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Mandelson-Starmer latest: Former peer’s ‘five-figure’ US ambassador pay-off ‘to be reviewed’ by Foreign Office

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Mcfadden: Mandelson should give payoff to charity

A five-figure exit payment given to Lord Peter Mandelson when he was sacked as US ambassador after the latest release of the Epstein files is being reviewed by the Foreign Office.

Lord Mandelson is reported to have received a financial settlement worth three months of pay, according to the Times, estimated to be between £38,750 and £55,000 before tax and other deductions.

Government sources reported that a payout had been agreed without confirming a number, but the payment is now under review, according to the BBC. Welfare secretary Pat McFadden suggested Lord Mandelson give the money back and donate it to charity.

While Lord Mandelson’s salary has not been published, his role is thought to have been among the highest paid in the diplomatic service raking in between £155,000 and £220,000 per year.

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A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Peter Mandelson’s civil service employment was terminated in accordance with legal advice and the terms and conditions of his employment.

“Normal civil services HR processes were followed. Further information will be provided to Parliament as part of the government response to the motion passed last week which is being coordinated by the cabinet office.”

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership remains in deep jeopardy as a new poll suggests the majority of voters think he should quit.

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Pat McFadden urges Mandelson to donate payout to charities

Welfare secretary Pat McFadden is urging Lord Peter Mandelson to give back an exit payment he received after he was sacked from office following new documents released in the Epstein files.

“I don’t think it will wash with the public,” he said about Lord Mandelson receiving the money and suggested he give the cash to a charity which helps women who have been the victims of abuse.

It is understood that Mandelson received a five figure pay off from the Foreign Office when he returned to the UK after being withdrawn as ambassador.

Mr McFadden said he feels “betrayed” by the man he used to work for but insisted he “had no idea” about this “other side of his life…live downloading government material to a man in America I had never heard of.”

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(PA Wire)

Maira Butt8 February 2026 08:57

Starmer’s deputy warns Mandelson scandal will impact crucial by-election

The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin and political editor David Maddox report:

Lucy Powell told The Independent that the vote, on 26 February, represents “a line in the sand” in Labour’s fight to stop the advance of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

“I imagine [Mandelson] will come up in some parts of the constituency,” Ms Powell said: “more than others for those who more closely follow the news.”

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(Getty Images)

Maira Butt8 February 2026 08:47

In Focus: ‘It’s over for Starmer. The only questions are when, how, and how painful’

As one former Labour prime minister famously said, “a week is a long time in politics”.

That is particularly true for one Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, who until Friday was the chief executive of the lobbying firm Global Counsel, which he co-founded with Peter Mandelson.

Mr Wegg-Prosser has been a close associate of the former Labour peer for decades, served as one of his key advisers and even became the director of Downing Street’s strategic communications unit under Tony Blair.

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The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin and political editor David Maddox report:

Maira Butt8 February 2026 08:35

Lib Dems demand FCA investigate Mandelson for insider trading

Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader Daisy Cooper has urged the Financial Conduct Authority investigate Lord Peter Mandelson over allegations of insider trading.

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“The sharing of confidential information with a private financier could easily have provided an unfair and lucrative advantage in the financial markets, either by Epstein himself or by his associates,” Cooper said in the letter to the FCA, seen by the Guardian.

“Mandelson could also have personally profited from this arrangement.”

She added: “He and others must face criminal prosecution if they are found to have abused trading laws for financial benefit.”

Maira Butt8 February 2026 08:20

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Sadiq Khan backs Keir Starmer

Sir Sadiq Khan said Sir Keir Starmer “must stay”, likening politics to a 90-minute football match as he defended the Labour leader’s handling of the Peter Mandelson row and branded the disgraced peer “arrogant”.

But Sir Sadiq told The Observer: “Football is a 90-minute game. You wouldn’t dream of saying in the 35th minute because you’re 2-0 down – we’ll take all the players off and sack the manager.’The mayor, who has been in office for a decade, also took aim at Peter Mandelson, saying he was “the only person who knew” what was in the Epstein files.

Sir Sadiq said: “The whole Mandelson saga is a case study in “there’s one rule for the elites and the establishment and there’s another rule for the rest of us”.

