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Seven key cases before the courts this week

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Belfast Live

Here is your round-up of the key cases that were heard before Northern Ireland courts during the week of August 3-7

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Cases heard at courts across Northern Ireland this week included a notorious sex offender with “literally hundreds of convictions” going back 20 years, who has been charged with exposure and indecent behaviour.

Elsewhere, the High Court heard how a Co Down-based barber allegedly threatened to kill his family in a car crash as part of a worsening campaign of child cruelty.

Meanwhile, Hadi Alodid, the man accused of a knife attack which sparked rioting in Northern Ireland, has been urged by a judge to seek legal representation.

Here is your round-up of the key cases that were heard before Northern Ireland courts during the week of August 3-7.

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Notorious sex offender with ‘prodigious record’ charged with exposure and indecent behaviour

A notorious sex offender with “literally hundreds of convictions” going back 20 years has been charged with exposure and indecent behaviour.

Richard McFarland appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court by video link from prison, where he was charged with two offences alleged to have been committed on July 29 this year.

McFarland, listed as from no fixed abode, Belfast, is accused of exploit in that he allegedly “intentionally exposed your genitals intending that unnamed persons would see them and be caused alarm or distress.”

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Count two accuses the defendant of engaging in indecent behaviour on Royal Avenue in Belfast.

The alleged background was not opened in court, but a prosecution lawyer confirmed the PPS “cannot accept a plea” until a senior prosecutor has looked at the file.

Defence counsel Michael Boyd conceded that McFarland, “does have a prodigious record…. Literally hundreds of convictions,” so he had no objections to the case being adjourned.

Remanding McFarland in custody, Deputy District Judge Gerard Trainor adjourned the case to August 21.

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Man with addiction issues granted bail to attend residential rehabilitation centre

An Armagh man with addiction issues has been granted bail today to allow him to attend a residential rehabilitation centre in Newry.

Despite objections from the Crown, the application to vary Anthony Lee Reilly’s bail was granted on Tuesday by Judge Catherine Chasemore at Belfast Crown Court.

The 27-year old, from Cathedral Road, attended the hearing via a videolink with HMP Maghaberry.

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He has been charged with, and denies, wounding a man with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and possessing a knife with intent to commit wounding on January 27, 2022.

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Belfast knife attack accused urged to seek legal representation

A man accused of a knife attack which sparked rioting in Northern Ireland has been urged by a judge to seek legal representation.

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Hadi Alodid, 30, of Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court by videolink on Wednesday.

He was told that a preliminary inquiry would be held in his case next month.

Alodid is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on June 8, who the court previously heard lost his left eye and received deep cuts to his head, face and back.

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Man detained in Belfast allegedly convicted of rape in Dublin under different name

A man detained in Belfast following an international police hunt was allegedly convicted of rape in Dublin under a different name, the High Court heard.

Prosecutors claimed Teklemariam Lijam, 42, used separate identities in a bid to mislead the authorities about his criminal past.

The Eritrean national, of no fixed abode, faces new charges of failing to register as a sex offender, providing false information to police, and perverting the course of justice.

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Refusing bail, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan ruled there were no conditions under which he could be safely released.

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Woman left with “regular flashbacks” after husband’s uncle sexually assaulted her as she slept

A 63-year old man who sexually assaulted his nephew’s wife as she lay sleeping beside her child and husband was handed a 30-month sentence on Thursday.

The term was divided equally between prison and supervised licence and was imposed at Belfast Crown Court.

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The abuser, who can’t be named to protect the identity of his victim, appeared via a videolink with HMP Maghaberry and was told he will spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders Register.

He stood trial and was convicted by a jury last November of two counts of sexual assault which occurred in the early hours of July 15, 2023.

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Co Down barber threatened to ‘kill his family in a car crash in cruelty campaign’, court told

A Co Down-based barber allegedly threatened to kill his family in a car crash as part of a worsening campaign of child cruelty, the High Court heard on Friday.

