Utah restricted fireworks and declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of July Fourth celebrations as the United States’ largest wildfire mushroomed in size. The National Weather Service issued a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning as dry, windy conditions provided fuel for more fires across the western U.S.

The Cottonwood Fire in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah started Monday. It reached more than 112 square miles (290 square kilometers) Friday and was uncontained, forestry officials said. One of six large wildfires burning in Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County, forcing mandatory evacuations.

Smoke from the fire has been pushing to the east and northeast, meaning the air quality at popular vacation spots like Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks — located far south of the flames — hasn’t been significantly affected beyond some haze in the Bryce area. Still, visitors to Bryce have posted videos on social media showing the giant plume in the distance.

The smoke could further be seen for hundreds of miles, all the way to Colorado, as authorities put roughly 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale, Junction and Circleville on notice that they should be prepared to leave if conditions worsen and the fire pushes further.

“This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory,” state forester Jamie Barnes said in a statement Thursday. “We’re seeing fires spread farther and faster under conditions that defy historical expectations. Some of the fires we’ve responded to this year are behaving in ways veteran firefighters simply haven’t seen before.”

Bruce Brown, 76, accompanied the sheriff on Thursday to find that his cabin and others in the area were gone.

“It looks a lot like the moon,” Brown said. “Just burned out. Power poles tipped over all up the canyon.”

Alyssa Olsen, 27, said her family’s cabin also burned, including memorabilia from her grandfather’s time in the ski patrol. It was the last place they gathered for family photos with her grandmother before she died of cancer. Her brother was to get married there in two months.

“That stuff you can’t just build back,” Olsen said.

Fireworks will be limited in Utah through July 5

Gov. Spencer Cox set the temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5 as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, saying “this year is different.”

The weather service in Salt Lake City, for the first time in the office’s history, issued a “ Particularly Dangerous Situation ” warning for five Utah counties, including the area of the Cottonwood Fire. The rare alert was first used to warn of tornado conditions. A red flag warning also was issued for most of the state.

A similar “dangerous situation” warning had been issued for the 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of sparking that fire. The jury said it couldn’t agree on a verdict.

While the Cottonwood Fire’s cause was unknown, Cox’s order noted that humans have been the cause of most fires in the state so far this year.

The governor’s order gives Barnes power to restrict or prohibit fireworks displays in Utah’s cities and towns, instead of leaving those decisions to the communities.

With extreme fire conditions persisting, Rocky Mountain Power issued a public safety power shut-off watch/warning for areas of central, southern and eastern Utah through the weekend.

Crews also were battling the Iron Fire southwest of Salt Lake City. The flames on Thursday forced the temporary evacuation of Eureka, population 1,000.

Wildfire danger prompts concern throughout the West

Red flag warnings, which mean conditions such as low humidity, warm temperatures and strong winds can create an extreme wildfire risk, were in effect Friday and stretched from Idaho to southern Arizona and New Mexico.

The warnings extended into Saturday, with forecasters predicting winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour (40 km/h to 56 km/h) and very low humidity levels. The worst conditions were expected from northern Arizona into central and southern Utah.

Much of Utah already is experiencing severe to extreme drought, while parts of Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Tim Brown, a research professor and director of the Western Regional Climate Center, said the potential for extreme fire behavior will remain as long as it’s hot, dry and windy.

“I would not be surprised to see a lot of restrictions come out as we get closer to the July Fourth weekend,” he said. “People really need to be aware of their surroundings if they’re going to be out in the forested campground areas and grassland areas.”

Even in Florida, where there have been multiple brush fires, authorities are urging people to skip the personal fireworks and instead leave the pyrotechnics to professionals putting on carefully planned shows.

In Utah, federal land managers have closed public lands near the Cottonwood Fire as a precaution, and in New Mexico, forest officials closed campgrounds and trails near a wildfire burning in the Jemez Mountains.

Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since the start of the year, pushing the U.S. ahead of the 10-year average. The National Interagency Fire Center said firefighters are making progress on containing fires from Alaska to Florida.

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Associated Press reporter Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this story.

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This story has been corrected; the state forester’s first name is spelled Jamie, not Jaime.

Mark Craig is now behind bars as a result of a complex police operation by officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU).

Earlier this year, Craig believed he was talking online to a man who had access to young girls, including a baby.

He persisted in sending him explicit and descriptive messages about sexually abusing the children as well as explicit images and videos of himself.

