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Nigel Farage Criticised As Rubbish In Commons Clash

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Nigel Farage Criticised As Rubbish In Commons Clash

Nigel Farage was compared to “rubbish” piling up in the street by an MP in a brutal Commons slapdown.

Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, made the comment as he asked Keir Starmer to intervene to end a long-running strike by bin workers in the city.

Looking directly at the Reform UK leader, who was sitting in the row in front of him, Khan said “rubbish is building up right beneath my very nose”.

Farage sat grim-faced as MPs across the Commons roared with laughter and shouted “more”.

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After a short pause, Khan went on: “It’s becoming a serious problem. In Birmingham, bin strikes are now running over close to two years.

“Can I ask the prime minister to intervene and perhaps speak to the leader of Birmingham City Council to see if he can re-enter negotiations with Unite the Union?”

Starmer said the government was “doing everything we can to resolve the situation, which absolutely needs resolving”.

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Armed police seen at Bristol Zoo site as gorillas move out of enclosure

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Daily Mirror

Armed police were seen escorting gorillas from the Bristol Zoo Project in Clifton to their new home at Easter Compton, which is set to open to the public this spring

Armed police were spotted at a former city zoo as gorillas moved out of their enclosure.

Staff at Bristol Zoo Project are relocating the gorillas from the Clifton site to their new home on the outskirts of the city. Lorries and vans from JCS Livestock – the country’s leading transportation firm for large wild animals – were seen leaving the site on Wednesday afternoon, escorted by armed police, Bristol Live reports.

Eight western lowland gorillas have lived at Clifton since the zoo closed three and a half years ago. The last animals remaining at the site will soon move to a purpose-built home at Easter Compton, near junction 17 of the M5 at Cribbs Causeway.

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A spokesperson for the Bristol Zoological Society said the move will take place gradually over the course of several weeks. “The planning for the move of the zoo’s troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas is extensive and being overseen by the expert team at Bristol Zoological Society to ensure the highest possible animal welfare,” the spokesperson said.

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“Operational preparation for the move has been planned to take place over several weeks. The date of the move won’t be made public to ensure that it progresses without interruption, and the gorillas’ welfare is not impacted. As soon as the move is complete, we will share information with our supporters, volunteers, and members.”

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Last month, the zoo unveiled images of its new “African Forest habitat”, including an indoor ‘gorilla gym’, ahead of its planned opening in the spring. The timber structure spanning three indoor areas was crafted using “oak sourced sustainably from Devon”. It features resting platforms, nests and a ‘biofloor’ of bark chip mulch, which the zoo says will encourage natural behaviours like climbing and nesting.

“Plans to create a new conservation zoo at Bristol Zoo Project continue to progress, as work is close to completing on the new African Forest habitat for some the world’s most endangered species,” the spokesperson said.

“Completion of African Forest enables the much-anticipated arrival of the zoo’s existing troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas. They will be joined by Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys in a UK zoo first for the two species.

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“African Forest will also be home to Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, Endangered African grey parrots and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish.

“African Forest will open to the public in spring 2026 and the gorilla move has been carefully planned to enable a period for the animals to settle into their new habitat prior to the public opening.”

Since the Clifton site closed to visitors in September 2022, keepers have continued to care for the gorillas daily, although occasional break-ins by “urban explorers” have caused the animals distress, the Bristol Zoological Society previously said.

Last month, a campaign to reopen the Clifton site as a zoo was relaunched, with campaigners telling a packed public meeting that time was running out to stop the final sale of the land to property developers.

The campaigners said Bristol Zoological Society will only be able to complete the sale of the Clifton Zoo Gardens site to Acorn Property Group once the gorillas have been moved, as the deal requires vacant possession.

The society overcame a legal challenge last year over plans to build 198 new homes on the former zoo site, with proceeds from the sale funding the expansion of the Bristol Zoo Project in South Gloucestershire.

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Live updates: Police identify suspect as 18-year-old who killed eight people in Canada shooting

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Live updates: Police identify suspect as 18-year-old who killed eight people in Canada shooting
British Columbia Premier David Eby gives update on deadly school shooting

An 18-year-old girl was identified as the person who fatally shot six people at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and two other people at a private residence Tuesday in one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings in history.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon that Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at the private residence before opening fire at the school.

Six people were killed at the high school – a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students, a 12-year-old male student and a 13-year-old male student. RCMP have not publicly identified the names of the victims yet.

At least 27 people were injured in the mass shooting, two of whom were airlifted to hospitals and are in critical condition.