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Prosecutors claimed he also beat at least two of his daughters so severely they thought he would not stop until they were dead.

The 49-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified, is accused of subjecting his wife and their children to violence and manipulation stretching back over a number of years.

Details emerged after a judge refused his bail application amid fears he could try to contact them again.

The man faces multiple charges of threats to kill, common assault, child cruelty and a further domestic abuse offence.

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Child sex offender jailed for probation breaches after “coming off rails”

A pensioner who breached a Probation Order which was imposed for a sexual offence against a child was jailed on Friday.

As a result of the breaches, Kevin Cornelius O’Connor was re-sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for the sexual offence and was handed a 12-month sentence divided equally between prison and licence.

The 76-year old, with an address on the court papers as Drumard Park in Derry, was made the subject of a three-year Probation Order in October 2023.

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The order was imposed by Judge Neil Rafferty KC at Londonderry Crown Court in October 2023 for an offence involving a nine-year old girl that occurred in August 2022.

In addition, a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) was also imposed.

Click here to read the full story.

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Large field fire near Malton – crews called to scene

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Large field fire near Malton - crews called to scene

Five fire crews were called to the blaze in Duggleby, near Malton, at about 7.50pm on Saturday (August 8).

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire measured around 150m x 100m and was to a stubble and standing crop field.

The field fire in Duggleby, near Malton, on Saturday night (August 8) (Image: North Yorkshire Weather Updates)

Farm machinery was used to cut fire breaks around the blaze.

Crews used hose reel jets and sprayers to extinguish the fire.

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In a statement, the fire service said: “Farm machinery was used to cut fire breaks around the fire and crews used hose reel jets, knapsack sprayers and beaters to extinguish the fire and put a wet line in to prevent re-ignition of the fire.”

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Tree deliberately set on fire in Bishopthorpe Road, York

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Meat stolen after shed burglary in Lansdown Road, Goole

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in Bishopthorpe Road at about 4.20am on Sunday (August 9).

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it understood that the fire was started deliberately and informed police about the incident.

In a statement, the fire service said: “A crew from York responded to a tree that was on fire. 

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“Crews extinguished the fire using two knapsack sprayers. 

“Police were informed due to the cause of the fire was believed deliberate.”

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Banbridge incident: PSNI statement as cordons lifted after security alert

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Belfast Live

Temporary cordons in the Huntley Road area, Banbridge, have now been lifted

Cordons have been lifted after an incident in Co Down sparked a security alert.

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Police were contacted on Saturday afternoon, August 8, with a report of a concern for the welfare of an individual in the Huntley Road area of Banbridge.

Officers and Ammunition Technical Officers attended and examined items found while the road was closed, with diversions in place at the Glassestown Road and Ballykeel Road.

On Saturday evening, police released a statement and said nothing suspicious was found and the individual concerned was “receiving appropriate support and treatment at this time”.

A PSNI spokeswoman said: “Police received a report of concern for the welfare of an individual in the area of Huntley Road Banbridge earlier today at approximately 12.30pm, Saturday 8th August.

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“Officers together with Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) examined items found and located nothing suspicious.

“Other unrelated items were removed by police for further examination. The individual concerned is receiving appropriate support and treatment at this time.

“Temporary cordons in the area have now been lifted and we would like to thank members of the public for their patience.”

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Trump visibly deflated after reporter’s stinging comeback to claim he’s ‘one of the greatest presidents ever’

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Donald Trump appeared a bit taken aback when an interviewer contradicted him on his belief that he's considered 'one of the greatest Presidents ever'

Donald Trump appeared taken aback when an interviewer delivered a quick-witted response to the brag that he’s considered ‘one of the greatest Presidents ever.’

The Commander-in-Chief spoke to Punchbowl News and was asked about how he might deal with a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2027. 

Reporter Jake Sherman asked: ‘If Democrats do take over the House, it’s just going to be investigation mania. They’re going to do oversight. They could impeach you again. Do you think they will?’

