Shoppers urged to check ham products from Tesco Finest and Lidl Deluxe ranges after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland issued a recall

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Leading supermarkets Tesco and Lidl have withdrawn products from sale due to potential contamination with listeria monocytogenes.

Both retailers have issued the recall affecting items from their premium own-label collections.

Ham products from Tesco Finest and Lidl’s Deluxe range have been pulled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) because of the possible health threat.

Products manufactured under the Brady Family brand are also included in the alert.

All products covered by the recall:

• Brady Family Wood Smokes Real Irish Ham 6 Slices – pack size 80g – batch code 235417.
• Brady Family Hand Crumbed Real Irish Ham 6 Slices – pack size 80g – batch code 235880 and 235765.
• Lidl’s Deluxe Triple Oak Smoked Carved Irish Ham 5 slices – pack size 130g – batch code 235461.
• Deluxe Honey Roast Carved Irish Ham 5 Slices – pack size 130g – batch code 235473.
• Tesco Finest Crumbed Shaved Ham 16 slices – pack size 120g – batch code 235412.

All affected products carry a use-by date of 16 July.

Point-of-sale notices will be displayed in stores.

Shoppers have been urged not to consume the affected items and to throw them away.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause mild flu-like symptoms, or stomach-related issues including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Cold meats are especially vulnerable to contamination with listeria bacteria. Additional at-risk foods include smoked and cured fish, shellfish and mouldy cheeses such as camembert and brie.

According to the NHS website, the majority of those infected with the bacteria experience no symptoms whatsoever, or merely mild indicators including a high temperature, vomiting, aches and pains, chills or diarrhoea.

Those facing elevated risk include expectant mothers, newborns and individuals with compromised immune systems.

The likelihood of complications also rises with advancing age.

Parents are urged to dial 999 or attend A&E if youngsters display more serious symptoms including a severe headache and stiff neck, discomfort looking at bright lights, seizures, sudden confusion or sleepiness, and a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it.

Most infections from the bacteria can be treated at home through rest and adequate hydration.

Humphrey Smith, the notoriously strict brewery boss who banned mobile phones, music and bad language from his pubs, has died aged 81.

The former chairman of Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery was one of the most controversial figures in the British pub trade.

To admirers, he was a determined guardian of the traditional public house – protecting historic interiors and the lost art of conversation from the relentless march of smartphones and fruit machines.

To critics, he was an uncompromising and sometimes fearsome figure whose rigid rules left some landlords terrified.

Smith, who was born on December 17, 1944, headed the family brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, which traces its history back to 1758 and claims to be Yorkshire’s oldest.

Under his leadership, Samuel Smith’s grew into one of Britain’s most distinctive pub companies, operating more than 200 establishments across the country.

Many occupy handsome historic buildings and retain traditional features including open fires, wooden panelling and Victorian fittings.

But it was the extraordinary list of things Smith refused to tolerate that made his pubs famous far beyond North Yorkshire.

Pictured is the Samuel Smith brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, where Mr Smith ran his 200-pub strong chain 

Mr Smith (pictured) who was born on December 17, 1944, headed the family brewery in Tadcaster which traces its history back to 1758 and claims to be Yorkshire’s oldest

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Smartphones were forbidden, as were laptops, televisions, music and fruit machines. Dogs, muddy boots and children were also unwelcome in many premises.

Swearing could lead to drinkers being thrown out – and landlords could reportedly find themselves out of a job if Smith believed they had failed to enforce his rules.

Smith was known for making unannounced visits to pubs across the country to ensure managers were maintaining his exacting standards.

One of the most notorious incidents came in 2019, when he reportedly overheard a customer tell a joke containing a swear word at the Fox and Goose in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire.

The pub’s landlords, Eric and Tracey Lowery, had been running the premises for just seven weeks when they found themselves without their jobs – or the flat above the pub.