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“It also shows the arrogance of the man. The only person who knew what was in those files was Peter Mandelson. It beggars belief he still put himself forward to be the ambassador to the US.”

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 February 2026 08:10

Mandelson payout under review after reports he received five-figure settlement after sacking

Lord Peter Mandelson is reported to have received a payout worth tens of thousands of pounds after being sacked as US ambassador over new details that emerged in the latest tranche of documents released in the Epstein files, according to the Times.

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Government sources confirmed that a financial settlement had been agreed but a number was not confirmed, but the payment is now under review, according to the BBC.

While his salary has not been published, the role is among the highest paid in the diplomatic service raking in between £155,000 and £220,000 per year.

His exit is said to have left him with a payout equivalent to three months of taxpayer-funded pay, according to the Times and is estimated to be between £38,750 and £55,000 before tax and other deductions.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Peter Mandelson’s civil service employment was terminated in accordance with legal advice and the terms and conditions of his employment.

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“Normal civil services HR processes were followed. Further information will be provided to Parliament as part of the government response to the motion passed last week which is being co-ordinated by the cabinet office.”

Maira Butt8 February 2026 07:54

Lammy ‘warned’ Starmer about Mandelson appointment

Sir Keir Starmer is facing further backlash as it emerged that deputy prime minister David Lammy warned the leader about appointing Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador amid his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

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Friends and allies of Lammy told the Telegraph he had been against the appointment of Mandelson and in favour of an extension of Dame Karen Pierce’s term in the role due to her connections to President Donald Trump’s inner circle.

Mr Starmer is said to be “devastated” over the scandal and contemplating whether to stay as PM, according to the publication.

(PA Wire)

Maira Butt8 February 2026 07:41

Powell warns Mandelson scandal could impact curcial by-election

Lucy Powell, Deputy Labour Leader, told The Independent the scandal could impact the Gorton and Denton by-election.

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“I imagine [Peter Mandelson] will come up in some parts of the constituency,” she said.

“More than others for those who more closely follow the news.”

Ms Powell added: “All I’d say is that prime ministers have to make judgement calls all day long and all the time, and sometimes they get them wrong.

“I think the prime minister’s put his hands up about that.”

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 February 2026 07:30

Poll suggest British voters think Sir Keir should quit as Labour leader

A poll by Opinium indicated that more than half, 55 per cent, of British voters thought Sir Keir Starmer should quit as Labour leader, with just 23 per cent saying he should remain.

Sir Keir’s net approval rate fell three points in a fortnight to minus 44, with 61 per cent of those surveyed saying they disapproved of him and just 17 per cent saying they approved.Opinium surveyed 2,054 adults between Wednesday and Friday.

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Former prime minister Gordon Brown said the situation facing Sir Keir was “serious” and suggested he had been “too slow to do the right things” to clean up politics in the wake of the Peter Mandelson row.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 February 2026 07:00

Mandelson’s US ambassador payoff ‘to be reviewed by government’

Lord Mandelson was fired over his relationship with the disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, and anger in Westminster has intensified after the latest release of documents, which indicated he leaked information to his friend while he was a government minister.

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After being forced out of his post in September last year, the peer received payment equivalent to three months’ salary, according to reports in The Times.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 February 2026 06:30

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Tyler Fletcher reveals Michael Carrick message on ‘mad day’ of Man Utd debut | Football

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Tyler Fletcher reveals Michael Carrick message on 'mad day' of Man Utd debut | Football
Michael Carrick gave Tyler Fletcher an unforgettable moment on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images)

Tyler Fletcher has revealed what Michael Carrick told him as he sent him on to make his Manchester United debut on a ‘mad day’ for the 18-year-old.

The midfielder, son of former United and Scotland star Darren, came on in stoppage time of the 2-0 win over Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Red Devils continued their perfect run under interim boss Carrick, with four wins on the bounce following victories over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.

United are now fourth and just three points behind Aston Villa in third in the Premier League table as they bid for a return to Champions League football.

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Fletcher hopped on the wave of momentum the Red Devils are building thanks to Carrick throwing him on to replace Kobbie Mainoo late in the game.