‘Dangerous paedophile’ Mark Craig jailed for 90 months for online references about sexually abusing children (Image: Northumbria Police)

The defendant even encouraged the rape of an eight-year-old child and a baby aged less than one. 

But what he didn’t realise was that he was actually speaking to a decoy police officer who was carrying out an investigation.

It led to Craig’s arrest, in March, and he was subsequently charged with arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, making an indecent image of a child and distributing an indecent image of a child.

He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court and pleaded guilty to all charges.

The 56-year-old defendant, of Westerhope, Newcastle, appeared back at the court today (Friday June 26) when he received a prison sentence of seven years and six months (90 months).

He was also made subject of both registration as a sex offender and the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, in each case to run “indefinitely”.

Speaking after the sentencing, NEROCU Detective Inspector Hull, said “Thankfully, this investigation has resulted in the sentencing of a dangerous paedophile who was a serious threat to children.

“This was down to the hard work of officers who do an incredibly difficult job trying to identify these predators and bring them to justice. 

“Under Operation Sentinel, our regional approach to tacking serious and organised crime, we will continue to investigate these online offences to safeguard children.”

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

Anyone with concerns about child abuse or seeking to report a crime can contact their local police force via its website, or by calling 101.

The advice is to always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, callers can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111

The body of brave mum Andrea Bello was discovered protecting her one-year-old daughter after the earthquakes broke out in Venezuela.

Her husband, Marítimo de La Guaira player Héctor Bello, penned an emotional tribute to her, asking for ‘strength’.

Miraculously, their toddler, Alana, survived thanks to her mum’s sacrifice and was discovered under the rubble in time by search and rescue.

Nearly 50,000 people are missing and at least 589 people have died following magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes in and around the capital Caracas on Thursday.

The rare double strike, which were 39 seconds apart, was the strongest since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey.

The organisation has also predicted more than 10,000 deaths.

On social media, the Venezuelan defender said she had ‘left them alone in the fight’, leaving him ‘all alone’ with their little girl.

‘How do I tell that to my daughter?’ Héctor wrote. ‘Andrea, how do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers and I wasn’t there in that moment to do anything?

‘How do I explain? Give me strength now because I can’t take any more.’

In another message today, he added: ‘You’ll always be our favourite hero, Mummy. I’m going to make sure our baby remembers how wonderful you were, how much you loved her.

‘I’ll tell her the story of how you saved her, how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who, even with your last breath, never abandoned her.’

Remembering his wife, Héctor – also known as Kike – shared how her cheeks would ‘turn red’ when she laughed ‘all in love’.

‘Oh Andrea, Mummy, I can’t handle this, my love, I really can’t.’

The heartbroken dad shared a snap of Alana after the earthquake, sporting a huge black eye and cuts around her eyebrow.

‘You won’t see your daddy looking strong or smiling like always, but I promise I’ll heal and make you the happiest girl in the world,’ he penned.

Alana is still in the hospital along with her aunt, after the pair were saved from their home, which had collapsed in the earthquakes.

In another post, he said: ‘My daughter and her aunt are doing well, they won’t be discharged today – they’re staying at the hospital. Thank you so much for supporting me through this immense pain.’

He continued to share information about the Venezuelan relief efforts, as well as more tributes to his wife and updates on his daughter.

The country’s football federation also confirmed the death of Yordelis Pereira, a player for Academia Puerto Cabello.

The earthquakes have left thousands homeless, particularly around the coast and La Guaira State, where Héctor and Andrea lived.

Buildings were reduced to rubble while videos showed people fleeing violently shaking areas.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Venezuela earthquakes: More than 50,000 missing after deadly twin quakes

MORE: Trump launches deadly strike on Venezuela after bragging about peace deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday threatened a 100% tax on imports from any country that imposes a tax on digital services from United States companies.

In a post on social media, Trump took aim at European countries that he said are discussing “imminent” implementation of taxes on American companies. The U.S. president has repeatedly sought to use tariffs as way to deter such taxes, but many countries are looking for revenues as their economies increasingly operate in digital realms that are dominated by American companies.

“Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump wrote.

He added that the new tax would supersede any previously negotiated trade deals. Trump said the penalty would apply to any country that moves forward with such a tax, but he singled out European nations in his post.

The move could lead to a larger showdown that could increase prices and hinder economic growth, possibly setting off a larger trade war if the 27-member European Union was compelled to retaliate.