At the Cow and Calf in Sheffield, manager Louise Brownhill and her husband Steve claimed they were dismissed after Smith discovered his preferred dessert was not in stock (a chocolate fondant).

Mrs Brownhill said the couple had been unable to stock the dessert because the brewery had not provided them with a freezer.

At an employment tribunal involving two former Edinburgh pub managers, Smith was characterised by a judge as ‘combative and argumentative’.

Employment judge Murdo Macleod said Smith appeared dismissive of the proceedings and gave the impression that they were either ‘a waste of his valuable time or beneath him’.

Yet the formidable reputation contrasted sharply with the unassuming figure regularly seen walking through Tadcaster in tweed and wellington boots, often carrying a worn towel as he made his way to the local swimming pool.

Despite presiding over a valuable brewing and property empire, Smith was not known for displays of personal extravagance.

Residents said he gave up driving not a Ferrari or Rolls-Royce, but a modest Austin Allegro.

Pictured: The Princess Louise pub on High Holborn in Central London – a Samuel Smith’s pub

Pictured: A coaster in one of the Sam Smith pub’s which encourages people to talk – and bans devices

In later life he was said to travel by public bus, sometimes appearing unexpectedly at distant pubs with a portfolio tucked under his arm.

His habitual lunchtime swim took him past many of the empty shops, boarded-up houses and closed pubs that made him such a divisive figure in his home town.

Smith was reported to control as much as 70 per cent of Tadcaster’s commercial property through the brewery and associated interests.

Locals variously described him as the town’s ‘laird’ and a ‘Dickensian figure’ who inspired fierce loyalty and equally fierce resentment.

Critics accused him of allowing properties to deteriorate while refusing to let large chains occupy his buildings.

They argued that his control over land and commercial premises had prevented new homes, restaurants and businesses from coming to the town.

Smith’s relationship with Tadcaster came under intense scrutiny after the historic bridge over the River Wharfe collapsed during devastating floods in 2015.

Residents were initially forced to make a lengthy diversion between the two halves of the town.

Smith reportedly refused to allow brewery-owned land to be used for a temporary footbridge unless he was given input into the permanent replacement.

A temporary crossing was eventually erected on council-owned land, while the road bridge was later rebuilt following intervention by then-prime minister David Cameron.

Cllr Richard Sweeting said Tadcaster was ‘in mourning’ over the death of Mr Smith, who had been unwell for some time.

Cllr Sweeting, the town mayor, said: ‘It’s the end of an era. Mr Smith has been part of Tadcaster for many years and has done a lot for this town.

‘But he wasn’t one for publicity. He would like to do things behind the scenes. We wouldn’t have a lot of the facilities in the town if it wasn’t for Mr Smith and the brewery.

‘I knew Mr Smith extremely well. There was one thing he did have. He did have the town at heart. He was a Tadcaster person.

‘I have known him all my life and his mother. He has done a lot for the church and the community. To me, he’s just Mr Smith. They do a lot of unseen things.

‘Talking to people in the town, Tadcaster is in mourning. It’s the end of an era. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.’

Tadcaster is known for its three breweries. John Smith’s was set up by members of the same Smith family in the 19th century, though it has long been separate from Sam Smith’s and now part of Heineken.

Molson Coors also has a plant in the town, where ‘Spanish’ beer Madri is brewed.

Companies House records show Smith resigned as a director of Samuel Smith Old Brewery on June 17, 2026.

News of his death was first reported by York Press, which said it had received a verbal confirmation of his passing over the phone from the notoriously media-averse brewery.

The British Pubs Facebook site posted: ‘An absolute titan of the British brewing world has passed away. Humphrey Smith, the famously traditionalist and eccentric owner of Yorkshire’s Samuel Smith’s Brewery, has died.’

The post continued: ‘Love him or hate him for his strict rules – banning smartphones, tablets, music, and even swearing – he ran his pubs entirely his own way to preserve the classic, tech-free British Pubs experience.’