The Manchester United interim manager has been credited with freeing up his players and creating more attacking verve under his coaching and that tallies with the message he gave Fletcher as he stepped onto the pitch for his debut.

‘He just said enjoy it,’ Fletcher told MUTV. ‘Make the most of the moment. Go and get on the ball and do what you do, try to get as many touches as I can when I was on there, so I was trying to get little bounce passes, little short ones, just to get a few touches. That is what he said.

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Fletcher and brother Jack have both played for the Red Devils this season (Picture: Getty Images)

‘That’s the best moment of my career so far. I don’t think anything can top it. It’s a special moment for my family. I think my mum is here, my brother is here. My dad has got a game so he couldn’t make it.

‘It’s an unbelievable moment.’

He added: ‘It’s a mad day. I’m absolutely buzzing. The best day of my life, it’s a dream come true. I’ve just got to thank everyone for supporting me, throughout the way.’

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Fletcher replaced the impressive Kobbie Mainoo (Picture: Getty Images)

Tyler’s twin brother Jack is also at Manchester United and has made three Premier League appearances already this season.

On how he was told about his memorable day, he said: ‘I found out I was in the squad yesterday, after the session. I got told you will be with the first team, you’ll be on the bench. I was buzzing with that.

‘I was warming up in the last five minutes and five minutes got added on. I got the call and I was like, ‘No way is this happening’. I got told to go and enjoy it and make as many passes as you can, get as many touches as you can, and that’s what I did.’

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Michael Carrick has had the perfect start to life in charge or the Red Devils (Picture: Getty Images)

Carrick, who is loving life in his role in charge of the Red Devils, was glad to be able to give the talented teenager his first professional experience.

‘It was a proud moment for me, to be able to give Tyler his next step really in his career,’ he said. ‘I never take that for granted, never before, when I was at Middlesbrough, and giving young players an opportunity.

‘I wanted to get him out on the pitch today, just to sample it and feel it. He came on and did really well. It’s what this club is and what a week to do it, with the anniversary of Munich and the Busby Babes and everything this club is based on. So it’s special and I certainly don’t take that for granted. It was great to give Tyler his chance.’

Things could not be going any better for Carrick and Manchester United right now, with his chances of being appointed as permanent manager increasing with every victory.

On his future, he said: ‘Nah, it’s not for now. I think to get excited and carried away, as a supporter, is where you should be. It’s why you come to support us, to dream and get carried away, hopefully leaving in good spirits and looking forward to coming back.

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‘It’s our job to provide that and, to be in a position to do that in the last few weeks, has been great. We’ve got to keep doing that.’

The Red Devils bid for a fifth straight win on Tuesday night at West Ham.

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Lindsey Vonn hospital update as BBC share latest on Winter Olympics star’s condition after crash

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Wales Online

An update on the condition of Lindsey Vonn has been provided after the American skier was involved in a horror crash in the women’s downhill alpine skiing final at the Winter Olympics

An update has been provided on the status of Winter Olympics star Lindsey Vonn following a horrific crash during the women’s downhill alpine skiing final. The American athlete had to be airlifted to hospital after crashing out early in the course.

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Vonn’s participation in the games was uncertain due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, sustained in another crash just days before the event began.

However, she made a remarkable recovery and successfully completed training runs leading up to the final.

Despite skiing without an anterior cruciate ligament and with a brace on her knee, the 41-year-old, who has previously had her right knee reconstructed, took part in the event as the 13th competitor.

Her crash caused a delay of approximately 20 minutes while she received medical attention, with audible cries of pain heard from the scene.

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Former British skier Chemmy Alcott, who was visibly moved by the incident, provided an update on BBC around an hour after the crash.

She said: “I was just speaking to Enrica Cipriani who is part of the ‘Team Vonn’, actually one of the photos I think I sent you guys was one of her sitting on the chair lift with Lindsey this morning when we all thought this was going to end in a fairytale..”

She continued: “She said the good news is that Lindsey Vonn’s doctor, who did her knee, was here on the hill and was able to get in that helicopter with her. They are currently in Cortina, the helicopter landed.

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“But she won’t going to the local hospital, it can’t deliver on what she needs. Likely she’ll be going over to Innsbruck.