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Students and faculty at the high school, located in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, spent hours barricaded inside classrooms, offices and other corners of the school after the principal directed everyone to lock their doors.

Investigators have not identified a motive for the shooting, but said that police had responded to calls at the residence multiple times over the last several years due to “concerns” about the suspect’s “mental health.”

In Photos: Tumbler Ridge reels from devastating mass shooting

Crime scene tape surrounds a high school at the site of a deadly mass shooting in the town of Tumbler Ridge
Crime scene tape surrounds a high school at the site of a deadly mass shooting in the town of Tumbler Ridge (REUTERS)
Flowers and toys lie on the ground near the site of a mass shooting
Flowers and toys lie on the ground near the site of a mass shooting (REUTERS)
Authorities work at the high school where a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge
Authorities work at the high school where a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge (REUTERS)

Independent Staff11 February 2026 23:00

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Young female altered police to home shooting

Authorities said a young female resident living in the home where the shooter killed their mother and younger stepbrother went to a neighbor’s house to call police.

McDonald said police received a call from the home around 2:47 p.m. local time – after receiving an alert from the school of an active shooter.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 22:30

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Watch: Canada school shooting leaves nine dead as female suspect is identified

Canada school shooting leaves nine dead as female suspect is identified

Independent Video11 February 2026 22:00

Authorities recovered a long gun and modified handgun

Two firearms were recovered from the scene – a long gun and a modified handgun.

It is unclear who the firearms were registered to. While the suspect had a gun license that expired in 2024, she did not have any firearms registered to her.

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Authorities said the home where the suspect lived had a history of secured firearms.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 21:30

Son of pastor is among the victims

The 12-year-old son of Pastor Abel Mwansa and Bwalya Chisanga is among the children who were fatally shot in a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday.

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The boy was identified as Abel Mwsana Jr. in a Facebook post by Burning Bush Ministries, City of Grace Chapel.

“The loss has brought profound grief to the family, the church, and all who knew and loved him.”

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 21:00

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Police revise death toll numbers to nine

Police in Canada said Wednesday afternoon nine people, including the shooter, had died in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting – revising earlier numbers that claimed 10 people died.

Officials said in a press conference that an individual who was critically injured was believed to have died on the way to the hospital. However, that individual is still alive and in critical condition.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 20:45

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Five students, aged 12-13, were killed

Canadian officials said that a total of five students were killed in Tuesday’s shooting, ranging from 12 to 13 years old.

Three 12-year-old female students were among those fatally shot, as well as a 12-year-old male.

Another male student, 13 years old, was also killed.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 20:22

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Shooter fatally shot mother and younger sibling

Police said the adult woman and male youth who were found deceased at the private residence were identified as the mother and brother or stepbrother of the suspected shooter.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 20:04

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Suspected shooter identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police identified 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar as the suspected shooter.

Police said they had visited the home of the suspected shooter in the past due to “mental health issues.”

The suspected shooter is believed to have fatally shot her mother and younger male sibling at her home before opening fire at the school, police said.

Dwayne McDonald, the deputy commissioner for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, said that the suspect was born biologically male but had begun transitioning to a woman approximately six years ago.

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Ariana Baio11 February 2026 20:00

Carney cancels trip to Munich

Prime Minister Mark Carney has canceled a planned overseas trip to Munich, Germany, for the Munich Security Conference this week after the deadly mass shooting.

“The prime minister is remaining in the National Capital Region at this time, and we can confirm that previously announced travel for the coming days has been cancelled,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

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In his place, the defence minister, foreign affairs minister and AI minister will travel to Germany.

Ariana Baio11 February 2026 19:30

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Liverpool FC: Arne Slot issues worrying Wataru Endo injury update after midfielder stretchered off

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Liverpool FC: Arne Slot issues worrying Wataru Endo injury update after midfielder stretchered off

Endo’s injury is more bad news for Slot, who has been limited by injuries throughout this campaign. Club-record signing Alexander Isak has missed most of the season with various issues, most recently with a broken leg, while another summer signing, centre-back Giovanni Leoni, ruptured his ACL on debut.

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Pep Guardiola issues Erling Haaland injury update after Man City star hauled off

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Erling Haaland was substituted at half-time during Manchester City’s 3-0 win against Fulham, leaving fans concerned that he’d suffered an injury ahead a crucial period

Pep Guardiola will wait to discover the extent of Erling Haaland’s ‘problems’ after taking the Manchester City star off at half-time against Fulham. Haaland, 25, scored to help City race into a 3-0 lead on Wednesday, meaning that the contest was largely done and dusted by the break.