“Unilateral measures targeting such legitimate policies are unjustified. If pursued, the EU will respond swiftly and decisively to defend its rights and regulatory autonomy,” said Olof Gill, a spokesperson for the European Commission on Friday.

He defended taxation on technology companies as “non-discriminatory” and applied equally to “all large companies, regardless of their origin.”

Trump has repeatedly pushed against foreign efforts to tax or regulate American tech giants. Last year, he threatened new tariffs on any country that moved to do so. A post from last August said that digital taxes and regulation “are all designed to harm, or discriminate against, American Technology.”

The threat comes ahead of Trump’s July 4 deadline for the European Union and the United States to start implementing a tariff deal that caps tariffs on most EU exports at 15%.

The European Union in May finalized a trade deal with the United States that caps most tariffs on EU exports at 15%. The deal followed months of debate within the EU after European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen tentatively struck the deal last year while visiting Trump’s golf course in Scotland.

Digital taxes were not part of the agreement and have remained a sticking point between the U.S. and the European bloc.

The U.S. government has previously conducted tariff investigations into digital services taxes under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. But it was unclear how Trump would carry out his threat and whether he would apply the tariffs broadly or initially target certain nations.

Britain, which is no longer part of the EU, has since 2020 levied a 2% digital services tax on revenues earned by search engines, social media sites and online marketplaces that “derive value” from U.K. users.

The British government said in a policy document at the time that corporate tax rules for digital businesses had “led to a misalignment between the place where profits are taxed and the place where value is created.”

The U.K. tax includes thresholds, so mainly large international companies will pay it. The tax was designed to “ensure the large multinational businesses in-scope make a fair contribution to supporting vital public services,” the document said.

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AP reporters Sam McNeil in Brussels and Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

From a diplomatic perspective, the signing of some kind of an agreement is a step forward, but the situation on the ground in Lebanon has shown little sign of shifting, despite several ceasefires.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded cross-border fire, with both accusing each other of violating the agreement, but the intensity has dropped off in recent days.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said the framework was a first step to restoring sovereignty.

But shortly after the signing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms. The Israeli army is currently occupying around 5% of the country’s territory.

He said Israel was “allowing the Lebanese army to begin organising to take over some territory” in two pilot zones – one south of the Litani River and another north of it.

Hezbollah is not party to Friday’s agreement, and it is unclear whether it will agree to withdraw its fighters from the South Litani area in southern Lebanon.

Israeli strikes on targets in southern Lebanon have threatened to derail efforts to settle the conflict in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump on one occasion held a terse phone call with Netanyahu, in which he reportedly uttered an expletive. He also publicly criticized Netanyahu and Israel’s conduct in the conflict.

While Trump has insisted that Israel has a right to defend itself from Hezbollah rocket strikes on its territories, he has also claimed he can “control Israel from attacking Lebanon”.

“They have a lot of respect for me,” Trump told Axios in an interview last week. “They do as I say.”

Lebanon was drawn into the war between the US and Israel against Iran on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south.

A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on 16 April failed to stop the fighting.

Israel and Lebanon agreed in June to renew their fragile ceasefire, and the US said it would help guide the creation of “pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors”.

Earlier on Friday, Trump accused Iran of a “foolish violation” of the truce after a cargo ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz was attacked. Iran has not issued any official response.

In response, US Central Command said later on Friday it had struck missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar positions.

There has been no comment yet from Iran.

Additional reporting by Tom McArthur

From claims that he drunkenly projectile vomited over the mayor of Beijing to allegations of sexual impropriety, the BBC Spotlight episode throws up questions about how so many close to Jeffrey Donaldson saw fragments of the truth without ever putting the whole picture together.

The criminal case against Jeffrey Donaldson may be over, but the BBC Spotlight documentary raises questions about whether there were years of warning signs, rumours and allegations that were seen, discussed or quietly explained away.

None of the new claims aired by the BBC formed part of the criminal trial. Most have never been tested in court, and Donaldson declined to respond to the programme’s allegations. Yet taken together, they paint a portrait of a politician whose public image, private conduct, and reputation within political circles may have been very different things.

Perhaps the most striking contribution came from Lady Daphne Trimble. She rejected the carefully cultivated image of Donaldson as an upright Christian statesman, claiming he had “used his Christianity to hoodwink the public”.

She also alleged that her late husband, former First Minister David Trimble, regarded Donaldson as “a thorn in the flesh” and believed he had been instrumental in stirring hostility towards him during the fraught early years of the peace process.