“But even Enrica didn’t have an update, very hard to be part of that team who have sacrificed everything.

“Her husband Chris Knight is Lindsey Vonn’s coach, so she’s just trying to keep it together, and deal with what can be handled.”

Shortly after Vonn’s accident, Andorra’s Cande Moreno experienced a similar incident. Medical teams attended to her before she was airlifted from the mountain by helicopter.

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The final concluded with Vonn’s compatriot Breezy Johnson topping the standings, followed by Germany’s Emma Aicher in second and Italy’s Sofia Goggia claiming third place.

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Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic ski dream shattered as emotional commentator chokes up

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Daily Record

The 41-year-old American sporting legend was airlifted to hospital after a crash on the slopes during the women’s downhill skiing final.

American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn endured a horror crash on her Olympic return in the women’s downhill and was airlifted to hospital. Hopes of a victorious comeback six years on from retirement had been hit by a serious knee injury suffered less than a fortnight out from the finals.

But the 41-year-old decided to compete in the winter Olympics. She burst out of the start in the final but caught a gate with her right arm after just 13 seconds, sending her tumbling down the slope to a halt.

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She lay motionless on the slopes during the women’s downhill skiing final before being airlifted to hospital. The incident sparked an emotional reaction from the BBC’s broadcast team.

The Mirror reports Chemmy Alcott choked up as she said: “I actually feel guilty that I am this emotional. When we thought about the end of this story, we never thought and never believed that it would end in her in a clump at the side of the piece, not moving.

“What we saw is the top section is running very fast. The left-footer is really hard for healthy athletes.

“She is trying to throw herself down this, gunning for the podium. She doesn’t have a left knee, she drops her hip back and this is an absolute nightmare. It is an absolute nightmare.

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“The whole world is watching and we wanted to see her come through the finish smiling, because she was fast, we wanted to see her take on this challenge, it is just really tough.

“I feel so bad that I feel this way because her family and all over her team… it is so sad.

“We have to be realistic. The risk was really really high for her to take on the G-force of this downhill.

“The risk she faced when you fall are double that. Her body will not be able to withstand that. The crowd here, everyone is feeling it. There is intermittent clapping and I think that is hope that she is going to get up.

“But then the screen comes on and we see all the medical staff around here. They have actually had to put on some background noise because it is quite uncomfortable.”

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DNA MMA Gym in York wins Martial Arts School of the Year

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DNA MMA Gym in York wins Martial Arts School of the Year

DNA MMA has been crowned the Prestige Awards Martial Arts School of the Year for 2025-2026.

The gym, based at Yorvale Business Park, first won the award for 2023-2024.

The accolade recognises the gym’s strong community and welcoming atmosphere and its dedication to creating a positive and successful environment for members.

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Celebrating the achievement, a post on the gym’s social media read: The last couple of years have been super tough and very busy!

“Lots of changes, tons of upgrades to the club and it feels amazing for the team to be recognised for the hard work.

“It all comes down to DNA’s community spirit that has been built on our mats and in the cage!

“Our martial arts team is the friendliest, most welcoming and most helpful that I have ever encountered, and I consider myself very lucky to have such fantastic people proud to represent DNA MMA.”

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Iran’s top diplomat strikes hard line on US talks

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Iran's top diplomat strikes hard line on US talks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s top diplomat insisted Sunday that Tehran’s strength came from its ability to “say no to the great powers,” striking a maximalist position just after negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program and in the wake of nationwide protests.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to diplomats at a summit in Tehran, signaled that Iran would stick to its position that it must be able to enrich uranium — a major point of contention with President Donald Trump, who bombed Iranian atomic sites in June during the 12-day Iran-Israel war.

While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the talks Friday in Oman with the Americans as “a step forward,” Araghchi’s remarks show the challenge ahead. Already, the U.S. moved the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, ships and warplanes to the Middle East to pressure Iran into an agreement and have the firepower necessary to strike the Islamic Republic should Trump choose to do so.

“I believe the secret of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s power lies in its ability to stand against bullying, domination and pressures from others,” Araghchi said. “They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not pursuing an atomic bomb. Our atomic bomb is the power to say no to the great powers. The secret of the Islamic Republic’s power is in the power to say no to the powers.”

