The legislation comes into effect this week on Wednesday, March 18, 2026

A new law is being introduced to protect livestock from dogs, coming into effect this week in England and Wales and affecting those who walk their dogs in the countryside.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 comes into effect on Wednesday, March 18, changing what the law defines as ‘worrying livestock’, and increasing the penalty for breaking the law.

While it has long been an offence to allow a dog to worry livestock, the legislation was originally introduced in 1953 and has not kept pace with changes in the countryside. The change has come into effect as livestock numbers in England and Wales have doubled since then, and more people visit the countryside with their dogs.

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The change to the legislation will strengthen the tools available to police and the courts so they can respond more effectively when incidents happen. The Government has urged that the new law is not about restricting dog walking, it is about making sure people can continue to enjoy the countryside while keeping livestock safe, protecting animal welfare and supporting farmers.

For dog owners, this means that responsible access to the countryside is encouraged. Dog owners should ‘be aware’ of their surroundings when walking near livestock.

Advice to dog owners on the Gov.uk website reads: “A dog does not need to make physical contact with animals to commit an offence under the new law. Chasing or disturbing livestock can cause harm.

“The Countryside Code advises that dogs should be kept on a lead around livestock. Always check local signs, as some areas require dogs to be on a lead all or part of the year.”

The changes

The act:

• is worded so that attacking livestock is treated separately from worrying livestock. This reframing helps make the violent nature of livestock attacks much clearer. It doesn’t create a new offence as both behaviours are already covered in the 1953 act, but it does make the distinction explicit

• extends the law to cover livestock worrying and attacks that take place on roads and paths

• includes camelids (as llamas and alpacas are commonly farmed)

• introduces a new defence for dog owners to exempt them from liability where the dog was in the charge of another person at the time of the offence without the owner’s consent, for instance if the dog was stolen

• introduces new powers allowing a court to order an offender to pay expenses associated with seizing and detaining a dog

• provides a clear deterrent by increasing the penalty from a fine of up to £1,000 to an unlimited fine

In addition, the law gives police new and improved powers to improve their investigations, including:

• the power to seize and detain a dog where they have reasonable grounds to believe there is a risk that the dog could attack or worry livestock again. The dog can be detained until an investigation has been carried out or, if proceedings are brought for an offence, until those proceedings have been determined or withdrawn

• the power to take samples and impressions from a dog or livestock where the police have reasonable grounds to believe the dog has attacked or worried the livestock, and that a sample or impression might provide evidence of an offence. The sample or impression could then be used as evidence to support a prosecution

• the powers to enter and search premises to identify, seize and detain a dog for the prevention of future incidents, to collect samples or impressions, or seize any other evidence

More information can be found here.

The first races under Formula 1’s new regulations delivered exactly what the sport’s rule-makers had hoped for: more overtaking. At the recent Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, passes on track nearly tripled compared with the previous year. At the Chinese Grand Prix over the weekend the increase was less extreme, but still noticeable.

This revealed something unexpected about Formula 1’s new generation of cars. Many of the passes did not come from the classic ingredients of racing – a driver braking later into a corner, carrying more speed through the apex, or finding a daring line. Instead, they often happened when one car temporarily ran out of electrical power.

Under one of the most significant rule changes in the sport’s history, roughly half of a Formula 1 car’s output now comes from its electric motor. Drivers must carefully manage when their batteries deploy or regenerate energy. When the battery runs low, the car temporarily becomes vulnerable. Once the battery is recharged by recovering energy from braking, the driver can attack again. These cycles can create sudden swings in performance within a race.

This is raising questions about whether Formula 1’s push for sustainability is changing how races are won.

A greener engine era

Under the new regulations, the cars still look like Formula 1 machines. But the way they generate and deploy power is very different. The familiar turbocharged combustion engine remains, but it now shares power almost equally with the electric system.

The combustion engine also now runs on 100% sustainable fuel, designed to be carbon-neutral over its lifecycle. The cars themselves are smaller and lighter, with new active aerodynamic systems aimed at reducing air resistance on straights.

Major rule changes often trigger waves of experimentation as teams search for new advantages, and managing energy has suddenly become central to racing strategy. In a study published in Organization Science, my colleagues and I showed that Formula 1 teams face a classic strategic trade-off: incremental improvements are safe but rarely transformative, while radical innovations can produce breakthrough performance – or spectacular failure.

A new kind of racing

The Australian Grand Prix offered an early glimpse of how racing is being affected. Early in the race, Mercedes driver George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc repeatedly overtook each other within a few laps. But the pattern was unusual: neither driver was consistently faster. Instead, their cars were alternating between phases of energy depletion and recharge. The result looked less like traditional racing and more like a strategic ebb and flow of electrical power.

In the new hybrid era, drivers may need to adjust braking points or racing lines to regenerate electricity efficiently. They may even need to lift their foot from the throttle when in past seasons the same situation would have called for flat-out acceleration.