The documentary also featured a succession of accounts from senior politicians and former police officers describing what they claimed was excessive drinking, despite Donaldson’s public reputation as a teetotaller.

Former RUC Serious Crime Squad head Norman Baxter recalled seeing Donaldson leaving an exhibition at Westminster in 2000, carrying two bottles of wine and drinking from one in Westminster Hall. Later that evening, he alleged Donaldson had a young woman on either side of him with his arms around them, leaving him feeling uneasy.

Former DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr claimed Donaldson became heavily intoxicated during a delegation to Beijing, vomiting over the Mayor of Beijing.

Former DUP MLA Jim Wells described another overseas trip to Namibia, where he said Donaldson drank heavily alongside a tribal chief despite publicly presenting himself as someone who did not drink alcohol.

According to those interviewed, this behaviour became more pronounced after Donaldson joined the DUP.

Another allegation centred on a 2008 visit to Washington DC. Witnesses claimed Donaldson was so intoxicated that he fell over during an event at the Northern Ireland Bureau before later sitting on the lap of a female MLA in a Georgetown bar and attempting to kiss her.

Former PSNI detective Tim Hanley also recounted an encounter from 2006 while working for MI5, claiming he saw Donaldson entering Chariots, a gay sauna in Vauxhall.

Meanwhile, former personal assistant David Archer alleged that Lady Eleanor Donaldson once told him she intended to divorce her husband once their children reached adulthood.

The programme revisited the 2009 Westminster expenses scandal, when Donaldson claimed expenses for 68 pay-per-view films recorded as room service, prompting speculation at the time that they were pornographic films.

Lady Trimble further alleged that, amid longstanding rumours surrounding Donaldson’s activities in both Westminster and Northern Ireland, a member of the Ulster Unionist Party commissioned a private investigator to examine the claims. The UUP said it has no record of any such investigation.

Jim Wells also disclosed that rumours of Donaldson having relationships with younger women had circulated within political circles. He said he confronted Donaldson directly during a trip to Johannesburg and that Donaldson denied the allegations.

Perhaps the most politically significant revelation concerned events in 2021, shortly before Donaldson became DUP leader.

Ian Paisley Jr claimed he was contacted by a woman who alleged Donaldson had exploited her and was determined to stop him becoming party leader. According to Paisley, although the woman did not wish to make a formal complaint, he informed Edwin Poots and also alerted another politician outside the DUP. Paisley said he additionally made senior figures within the party aware of the allegation. Edwin Poots said he respected the complainant’s wishes at all times.

The documentary also featured Jacqui Montgomery Devlin, the former Head of Safeguarding at the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. She said that, around a year before Donaldson’s arrest, she met Complaint A and her husband, along with a senior detective.

Although Complaint A did not identify her alleged abuser during the meeting, Jacqui Montgomery Devlin said she suspected it was Donaldson. She claimed the detective later telephoned her that evening to confirm that the suspect was Jeffrey Donaldson. She said she was therefore not surprised when news of his arrest became public.

Donaldson did not respond to the allegations made in the programme.

In a statement issued prior to the documentary going to air, the DUP said it had acted swiftly when Donaldson was first charged and believed justice had been served following his conviction. Party leader Gavin Robinson, deputy leader Michelle McIlveen, and the party chairman said they were deeply concerned by allegations that have emerged regarding Donaldson’s behaviour, and by suggestions that some individuals may have had knowledge of inappropriate conduct that was never reported to party officers. The party has now commissioned an independent review.

If there is one thing the Spotlight documentary exposed, it is that institutions cannot simply dismiss repeated warning signs because each individual incident, viewed in isolation, appears inconclusive. That is often how institutional failure begins.

The documentary actually tells two separate stories.

The first is about the image Jeffrey Donaldson carefully cultivated. A devout Christian. A family man. A politician who projected discipline, restraint and moral certainty. Those interviewed described something altogether different. They claim to have witnessed heavy drinking, inappropriate behaviour, rumours that circulated for years, and a private life which, they allege, bore little resemblance to the public persona.

The second story is more important. It is about who knew what, when they knew it, and whether those who found themselves in possession of troubling information responded adequately. Ian Paisley Jr’s account of being approached by a woman in 2021 and Jacqui Montgomery Devlin’s account of learning the identity of Complaint A’s alleged abuser before Donaldson’s arrest are very different from gossip about someone’s private life. They raise questions about how serious concerns were handled once they reached people in positions of responsibility.