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‘Atomic bomb’ as rhetorical device

Araghchi’s choice to explicitly use an “atomic bomb” as a rhetorical device likely wasn’t accidental. While Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful, the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Tehran had an organized military program to seek the bomb up until 2003.

Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step to weapons-grade levels of 90%, the only non-weapons state to do so. Iranian officials in recent years had also been increasingly threatening that the Islamic Republic could seek the bomb, even while its diplomats have pointed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s preachings as a binding fatwa, or religious edict, that Iran wouldn’t build one.

Pezeshkian, who ordered Araghchi to pursue talks with the Americans after likely getting Khamenei’s blessing, also wrote on X on Sunday about the talks.

“The Iran-U.S. talks, held through the follow-up efforts of friendly governments in the region, were a step forward,” the president wrote. “Dialogue has always been our strategy for peaceful resolution. … The Iranian nation has always responded to respect with respect, but it does not tolerate the language of force.”

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It remains unclear when and where, or if, there will be a second round of talks. Trump, after the talks Friday, offered few details but said: “Iran looks like they want to make a deal very badly — as they should.”

Aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea

During Friday’s talks, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the American military’s Central Command, was in Oman. Cooper’s presence was likely an intentional reminder to Iran about the U.S. military presence in the region. Cooper later accompanied U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, to the Lincoln out in the Arabian Sea after the indirect negotiations.

Araghchi appeared to be taking the threat of an American military strike seriously, as many worried Iranians have in recent weeks. He noted that after multiple rounds of talks last year, the U.S. “attacked us in the midst of negotiations.”

“If you take a step back (in negotiations), it is not clear up to where it will go,” Araghchi said.

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Japan’s ultra conservative prime minister set to seize more power, exit poll shows | World News

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Sanae Takaichi. Pic: AP

Japan’s ultra conservative prime minister is set to seize more power after an exit poll had her securing a big majority in the country’s lower house.

Sanae Takaichi’s coalition is expected to win between 302 and 366 of the 465 seats in the chamber, national broadcaster NHK has predicted.

That is well above the 233 needed for a majority.

It comes after Ms Takaichi, 64, called a rare winter snap election, seeking to capitalise on her own high approval ratings.

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Betting on herself, she pledged to secure a majority or step down.

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Ms Takaichi playing the drums with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Pic: Reuters

A former heavy metal drummer, she says immigration and tourism has led to “foreigner fatigue” in Japan, and her nationalist rhetoric has stoked tensions with China.

She’s also anti-gay marriage and a vocal defender of traditional gender roles, and sees late British prime minister Margaret Thatcher as a role model.

Furthermore, her government plans to step away from Japan’s post-war pacifist principles, bolstering the military and lifting a ban on weapons exports.

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Ms Takaichi became the nation’s first female prime minister in October, pledging to “work, work, work” and nurturing an upbeat image.

A cardboard cutout of Ms Takaichi
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A cardboard cutout of Ms Takaichi

She’s won support among younger voters and her personal style has been praised by fans, with admirers now facing a nine-month wait to purchase her signature Hamano black bag.

Read more:
Japan’s drum-playing, Trump-hugging, China-provoking PM
Can Japan’s first female PM tighten her grip on power

She became prime minister after taking charge of the struggling Liberal Democratic Party, whose fortunes she is credited with transforming.

The party had grown accustomed to power, having governed almost continuously since its foundation in 1955, except for two brief windows – from 1993 to 1996, and from 2009 to 2012.

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Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

But it suffered setbacks in recent years, enduring its one of its worst electoral performances ever in 2024 amid a backdrop of a financial scandal and economic stagnation, and losing its majority in the lower house.

The lower house, or House of Representatives, is the stronger of the two chambers that comprise the National Diet – the Japanese equivalent of parliament.

A stronger hand there will empower Ms Takaichi to make progress on her right-wing agenda, including passing a record-setting 122.3 trillion yen (£565 billion) budget.

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Whitby Steampunk Weekend pictures as fans descend on town

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Whitby Steampunk Weekend pictures as fans descend on town

The Whitby Steampunk Weekend XIX draws to a close today (February 8).