Some drivers have already expressed concerns that the new cars could feel less instinctive if energy constraints become too restrictive. If success increasingly depends on managing software systems and electrical energy flows, some drivers may feel that the essence of their craft is shifting. After the Chinese Grand Prix, veteran racer Fernando Alonso called this the “battery world championships”, and recent champion Max Verstappen likened it to Mario Kart.

The F1 sustainability paradox

Formula 1 has long argued that it operates like a moonshot laboratory, where extreme competition accelerates development. Technologies refined in racing have later appeared elsewhere, from advanced braking and handling systems in road cars to sensor technologies now used in hospitals. Even the choreography of Formula 1 pit stops has inspired procedures used by emergency medical teams.

The new generation of engines aims to extend that tradition by demonstrating sustainable innovation through advanced hybrid systems and sustainable fuels. But there is a paradox here. Early estimates suggest Formula 1’s new synthetic, net-zero fuel could cost hundreds of dollars per litre, more than ten times the cost of conventional racing fuel – and a hundred or more times the cost of regular petrol.

While this shows what is technically possible, unless production costs fall dramatically these fuels may remain confined to racing or high-performance supercars. In other words, the sport may develop impressive sustainable technologies – but ones that remain too expensive for everyday mobility.

Racing for the future

None of this means the regulations have failed. Formula 1 has a long history of dramatic rule changes producing awkward early seasons before engineers unlock their potential. Previous technological revolutions such as ground-effect aerodynamics in the late 1970s or the hybrid power units introduced in 2009 and then in 2014 required years of refinement before teams fully mastered them. Something similar may happen this year.

The first two races of the new season offered a first hint of tension facing the sport, but whether it ultimately produces better racing remains uncertain. At times, the difference between new and old F1 resembles the contrast between choreographed WWE matches and Olympic wrestling: more visually dramatic, yet less about raw athletic contest.

What is clear is that the 2026 regulations have already begun to reshape Formula 1 in ways few expected.

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Developers Peel Land say their proposal for a new employment development off Junction 4 on the M61 in Over Hulton could create as many as 380 jobs.

Full plans for the scheme, which looks set to be made up of 30,000 square metres of employment spaces, with offices, parking and landscaping, are expected soon.

A Peel Land spokesperson said: “Peel Land is preparing a planning application for a new employment development on land at Junction 4 of the M61, adjacent to Logistics North.

“The proposals would support up to 380 jobs across a range of roles, helping to create new employment opportunities for people in Bolton.

Full plans are expected soon (Image: Peel Land)

“The scheme sits adjacent to Logistics North and within the Northfold Growth Area, identified by Greater Manchester Combined Authority as a key location for employment and economic growth.

“The aim is to bring forward new jobs and support long-term investment in Bolton and Hulton.

 “This proposal relates specifically to land at Junction 4 and is separate from other applications being progressed in the wider area, including those at Lee Hall and Hulton Park.”

The Lee Hall site includes plans for up to 1,450 homes, a 15-acre public park and a proposed Park Avenue link road in Westhoughton.

This will run alongside but separate to a long-debated scheme to build an 18-hole luxury golf course at Hulton Park, capable of housing the Ryder Cup.

Peel Land put forward an Environmental Impact Assessment for the separate 10,000 square feet of employment space earlier this year.

EIAs are usually used to work out what potential impact developments will have on the environment before full plans are made.

The EIA for the land off the M61 was received and validated by Bolton Council on Wednesday February 18.

On Wednesday March 11 the council issued its decision that an EIA was not required.

Peel Land says it now intends to put forward a full planning application soon.

A spokesperson for the developers said: “The Planning Application will be submitted in due course, which will then be subject to a statutory public consultation by Bolton Council.

“A pre-application public consultation with site neighbours and local councillors has already been undertaken, with feedback being incorporated into the plans.

“In the meantime, anyone who would like further information or has questions about the proposals can contact the project team at contact@junction4employment.co.uk.”

It’s an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges) but if it’s not treated quickly, meningitis can be “very serious”.

It can also cause “life-threatening” sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves, according to the NHS.

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With recent reports of university students in Kent contracting meningitis, Dr Punam breaks down the key symptoms and what to do if you’re worried about yourself or someone you know. pic.twitter.com/NA90ncpnfE

— BBC Morning Live (@BBCMorningLive) March 16, 2026

Health experts have outlined that meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

The NHS states that bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis.

Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through:

• sneezing
• coughing
• kissing

The NHS adds: “Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves.

“It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common.”

What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis?

Some meningitis symptoms can develop suddenly and include:

• a high temperature (fever)
• being sick
• a headache
• a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop)
• a stiff neck
• a dislike of bright lights
• drowsiness or unresponsiveness
• seizures (fits)

It’s important to note that these symptoms can appear in any order and you do not always get all the symptoms.