None of this proves that anyone could have prevented the crimes for which Donaldson has now been convicted. Nor does it establish that any individual or institution deliberately covered up wrongdoing. But when institutions fail, it is usually because information remains compartmentalised, rumours are dismissed as hearsay and awkward conversations are avoided, which results in individuals assuming someone else will act and organisations prioritising reputation over scrutiny.

Churches, schools, sporting organisations, and public bodies have all commissioned reviews that found opportunities were missed because concerns were never joined together or pursued with sufficient rigour, and politics should not imagine itself immune.

Jeffrey Donaldson has been held accountable for his crimes. That chapter has ended. The DUP’s independent review should establish, as far as possible, what information existed, who possessed it, how it was handled and whether different decisions could reasonably have been made, rather than becoming an exercise in assigning blame after the event.

However, this is clearly an issue that stretches beyond the DUP and any review would lack the ability to compell witnesses from the PSNI and MI5, which leads to the argument that the handling of Jeffrey Donaldson ultimately could warrant a public inquiry.

If the Spotlight episode leaves Northern Ireland with one lingering question, it must be whether too many people, across too many institutions, saw fragments of the truth without ever putting the whole picture together.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. struck Iran on Friday in response to a drone attack a day earlier on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. It’s the most significant test yet to an interim understanding reached a week ago by the two countries to begin working to end their months-long war and reopen the pivotal waterway.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the drone attack violated the ceasefire. The strikes came shortly after Trump told reporters, “You’ll find out,” whether the U.S. would respond.

U.S. Central Command said the military struck missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites in Iran.

“I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said at the White House shortly before the U.S. struck back. When asked why there would be strikes when Trump has insisted talks with Tehran are going well, Trump said of Iran: “They’re a little bit different.”

He then abruptly cut off questions and reporters were ushered out of his office.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, responded to Trump on social media earlier Friday, saying, “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules” and to “not mistake control for escalation.”

“This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management,” Azizi wrote.

The strikes on Iran are still ongoing even as U.S. Central Command released a statement confirming the action, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing military operation.

The British military said on Thursday that a container ship was hit a projectile off the coast of Oman, coming hours after Iran threatened vessels to stop using the route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said no injuries were reported.

The development came during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Iran has increasingly challenged the region and the U.S. over its control of the Strait of Hormuz, even with the current interim deal it reached with the U.S. last week.

The attack on the cargo ship happened while a United Nations maritime agency was beginning an operation to move stranded ships out of the strait this week, using an alternative route, hugging the shores of Oman rather than sailing through the central part of the strait.

The International Maritime Organization halted the evacuations after the attack and said on Friday they won’t resume until there are guarantees that the other ships won’t be attacked.

About 115 ships were able to move out of the strait in recent days, leaving about 500 still in the area, said Arsenio Dominguez, the agency’s secretary-general.

The opening of the alternative passage through the strait was expected to relieve pressure on the world economy and remove Iran’s main source of leverage in ongoing peace talks with the U.S.

The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating terms of the deal, including issues such as getting ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details.

Cargo ship attack poses a test for shipping

Shipping analysts said the drone strike cast a shadow over what had been a growing stream of trapped vessels finally leaving the Gulf and an increasing flow of tankers carrying crude oil.

“A week of widening commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz has hit its first significant test,” said marine data company Windward on X. It said that while the strait remains operationally open with 43 transits recorded after the incident, “the pace of normalization has slowed.”

On Wednesday before Thursday’s drone strike, 78 vessels transited the strait, the highest since the war began, although below the prewar averages of 130 or more per day.

At least two tankers reversed course while attempting to transit the strait on the U.N.-backed route near Oman after Iran insisted vessels use only the Teheran-approved routes, according to marine data and analytic firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

More than two dozen ships were still transiting the strait’s southern route after the attack, Lloyd’s said Friday.

Lebanon and Israel make a step toward peace

Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced an agreement Friday described as a step toward peace following months of conflict between Israeli troops and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon’s ambassador to the U.S., called the framework a move toward “enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was a “great achievement” for Israel.

“The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon,” he said, adding that they will stay until Hezbollah is disarmed and no longer poses a threat to Israel.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Ben Finley, Michelle L. Price and Josh Boak in Washington, David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

The party said it is “deeply concerned” by allegations surfacing in recent days

The DUP has announced it is commissioning an independent review into a “number of issues arising” following the conviction of former leader Jeffrey Donaldson.