‘Well, a lot of people are saying I’m one of the greatest presidents ever,’ Trump replied.

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‘They’re not saying that though,’ Sherman said with a chuckle, referring to the Democrats. 

‘Yeah, but they know. They see the results,’ Trump responded, before rolling off a list of his accomplishments.

He cited ‘more money being invested in the United States than at any time in history,’ as well as construction of factories, investment in AI and companies leaving countries like Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan and coming to the US.’

Trump, however, seems unsure whether the coalition that won him an electoral college landslide will come out for the Republican Party without him on the ballot in November.

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Donald Trump appeared a bit taken aback when an interviewer contradicted him on his belief that he’s considered ‘one of the greatest Presidents ever’

The Commander-in-Chief spoke to Punchbowl News earlier this week and was asked about how he might deal with a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2027. Pictured: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (pictured right) and Democrat Senator Patty Murray (pictured left)

The Commander-in-Chief spoke to Punchbowl News earlier this week and was asked about how he might deal with a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2027. Pictured: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (pictured right) and Democrat Senator Patty Murray (pictured left)

‘If I don’t run, will those people go out and vote, and that’s the one thing I can’t tell,’ Trump told Punchbowl News in an interview released Friday.

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Then the President revealed his greatest open question about the coming elections and conservative voters: ‘Will they vote?’ 

‘A lot of them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you … they are not angry with me, but they are angry with Republicans.’

Republicans’ odds of keeping control of both chambers of Congress are glum, at least according to prediction markets. 

As it stands, Republicans have less than a 20 percent chance of maintaining control of the House, per Kalshi data. In the Senate, Republicans’ odds of staying in power are much more favorable at 54 percent.

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But the President has a trick up his sleeve to help Republicans – he has a massive political war chest that he can deploy to help his party members campaign against their Democratic opponents.

‘I could spend it on pretty much anything I want,’ Trump noted in the interview, adding, ‘I’m going to help Republicans.’

The President’s political action committee, MAGA Inc., has $400 million in cash on hand, according to the latest Federal Election Commission filings in late June. 

Trump has noted repeatedly his close relationship with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who he has called a 'fantastic person' but has wondered if Republicans will show up in the midterm elections

Trump has noted repeatedly his close relationship with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who he has called a ‘fantastic person’ but has wondered if Republicans will show up in the midterm elections

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Trump said that voters are angry with Republicans, but 'they are not angry with me'

Trump said that voters are angry with Republicans, but ‘they are not angry with me’

The fate of Trump’s remaining two years in power hinges largely on whether conservatives maintain control of Congress.

Should he lose just one chamber, either the House or the Senate, any legislation the President wants passed would need at least some Democratic support. 

The thing is, Democrats have been outspoken for years about their ardent opposition to the President and his agenda, and it is hard to see them finding common ground to push through bipartisan legislation. 

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During the interview with the Congress-focused outlet, the President also spoke about his relationships with Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader John Thune, or lack thereof. 

Johnson, Trump said, is a ‘fantastic person.’ The two have worked closely together on the President’s legislation in the House, and the Speaker has largely been able to deliver votes on must-pass bills for the President. 

The same cannot be said of the Senate.

When pressed on whether he would back Thune to lead the Senate Republicans again next year, the President did not offer the leader, whom he has clashed with at times, his support. 

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‘I don’t want to get into that,’ Trump answered. 

Though Trump did note that there was no ‘disconnect’ between him and Thune, adding, ‘I think we have a good relationship.’ 

Trump has repeatedly requested that the Senate pass voter ID laws, which were already approved by the House. He sees the legislation as imperative for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections given his claims that elections have been ‘rigged.’ 

Thune has worked to get his Republican conference on board, but the legislation has stalled out, and the Senate Republican Leader has repeatedly told the President he does not have the votes to get it passed. 