Have you had a meningitis vaccination? (Image: ILARIA PANNETTA/Getty)

What vaccines are available for meningitis?

There are various vaccinations that can offer some protection against certain causes of meningitis, such as:

• MenB vaccine – offered to babies aged 8 weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at 1 year
• 6-in-1 vaccine – offered to children at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 18 months
• pneumococcal vaccine – 2 doses offered to babies at 16 weeks and 1 year, and a single dose offered to adults aged 65 or over
• MMRV vaccine – offered to children at 12 months and 18 months
• MenACWY vaccine – offered to teenagers, sixth formers and “fresher” students going to university for the first time

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The NHS urges: “Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis.

“Trust your instincts and do not wait for all the symptoms to appear or until a rash develops.

“Someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly.”

You should call NHS 111 for advice if you’re not sure if it’s anything serious or you think you may have been exposed to someone with meningitis.

The latest shutdown of Dubai’s airport has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of UK passengers.

Dubai International Airport announced on Monday, at 1.36am GMT, it had suspended flights after a drone hit a nearby fuel tank.

Many Emirates flights already in the air were diverted, while others waiting to take off were cancelled.

Five flights from UK airports had to return to their points of origin, including a journey from Edinburgh which had made it as far Egyptian airspace before turning back.

An Emirates spokesperson said: “We can confirm the flight [EK24] returned to Edinburgh due to operational disruption.”

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Other passengers on board a flight from London Stansted almost made it to Dubai, but were instead diverted to Vienna, Austria.

The closure of the major United Arab Emirates hub also impacts thousands hoping to finally return to the UK after being stranded in the Middle East, or other airports where UK flights connect in the region, since the US and Israel launched its war on Iran.

On Monday, all seven Emirates flights from Dubai to London Heathrow were cancelled.

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Later in the morning, Dubai International Airport said flights were “gradually resuming to selected destinations”.

Flights to and from the airport were heavily impacted for several days following the start of the US-Israeli operations against Iran on 28 February.

Around half a million passengers per day use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, which serve as key hubs for travel between Europe and continents of Asia and Australia.

Qatar flights to resume

However, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs said on Monday that Qatar Airlines flights would resume on Friday.

Helen McEntee said on X: “Pleased to announce that we have been informed by Qatar Airlines that it will resume flights from Doha to Dublin on Friday, 20 March 2026.

“There will be four direct flights weekly from that date.”

The towering forward won the last of his 15 Test caps in November 2024

Wales forward Christ Tshiunza will reportedly join Sale Sharks when his contract with Exeter Chief expires at the end of the season, with the move throwing his international future into question.

The towering forward has been the subject of significant interest from Cardiff Rugby, having been raised in the Welsh capital and gone through the region’s academy system after moving to Wales from the Democratic Republic of Congo as a child. However, after Sale hijacked the move, the English side have now won the race for his signature ahead of next season, according to RugbyPass.

It is unclear what this move will mean for Tshiunza’s Test career but, if he was offered a competitive deal by Cardiff, it could be an issue, with the 24-year-old having won only 15 caps for Wales since making his debut in 2021.

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Under Welsh Rugby Union rules, a player with fewer than 25 caps that receives “a fair and reasonable offer” to play for a side in Wales and moves elsewhere will become ineligible to represent the national side. If the offer made is not deemed “reasonable”, however, it falls to the Rugby Management Board (RMB) and Professional Rugby Board (PRB) to consider the player’s eligibility.

However, the weight and relevance of the 25-cap rule today can be seriously questioned with several loopholes found in recent times, allowing the likes of Jarrod Evans and Rhys Carre to return to the national team despite playing in England.

Tshiunza won the last of his international caps against South Africa during the 2024 autumn internationals and has struggled with a injuries in recent times. He broke his foot while playing for Exeter on the opening weekend on the PREM season, ruling him out of Wales’ autumn campaign, while a further setback earlier this year made him unavailable for the Six Nations.

After nearly six months on the sidelines, he made his return to action off the bench in Exeter’s 66-14 mauling at the hands of Leicester Tigers in Sunday’s PREM Rugby Cup final.

Cardiff are believed to have eyed Tshiunza as a potential replacement for Ulster-bound forward Ben Donnell, but instead he is set to join fellow Wales internationals Nicky Smith, Tomas Francis and WillGriff John at Sale.

It comes after Exeter boss Rob Baxter admitted it would be tough to keep Tshiunza at Sandy Park beyond his deal, which expires at the end of the 2025/26 season.

“The tough one with Christ, really, I don’t mind saying, our EQP numbers are quite tight and making sure that we have that balance in the squad, because for us, it’s very, very important that we keep the funding for the EQP balance,” he explained.