“I was using it everyday walking 20k+ steps and it was so comfortable, my feet did not hurt at all.”

New Balance fans are flocking to grab a 40% discount on a £110 pair of trainers being hailed as ‘perfect for everyday’ wear. The 204L Shoes have dropped to £66 and boast a 4.3 out of 5 rating from customer feedback.

On the New Balance website, the complete product description states: “Enter the 204L : an unexpected interpretation of 2000s running-inspired style. This low-profile silhouette blends the slim structure of ’70s running shoes with tech-inspired texture of premium suede.

“Pulling design elements from past and present New Balance favorites, the 204L feels familiar, yet new. Its sleek proportions, accented with arced lines across the overlay, make the 204L both unique and easy to wear.”

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For those seeking a comparable style at a lower cost, Next offers these Neutral Forever Comfort Lace-Up Trainers at £35. Customers have praised the footwear as ‘great for summer’ owing to its versatile neutral look.

Alternatively, FitFlop fans can find these RTG Leather/Suede Trainers , reduced from £90 to £55. They come with ‘soft padding’ providing ‘extra breathability’, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Among the New Balance customer reviews, one buyer commented: “So cute I’m in love! Comfy and great for walking in!”

Another noted: “Cool effortless and comfy. They pretty much go with every look! “

A third customer remarked: “I got this for a recent trip to London knowing I would be walking around a lot. I was using it everyday walking 20k+ steps and it was so comfortable, my feet did not hurt at all. It had full support while the cushion was soft and went good with all my outfits!”

A fourth buyer commented: “Shoes are true to size, very comfortable and super cute!”

It’s worth noting that some customers described the shoes as ‘narrow’ so they may not be suitable for wider feet.

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Police are looking to speak with five men in connection with the attack

A man suffered serious injuries following an attack in Peterborough. The attack happened on Lower Bridge Street, near Aspire in Peterborough, at around 9pm on May 30.

Cambridgeshire Police confirmed the man is in hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The force is looking to speak with five men in connection with the assault.

Police have asked anyone who recognises these five men, or has any information about the assault, to report it online. Call 101 if you do not have internet access, quoting 35/40236/26.

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By LAURA FOX, ASSOCIATE SHOWBUSINESS EDITOR

Published: 07:48 BST, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 08:18 BST, 1 July 2026

Keeping Up Appearances star Anna Dawson has died at the age of 88.

The actress previously played the affluent Hyacinth Bouquet’s sister Violet in the beloved BBC sitcom before retiring from the industry in 1995.

Anna’s passing came just six months after her husband John Boulter, who was a soloist in the Black and White Minstrel Show.

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Her death was announced in a post on the Paihia Community Facebook page in New Zealand by the Christ Church Anglican at Kororāreka Russell.

It said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the death of a much treasured member of our faith community, former actress Anna Boulter (nee Dawson). Anna died peacefully on Saturday 27 June in Kerikeri at 3pm.

‘Many from the Russell community will remember Anna and her late husband John Boulter who lived in Okiato and Tapeka. Funeral details to follow.’

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Keeping Up Appearances star Anna Dawson has died at the age of 88

Following the news, many fans began to pay tribute to Anna on X, including Only Fools And Horses star John Challis’ widow Carol.

She wrote: ‘Sad news. An old friend. God bless you, Anna.’

Others wrote: ‘Oh no, how sad. Goodness – Penelope Keith, Michael Byrne and now Anna Dawson;’

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‘I was sad to hear that the actress and singer Anna Dawson has died;’

‘Anna Dawson aka Violet from Keeping Up Appearances has died I do hope heaven has a Mercedes, sauna and a room for a pony. RIP queen.’

Born in Lancashire, Anna spent part of her childhood in the British colonial territory of Tanganyika in east Africa, which is now part of Tanzania.

After attending drama school, she started her career with roles in West End musicals, before starring in 23 episodes of the 60s police procedural Dixon of Dock Green.