The event centres around Whitby Pavilion in West Cliff but the whole weekend provided ample opportunities for photos with some of the town’s incredible landscapes adding to the atmosphere.


Recommended reading:

Whitby – what to expect at the Steampunk XIX weekend

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What visitors are saying about this York event where thousands flock into city


Steampunk fans have been seen on the promenades above the North Sea and in the trading hall filled with stands.

photo by Garry Hornby – The Press Camera Club (Image: Garry Hornby)

The Press Camera Club member Garry Hornby captured the essence of this year’s event with a series of images.

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Live musical acts have covered the weekend with special guest appearances from stars of television and other speakers.

Funds have also been raised for Whitby and Scarborough Dog Rescue from fashion shows.

photo by Garry Hornby – The Press Camera Club (Image: Garry Hornby)

Steampunk emerged in the 1980s as a tongue‑in‑cheek sci‑fi label, imagining Victorian steam power driving futuristic tech.

Said to have roots in the works of fiction from the likes of Jules Verne and HG Wells, it has grown into a global subculture spanning literature, fashion, festivals and DIY “retro‑futurist” engineering.

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The Whitby event is thought to be one of the largest gatherings in the UK.

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Would you like to see your photographs in The Press and online?

More than 2,500 readers have joined The Press Camera Club, which launched in June 2017 and brings together talented photographers from across York and North and East Yorkshire to share their work, swap tips and take part in themed monthly prize competitions.

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To join the free club, simply search for ‘The Press Camera Club’ on Facebook – we’d love to see what our region looks like through your lens.

We will feature pictures from our camera club in The Press and online regularly.

If you like seeing photos of York, please follow us on Instagram too @york.press.

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Martin Lewis alert over Universal Credit ‘exception’ for savers

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Daily Mirror

He shared several tips about how to build up your savings

Martin Lewis has spoken about a DWP scheme that savers may want to consider. The consumer champion shared numerous tips on building up your savings during an episode of his BBC podcast.

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He devoted much of the programme to discussing mortgage overpayments and whether this approach is preferable to depositing money into savings accounts. One listener enquired about what to do with a lump sum of £90,000 that they would soon receive. They were paying a relatively steep mortgage rate of 5.6 per cent and sought guidance on how to use the funds.

Mr Lewis’ general principle is that if your mortgage rate exceeds the top after-tax savings rate available, it may be wiser to overpay your mortgage rather than deposit cash into savings. Addressing the question, Mr Lewis initially said that “you cannot earn 5.6 percent in savings”.

However, he highlighted certain savings vehicles where this rate can be beaten. He mentioned in passing: “With the exception of a Help to Save if you’re on Universal Credit or a regular saver where you can put a couple of hundred quid a month in.”

State Pensioners to face major tax change

The Help to Save scheme is worth a look if you’re receiving Universal Credit, as it provides a 50 per cent bonus on deposits. Through the scheme, you receive a 50p bonus for every £1 you deposit into the account over a four-year period.

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You can contribute between £1 and £50 each month, meaning you can save up to £2,400 over four years, earning up to £1,200 in bonuses. Savers receive their bonuses across two stages, with the first payout arriving after the initial two years, calculated on the highest balance achieved during that period.

The second bonus comes at the conclusion of year four, determined by the highest balance reached in years three and four. When it comes to regular saver accounts, you can get rates of over 7 percent, but there are restrictions on monthly deposits.

Take Nationwide Building Society’s Flex Regular Saver, for instance, which offers 6.5 percent but caps monthly contributions at £200. By depositing the maximum amount, savers could pocket £84.50 annually in interest.

Currently, Zopa leads the market with its Regular Saver offering 7.1 percent, allowing customers to stash away up to £300 monthly. Financial experts are forecasting further cuts to the Bank of England’s base rate this year.

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The rate presently stands at 3.75 per cent. The central bank opted to maintain this level in its most recent announcement.

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Lindsey Vonn crashes early in Olympic downhill, taken off the mountain in a helicopter

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Lindsey Vonn crashes early in Olympic downhill, taken off the mountain in a helicopter

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn, racing on a badly injured left knee, crashed early in the Olympic downhill on Sunday and was taken off the course by a helicopter after the 41-year-old American received medical attention on the snow for long, anguished minutes.

