The inquest into the death of the schoolboy at Belfast Coroner’s Court, which is being heard with a jury, has just finished its seventh week.

Seven key points after week seven of inquest into death of Noah Donohoe

1. Police “gripped” the seriousness of the investigation into the disappearance of Noah Donohoe at an early stage, the inquest heard this past week. Chief Inspector Robinson told Belfast Coroner’s Court on Monday that he had carried out a compliance review into how police carried out their search for the teenager in 2020.
2. The witness told the jury he had identified five areas of non-compliance with PSNI procedures, including around the recording of risk assessments. He also referred to a more detailed review of the case that had been carried out by another inspector in August 2020. He said the “overall case” in this review was that there had been a “very good response to the investigation”. He said: “To be clear, I agree with the general thrust of the report that it was a good response.” The witness said the seriousness of the investigation had been “gripped at an early stage” by police. He said: “A large amount of police resources were engaged at a very early stage.”
3. There was no evidence of “direct violence” from a third party in analysis of Noah’s body, a group of pathologists told the inquest on Tuesday. Three experts, including the pathologist who conducted Noah’s postmortem examination, agreed that his cause of death was likely drowning and evidence suggests he was alive when he encountered water in a storm drain. Jurors were shown a picture of Noah’s body that was not presented in court, as the pathologists discussed a “broad area of bruising” across his forehead.
4. They agreed there was no positive evidence of a toxicological cause of death but that that could not be ruled out because of limits on toxicological analysis days after death. They agreed there was no evidence of any cause of death related to direct violence or injuries that would suggest involvement of a third party but that this cannot be ruled out on pathological evidence. The three pathologists agreed that Noah likely died closer to the time of his disappearance than the discovery of his body given the extent of decomposition.
5. On Wednesday, questions were raised at the inquest as to why the PSNI did not provide a water sample from the storm drain where Noah’s body was found. The pathologist who conducted the 14-year-old’s postmortem examination said an additional test “would be supportive and helpful” but would not have changed her conclusion that Noah drowned.
6. There was discussion of diatoms, a form of microorganism, that were found in Noah’s lungs, when the pathologists explained to the jury that the presence of these would indicate a person had drowned in natural water, as diatoms wouldn’t be found in treated or tap water. A sample can be taken from the water a body is found in and tested for diatoms, to see if they match those found in the deceased person. Dr Marjorie Turner, who carried out Noah’s post-mortem examination, told the court that a diatom test from a water sample “may have come back negative but that would not change my opinion of cause of death” being drowning.
7. In questioning, Brenda Campbell KC, representing Fiona Donohoe, posited that in a post-mortem process there is an “opportunity in that autopsy to try and find answers” and that “opportunity might not come again”. She acknowledged that the absence of that test “doesn’t change anyone’s opinion on the agreed cause of death” but it does “potentially deprive” us of additional information. Former state pathologist for Northern Ireland Professor Jack Crane agreed, adding “if we had ability to compare diatoms in water and found in Noah’s body it would be supportive evidence” of the theory that he died in the storm drain.

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Formula 1 is set to cancel its upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia over security concerns because of the war in the Middle East, Sky Sports News understands.

A grand prix was scheduled in each country next month, with Bahrain’s race on 12 April and Saudi Arabia’s on 19 April.

The decision is expected to be officially confirmed within the next two days. As of writing, both events still appear on the Formula 1 schedule.

Iran war latest: Trump admits Putin ‘might be helping’ Tehran

Sky Sports News understands the set-to-be-cancelled Middle East races will likely not be replaced on F1’s March-December calendar, meaning the season would run to 22 Grands Prix weekends.

The outlet reported that the decision comes as the situation in the Middle East has not improved in recent days. Both organisations declined to comment.

Formula 1 races are also set to be held in the Middle East this winter, with Grands Prix in Qatar on 29 November and Abu Dhabi on 6 December.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, head of the FIA, said on Monday that “safety and wellbeing” will be the main concern when deciding on whether the ⁠races will go ahead.

It comes as several major banks closed their branches in Gulf states and evacuated staff from their building in the wake of Iranian strikes.

Standard Chartered began evacuating staff from offices in Dubai and told them to work from home, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two sources.

Citigroup, an American bank, also told its staff to evacuate offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai’s Oud Metha neighbourhood.

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JP Morgan said its employees in the Middle East would also be working from home “for the time being” but said its businesses and client servicing “remain uninterrupted”.

And HSBC has closed all branches in Qatar until further notice, according to a customer ​notice, saying the measure is to ensure the safety of staff and customers.

“The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our top priority,” a HSBC spokesperson said.

The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing a portion of the new Iranian supreme leader’s public statement, the second time in three days that he’s targeted the network for reporting on how the regime is responding to the American attacks.

The attack illustrated the care news outlets must take in reporting during wartime, and the responsibilities of American journalists to report the perspective of countries its government views as enemies. It also exposed inconsistencies. The message of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during his first public statement since he succeeded his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, was widely available elsewhere.

The White House said on social media that “fake news CNN just aired four straight minutes of uninterrupted Iranian state TV, run by the same psychotic and murderous regime that prided itself on brutally slaughtering Americans for 47 years.”

Earlier CNN interview criticized by Trump’s communications leader

Two days earlier, White House communications director Steven Cheung took issue with CNN anchor Erin Burnett’s interview with Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator. Burnett asked Mousavian what he had been hearing about the Iranian government’s interest in having talks with the United States. There wasn’t much, he said.

“Ever notice how CNN just regurgitates quotes and unverified information from Iranian terrorists?” Cheung wrote on X. “Total disgrace. They have become the murderous Iranian Regime’s version of Pravda,” he said, referring to the official newspaper of the former Soviet Union.

CNN did not address Cheung’s statement but did respond to the White House attack on Thursday. It noted that CNN, Sky News and Al Jazeera also showed portions of the ayatollah’s statement live.

“The world is watching with anticipation which direction this war will take,” CNN said. “Purported remarks from Iran’s new supreme leader are a critical component in helping audiences understand where this conflict is heading and were aired for their obvious news value.”

Other news outlets, including The Associated Press, sent out alerts on what Khamenei said. His vow to keep up attacks on other Arab countries in the region and plans to choke off the world’s oil supply were headlines. The New York Times led its website with a story on the speech in its immediate aftermath, later writing that the speech “was an early indication of how the new supreme leader would approach the war, as well as how he would lead the country.”

CNN has long been a favored target of President Donald Trump, dating back to his first term. It’s a particularly vulnerable time for the network with Paramount Global’s agreement to purchase CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, raising questions about its future editorial independence.

CNN showed a news anchor reading a portion of Khameini’s remarks in Farsi, with an English translation. It did not air them in full. After the speech, correspondent Nick Paton Walsh gave a debrief to anchor Kate Bolduan, noting how the non-appearance of the leader — reportedly injured in an air attack — was as important as what he said.

“We were waiting to see the face of the man to have proof of his health and survival,” Walsh said, “and they’ve not met that moment. Instead, a handwritten message, it seems, that mostly reiterates things we kind of already knew.”

A social media message board for Iran’s point of view

The Tech Transparency Project has reported that several Iranian leaders and institutions maintain verified accounts on X, formerly Twitter, owned by Trump ally Elon Musk. CNBC said Thursday that Khamenei has one of them, and an X account with his portrait posted the text of his remarks, available in Farsi and in an English translation.

Even though Khamenei’s father is dead, an account with his portrait was active on Thursday, mainly reposting messages from his son. “The revenge we have in mind is not just because of the martyrdom of the illustrious Leader of the Revolution,” read one message posted Thursday. “Every member of the nation martyred by the enemy is a separate case that demands we seek revenge.”

X is officially blocked in Iran, though many use a virtual private network to bypass restrictions. A message sent to the platform on Thursday was not immediately returned.

There’s a long history of journalists seeking interviews with world leaders, even when they are regarded as enemies of the United States. Most notable was “60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace’s interview with Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979, when that country was holding Americans hostage.

Thursday’s remarks by Iran’s new supreme leader were absolutely newsworthy and legitimate for CNN to air them, said Jane Ferguson, a veteran international correspondent and founder of the journalism platform Noosphere. It’s not the job of government leaders to pick apart what CNN is reporting, she said.

“We’ve always faced this,” she said, about when reporters interview leaders or other figures hostile to American interests. “This has been a bit of low-hanging fruit for awhile.”

Historian Douglas Brinkley of Rice University said that it’s unfair for CNN to be singled out in this instance. He, too, believes it is newsworthy to learn what leaders of an adversary are thinking, but it’s important to make sure that journalists are careful.

“You have to be leery of being used as a propaganda tool by the Iranian regime,” he said. “On the other hand, knowing what the enemy is saying and looking for a sign of a peace offering or a nuance is important … It’s a difficult balance.”

___

AP correspondent Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this report. David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

NBC has pulled the plug on its longtime entertainment news program Access Hollywood after 30 years.

The show’s cancellation comes as a direct result of the network cutting its original production of first-run syndication programming. Other shows that are coming to an end include daytime talk shows Access Hollywood Live, Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show.

“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo & Peacock unscripted for NBCUniversal, in a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter.

“The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows. These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”

Access Hollywood, launched in 1996 to rival CBS’s Entertainment Tonight, will produce original episodes through September.

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Throughout its three decades on television, the newsmagazine has featured a rotating cast of hosts and correspondents. It debuted with original hosts, Giselle Fernandez and Larry Mendte, with the latter departing after just one season in 1997. Fernandez was joined by Pat O’Brien and remained with the show until 1999. Recent Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O’Dell was also one of Access Hollywood’s original co-anchors.

In 2001, the series welcomed Billy Bush as a correspondent. He then served as co-anchor from 2004 until his exit in 2016. Afterward, he joined NBC’s Today show but was fired months later when a 2005 tape of him from his days at Access Hollywood was leaked.

The infamous tape captured audio of Donald Trump boasting about his ability to sexually harass and assault women, with Bush appearing to laugh along. Reflecting on his career fallout after the video’s release, Bush admitted that he had considered suicide.

Access Hollywood is currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Zuri Hall and Scott Evans.

The cancellations come amid a rapidly changing landscape for television. Daytime and late-night talk shows are a shrinking genre, as they are increasingly being replaced by video podcasts.

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Long delays continue as police investigate

A busy stretch of the M6 in Cheshire remains closed tonight (Friday, March 13) after a ‘serious’ motorbike crash. It has happened on the northbound carriageway near Lymm Interchange.

The collision involves a motorcyclist, National Highways say. It has not yet been confirmed by police if anyone has been injured.

However the air ambulance was earlier seen landing nearby.

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The northbound carriageway remains closed near junction 20 with traffic being diverted via the entry and exit slip roads. There are long delays approaching the key junction where the M6 meets the M56.

Officers from Cheshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit are currently at the scene carrying out enquiries. A white KIA SUV can be seen in lane three of the closed section of the motorway.

Next to it is a motorbike which can be seen leaning against the central reservation.

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Cheshire Police have been approached for further information.

Earlier, National Highways said: “The #M6 is now CLOSED northbound within J20 #M56 near #Warrington due to a collision involving a motorcycle. Delays of at least 20 minutes on approach to the closure. Traffic is to divert using the entry and exit slips.”

They later added they were awaiting ‘further clarification’ on when the motorway is expected to re-open.

Christopher Scrivens bought quad bikes, jet skis and expensive art off the back of his efforts to ‘flood the Valleys with drugs’

A drug dealer who put his ill-gotten gains into high-value art must pay authorities hundreds of thousands of pounds. Christopher Scrivens, whose collection included pieces by Banksy, was handed a three-year jail term in 2024 after police uncovered his scheme to “flood the Valleys” with cannabis purchased from California.

Now the 39-year-old has been ordered by a judge to pay back £233,737, which Newport Crown Court heard is the full amount that can be recovered from Scrivens – including from selling items found by police in a raid of his Ebbw Vale home.

That figure is less than half the £475,178 which Scrivens made from his supply of the class B substance. Judge Celia Hughes ordered him to pay the recoverable amount within three months or face a further three-year prison term. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

In its raid Gwent Police seized works by the famous Bristolian artist including the Grappling Hook, Monkey Queen, and Watchtower Swing, which together had a potential value of more than £190,000. Also seized were designer goods, a caravan, quad bikes, and jet skis, while Scrivens was found in possession of some £11,800 in cash.

WalesOnline has asked Gwent Police for details of any upcoming auction of the items. We previously reported that police had trouble gaining entry to the property due to high walls and gates. As they busted their way in the defendant was seen with an iPhone.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said there was a “significant struggle” between Scrivens and a police officer who suffered an injury in the tussle. Mr Griffiths said: “It was obvious why he didn’t want police to get it. It contained a lengthy history of drug dealing.”

It is believed Scrivens purchased around £136,000 worth of cannabis, weighing 15.8kg, from California for onward supply. In one message, he told co-conspirators he intended to “flood the Valleys with cannabis”.

Scrivens, of Bryn-Y-Gwynt, was jailed in October 2024 after admitting importation of cannabis and conspiracy to supply the drug.

Five of his accomplices were sentenced in connection to the conspiracy, which you can read more about here.

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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday charged a man who authorities say sold a gun to the Old Dominion University shooter despite the gunman’s previous conviction in a terrorism case.

Kenya Chapman is facing federal charges in connection to the sale of the weapon to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Army National Guard member who yelled “Allahu akbar” before he opened fire in a classroom at the Virginia school on Thursday, according to authorities. One person was killed and two others were injured in the shooting.

Jalloh was barred from possessing a gun given a previous felony conviction for attempting to aid the Islamic State extremist group.

Chapman is charged with making a false statement during a firearm purchase and engaging in the business of firearms dealing without a license.

Chapman told agents in an interview that he stole the gun from a car in Newport News, Virginia, about a year before the shooting and recently sold it to Jalloh. Chapman said he met Jalloh at work and that Jalloh told him he needed the gun for protection as a delivery driver, according to court papers. Chapman told agents he knew Jalloh had spent some time behind bars but denied knowing he had a previous felony conviction.

Chapman told agents he had no idea the man would commit the attack, the affidavit says.

Earlier Friday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press that Jalloh used a gun with an obliterated serial number, potentially complicating investigators’ efforts to determine how he obtained a firearm.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation, said investigators would have to re-surface the number in order to trace the gun.

Jalloh was a former Army National Guard member who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to aid the Islamic State extremist group.

The investigation continues

Jalloh, who yelled “Allahu akbar” before opening fire, was subdued and killed by ROTC students, according to FBI officials who praised the students’ bravery for preventing further harm. The shooting killed an ROTC leader who was a professor of military science at ODU, and left two others hurt.

The FBI has warned that Iranian operatives may be planning drone attacks on targets in California. Two men brought explosives to a far-right protest outside the New York mayoral mansion on Saturday. Investigators allege they were inspired by the Islamic State group. And on Thursday, a man of Lebanese origin was fatally shot after driving his vehicle into a Detroit-area synagogue in what the FBI called a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”

Evans on Thursday also requested the public’s help as authorities continue to investigate the shooting and Jalloh, saying no detail is too small.

Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton said less than 10 minutes passed between when officers were called about a shooting in the university’s business school building and when responders determined the shooter was dead. Authorities have not said exactly how the ROTC students killed Jalloh, though Evans said they did not shoot him.

The U.S. Army Cadet Command has said on social media that three members of the U.S. Army ROTC program at Old Dominion were injured, including one who died.

ROTC is a program where students receive a scholarship to attend college while training to become commissioned officers in the U.S. military.

Slain instructor remembered as family man, leader, protector

The victim who died was Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a 42-year-old from Chesapeake who leaves behind a spouse and a child, the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Old Dominion said in a social media post.

Shah attended ODU as an ROTC student, according to his biography on the university’s website, and had returned in 2022 as a leader for the program. In the Army, Shah piloted helicopters over Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe.

“Above all else, Lt. Col. Shah embodied what it means to be a devoted family man, a revered leader, and heroic protector even in his final moments,” Old Dominion President Brian Hemphill said in a Friday message to the university community.

On Friday morning, in honor of his close friend Shah, Eddie Flack poured out a bottle of Wild Turkey on a lawn where flagpoles stand on campus across from Constant Hall. Flack, also of Chesapeake, said the two became firm friends while enrolled at ODU.

“I love you Brandon. Rest well with the creator. I love you,” Flack said as he poured out the whiskey and looked up at the sky.

“Sorry Brandon. The world needs more love,” Flack said, weeping. “We need to spread more love and not this hatred.”

The shooter also had a background in military service. Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, served as a specialist with the Virginia Army National Guard from 2009 until 2015, when he was honorably discharged.

___

Durkin Richer reported from Washington and Sisak reported from New York City. Associated Press reporters Michael Biesecker in Washington; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia; and Olivia Diaz in Richmond, Virginia, contributed.

___

This story has been corrected to show the AP reporter in the byline is Allen G. Breed, not Alan.

A Home Office spokesman confirmed no wrongdoing was found and that officials were ‘satisfied everything was in order’

Police and Home Office officials were at the Royal Nawaab restaurant at Stockport Pyramid as part of an ‘illegal working enforcement visit’ – though no wrongdoing was found – the Manchester Evening News has learned.

Diners were turned away from the restaurant for a short time while officials carried out checks on Thursday night (March 13). They found no evidence of illegal working or wrongdoing. ‘No breaches of any kind were found’, restaurant bosses said.

One diner said he was due to eat at the venue for a friend’s birthday but was denied entry by police, with officers ‘ushering cars away’.

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A Home Office spokesman told Manchester Evening News immigration enforcement officers carried out an ‘intelligence‑led visit’ with support from Greater Manchester Police and, after investigation, were ‘satisfied everything was in order, with no wrongdoing found’. It is unclear exactly what sparked the visit.

A Pakistani man was arrested on suspicion of working in breach of visa conditions. He was later de-arrested as there was ‘insufficient evidence’, the Home Office said.

Another man arrested on suspicion of obstructing an immigration officer was ‘de-arrested when compliant’ and ‘cleared as a naturalised British citizen’, the Home Office added.

A spokesperson for the Royal Nawaab restaurant said: “Royal Nawaab welcomes any checks by the authorities and we cooperated fully with the Home Office enforcement visit.

“Every member of our staff was thoroughly checked and every single one was cleared. No breaches of any kind were found. We would also like to clarify that the individual who was briefly detained and cleared as a naturalised British citizen is not an employee of Royal Nawaab.

“Royal Nawaab has invested £15m in the renovation of the Pyramid, created nearly 200 jobs, and is committed to operating to the highest standards. We take our legal obligations seriously, and the positive outcome of their visit reflects that.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed its officers attended to assist Home Office officials.

Police have advised drivers to seek alternative routes

A major Cambridgeshire road has been closed due to a car fire. The A605 Stanground in Peterborough is shut Friday evening (March 13) following a car fire. The incident was first reported at around 5.30pm near to the Morrisons supermarket.

Emergency services are currently on scene at the incident dealing with the fire. Drivers have been advised to seek alternative routes while the road closure is in place.

Traffic monitoring site Inrix said: “A605 Stanground in both directions closed, queueing traffic due to vehicle fire from Morrisons turn off to B1092 Whittlesey Road.”

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “A605 Stanground between Morrisons is closed at this time due to a car fire, please seek alternative route.”

It is unclear whether anybody has been injured in the fire at this stage. Cambridgeshire Live has contacted the fire service for more information.

Coronation Street star Harriet Bibby has been flooded with messages of support as she offered an update on the role she’s taking on away from the cobbles.

Fans of the ITV soap best know the actress for playing Summer Spellman after she was recast in the role back in 2020. But in January, Harriet revealed she’s set to do something new away from her role on Corrie.

Taking to Instagram on Friday (January 16), she revealed that she’s teaming up with writer Ian Kershaw, know for his work on the soap and is also the husband of Corrie legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, aka Hayley Cropper, to bring back award-winning play, My Name Is Rachel Corrie.

It tells the tragic story of young American activist Rachel, who travelled to Gaza in 2003 as part of an international peace brigade – living with Palestinian families, resisting the destruction of their homes. She died, aged 23, after being crushed by an Israeli armoured bulldozer.

Take Back theatre and 53Two are co-producing the Manchester premiere of the play, based entirely on the young American peace activist’s diaries and emails, from March 18 to March 22. Sharing the news on Instagram in January, Harriet shared: “We’ve been working on something beautiful! @ijkershaw @takebacktheatre @53two @reddoormanagement. Ticket link in bio.”

Now, with opening night now just days away, Harriet returned to Instagram on Friday (March 13) to offer an exciting update. Posting a selfie alongside Ian and Grant Archer, she said: “It’s true!! We had our final rehearsal yesterday and next week is SHOW WEEK! Tickets are selling fast so if you haven’t got yours yet, the link is in my bio! Can’t wait to see you all there.”

Corrie co-star Mollie Gallagher, who plays Nina Lucas, was quick to show her support as she commented on the post: “Woooooo [heart emojis],” while This Morning’s soap expert Sharon Marshall was seen commenting: “You go girl!”

And fans were also sending messages. @brandonbrindle said: “Awesome! I hope you have an amazing time performing this play. Much love from Canada.” @meenahollow replied: “Unbelievably excited for this project. Good on you.” @mattjj1989 added: “Can’t wait to see you on Thursday.”

Speaking about being involved with the one-woman-play with Ian, Harriet recently told the Mirror: “He saw the play 20 years ago and caught me in work and asked if I’d be interested. It’s beautifully put together. It’s all Rachel’s own words from her diaries and emails home. A lot of the play is quite light-hearted. You are meeting this young woman who is curious, smart, weird and funny, but it’s also very poignant, so it’s emotionally draining and challenging too.”