healthier lifestyles, earlier diagnoses and better treatments across the board mean we’re living for longer – and with that brings a new challenge. As more of us live into our 80s and 90s, it is not enough to simply add years to life – we need to ensure that our twilight years are as healthy as possible.

Baroness Casey says she implores the NHS to get ready to deliver the next generation of breakthrough treatments

Baroness Casey says she implores the NHS to get ready to deliver the next generation of breakthrough treatments

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By 2040, there will be 1.4million living with dementia. We cannot stick our heads in the sand.

Delivering this national mission also requires someone with the authority to drive it. That is why I called for the appointment of a dementia tsar to lead the charge.

Responsibility is currently scattered: when responsibility belongs to everyone, accountability too often belongs to no one. We need someone to own the problem and drive the kind of action needed to solve it.

Britain has repeatedly shown that it can achieve extraordinary things. We rebuilt the country after the war, we developed vaccines at record speed during the pandemic and have transformed cancer survival since the 1970s. The lesson is that progress follows when we act together.

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Dementia can be that next national mission. But lasting change cannot be designed by politicians and experts alone. We need the public to help decide what dementia sufferers and their families should expect and what system we are prepared to build together.

That is why we are asking people across the country to take part in the Big Conversation On Care. There will be many opportunities to get involved but, as a first step, I’m asking you to vote on the proposals the public have been putting forward before September 23.

Together, we can turn national resolve into action. If we can improve diagnosis, treatment and care for people facing dementia today, there will be greater hope for all of us tomorrow.

Baroness Casey chairs the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care

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Bolton’s beloved elephants are finally coming home after 11 years

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Bolton's beloved elephants are finally coming home after 11 years

The town’s three colourful elephant statues are being returned to their original home on Newport Street after packing their trunks in 2015.

Construction work is taking place with the elephants appearing at the top of Newport Street and Great Moor Street.

The trio, Ellie, Elmer and Mister Jackbow, have been fully restored and repainted ahead of their return.

They were previously moved to an area near the Octagon car park, close to the play area, where they remained while work was carried out.

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Their return means they will once again stand close to Bolton Interchange, where they are expected to be among the first sights seen by people arriving in the town centre.

(Image: NQ)

The elephants were named by local children following a public competition and have become a familiar part of Bolton’s identity.

Their return was announced by Bolton Council in May as part of wider plans to make the town centre more welcoming.

The restoration is being funded through the Pride in Place Impact Fund, alongside other planned improvements across the town centre.

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These include a double-sided LED screen outside Bolton Interchange, new wayfinding, murals celebrating local history, upgraded outdoor power units and new seating.

The council has also outlined improvements to lighting and CCTV, while defibrillators have already been installed.

The Bolton elephants (Image: Bolton Council)

Bolton has a long association with the elephant emblem, with theories linking it to historic trade with India and the use of the Elephant and Castle as a symbol of strength and dignity.

The installation is part of plans to ‘create a vibrant and welcoming town centre that celebrates its heritage and unique identity’.

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UK prosecutors file for extradition of the Tate brothers from the US

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Tristan and Andrew Tate delivering a press statement. The brothers are dressed in black and Andrew has a disgruntled facial expression as he speaks into a microphone.

Prosecutors in the UK have lodged a formal request for the extradition of brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate from the US to face charges of rape and sex trafficking.

The US State Department, which received the requests last week, will review the extradition applications to make sure they comply with the existing agreement between the US and UK.

But the lawyer for the brothers, who are dual US-UK citizens, accused British authorities of failing to provide the necessary supporting documents in the request.

The brothers are facing a total of 59 charges in the UK, including rape and counts relating to sex trafficking and indecent images of a child. Both men deny any wrongdoing.

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The Crown Prosecution Service originally brought 21 charges, but added 38 more in July for alleged actions spanning between 2010 and 2017.

US authorities took the men into custody in July after the UK announced the new charges. The brothers lost a bid to be released from a Florida jail on bail last week.

UK authorities had until Wednesday 16 September to submit a full extradition request.

Joe McBride, the brothers’ lawyer, said he would be challenging the requests, arguing they were not backed up by the information needed under the extradition agreement.

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In a statement to the BBC, McBride said the brothers had also not received the extradition requests themselves, nor documents such as “a warrant, a charging document, and information that provides a reasonable basis to believe my clients committed these offences”.

“This cloak-and-dagger act speaks to the deception behind these accusations and to their weakness,” he added.

Once the State Department completes it review, there are still several legal steps before extradition can be permitted. Applications must go through the US Justice Department which will in turn forward it to the court, where the final decision on their extradition will be made.

During this legal process, the Tate brothers will remain in jail in the US.

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An official letter from the State Department details that Andrew Tate, 39, is “wanted to stand trial in the United Kingdom” on a series of charges, including 10 counts of rape, three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He is also accused of making and distributing indecent images of a child and possessing extreme pornography.

Charges levelled against Tristan Tate, 38, include five counts of rape, six counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three counts of sex trafficking and a sexual assault.

Both men deny any wrongdoing.

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In response to the formal request for extradition from the US, a Home Office spokesperson said: “As a matter of long-standing policy and practice, we do not routinely comment on individual cases.”

The former professional kickboxers turned divisive social media influencers hold dual US and British citizenship, and had primarily been living in Romania since 2017.

They have been accused of promoting misogyny and toxic masculinity online, which has attracted a large following, particularly from young men.

Andrew Tate, who is a self-proclaimed “misogynist”, first rose to fame after a 2016 appearance on the British version of reality TV show Big Brother.

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The brothers also faced sex-trafficking charges in Romania in 2022, and were under a travel ban until they were allowed to come to the US in 2025.

Both brothers have denied all charges and allegations.

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