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When the Norwegian returned to the dressing room, he informed City staff that he felt ‘uncomfortable’. Guardiola didn’t want to take a risk on Haaland and replaced him with Omar Marmoush for the second half.

City saw out their dominant victory and moved within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, who have a game in hand. It also made it three wins in a row for Guardiola’s side after a tricky January.

Asked why he took Haaland off, the City manager replied: “Niggles, some problems. He didn’t feel comfortable. It was 3-0, of course.

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“The reason why? Many games. (Marc) Cucurella is injured, right? For Chelsea, he’s injured. You know the reason why, right? I didn’t speak with the doctors.

“I don’t know exactly what he has. He was just struggling, fatigue or something, I don’t know. He said he didn’t feel comfortable, it was 3-0. Common sense.”

Guardiola was delighted with City’s display, as they extended their winning run in home games against Fulham to 20 games. “A really good performance; one of the best of this season,” Guardiola hailed. “After important, emotional games like Anfield, the next one is always tricky.”

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Fulham boss Marco Silva bemoaned his team’s display, saying: “We know normally in these types of games we have to be clinical. It was too easy for them to score the goals. At 1-0, we had a big chance and to equalise probably a different game. We have to be at our best level in these types of games and we weren’t and that is why we lost the game.”

Both teams’ focus will turn to the FA Cup fourth round. On Saturday, City host League Two side Salford before Fulham travel to Championship outfit Stoke on Sunday.

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They’ll then return to Premier League action. City will host Newcastle while Fulham, who’ve now lost four of their last five games, make the journey to Sunderland.

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Linfield players showing a quality boss David Healy prides himself on

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Belfast Live

Linfield are still a whopping 14 points off leaders Larne and look to have relinquished their grip on the title, but Healy was delighted to see a reaction

Linfield manager David Healy believes his team showed a quality on Tuesday night that he prides himself on. After a humiliating Irish Cup exit to Championship side Limavady on Friday, the Blues responded in style with a 6-0 win over Irish Cup holders Dungannon Swifts in the league.

Linfield are still a whopping 14 points off leaders Larne and look to have relinquished their grip on the title, but Healy was delighted to see some resilience.

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“It was a difficult, difficult week. There was a lot of anger, lot of frustration and I understand that,” said Healy. “Nobody wants to win more than I do and I want the team and the players to go and perform.

“I did say that sometimes a night like that is humbling, frustrating, disappointing. You need to react and respond, you need to show a little bit of resilience, and that’s what’s important going forward.

“You puff your chest out when you play for this football club. Everything’s a challenge, even when you win it can be a challenge.”

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The reigning league champions lost key men like Chris Shields, Robbie McDaid and Kieran Offord to long term injuries this year, and that has proven costly.

“We’ve lost a bit of experience in the dressing room, not only through injuries. We’ve lost key players, people have got a bit older, people have moved on. So it’s about nurturing a lot of the dressing room into Linfield players, what it means,” insisted Healy.

“The fightback has to start, maybe a night like the other night, we have to be ready for the challenge. Linfield have proven, Roy Coyle, David Jeffrey, the most successful managers this country has ever seen. Not everything is smooth sailing.

“It’s about digging in, staying calm. I get people want to bash you at times when it’s down, I get that. But I’ve always prided myself on a bit of resilience.”

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Fergie tells friends she ‘needs to get back to work’ amid Epstein bombshells

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Daily Record

Ferguson has kept a low profile, spending time in the French Alps and the UAE with her daughter Eugenie

Defiant Sarah Ferguson is reportedly planning a remarkable return to public life, amid scrutiny following the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The former duchess, 66, has told friends: “I need to get back to work. I need money,” as she plots a reinvention away from her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Sources say Ferguson has been keeping a low profile while “getting her head together,” spending time with friends in the French Alps before travelling to the United Arab Emirates. She has also been in the region with her youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, who was attending an art fair in Doha, Qatar, for her work with art dealer Hauser and Wirth.

Until recently, Ferguson had been living with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whom she divorced in 1996. He left Royal Lodge last week, formalising their long-awaited separation, Mirror reports. Ferguson is now reportedly planning to distance herself from him.

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She told a friend: “When I come back I am going to have to put some distance between myself and Andrew.” Despite her intentions, Ferguson faces obstacles in mounting a comeback.

According to the Daily Mail, she intends to remain “in the Windsor area,” either buying or renting a new home, but critics question her prospects. One source said: “I don’t know whether Sarah is just deluded or desperate.