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The best body scrubs for silky smooth skin, tested by a beauty journalist

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The best body scrubs for silky smooth skin, tested by a beauty journalist
Remove dead skin, old tan and dry skin with ease! (Picture: Metro/Getty)

Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more

Sometimes the fastest way to feel clean is with an effective body scrub, massaged all over damp skin and rinsed off to reveal smoother, glowing limbs. 

Especially in the summer, when we’re ditching the long trousers and sleeves, and dull skin or dry patches become more visible. 

Not forgetting, of course, it’s an essential step if you’re a self-tanner, as unbuffed skin can cause tanning products to cling to drier areas. 

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It’s especially a good time to invest in a manual body scrub when heatwaves hit, as the constant sweating can leave your skin feeling sticky and clammy. Buffing away dead skin cells, suncream, and deodorant can be the quick fix your complexion needs. 

Fortunately, there are loads of body scrubs to shop for, made with finely milled salts, enzyme powders and botanical scents to leave your skin glowing. 

Ask Metro


Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.

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As a beauty journalist who is obsessed with silky smooth skin, I use a body scrub religiously twice a week, so I know exactly what works and what’s not worth your time. 

To help you find the right one for your shower routine, I’ve handpicked the all-time greats, from budget-friendly high street picks to luxurious body treatments that are worth the splurge. 
 
Consider this your warm-weather skin reset, and the start of your smoothest summer yet.

Cream tube

Naturium KP Scrub & Mask

There’s no body product as transformative as this. It’s an abrasive scrub that’s in a thick paste (make sure to give the tube a good squeeze when you’re pouring it into your hand) that’s made to be spread all over, left for a few minutes, then rinsed off.

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Nothing, and I mean nothing, will leave your skin smoother or softer as fast. It’s made with jojoba esters, pumice, and AHA, BHA, and PHA chemical exfoliants, and is fragrance-free.

One use of this and you’ll feel like a totally new person.

Buy Now for £21

Green tube

Q+A AHA Exfoliator Body Scrub

Affordable beauty brand Q+A has plenty of gems in its line-up, but this gentle body exfoliator is one of my favourites.

It has a delicious coconut, amber, and vanilla scent that smells like a luxurious perfume and has enough abrasiveness to give your limbs a good polish, but isn’t scratchy, harsh, or hard to clean off the sides of your shower.

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The blend of AHAs, lactic acid, glycolic acid, and upcycled corn is formulated in a creamy base that makes spreading it all over your body a simple task, and easy to rinse off in a matter of seconds.

Buy Now for £8

Dark green tube

Alpha-H Smoothing AHA Face and Body Scrub

This dual-purpose scrub can be used on your face and body, and is the gentlest of them all.

It contains very fine bamboo stem particles, alongside glycolic acid, caffeine and macadamia seed oil, which lightly slough off dead skin cells without leaving you wincing.

It’s a great everyday one that isn’t overly abrasive and suits my sensitive, eczema-prone skin, too.

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I can’t get enough of the refreshing peppermint scent either.

Rinse off and slather on your favourite body lotion for glowing skin, head to toe.

Buy Now for £31.99

Joonbyrd Violet Haze Body Scrub

Joonbyrd Violet Haze Body Scrub

If you love a sticky-sweet, gourmand scent in your body care, this is the scrub for you.

Made by consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite, you’re in good hands with this formula.

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The main exfoliant is sugar and chia seeds, in a base of plant-derived butters and oils, so it has a thick, rich, creamy texture that lathers nicely and doesn’t leave you feeling itchy.

It gets bonus points for the creamy, chocolatey, floral fragrance – it’s so good I could eat it. 

Buy Now for £45

White tube with red writing

Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub

This has been around for years, but it remains a regular part of my shower routine for its creamy, skin-smoothing texture, fresh scent, and speedy way to exfoliate dead skin cells.

It comes in a convenient tube, so you don’t need to try to open a tub with wet hands or make a mess scooping it out.

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One use is all you’ll need to see a difference in skin texture.