Vonn lost control over the opening traverse after cutting the line too tight and was spun around in the air. She was heard screaming out after the crash as she was surrounded by medical personnel before she was strapped to a gurney and flown away by a helicopter, possibly ending the skier’s storied career. Her condition was not immediately known, with the U.S. Ski Team saying simply she would be evaluated.

Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s teammate, won gold and became only the second American woman to win the Olympic downhill after Vonn did it 16 years ago. The 30-year-old Johnson held off Emma Aicher of Germany and Italy’s Sofia Goggia on a bittersweet day for Team USA.

Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated after just 13 seconds on the course. Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course she knows so well and holds a record 12 World Cup wins.

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Vonn’s crash was “tragic, but it’s ski racing,” said Johan Eliasch, president of the Internationl Ski and Snowboard Federation.

“I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport,” he said, “because this race has been the talk of the games and it’s put our sport in the best possible light.”

All eyes had been on Vonn, the feel-good story heading into the Olympics. She had returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years, a remarkable decision given her age but she also had a partial titanium knee replacement in her right knee, too. Many wondered how she would fare as she sought a gold medal to join the one she won in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

The four-time overall World Cup champion stunned everyone by being a contender almost immediately. She came to the Olympics as the leader in the World Cup downhill standings and was a gold-medal favorite before her crash in Switzerland nine days ago, when she suffered her latest knee injury. In addition to a ruptured ACL, she also had a bone bruise and meniscus damage.

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Still, no one counted her out even then. In truth, she has skied through injuries for three decades at the top of the sport. In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, Vonn took a bad fall during downhill training and went to the hospital. She competed less than 48 hours later, racing in all four events she’d planned, with a top result of seventh in the super-G.

“It’s definitely weird,” she said then, “going from the hospital bed to the start gate.”

Cortina has always had many treasured memories for Vonn beyond the record wins. She is called the queen of Cortina, and the Olympia delle Tofana is a course that had always suited Vonn. She tested out the knee twice in downill training runs over the past three days before the awful crash on Sunday in clear, sunny conditions.

“This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn said before the race. “Definitely the most dramatic.”

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___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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‘I felt so low, I would silently hope someone would crash into my car’

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'I felt so low, I would silently hope someone would crash into my car'
For a long while, Elle gave the impression she was coping but the reality was she battling suicidal thoughts (Picture: Getty Images)

From the outside, Elle Ward looked like the life and soul of the party; funny, outgoing and confident. But inside, she was crumbling.

‘I could be in the middle of a conversation, looking like I’m having a good time. But in my head I am constantly asking if I’m doing it right, if these people even like me. I had a constant internal voice questioning everything,’ the mother-of-one from Orpington explains.

Elle, 28, struggled with self-harm, depression and poor self-esteem as a teenager, and often clashed with her parents. By her late twenties, juggling single motherhood and a demanding teaching job, she was dangerously low.

‘On the drive to work, I would be silently begging someone to crash into my car, so I wouldn’t have to do it myself,’ she tells Metro.

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In October 2024, burnt out from work and depressed after the end of a long relationship, Elle decided she no longer wanted to live.

‘I was going off the rails. I was driving, taking recreational drugs every Friday and Saturday night. By Sunday I wasn’t a very nice person,’ she remembers. ‘My relationship with my parents was worse than ever. Everyone understandably thought I was selfish, but I was ill. I just felt – I can’t do this anymore.’

That week, without anyone knowing, Elle quietly said her goodbyes. She took her eight-year-old son on trips to the zoo, the amusement arcade and London, spent time with her grandparents, and had dinner with her parents.

28-year-old Elle had struggled with self-harm, depression and poor self-esteem as a teenager (Picture: Supplied)

‘I was at peace with ending my life. And it sounds strange, but it was probably the best I’d felt in such a long time,’ she recalls.

Elle doesn’t remember what happened after she kissed her parents goodnight and went up to her bedroom, but a chance visit from a neighbour saved her life and she was rushed to A&E. Two days later, she was transferred to a psychiatric ward in Sidcup.