“When you look at the make-up, particularly in our forwards, where our frontline players are, especially when you see guys like Bachuki Tchumbadze coming through, who obviously is non-EQP.

“We’ve signed Nika Abuladze, who is obviously non-EQP, to make our frontline forwards as strong as we have,” Baxter added. “At some stage, EQP becomes quite an important factor for us.

“And obviously, Zambo (Andrea Zambonin) is going well with Daf (Dafydd Jenkins) in the second row. Tom Hooper is going well in the back row. You know, we start to fill up our non-EQP quota pretty quickly.”

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The RAC Foundation have stated there’s something “wrong” with the system

New research has shown that private parking companies have issued 76 million tickets over the span of seven years.

Motoring research charity, the RAC Foundation calculated the figure and share that it demonstrates something being “wrong” with the system.

In 2019, the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill received royal assent. The aim of this was to create a code of conduct for the private parking sector following years of accusations that there were misleading and confusing signs for customers, as well as aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.

The code included halving the cap on tickets which would have made most-parking offences £50. Although this was due to come into force across Britain by the end of 2023, the Conservative government withdrew in 2022 after a legal challenge.

A new consultation on introducing a code was held by the Labour Government last year. The RAC Foundation analysed the number of records obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by companies chasing vehicle owners for alleged infringements in private car parks.

Between the start of April 2019 and the end of September last year the total was 68.4 million. They added that there have been around eight million requests since then.

Steve Gooding, director of the charity, said: “No one denies there are some drivers who will always try it on, but the idea that the vast majority of the estimated 48,000 people who get ticketed daily set out to flout the rules is absurd.

“In this financial climate who knowingly risks getting charged a ‘penalty’ of typically £100? This suggests something fundamental is wrong with the system and we urge ministers to finally act to curb some of the power of the parking industry whose aim – which is understandable in a way – is to make as much money as possible.

“Clearly, there are big issues facing the Government but finally resetting the private parking landscape would bring a cheer from millions of motorists whilst still ensuring real offending is curtailed.”

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Motorists must be protected when using private car parks and we are determined to drive up standards in the industry.

“We have run a consultation on this issue and will set out further details on the private parking code of practice as soon as possible.”

Isaac Occhipinti, head of external affairs at industry body the British Parking Association, said: “The BPA recognises the need for a code of practice that reflects today’s motoring environment.

“With record numbers of vehicles on the road, the new framework is an important step to address current concerns, protect decent drivers and deter behaviour that harms communities.

“Parking charges act as a deterrent. When they are reduced, evidence shows that compliance falls, disruption rises and more people ultimately receive charges.”

The 86-year-old cookery writer and restaurateur shared that she was leaving the Channel 4 baking show to focus on other interests.

However, she has now shared another factor that played into it, because of concerns over her mobility.

Speaking on The Shift podcast about a moment of filming when she realised this, Leith said: “We weren’t judging cake – they wanted us to dance round this field.

“And it was a very hummocky, uneven field, which of course Noel [Fielding] could really leap over brilliantly and Paul [Hollywood] perfectly good.

“But I suddenly realised ‘I’m going to go A over T, you know, this is going to be humiliating beyond belief.’

“So I said ‘I don’t want to do it,’ and they understood – they were fine.”

Leith admitted that it was the first time she had to refuse an activity on the show due to her physical limitations.

She said: “That was the first time I had to say ‘I can’t do that.’

“Gradually there had been more and more of those things.”

Prue Leith discusses presenting partnership with Paul Hollywood

Leith joined Bake Off as a judge in 2017, when the show moved from the BBC to Channel 4.

Speaking about their 25-year age gap, Leith said Hollywood regularly joked about her being older.

She said: “Ever since I’ve been on Bake Off, Paul has always teased me because I’m so much older than him.

“He’d say things like ‘Come along deary, upsy daisy,’ ‘time for your nap,’ or ‘time for your tea,’ or something or other.

“This is a running joke… but of late I’ve thought ‘Actually, you’re right mate.’

“If I had stayed on Bake Off, I’d have asked for a ramp to get into my Winnebago.

“Paul’s teasing would have become absolutely true, so he would have probably stopped doing it.”

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The TV cook and food writer Nigella Lawson was announced as Prue Leith’s replacement on the programme.

She becomes the third judge to work alongside Paul Hollywood after Leith and Dame Mary Berry.

The 66-year-old has said she will leave the “technical” judging to Hollywood and focus on the “eating”.

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During an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, Nigella also shared that she was “really looking forward” to joining the team.

She said: “Well, I’m really looking forward to it.

“Listen, I think Prue is just fantastic, and Mary Berry was fantastic before.

“So if I think about it like that, I do, then I feel like, ‘Oh no’, you know, I get really frightened.

“So I’ve just got to say, you know, that they have given me the honour of offering me this, and I just want to do it as well as I can, and just, you know, become a part of it and enjoy it.”