“She is 66 and has no home and no discernible income. The public is disgusted by what they have read. And how would she pay a new PR team to rescue her reputation?”

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The former duchess’s financial troubles are intertwined with her association with Epstein. Emails revealed in the recent files show Ferguson repeatedly seeking his help to pay debts and manage practical matters over an extended period. Reports suggest she remained in contact with Epstein even after his release from prison for sex offences against children, taking her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, to lunch with him just five days after he was freed.

Ferguson also privately apologised to Epstein for publicly denouncing him, claiming she had done so to protect her career as a children’s author. In her correspondence, she described him as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.”

Once a regular presence on television, including appearances on This Morning and Loose Women, Ferguson is now said to be scouting for a new PR team to manage her return. Sources indicate she is keen to rebuild a public profile independent of her former husband.

Her plans come amid ongoing public scrutiny over her ties to Epstein and her financial instability. Friends and observers have noted the difficulty of attracting new opportunities given her recent notoriety and lack of a permanent residence.

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Ferguson’s attempts to re-establish herself in the public eye appear to balance personal reinvention with the challenges of repairing a reputation tarnished by scandal.

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Van Dijk secures win at Sunderland but Liverpool dealt fresh injury blow

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Van Dijk secures win at Sunderland but Liverpool dealt fresh injury blow

Sunderland are a danger, a threat and they have maintained their early season momentum, especially in front of a home crowd that bays for blood on nights like these.

The first time Liverpool tried to play out from the back, Andrew Robertson’s clearance was blocked, the roar from the stands was louder than some celebrate a goal.

Sunderland would look to be direct and they try to exploit set pieces in the final third. A simple enough approach that has served them so well.

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In Brian Brobbey they have a battering ram of a centre-forward, strong, quick and with rugby player’s love of contact in open field. There is finesse in this Sunderland side, but he is the power up top, chasing every long ball, holding it up and holding off whichever centre back came with him.

Liverpool had to be resolute. They could not allow themselves to be bullied; kicked and knocked out of their stride. They had to earn the right to play their own game by containing Sunderland playing theirs.

It led to a game of few chances in the first half, Wirtz forcing the first save of the match after half hour, a shot from the edge of the area tipped away for a corner by Robin Roefs.

Liverpool though looked composed and began to take control with their quick, short passing stretching Sunderland’s defence and creating little pockets of space. Wirtz was really unlucky to see a shot, set up by a superb first touch to create the angle, hit the post before Roefs made an excellent save to prevent his header looping into the net.

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Canadian teen who killed eight, including six kids, had ‘mental health issues’ and had previously had guns confiscated: police

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Canadian teen who killed eight, including six kids, had ‘mental health issues’ and had previously had guns confiscated: police

Canadian police identified an 18-year-old as the perpetrator who fatally shot six people at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and two others at a private residence Tuesday in what is one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings.

Officials said Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at their home before opening fire at the high school. Five students, aged 12 to 13, and one 39-year-old female educator were killed.

Police said the suspect was born biologically male but had been transitioning to female over the past six years. She was not a student at the school but it was not immediately clear if she had previously studied at Tumbler Ridge Secondary.

A motive for the shooting is unclear, but police said they had made multiple visits to the suspect’s home over the last several years for concerns about mental health issues.

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At least seven of the victims were fatally shot at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School

At least seven of the victims were fatally shot at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School (Facebook/Tumbler RidgeLines)

What do we know about the shooter?

The shooter was a resident of Tumbler Ridge who was not currently enrolled in school, Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, told reporters in a press conference Wednesday.

McDonald said the suspect dropped out of school roughly four years ago and was not related to any of the victims killed at the school. When asked if the shooter faced “bullying” by students, McDonald said there was no indication of such.

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However, it’s unclear if any of the suspect’s family had any connection to the high school.

While exact details about the suspect’s life were not made immediately clear, McDonald said the suspect was born biologically male but had begun transitioning to female approximately six years ago. McDonald said authorities would identify the suspect by her preferred pronouns, which were she/her.

Police in the area knew the suspect, in part because Tumbler Ridge is a close-knit town, but also because of the suspect’s mental health history.

The suspected shooter did not attend Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, authorities said

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The suspected shooter did not attend Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, authorities said (REUTERS)

Over the last several years, authorities visited the suspect’s home “on multiple occasions” due to concerns. On different occasions, police apprehended the suspect for a mental health evaluation. In at least one instance, authorities removed firearms from the home.