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Arriving at five in the morning, Elle was greeted by a man in a dress playing loud music in the communal area.

‘I was petrified, and not in the head space to speak to anyone,’ she explains. ‘For the first week, I was so scared. I didn’t think I belonged somewhere like that – but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.’

With her phone and toiletries confiscated, Elle was shown to her room, where everything was bolted to the floor. There, she stayed in bed for days.

‘I refused to talk to anyone and just lay on the plastic mattress staring at the ceiling. I didn’t shower, I didn’t eat. I might as well have been dead, because that is what it felt like,’ she admits.

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One morning she woke to find another patient hiding in her room. ‘I heard a voice say, “You’re finally awake.” I didn’t know if it was real or a dream. Later, staff found him. I was terrified.’

Gradually, Elle began to talk to other patients. ‘A lot of the people were so nice. And so were the staff. I look back on it now as the best and worst six weeks of my life, because for the first time I was around people that understood. I didn’t have to hide anymore.

‘One man, who wore women’s leggings, a high-vis jacket and had no front teeth, turned out to be one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. If he hadn’t seen me, he’d get staff to check I was eating. I could kick myself for judging him.’

Depressed woman sitting on the bed at home while a shadow hand gives help.
When she was first admitted to hospital, Elle refused to speak to people (Picture: Getty Images)

However, Elle says she was disappointed by the lack of professional support. Besides medication, she only saw a psychiatrist twice in six weeks and had no individual therapy. Promised activities were often cancelled due to staff shortages and she found group work to be useless.

As Christmas approached, the mum felt desperate to return home to her son and she was discharged. Once home, her suicidal feelings returned. 

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‘I felt safe in hospital, but as soon as I’d come back, there was just everything at your fingertips. And no one can protect you from everything all the time.’

Elle was told she would see the home treatment team within 48 hours. However, she says that the appointment ‘was the most pointless 15 minutes of my life. A complete box-ticking exercise. I was then discharged from them and told I’d be picked up by the community mental health team within seven days.’

Weeks passed, then months – all with no support. Her mum desperately phoned services – her GP, the hospital, the home treatment team, the community mental health team – again and again, only to be passed from one team to another.

Powerful shot of a young woman sitting on her bed - negative emotion
Elle had been desperate to return home, but found it hard to cope (Credits: Getty Images)

Eventually Elle received a letter containing a psychiatrist’s appointment in May. ‘I cried and told my mum – I don’t think I can last that long,’ she remembers. ‘We thought about private care but couldn’t afford it.’

At night, Elle would lay wide awake, her mind whirring. During the day she was too nervous to leave the house. ‘Everyone around me was on eggshells. I could just see the worry in their faces. It confirmed the idea in my head that I wasn’t really worth it,’ she says.

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Sadly, Elle made further attempts on her life, but she stopped going to hospital, because, she says, ‘she didn’t see the point.’

It wasn’t until last August that Elle finally received meaningful help, when she received a referral to see an ‘absolutely brilliant’ NHS psychologist.

‘She follows me up, books appointments, and calls weekly to check in,’ explains Elle. ‘She treats me like a human being.’ 

Elle has written a book about her experience (Picture: Supplied)

The regular support has been invaluable and feeling stronger and stable, Elle has since begun sharing her experience online. She’s also heard from others who have been through the same and seen gaps in care, which inspired Elle to set up the charity What About Now, named after the question she asked when discharged with no follow up.

With the aim to create community spaces for people who feel isolated or unsupported, the charity’s main initiative, Chatty Corner, partners with local cafés in Bromley and Bexley where Elle sets aside time each week for anyone to drop in for companionship, a listening ear, practical advice or simply a safe place to talk. She hopes to expand the model nationally, building an inclusive network that makes support accessible regardless of income.

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‘I don’t think anyone should be discharged from hospital into nothing. People deserve meaningful aftercare and more needs to be done to protect people when they are at their most vulnerable,’ the mum, who has written a book about her experience, adds.

‘I am much stronger now. I keep busy with my son and the charity. I still have bad days, but I feel the best I’ve felt in a long time. However, I am angry because I nearly died, and my little boy nearly lost his mum because I fell through the cracks. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did.’

Metro has contacted Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust for comment.

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