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She then appeared opposite comedy icon Benny Hill in his famous sitcom, as well as The Kenny Everett Video Show in the 1980s. 

The actress previously played the affluent Hyacinth Bouquet’s sister Violet in the beloved BBC sitcom before retiring from the industry in 1995

Anna’s passing came just six months after the husband John Boulter, who was a soloist in the Black and White Minstrel Show (pictured in 1985)

Her death was announced in a post on the Paihia Community Facebook page in New Zealand by the Christ Church Anglican at Kororāreka Russell

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Anna then landed the role of Hyacinth’s sister Violet in Keeping Up Appearances, who was frequently referenced by the titular star as ‘the one with the Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony.’

While mentioned regularly on the show, Anna only appeared in four episodes as Violet during the show’s fifth series in 1995. 

In 1995, Anna retired from acting, and she and her husband John relocated to a retirement village in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Herald reported in December that John died ‘peacefully surrounded by family.’

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TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers has improved for a fifth straight quarter, the Bank of Japan said in its quarterly “tankan” survey released Wednesday.

The survey’s so-called diffusion index rose to 22 from 17 in the previous quarter, the BOJ said. The index for large non-manufacturers, such as services, edged up to 37 from the last tankan ‘s 36.

The survey is an indicator of companies foreseeing good conditions minus those feeling pessimistic.

Higher fuel prices due to the Iran war have added to inflationary pressures in Japan, though crude oil prices have fallen since the U.S. and Iran agreed on an interim deal to end the war.

Although a weak yen raises the value of exports’ earnings when converted into yen, a boon for Japan’s giant exporters, that positive is starting to be countered by the big negative of rising energy prices.

Japan imports nearly all of its oil and gas, and the yen’s recent decline to near a 40-year low has added to those concerns given recent high oil prices.

The U.S. dollar was trading at about 162 yen on Wednesday.

Last month the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 1%, a three-decade high, citing challenges stemming from a weak Japanese yen and higher prices. The central bank has been trying to normalize monetary policy lately after decades of keeping interest rates near or below zero.

Analysts say Japan’s economic indicators, such as investments, remain relatively strong despite longer term problems such as a chronic labor shortage due to an aging and declining population.

“Sales remain firm, especially for large enterprises, but profits are expected to weaken,” said Amova Asset Management Chief Global Strategist and Chief Economist Naomi Fink said about the tankan.

“Fixed investment plans are strong for large and mid-size firms but less so for small firms.”

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

ORSAY, France (AP) — Ice. Urgently and in large quantities.

At a Paris-region hospital, emergency medics needed it to plunge patients into cold-water baths to speedily bring down their temperatures so they wouldn’t join the growing tally of dead from a record-smashing heat wave. But lacking an ice-making machine, where to get it?

A fast-food restaurant helped out last week, saying the hospital could take its ice. Staff also bought ice from the supermarket. The Paris-Saclay Hospital has now ordered its own ice machine, eagerly awaited in the emergency department for a future attack of sizzling heat.

Whether that hits next week, as France’s weather service says it might, or in summer months ahead, medics and hospital administrators are acutely aware that the battle they’ve just endured will, because of climate change, be followed by others. Just as they brace for the annual flu season, they know that fighting heat waves is becoming their new normal.

Efforts to plug some of the holes exposed by the heat wave that shifted eastward to other parts of Europe after battering France, the United Kingdom and other countries are accelerating on a national level, too.

When France was baking through its hottest days on record last week, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a 100-million euro ($114-million) spend from this summer on cooling systems for hospitals and other work to keep wards functioning.

And at the latest in a series of heat-wave crisis meetings, he said Monday that the government is buying 30,000 air-conditioning units for health facilities, with the first deliveries expected “at the end of the week, beginning of next week.”

“It’s an absolute priority for us that, if the heat wave returns, the hospital situation be a lot less strained,” he said.