Buy Now for £36

Pale green tube with black cap

Grown Alchemist Smoothing Body Exfoliant

While this black gel may look alarming, it’s one of the best body scrubs for my sensitive skin, and it doesn’t stain the sides of my shower.

The ‘scrub’ is made from volcanic pumice particles, along with peppermint, bergamot, and kalin clay, which not only buffs skin to a smooth, silk-soft finish but also absorbs excess oil and hydrates skin in need of some TLC.

Buy Now for £27

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Harry Diamond’s staggering 2026 caddie earnings despite Rory McIlroy’s reduced schedule

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Rory McIlroy has been playing a reduced schedule this season, but caddie Harry Diamond has still earned a huge sum

Rory McIlroy has been operating on a lighter schedule this season, yet he has still accumulated a considerable sum in prize money — a healthy portion of which has been passed down to caddie Harry Diamond.

Diamond, McIlroy’s close friend and long-standing bagman, has earned more in 2026 alone than many players will pocket across an entire season. Estimates place his earnings for the year somewhere between $750,000 and $850,000 (£557,240 and £631,540).

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These figures are calculated on the standard caddie pay structure. Typically, caddies receive a 10 per cent cut following a victory, five per cent for a top-10 finish, and five per cent whenever their player makes the cut.

Diamond’s biggest payday of the year came at the Masters, where McIlroy successfully defended his title at Augusta National, pocketing a record $4.5 million (£3.3m) winner’s cheque — leaving Diamond with a $450,000 (£334,000) share for his 10 per cent cut.

That single payout alone put Diamond ahead of a significant number of PGA Tour professionals for the year. McIlroy then added a further $840,000 (£631,000) from the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open, including $637,050 (£473,300) from a T7 finish at the former as Aaron Rai claimed the title.

McIlroy’s 2026 campaign also included a T2 at the Genesis Invitational, a T12 at the Memorial, and a T7 at the Genesis Scottish Open, though he will not feature in the upcoming FedEx St. Jude Championship. Even his T46 finish at The Players, T32 at the U.S. Open, and T40 at The Open all contributed to the overall earnings.

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A level-par performance at The Players brought in $72,000 (£53,000), while a T40 at The Open generated $69,000 (£51,000) – his most modest payday of the season.

McIlroy’s showing at Aronimink secured Diamond another substantial sum in bonus payments. McIlroy himself has amassed $8.5m (£6.3m) in official prize money this season and stands a chance of hitting the $10m mark once again, having achieved it in 2025.

Consequently, several tour professionals’ earnings for 2026 place them behind Diamond, never mind McIlroy. Haotong Li stands at $741,536, with Keita Nakajima on $740,571, Stefano Mazzoli at $720,000, and Rico Hoey at $718,607.

Diamond isn’t topping the caddy earnings chart, however. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has banked $16.9m (£12.5m) in prize money this campaign, with bagman Ted Scott estimated to have pocketed close to $1.4m (£1m) as a consequence.

The Northern Irishman’s background beyond golf is understood to be in the hospitality sector. His family has connections to pubs, hotels and eateries around Bangor and Belfast, and maintained links with the Marine Hotel and Dukes Hotel.

Today, however, it’s Diamond’s partnership with McIlroy that has earned him the substantial income. Despite a lighter schedule, the Masters champion is not expected to face any PGA sanctions for falling below the minimum tournament requirement.

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Shanghai cancels 1,300 flights and relocates 300,000 people as China prepares for Typhoon Dolphin

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Shanghai cancels 1,300 flights and relocates 300,000 people as China prepares for Typhoon Dolphin

Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights and authorities relocated some 300,000 people in surrounding regions as China prepared for Typhoon Dolphin, after the storm brought heavy rains to northern Taiwan.

The outer bands of the storm on Saturday hit northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, bringing rain.

Some Taiwanese airlines also canceled their flights to China on Sunday.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162kmph (101mph) as of Sunday morning. It is bringing heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides and is expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighbouring Fujian province late on Sunday.