McDonald added: “I can say that, on different occasions, the suspect was apprehended for assessment and follow-up.”

The suspect held a gun license that expired in 2024 and did not have any firearms registered to her.

What happened during the shooting at Tumbler Ridge?

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Police said the suspect first fatally shot her mother and younger sibling at her home before going to the school; however, authorities received calls about the two in the opposite order.

Officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a report about an active shooter at the school at around 1:20 p.m. local time. Within two minutes, authorities arrived, David Eby, the Premier of British Columbia, said.

The principal of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School ran through the halls of the school, warning students and faculty to lock their doors. Darian Quist, a 12th-grade student at the school, told CBC News, that he and a dozen other students barricaded themselves in a classroom.

At least 25 other people were injured in the deadly shooting, some suffering significant gunshot wounds

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At least 25 other people were injured in the deadly shooting, some suffering significant gunshot wounds (Facebook/Tumbler RidgeLines)

“For a while, I didn’t think anything was going on,” Quist said, until reports on his phone about the shooting began to come through. “We got tables and barricaded the doors, and I believe we sat in there for two hours, two hours and thirty minutes, until members of the RCMP and I believe SWAT came through the door and escorted us at the high school.”

Authorities said most of the people killed at the high school were fatally shot in the school library.

Around 2:47 p.m., authorities received a call to the private residence where the suspect’s mother and stepbrother were found. A young female who lived in the home went to a neighbor’s to call police, McDonald said.

RCMP officers lifted the community-wide alert around 5:45 p.m., stating there were no “outstanding suspects or threats to the public.”

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Initially, authorities believed 10 people were killed, but later corrected the record to say nine were killed, including the shooter.

Residents of Tumbler Ridge have left flowers and toys in memory of the eight victims who were fatally shot

Residents of Tumbler Ridge have left flowers and toys in memory of the eight victims who were fatally shot (REUTERS)

Where is Tumbler Ridge Secondary School?

Tumbler Ridge Secondary School is located in the southern portion of Tumbler Ridge, a remote town in the province of British Columbia, Canada

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One resident told the newspaper that cellphone service cuts out just 30 seconds after leaving town because of its isolated location.

However, the town is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by an expansive UNESCO-recognized geological park.

Tumbler Ridge was once a major hub for mining, but its two major mines closed permanently in 2000 and 2003.

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With a population of just 2,400, the town is a tight-knit community, meaning many of the victims of the shooting are known to most of the town.

“I will know every victim. I’ve been here 19 years, and we’re a small community,” the town’s mayor, Darryl Krakowka, said, according to the BBC. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”

King Charles III echoed the sentiment in a statement released Wednesday morning, saying, “In such a closely connected town, every child’s name will be known and every family will be a neighbour.”

British Columbia, where Tumbler Ridge is located, has the highest rates of gun ownership of any area in Canada. According to the Canadian government, around 16 percent of people surveyed in the area reported owning a firearm.

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Where is CBBC’s The Dumping Ground filmed in the North East?

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Where is CBBC's The Dumping Ground filmed in the North East?

A sequel to Tracy Beaker Returns, and the third instalment in the much-loved Tracy Beaker franchise, The Dumping Ground first aired in 2013 and remains one of CBBC’s most successful and longest-running shows.

The series focuses on the lives of children living in care, tackling themes such as friendship, family, mental health, identity, racism and LGBT parenting.

The Dumping Ground (Image: CBBC)

For over 12 years, the production has maintained a strong presence in the region.

Its current base is the former Hexham Middle School Fellside Building in Northumberland, which has doubled as the fictional Porter’s Lodge home since series 11.

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Recent episodes, including series 13, have also featured recognisable landmarks such as Hexham Abbey, the town’s local bowling alley and Tyne Green park.

Before the move to Hexham, the show filmed extensively in Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, between series two and ten. Hookergate School in High Spen was used for interior scenes, while a nearby children’s respite care home, Kites Rise, served as the exterior of the fictional Ashdene Ridge.

Residential streets in Rowlands Gill and Consett also appeared regularly, standing in for the show’s fictional setting of Pottiswood.

The earliest series of The Dumping Ground, as well as Tracy Beaker Returns, were filmed at the former La Sagesse convent school in Jesmond, Newcastle.

However, plans by developers to convert the site into housing forced production to relocate, prompting the show’s gradual move further into Northumberland.

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Other North East locations have included Consett and Morpeth, with interior scenes for later series filmed at the former Loansdean Fire Station before production returned briefly to Hookergate School.

Filming for the show in Consett (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

A dramatic storyline at the end of series 10, which saw Ashdene Ridge destroyed by fire, neatly coincided with the real-world move to Hexham and the introduction of a new care home setting.

In 2024, the eleventh series marked a major creative refresh for the programme, introducing a new house, updated title sequence and logo, and removing the animated segments seen in earlier series.



A fourteenth series began airing on CBBC in January 2026.

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The production has worked closely with North East Screen, helping to support regional talent through paid traineeships and shadow director roles.

Former lead actor Dani Harmer, who played Tracy Beaker, has returned to the franchise in recent years both on and off screen.

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Teens see social media, more than school, as the place to learn about race and faith

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Teens see social media, more than school, as the place to learn about race and faith

For most young people, learning about social and political issues doesn’t start with a textbook. It starts with a phone.

While debates intensify about whether to impose a social media ban on under-16s in the UK, it’s important to consider how social media can be a route for learning as well as potential harm.

Young people aged 14-15 are at a crucial stage in terms of their developing awareness of and engagement with political issues. Our research with more than 3,000 young people in year ten (ages 14 and 15) in schools across England found that 75% said they learned most about social and political issues online, including on social media.

This is far more than the 47% who (also) said they learned most about this at school. At the same time, though, only 21% said they were comfortable sharing their views on such issues online: 60% don’t share their views online.

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Learning about race and faith equality doesn’t just mean learning about anti-racist movements like Black Lives Matter, for example. It also refers to the ways that young people, including those from diasporic and global majority backgrounds, develop their identities and values as citizens of the UK and the world.

Young people in our study described various ways they used online spaces to engage around race and faith issues. These included looking things up on established news sources like the BBC, and using news alerts on their phone. Apps like Instagram and TikTok were useful to some for updates from their extended family abroad, or to get direct information. This could include information from Gaza, for instance, where outside journalists have not been allowed in.

Some were wary of getting information from apps such as TikTok and YouTube, because they were regarded as potentially spreading false information and stereotypes about particular migrant communities, or presenting extremes. This wariness led them to crosscheck what they had seen on social media with news journalism that verifies its sources.

Further analysis of the survey – to be published in our forthcoming book – showed that most were cautious about sharing their views on social issues online. Statistically speaking, girls were also less comfortable than boys, and young people with Black, African and Caribbean backgrounds were less comfortable than their white peers sharing their views online.

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But social media could also act as a sounding board for critically reflecting on, and emotionally processing events. For instance, a south-Asian Muslim girl felt that hearing other people’s opinions on an experience of discrimination can allow one to have multiple perspectives on what happened.

Learning from social media

Arguably, the fact that young people are often sceptical about what they see online is a positive outcome of their secondary online and media literacy education. But our research suggests that young people go online because they can’t get the information they need at school. Young people in rural areas, as well as those with Black, African and Caribbean backgrounds, raised particular concerns about school as a place to discuss race and faith issues. Those in lower-income areas also showed lower expectations that such issues would be discussed at school.

Government policy has for many years made it hard for schools to teach about race and faith equality in particular. One reason for this is that exam pressure in years ten and eleven (aged 14-16) leads schools to consign direct teaching about equality issues to years seven to nine.

But more fundamentally, the content of the curriculum, including history, is heavily geared towards a white British and European worldview. Citizenship education has been neglected in favour of traditional academic subjects, and so equality issues are addressed in occasional Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons.

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Teens are wary of sharing their views on race and faith both online and at school.
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More problematically, schools have had to walk a delicate line when it comes to talking about political issues. In recent years, schools have been warned that teaching white privilege as a fact in schools is unlawful, and that they must ensure they teach topics relating to Israel and Palestine neutrally.

We found education stakeholders including local authority advisers, teacher unions and community organisations are concerned about the lack of support for teachers to engage these and other issues accurately. This concern is something current policymaking, including the curriculum and assessment review, has not meaningfully addressed.

It’s not surprising, then, that only 38% of young people felt comfortable sharing their views at school. While this is a higher proportion than shared their views online, we would expect a much higher result from school if obstacles to sharing views there were removed. Such obstacles include concern about peer judgement, being disciplined, or because they felt they had to sideline their feelings, have a “thick skin” and focus on their studies to – paradoxically – get ready for “the real world”.

We need to carefully consider and balance young people’s rights both to protection and to information in school and online. Our recommendations call for much greater support for schools to negotiate race and faith issues, as taking away under-16s’ access to social media without greater school-based support could be more counterproductive than protective.

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