The World Health Organization on Tuesday described the heat wave as “a dress rehearsal” for summers that “will be harder.”

“Europe is warming at more than twice the global average. Heat waves are no longer one-off freak events,” it said. “Every summer we fail to prepare for them is a summer we pay for in lives.”

Heart attacks and other heat-exposure emergencies surge

At the Paris-Saclay Hospital, patients suffering from heat exposure started arriving in a surge on June 20, said Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, head of the emergency department.

“It was like a big mountain,” he said. “It was like that for seven days. So it was very intense.”

“In winter, we know we’ll have influenza epidemics and probably COVID as well. And now, in the summer, we’re going to have the climate crisis,” he said.

The first patient he treated in this heat wave was an emergency call-out, for a 50-year-old man in a coma at home and with a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). His family said he seemed fine one minute, but was unconscious the next, Gonzales said. He was rushed to the hospital for critical care.

Then came the flood: heart attacks, dehydration, kidney malfunctions and other heat-related problems, impacting all age groups, from children to older people living alone.

“Heat is a physical assault. It is a physical assault on the body,” Gonzales said. “And when the body can no longer adapt — or, unfortunately, is no longer able to fight off that assault — you don’t feel it coming, and the heart can stop beating.”

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The force has been working throughout the night to locate the missing man

Police have been searching throughout the night to locate a “high-risk” missing man who was last seen in Newmarket. Martin Hardman was last seen on foot in Newmarket at around 3.30pm on Tuesday, June 30.

Suffolk Police do not believe he has access to a vehicle at this time. The force has described Martin as a 6ft white male with long grey hair, mid-70s.

He was wearing a black t-shirt worn backwards, dark jogging bottoms, and a cowboy hat. He is likely to be using a three-wheel walker to aid mobility.

Suffolk Constabulary are continuing searches for Martin. Officers are extremely concerned for Martin’s welfare and are urging anyone who has seen him or has any information about his whereabouts to contact Suffolk Police on 101 or report online.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey is rolling out sweeping security measures for next month’s NATO summit, deploying tens of thousands of police and placing air defenses on high alert, while banning public gatherings and imposing controversial restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.

That’s meant to safeguard the summit, but also to display strength and underscore Turkey’s commitment to NATO, even as it is often portrayed as an outlier within it.

On July 7–8, leaders from all 32 member states are expected convene in the Turkish capital, including U.S. President Donald Trump, whose threats to withdraw from NATO and reduce U.S. troop levels have cast uncertainty over the alliance’s future.

Turkey has also unveiled a new VIP airport, converted from a former military airfield, specifically to host NATO leaders.

Allies will aim for unity

At the Ankara summit, NATO members are expected to address questions over defense spending and the U.S.’s evolving role in the alliance.

The main agenda will center on unity after Trump has criticized allies for failing to support the U.S.-led war on Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“The important aspect of the meeting is to what extent the rift between the United States and Europe can be healed or narrowed during the summit,” said Fatih Ceylan, a former Turkish ambassador to NATO and security analyst at the Ankara Policy Center. “We should not expect miracles, but nonetheless if there is a convergence of ideas emphasizing the importance of NATO, that should be seen as a success.”

Turkey’s role as host seems to have helped win an appearance by Trump, who has a close rapport with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Well, except for the fact that it was being held in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don’t think I would have gone to it,” he told reporters following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.

Turkey has often acted independently in NATO

In the runup to the summit, Erdogan has described Turkey as a reliable ally that consistently shoulders responsibility on NATO’s southeastern flank and would continue to play a leading role in the alliance. He said his country was working to ensure that the Ankara Summit “will stand as a reference point in NATO’s history.”

A NATO member since 1952, Turkey has the alliance’s second-largest army after the United States, a fast-growing defense industry, and occupies a strategic location the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East the Black Sea, and the Caucasus.