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(AFP/Getty)

That is equal to a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a storm capable of producing extensive damage to homes, trees and infrastructure.

Forecasters in China predicted that areas could see 200-400mm (7.9–15.7in) of rainfall over the next few days.

Authorities are warning of severe landslide risks in Zhejiang.

Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports respectively also canceled about 60 per cent of Sunday’s expected flights, according to the Paper, Shanghai’s state media.

On Saturday evening, authorities in Zhejiang evacuated some 390,000 people in the city of Taizhou.

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Authorities in Shanghai evacuated some 30,000 plus from riskier areas. Zhejiang authorities also suspended all water-based activities, including ferries and cruises.

(Reuters)

Typhoon Dolphin has already swept through Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture, injuring six people and cutting power to more than 50,000 buildings.

Before its landfall in China, authorities moved offshore workers to safety, ordered vessels back to port and increased checks at reservoirs, mountain streams, landslide-prone areas, construction sites and tourist locations.

Torrential rai After landfall, Dolphin is forecast to track westward before slowing over central and southwestern China and gradually losing strength, Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre, told state ⁠broadcaster CCTV.

Shanghai’s Yangshan port cleared ships from ‌its berths and moved more than 500 ​small and medium-sized vessels to shelter ahead of Dolphin, the city’s maritime safety administration said.

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That could prolong heavy rain and raise the risk of flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous areas and along smaller rivers.

(Additional reporting from Reuters)

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Ted Lasso Season 4 Cast: Where You’ve Seen The New Stars Before

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Ted Lasso Season 4 Cast: Where You've Seen The New Stars Before

Jason SudeikisTed Lasso is taking on a brand new challenge in the long-awaited fourth season of the award-winning Apple TV+ sports comedy.

After a three-year absence, the new episodes see Ted being brought back to Richmond FC, this time to try and reverse the fortunes of the club’s female team.

Because of this, regular faces like Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple and Brett Goldstein are joined by an exciting array of new additions to the cast – some of whom you have seen in other big-name shows and films.

Here’s a quick guide to where you may well have seen Ted Lasso’s new recruits before…

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Tanya Reynolds

Tanya Reynolds in Sex Education

Tanya Reynolds rose to international fame thanks to her scene-stealing performance as the loveable misfit Lily Iglehart in all four seasons of Netflix’s Sex Education.

Before that, she’d played Dawn French’s daughter in the British comedy Delicious, and appeared in shows like Death In Paradise and Outlander.

More recently, she has appeared in the BBC period drama The Other Bennet Sister, inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, as well as films like Emma, Timestalker and Harold And The Purple Crayon.

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Faye Marsay

Faye Marsay as Detective Sargeant Frank in Adolescence
Faye Marsay as Detective Sargeant Frank in Adolescence

Before that, she was known for her work in Doctor Who’s 2014 festive special Last Christmas, the BBC crime drama McMafia, the Black Mirror episode Hated In The Nation or Game Of Thrones, in which she played “The Waif”.

Over on the big screen, Faye has also acted in Pride, Darkest Hour and A Private War.

Abbie Hern

Abbie Hern as Mae in Enola Holmes 2
Abbie Hern as Mae in Enola Holmes 2

Before being cast as one of the new Lady Greyhounds, Abbie Hern was known for her work in the second Enola Holmes movie and the fantasy series My Lady Jane.

She also played Mary Bone in Peaky Blinders back in 2022, and appeared in Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot and the Welsh drama The Pact.

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Jude Mack

Jude Mack pictured on the set of Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson
Jude Mack pictured on the set of Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson

Some of Jude Mack’s more recent TV appearances have included the James Norton drama Playing Nice, the dark comedy I Hate Suzie, the thriller Prime Target or the BBC crime series The Capture.

You may have also seen them in minor roles in the films Mickey 17, Back In Action or the most recent instalment in the Mission: Impossible series.