Donaldson was found guilty of 18 sexual offences, including one count of rape, against two women when they were children earlier this week.

In a statement on Friday night, the party said its leadership is “deeply concerned” by allegations that have surfaced in recent days relating to inappropriate behaviour on behalf of Donaldson.

“The DUP acted swiftly when former member Jeffrey Donaldson was first charged,” they said.

“As a party we believe in the rule of law and that criminal proceedings must take their full course. Justice has been served with the guilty verdicts against him.

“The party leader Gavin Robinson, deputy leader Michelle McIlveen and party chairman are deeply concerned by allegations that have surfaced in recent days relating to inappropriate behaviour on behalf of Jeffrey Donaldson, and the indication that some may have had knowledge of inappropriate behaviour but which was never reported to the party officers.

“The party leadership have today commenced the process of commissioning a specialised and detailed independent review into a number of issues arising following the conviction of Jeffrey Donaldson and further details will be announced shortly.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed its Support Conversations programme is being expanded to a further 27 Jobcentres across Britain, offering up to 40,000 disabled and sick claimants tailored one-to-one employment support

Tens of thousands more individuals receiving sickness and disability benefits are set to access bespoke one-to-one assistance, as the Government substantially widens a scheme aimed at helping more people progress towards employment.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that its “Support Conversations” programme is being rolled out to an additional 27 Jobcentres across Britain, increasing the total number of participating locations to 33. The expansion means up to 40,000 people claiming health-related benefits could be offered a voluntary hour-long consultation, specifically tailored to identify the barriers preventing them from working or participating in activities such as volunteering.

The initiative represents a crucial element of Labour’s wider welfare-to-work strategy, alongside a £3.5 billion package of employment support measures designed to assist more disabled people and those with long-term health conditions into work.

In contrast to standard Jobcentre appointments, these sessions are intended to adopt a more comprehensive approach to claimants’ circumstances, tackling issues including debt, housing problems, skills gaps, health matters and addiction support. The DWP has confirmed the discussions are available in person, over the telephone or through video call, and are facilitated by healthcare professionals, disability employment advisers and specialist Pathways to Work advisers.

The scheme is aimed at those awaiting a Work Capability Assessment, alongside individuals already classified as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) – a cohort regarded as being most distant from the labour market, reports the Mirror.

Employment Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “Too many disabled people and people with health conditions face barriers that stop them from accessing the support and opportunities they deserve. That is why we are expanding the number of sites delivering Support Conversations from six to 33 Jobcentres across Great Britain, giving up to 40,000 people personalised help tailored to their circumstances. Getting more people into good work is central to our Plan for Change and Support Conversations will help us do exactly this.”

The expansion follows pilot schemes at six trial locations, where the DWP reports that participants felt more ‘listened to’ and ‘supported’. This recent development follows the introduction of 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers, who ministers claim have already helped more than 65,000 disabled and unwell individuals in progressing towards employment.

The Government is under increasing pressure to tackle Britain’s escalating sickness benefit expenditure, with millions of working-age adults now economically inactive owing to ill health. The Support Conversations scheme represents just one element of a wider set of reforms announced through the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy.

Further support being rolled out by the DWP includes:

• Connect to Work – a tailored employment programme aimed at helping 300,000 people into jobs by the end of this Parliament.
• WorkWell – a £259 million initiative created to assist up to 250,000 people with health conditions to stay in or get back to work.
• Right to Try – enabling sick and disabled people to try work without the immediate threat of benefit reassessment.
• 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers – specialist advisers already stationed across Jobcentres.

Which Jobcentres are taking part?

The DWP has confirmed the following 27 locations as part of the latest expansion:

• Aberdare
• Berwick-upon-Tweed
• Blaydon
• Bournemouth
• Didsbury
• Glenrothes
• Grimsby
• Hoxton
• Lancaster
• Leeds Park Place
• Leicester Charles Street
• Leicester Wellington Street
• North Shields
• Northwich
• Preston
• Rusholme
• Saltcoats
• Shettleston
• South Shields
• Southend
• Sparkhill
• Springburn
• Sunderland
• Thornaby
• Wester Hailes
• Whitehaven
• Workington

The DWP has stated that a further six Jobcentre locations will be announced in due course.

Support Conversations are entirely voluntary and currently available only to claimants with health conditions or disabilities who are either awaiting a Work Capability Assessment or have already been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity.