Emergency services, including an air ambulance, were called to the back lane behind Wood’s Terrace on Saturday (June 27) after a man was found injured. 

He was taken to hospital by ambulance crews and remains there fighting for his life in a critical condition today (June 30). 

Durham Police has now confirmed that two people have been arrested in connection with the incident and remain in custody this afternoon. 

A brief statement said: “Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident and remain in custody this afternoon.

“The victim remains in a critical condition in hospital.”

Ambulance crews were called to the incident just after 1pm on Saturday.

A Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) spokesperson previously said: “Our critical care team was activated at 1.17pm to reports of an assault in Murton. 

“We had a paramedic and doctor on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 1.28pm. 

“Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) to assess and treat a patient. 

“The patient was taken to hospital by a NEAS road crew, accompanied by our team.”

Anyone who has any information that could help should call police on 101, quoting crime reference number CRI00690607, or contact the force online.

Information can also be submitted anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online.

Cross border trains have been affected after a number of cows blocked the West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire.

Thousands of train passengers are suffering disruption after a herd of cows wandered onto one of the UK’s busiest railway lines.

Information on National Rail Enquiries shows the West Coast Main Line has been blocked in Staffordshire between Lichfield Trent Valley and Rugeley Trent Valley for more than three hours.

This is causing delays and cancellations for Avanti West Coast and Lumo services between London Euston and Scotland, as well as London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services.

The Press Association understands there were difficulties contacting the farmer responsible for the animals.

The incident was reported at 8.57am and passengers are being warned to expect disruption until 4pm.

Tickets are being accepted on certain alternative routes.

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Four people are trapped after a four-storey apartment block collapsed on Tuesday in the Petralona area of Athens, the fire brigade said.

Firefighters and police were deployed to the area to help with the rescue operation, which is ongoing.

Footage on local media showed rescue workers walking amid the rubble.

It was not clear what caused the collapse of the building, which included seven apartments.

Construction work was underway in an adjacent building, local media reported.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow…

It is hard to argue against the suggestion that France have the best squad in international football.

You might therefore think managing such an elite group of players is an easy task – but this is not necessarily true.

For evidence, look at the number of occasions when clubs have crumbled under the wealth of talent signed or the challenge of managing the personalities of superstars.

Since taking the France job in 2012, Didier Deschamps has continually reinvented his sides and got the most from France’s huge pool of talent.

Even more impressively, he has earned a reputation for doing so mid-tournament – tweaking his system game by game to land on formulas that win the World Cup or come very close to doing so.

This familiar pattern seems to be emerging in this World Cup too.

Deschamps has been especially adept at maximising his top attacking talent and appears to have prioritised getting the most from Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe, now 27, prefers to be involved in the game rather than just being a last-line runner to finish off moves – as he did so brilliantly as a 19-year-old in France’s 2018 win.

Fitting him in as a number nine while making the rest of the team tick is Deschamps’ big challenge at this World Cup.

In qualifying, Deschamps had built a logical, if unusual, system. On paper, it was a lopsided 4-2-4 or a 4-2-3-1.

Hugo Ekitike played on the left, with Mbappe dropping deep and pulling wide, close to the Liverpool forward. Ekitike, from the wing, or Dembele – from a more standard number 10 position – could both move into centre-forward positions. Michael Olise played on the right wing.

In the opening game of this World Cup against Senegal, Deschamps set France up in a similar manner, with Desire Doue coming in for the injured Ekitike.

Australian singer Cody Simpson has revealed he is unable to “walk or talk” after suffering a dislocated knee and a damaged vocal cord, forcing him to postpone his upcoming album and live performances. The 29-year-old shared the news with his 4.8 million Instagram followers, detailing a series of setbacks that have halted his career.

Simpson explained that he sustained the knee injury during rehearsals for a new music video. This unfortunate incident meant that an operation scheduled to address his damaged vocal cord had to be delayed. Consequently, the pop star confirmed that his new music and planned shows would be put on hold, though he assured fans he would “be back stronger.”

His Instagram post included photographs, one showing him on crutches, and a video clip appearing to capture the moment his knee dislocated.

Simpson candidly reflected on his challenges, stating: “The universe is serving it to me this year! An update on where I’ve been: I’ve been on and off vocal rest for close to 3 months trying to heal a damaged vocal cord.”

He continued: “We decided to operate to aid the recovery, then I dislocated my knee rehearsing for a new music video and we had to push surgery back to let my knee settle. I can’t walk or talk for some time now, and no singing or dancing for months to come.”

The singer acknowledged that he has been “pushing my body and mind for years now non-stop,” and must now accept this “forced rest.” Despite the delays, he promised fans he has material ready to share while he is “down for the count,” adding defiantly: “You can’t hold me down! I’ll be back stronger.”

He also managed to complete filming for the music video where the injury occurred, hinting at its eventual release.

Known for hits such as “La Da Dee” and “Home To Mama”, Simpson also has a notable background as a talented junior swimmer. He resumed serious training in 2019, earning a spot on Australia’s swimming team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and later attempted to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Admittedly, Coronation Street never promised us that Idris Nazir (Junade Khan) was going to be an angel.

Arriving on the cobbles, he reunited with his cousin Alya Nazir (Sair Khan), treaded all over the toes of her boyfriend Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), made Leanne Battersby’s (Jane Danson) – and Tracy Barlow’s (Kate Ford) – mouth water, and subtly impressed Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey).

Not too dark, right?

He then proceeded wall up poor Damo (Jake Parry), who owed him a load of money and was clearly utterly terrified of the newcomer, in the ginnel.

The frisson was only interrupted by the arrival of Brody, who wanted to question the legitimacy of Idris’ various businesses, asking him outright if he was a gangster.

Idris laughed off the assumption, though it was abundantly clear that behind the winning smile and the abundance of charisma that there was something much deeper and darker that he was concealing, something actor Junade Khan confirmed.

‘There are a few secrets coming, and a bit of violence, maybe,’ he teased.

Recent male additions to the street have hardly been moral bastions, have they?

Grotesque stalker Mal Roper (Tim Treloar) made Bernie Winter’s (Jane Hazlegrove) life an abject misery and Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) turned out to be an abusive monster. Even Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) despite his recent redemption arc, was utterly rancid upon his introduction.

We’re obviously not counting Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) in with this rotten lot. He’s an absolute babe and we won’t hear another word on the topic, okay?

So we’ll be seeing more violence from Idris, but what of his burgeoning relationship with stalwart, Leanne?

‘Idris will probably bring out the dark side in Leanne a little bit…’ Junade continued to tease.

While Leanne’s true Battersby-flavoured nature re-emerged when she kidnapped Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon), she tends to deal with things in a mature way these days, though, according to Junade, his influence on Leanne will raise the ire of her Nick Tilsley (Ben Price), ex-husband and father of her step-son Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan).

‘He doesn’t like the fact that it’s moving very quick with Idris and Leanne.’

‘Sam gets involved, and likes Idris, which is nice. Idris has a good relationship with Sam, but Nick has a lot of reservations about Idris as a person. He doesn’t trust him whatsoever. It’s going to kick off between them at one point.’

Ben Price recently spoke to Metro about Nick’s feelings in regards to the charismatic newcomer: ‘I think he finds it very difficult.

‘Idris has come in, you will see Sam opening up to him, or that’s potentially on the cards, and I think Nick then feels quite lost, and then also gets angry and a bit protective.’

So is it just Idris’ burgeoning bond with Sam? Not quite, according to Ben: ‘I think it’s quite painful for Nick to see Leanne with someone else.’

‘I think a bit of it is that Leanne has had other relationships, and Nick’s been a bit non plussed.

‘But Idris, he’s a businessman, does quite well. I think Nick finds it a bit tricky. Nick slightly lives in his world of owning the bistro and having a certain standing. That’s good because it crumbles at times, which I think is fantastic.

‘It’s very similar to Peter. Peter was a bit flawed, but you could also see in Peter there was a power that Nick couldn’t match. I think there’s the best of that vibe in Idris. I’m already seeing Idris will definitely probably be a match for Nick in certain ways.

‘Nick didn’t like that with Peter, and doesn’t welcome it. And also, he can see Leanne is happy.’

The scheme, Versus Cancer, is being delivered through the clubs’ charities and will offer free weekly prehabilitation and rehabilitation sessions for adults preparing for or recovering from cancer treatment or surgery.

Under the scheme, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle, and Carlisle football club charities will deliver tailored support designed to help patients improve their physical and mental wellbeing during an often challenging time.

Debbie Cook, director of community at the English Football League (EFL), said: “Versus Cancer is a great example of the National Cancer Plan coming to life and shows the important role that football club charities can play in supporting.

“A big part of the programme is that it takes place away from a clinical setting – at a football club, which is a trusted organisation within the local community and naturally has a very different feel to a hospital.”

The year-long programme will be delivered in partnership with the EFL and eight hospital trusts across the North East and North Cumbria.

Sessions will be held at club venues to offer a more relaxed and supportive environment than traditional clinical settings.

The format will include tailored exercise plans as well as social and emotional support, practical advice for healthier living, and the chance to connect with others facing similar experiences.

Ms Cook said: “Versus Cancer is more than just exercise; for many, it is a lifeline, reducing isolation by bringing together like-minded individuals who share similar experiences and truly understand what each other is going through.

“We are delighted to be working with the Northern Cancer Alliance on this project to help people at a time when they need our support most.”

The launch follows the programme’s success in Lancashire and comes as World Cup fever grips the nation.

Clare Doney, clinical lead for living with and beyond cancer at the Northern Cancer Alliance, highlighted the deep community roots of the participating clubs.

Ms Doney said: “We love our football here in the North East and North Cumbria and we are delighted to be supporting the EFL in this initiative.

“These clubs are at the heart of their communities and are ideally placed to deliver this blend of physical, mental, and emotional support which can bring so many benefits to people before, during, and after cancer treatment and surgery.”

Ms Doney said: “Versus Cancer helps realise the ambitions of the National Cancer Plan by providing care closer to people’s homes, broadening access to prehabilitation and rehabilitation and working more closely with community partners.”

Ms Doney said: “It also stands as a powerful reminder that facing cancer is not only a physical battle, but an emotional one too.

“By combining expert guidance with genuine human connection, the programme aims to make a lasting difference, and we are excited to see it launch.”

The scheme will begin this summer and is open to patients aged 18 and over.

Patients are encouraged to speak to their hospital cancer teams to find out how to access sessions and can choose which club’s programme they would like to attend.

Versus Cancer reflects a growing movement to deliver health care and support in more community-based, familiar settings.

A collision took place between a car and a bus in Bargoed on Tuesday morning.

Gwent Police says it received a report of a road traffic collision between a car and a bus at around 7.15am on the A469, between the Morrisons and fire station roundabouts, in Bargoed.

The road is currently closed in both directions and diversions are in place.

Live updates:

The wife of a Ukrainian oligarch who was seriously injured in a bomb attack in Monaco has been pictured for the first time. 

Anna Ermolaev, 56, was fighting for her life today alongside her oligarch husband Vadim Ermolaev, 58, while surrounded by armed officers, according to reports. 

The couple suffered multiple shrapnel wounds on Monday evening after a backpack full of nuts and bolts exploded in the foyer of their apartment block in the Mediterranean principality.

Ms Ermolaev is said to be the most badly hurt, and has ‘had limbs, including her legs, amputated in the past few hours’, according to a source in France.

A third victim has been identified as the couple’s teenage son, David Ermolaev, whose condition was said to be ‘stable’.

Images of the man who targeted them at the iconic Sun Palace flats were captured on CCTV, and he is still at large, and described by a police source as ‘armed and dangerous’.

Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s Secretary of State, said: ‘It was noted that the man had driven around the area several times before the bomb blast, allowing him to lie in wait for the victims.

‘This clearly indicates that he was likely conducting surveillance.’

Anna and her husband have been transported to secure rooms at the Pasteur Hospital in the French city of Nice

Pictured: Victim Vadim Ermolaev – a Ukrainian oligarch 

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Four other people were treated by emergency services for shock and cuts from shattered windows.

Ermolaev and his wife have been transported to secure rooms at the Pasteur Hospital in the French city of Nice, some 12 miles from the blast zone.

An Interior Ministry source in Paris said the French RAID, which stands for ‘Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence’, was surrounding them.

The elite tactical police unit mainly deals with high-profile counter-terrorism cases and the protection of VIPs.

Ermolaev, who made his fortune in commerce following the collapse of the Soviet Union, has made a huge number of enemies since fleeing his native Ukraine around a decade ago.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky authorised sanctions against him in December 2023 because his drinks business in the occupied Crimea was still doing business with the enemy.

He produces a ‘geographically protected Crimean wine for the Russians’, which is still sold in Europe and the United States, said an investigating source.

Ermolaev is also a co-owner of Versobank, an Estonian bank which had its licence suspended by the European Central Bank in March 2018 for the ‘systematic violation of anti-money laundering legislation.’

Ermolaev’s eldest son, 36-year-old Artur Ermolaev, was arrested by police in Cyprus at the end of 2025, following claims that both he and his father were making millions from fraudulent call centres targeting EU citizens.

Both Ermolaevs deny any wrongdoing, saying all of their business activities are above board.

Ermolaev was originally a real estate developer in his home city of Dnipro, central Ukraine, where he set up his hugely successful Alef Group.

In recent years, the family has been living in absolute luxury in Monaco, where they have had a very high profile.

Ermolaev was known for parking his Ukrainian-registered Bentley outside the Monte Carlo Casino.

He also owned a super yacht flying the Ukrainian flag and owned a high-security villa in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Ermolaev has stated that the Ukrainian tax system is ‘very unfair’, and this prompted him to take Cypriot nationality in 2019.

An aide to France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said police were working ‘to find the perpetrator, who has fled’.

Members of a bomb disposal team operate the day after an allaged attack involving an explosive device in the lobby of a residential building, in Monaco on June 30

Shards of glass on a damaged window of a residential building, following an explosion on Monday, in Monaco, June 30

This photograph shows Monaco’s emergency services deployed near the area of the explosion

Monaco police officers patrol near the site of the explosion

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Police stop motorists after a blast from an explosive device injured multiple people at a residential building in Monaco, late Monday, June 29

Monaco is a globally famous tax haven on the French Riviera, full of high-net-worth residents.

It prides itself on its crime-free reputation and attracts billionaire businesspeople and celebrities from all over the world.

But there have been numerous corruption scandals on the so-called Rock in recent years, including allegations of money laundering by mafia-style gangs, including ones from Ukraine.

Prince Albert, the ruler of Monaco, has pledged to clamp down on corruption, with the help of the French authorities.

Despite Monaco’s independence, its defence is primarily the responsibility of the government in Paris.

Following the bomb blast, Prince Albert described the atrocity as ‘obnoxious’, adding: ‘The Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of violence and crime. The safety of our community has always been a priority – it will remain so more than ever, whatever the threats.’

Speaking on Tuesday at the Informa Connect CompLaw conference, the CMA’s executive director for digital markets, Will Hayter, will say: “We are consulting today on draft conduct requirements to support so-called ‘steering’, or the ability for app developers to engage directly with their users outside Apple and Google’s app stores.