Rex Hayes

Aisling Sharkey and Rex Hayes in the new season of Ted Lasso
Aisling Sharkey and Rex Hayes in the new season of Ted Lasso

Like co-star Abbie Hern, Rex Hayes previously appeared in the Welsh drama The Pact.

Ted Lasso is Rex’s biggest on-screen credit to date, but they have also had supporting roles in Bang, The Bastard Executioner and Bregus.

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Aisling Sharkey

Aisling Sharkey in Jurassic World: Dominion
Aisling Sharkey in Jurassic World: Dominion

Jurassic World fans might remember Aisling Sharkey for her performance as Madison in the 2022 offering Dominion.

Before that, her only other listed credit was in the fantasy TV series Heirs Of The Night, in which she played the character Ivy.

Grant Feely

Grant Feely as a young Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe
Grant Feely as a young Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe

In the fourth season of Ted Lasso, Grant Feely is taking over the role of the titular character’s son, Henry Lasso.

The child actor has an impressive CV already, most notably appearing as a young Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars spin-off Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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New episodes of Ted Lasso arrive on Apple TV+ on Wednesdays.

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MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Andrew is not worthy of ANY royal money

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Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Queen Elizabeth II attend the funeral of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma in 2017

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Every family has to think, from time to time, about funerals. It may not be welcome, but it is usually wise. 

It is certainly not the taboo it used to be – some TV stations nowadays are full of advertisements for funeral plans.

For the Royal Family, the problem is rather bigger. The death of any senior royal raises delicate and intricate questions of protocol and precedence.

Where will the service be held? Where will the interment be?

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We must all die, even if the current Royal Family has developed a reputation for longevity. 

The well-oiled machine of the British monarchy does not wish to be unprepared for any eventuality, and quite right too.

So inevitably the awkward question of the funeral of the former Duke of York, now Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, has come up. 

And currently there are plans for him to have a funeral thought to be similar to that accorded to the late Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret. 

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Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Queen Elizabeth II attend the funeral of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma in 2017

Let us not be vindictive here, but the former Prince, by his behaviour and attitude in the Epstein affair, has surely forfeited any entitlement to such ceremonies.

Plainly, in common decency, he should be buried with his forebears, and his unquestioned bravery in the Falklands will not be forgotten by the Navy.

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But the British public will be dismayed if his obsequies take place in royal surroundings or with the trappings of monarchy. 

He is now a private citizen and his funeral should be private too.

A fine choice of school, minister. A shame others can’t follow suit 

Has Labour under Andy Burnham quietly become the party of the super-rich?

Roughly 21 per cent of Mr Burnham’s Cabinet went to private schools, which are now increasingly beyond the reach of the aspiring middle classes.

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This is thanks to tax changes – VAT, National Insurance increases and business rates – imposed on them by Labour Party chairman and former Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

Even those ministers who went to state schools seem to have been fortunate in their education.

An impressive 54 per cent of the Burnham Cabinet attended either Oxford or Cambridge, as 99 per cent of British children do not do.

And now we learn that the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh, is educating her own three children privately. We do not know how much she and her husband – who is said to be ‘in finance’ – pay. 

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Miatta  Fahnbulleh (pictured with Andy Burnham) championed Labour's decision to slap VAT on public school fees - despite sending all three of her own children to private school

Miatta  Fahnbulleh (pictured with Andy Burnham) championed Labour’s decision to slap VAT on public school fees – despite sending all three of her own children to private school

But Ms Fahnbulleh’s own former school, Beechwood in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, currently charges boarders almost £45,000 a year and day pupils up to £24,597.

There is nothing wrong with that. The Mail on Sunday supports aspiration and ambition. We only wish more children could go to independent schools.

The problem is that Labour’s own actions are currently devastating much of private education across the country. We must assume they know what they are doing, when they make private schools too expensive for the middle class while continuing to use such schools themselves.

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Even if they do not make the same choice as Ms Fahnbulleh, they must surely grasp that Ms Phillipson’s fierce taxes have reinforced the privilege of wealth, not weakened it.