Yet it has often acted independently, frustrating allies by refusing to participate in sanctions on Russia, engaging in disputes with Greece, and purchasing Russian missile defense systems — a move that led to its expulsion from the U.S.-led F-35 program in 2019.

Turkey also delayed Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership until it secured concessions on counter-terrorism cooperation and the lifting of arms export restrictions, and blocked the appointments of NATO chiefs Anders Fogh Rassmussen in 2009 and Mark Rutte in 2024 until other demands were met.

But Turkey’s independent streak has also enabled it to play a mediating role, from brokering a deal to ship grain across the Black Sea between Ukraine and Russia in 2022 to supporting recent initiatives aimed at ending the war in Iran.

Ankara too has at times been frustrated with its NATO allies, particularly over what it saw as the alliance’s lack of solidarity during a failed coup attempt in 2016, and the arms sales restrictions imposed on Turkey after its intervention in Syria.

Murat Aslan, an analyst at the Ankara-based SETA think tank, said Turkey learned to “play it alone” due to its turbulent relations with the United States and Europe, adding that Europe is now also talking about “strategic autonomy” from the U.S.

Turkey can help NATO navigate U.S.–Europe tensions by showing how to “balance” independence with alliance commitments, he said.

Ankara is tilting back toward the West

More recently, however, Turkey has leaned closer to NATO, whose importance was underscored during the Iran war when alliance missile defenses intercepted four missiles fired from Iran into Turkish territory. Weeks before the summit, Italy and Germany deployed air defense systems to help Turkey respond to heightened threats.

“Turkey wishes to distinguish itself as a foreign policy actor that is independent of NATO and the West,” wrote Hamish Kinnear, principal Middle East and North Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, in a note. “While Turkey is not abandoning its balancing approach, it is tilting closer to the West, primarily because of NATO.”

Authorities roll out strict security measures

In Ankara, strict access restrictions will be imposed on several of the city’s main arteries, around airports, the presidential complex where the summit will be held, and around hotels hosting the delegations, severely disrupting life in the city of nearly 6 million.

As the country prepares for the summit, Erdogan unveiled a new airport which was transformed from a former military airfield into a modern facility with expanded runways. The new Ankara Airport is expected to remain a VIP airport after the summit and is not expected to serve the general public, officials have said.

Facades of houses along the route from the new airport have been painted over as part of city beautification effort, the newspaper Cumhuriyet reported.

With a history of terrorist attacks, Turkey’s capital is no stranger to tight security, but the measures being taken in connection with NATO appear to go beyond the usual.

Authorities have also banned demonstrations, concerts, and graduation ceremonies during the summit, while non-essential state employees have been placed on leave to ease congestion.

Security units have detained more than 200 people suspected of links to extremist groups, including the Islamic State group, authorities said. Media reports said that several activists, lawyers and an academic were caught up in the sweep.

A Turkish court, meanwhile, blocked access to websites critical of NATO and the summit on security and public order grounds, according to Engelli Web, a website that tracks websites banned in Turkey. Several journalists from Turkish opposition-leaning media organizations were denied accreditation to cover the summit, sparking outrage from media rights groups.

“In the history of the organization, we have never witnessed security measures as stringent and suffocating in a host city for a summit as we are seeing this time in Ankara,” wrote Namik Tan, a former Turkish ambassador and legislator from Turkey’s main opposition party.

Personal trainer Selin Karakoc said she breathed a sigh of relief after she was told that her wedding on July 5 falls just before the start of the restrictions.

“Ours could be one of the last weddings in Ankara that week,” she joked.

The coastal town of Caraballeda in La Guaira is one of the hardest hit areas by the twin Venezuela earthquakes, where high-rise tower blocks have been reduced to a sea rubble.

Scores of rescue workers, many of them family members, are still desperately searching for their loved ones among the destruction.

The BBC’s Latin America correspondent Will Grant speaks to a 15-year-old boy looking for his brother.