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ChatGPT, social media blue ticks and vlogging equipment among MLAs expenses

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Belfast Live

One MLA spent £300 on a computer keyboard, while others claimed for everything from a £500 coffee machine, an Alexa speaker, to drinking water.

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AI subscriptions, social media blue ticks, coffee machines and cameras are among the more unusual items claimed by Stormont MLAs on expenses over the past year.

An analysis of the latest Assembly expenses returns by Belfast Live shows that politicians are increasingly using public money to pay for AI tools such as ChatGPT, as well as software designed to create social media videos and subscriptions to verify their online accounts.

The records, covering April 2025 to March 2026, also include claims for coffee machines, vlogging equipment, water coolers, smart speakers and hundreds of pounds worth of camera equipment.

Perhaps the biggest trend to emerge is the growing use of ChatGPT.

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SDLP MLA Cara Hunter claimed £19.99 for ChatGPT on eleven separate occasions throughout the year.

Independent MLA Claire Sugden also regularly claimed £19.99 each month for ChatGPT Plus, while Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong submitted recurring claims of £20 for the premium AI service.

The SDLP’s Sinéad McLaughlin also claimed monthly ChatGPT subscriptions, with payments ranging between £17.85 and £18.84, while party colleague Daniel McCrossan opted to expense a single £189.90 payment covering ChatGPT Plus between May 2025 and February 2026.

The latest returns also show MLAs using public money to bolster their social media presence.

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Cara Hunter claimed £11 each month for an X subscription, as well as £11.99 a month for Meta Verification, giving her verified accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

DUP MLA Peter Martin also expensed an annual X subscription costing £114.99.

Creating online content is another area where spending appears to have increased.

Cara Hunter claimed a monthly CapCut subscription, while Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw claimed £139.99 for the video editing software. Similar claims were also made by Sinn Féin’s Colm Gildernew and SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin.

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Meanwhile, several MLAs also purchased dedicated camera equipment.

DUP MLAs David Brooks and Cheryl Brownlee each claimed £329 for cameras bought from Currys during April this year.

Jonathan Buckley claimed £319.99 for a camera from Argos, while Alliance MLA David Honeyford expensed £498 for a camera and microphone package.

DUP deputy leader Michelle McIlveen also claimed £419 for a DJI camera.

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Elsewhere in the returns, Daniel McCrossan claimed £549.99 for a coffee machine from Argos. His SDLP colleague Sinéad McLaughlin also claimed £45 for what was listed as an Argos coffee machine.

Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly spent £378 on a water cooler and a further £65.99 on bottled water and disposable cups.

Linda Dillon also submitted claims totalling £198.43 for water cooler rental, drinking water and disposable cups.

There were also claims for equipment aimed at improving online content.

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UUP deputy leader Diana Armstrong expensed a £92 Hasselblad microphone and a £219.95 Apple SnapCreator Kit, while her party colleague Steve Aiken claimed £79.19 for a vlogging kit.

SDLP Leader of the Opposition, Matthew O’Toole, claimed £44.50 for fountain pens purchased from Amazon.

Meanwhile, DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee recorded the largest catering claim in the period, expensing a single transaction of £300 for refreshments from a catering company.

The returns also show a range of technology purchases.

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Alliance MLA David Honeyford claimed £299.25 for an Apple keyboard, Kellie Armstrong claimed £49 for an official Apple iPhone case, while DUP MLA Deborah Erskine expensed an Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker costing £54.99.

In addition, new mobile phones featured prominently.

Kellie Armstrong claimed £874 for an iPhone 16; Andrew Muir expensed £699 for an iPhone 16e; Orlaithi Flynn claimed £649 for an iPhone from Currys; and William Irwin purchased an iPhone 16e for £549.

Other MLAs opted for refurbished devices, with Claire Sugden claiming £463 for a refurbished iPhone 14 Pro Max from Back Market and Diana Armstrong claiming £425 for a handset from CEX.

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