NewsBeat
Spennymoor thug could spend years behind bars for attack
The warning was given to defendant Callum Garbutt after he changed plea and admitted a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, at a hearing at Durham Crown Court.
Garbutt, 21, who appeared via video link from HMP Durham, attacked another man in Spennymoor, on December 14, 2024.
The court was told the defendant had previously admitted the lesser offence of unlawful wounding, but without the intent element.
Now he has admitted the more serious wounding with intent allegation, the other plea can be vacated.
Calum McNicholas, for Garbutt, said: “The facts are relatively straight-forward but there may be some complexity to this defendant.”
Mr McNicholas asked for sentence to be adjourned to allow for preparation of both a psychological assessment on the defendant and a background report by the Probation Service.
Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here
Judge Nathan Adams agreed to the adjournment for the reports to be compiled but said the starting point, according to the sentencing guidelines, is likely to be four or five years.
Adjourning the case until the sentencing hearing, on Friday June 12, Judge Adams told Garbutt, of Catherine Close, Spennymoor: “As you have now pleaded there no longer needs to be a trial.
“But you will remain in custody in the meantime.”
A dramatic finish at the Delaware Marathon on 19 April saw Joshua Jackson snatch victory in the final moment overtaking leader Carson Mello by less than a second. Mello, thinking a win was guaranteed, slowed in celebration before Jackson’s powerful late surge sealed the win.
A decision on Rew and the rest of the England squad will be influenced by the new selector, a role for which applications closed on Friday.
There is also still plenty of time for others to stake their claim – most counties have four more matches before the first Test, along with those two Lions games.
Crawley could find the form that keeps his place. If England decide to omit the Kent man and want a specialist opener as his replacement, then Durham pair Ben McKinney and Emilio Gay have started the season well. Asa Tribe is also opening for Glamorgan.
There could be two batting spots available in the Test squad, simply because England often pick a reserve to cover for the top seven. Elsewhere, there are questions over the spin and pace-bowling slots.
Shoaib Bashir had an awful winter, and is trying to move on with a new home and plenty of overs at Derbyshire. If England picked Bashir when he was not playing county cricket, would they then leave him out when he is?
If not Bashir, would England go back to Jack Leach, Liam Dawson, or even leg-spinner Mason Crane, whose only Test cap came more than eight years ago? Will Jacks is the incumbent, and other all-round options include Rehan Ahmed and James Coles.
England’s fast-bowling department is experiencing its most uncertain period for more than two decades, with James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and -most likely – Mark Wood out of the picture.
Brydon Carse has a broken wrist and Jofra Archer is at the Indian Premier League. Gus Atkinson has not played so far this season following the hamstring injury he suffered at the Ashes, but should be able to join Josh Tongue in the squad to take on New Zealand.
There could be two or three vacancies at the beginning of the series. Sonny Baker has a central contract and has made a superb start to the season, after a struggle when he made his England white-ball debuts last year.
England are keen to find a new-ball bowler to replace the retired Woakes. Matthew Fisher was called into the Ashes squad and Tom Lawes is highly rated, though both are in a Surrey team that has struggled to take wickets in the first two rounds of the Championship. Sam Cook played one Test last year, too small a sample size to make a judgement on the prolific Essex seamer.
And is it finally time for England to bury the hatchet with Ollie Robinson? Still only 32, he has 76 wickets at an average below 23. He has not played for England in more than a year.
Now Sussex captain, leading his team to two wins from two, many rate Robinson as the best new-ball bowler in the country. Can England afford to ignore him?
NewsBeat
Everything we know as women’s Tour De France 2027 route through Greater Manchester revealed
Need to know
Some of the best cyclists in the world will race through Manchester, Stockport, Rochdale and Oldham
Everything you need to know as Greater Manchester to host opening stages of women’s Tour De France
- The spectacular route for the opening two stages of the women’s Tour De France has been revealed, with Greater Manchester hosting the race for the first time next year.
- The world’s best cyclists will race through Manchester, Stockport, Rochdale and Oldham, tackling tough climbs including Grains Bar and Snake Pass. The 53-mile first stage starts in Leeds on Friday, July 30, finishing on Deansgate after passing landmarks including Heaton Park and Manchester Cathedral.
- The second stage begins at Albert Square, heading through the universities and Rusholme before a gruelling 96-mile route through Stockport, Derbyshire and the Peak District to Sheffield.
- Manchester council leader Bev Craig said the race would be ‘epic on so many levels’, adding: “We want to make sure when we talk about women’s sport we’re doing everything we can to shine a light on a fantastic opportunity for so many women and girls across our city to be involved.”
- British Cycling chief exec Jon Dutton expects 12 million spectators to line the routes across all six UK stages in 2027. Dame Sarah Storey, Greater Manchester’s active travel commissioner, believes the event will inspire the next generation of female cyclists.
- Local cycling clubs are already preparing to volunteer, with Moston Cycling Club member Jo Poke saying: “It’s dead exciting – I won’t be booking a holiday for next July and we will definitely all be volunteering.”
- READ THE FULL STORY: Tour De France 2027 route through Greater Manchester revealed including punishing climbs and spectacular Deansgate finish
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear from Catholic preschools that say it’s unconstitutional to exclude them from a state-funded program because they won’t admit kids from LGBTQ+ families.
In the latest religious rights case for the conservative-majority court, the justices will hear from Colorado’s St. Mary Catholic Parish and the Archdiocese of Denver, which are supported by the Republican Trump administration.
The schools argue that Colorado is violating their religious rights by barring them from the taxpayer-funded universal preschool program over their faith-based admission policies. They say the state has allowed other preschools to prioritize children with disabilities or those from low-income families, so admission based on religious beliefs about gender and same-sex marriage should be allowed, too.
The state said that religious schools are welcome to participate but are required to follow nondiscrimination laws. Income and disability decisions are in line with those rules, Colorado said. The program was created by a 2020 ballot measure and provides public funding for preschool at schools selected by parents.
AP AUDIO: Supreme Court will hear from religious preschools challenging exclusion from taxpayer-funded program
AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports the Supreme Court will take up a case involving Catholic preschools in Colorado.
The plaintiffs are represented by the group Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which applauded the high court’s decision to take up the case.
“The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that states cannot exclude families from government benefits because of their faith. We’re confident the Court will say the same thing here and put a stop to Colorado’s no-Catholics-need-apply rules,” said Nicholas Reaves, a senior counsel at Becket.
As part of the case, which will be heard in the fall, the court will consider narrowing a landmark 1990 decision over the spiritual use of peyote, a cactus that contains a hallucinogen called mescaline. That opinion, written by conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia, found religious practices don’t create exemptions from broadly applicable laws.
The justices declined a push from the schools, along with a Catholic family in Colorado, to overturn the ruling.
The high court recently has backed other claims of religious discrimination while taking a more skeptical view of LGBTQ+ rights.
The justices last month ruled against another law in Colorado that banned “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ kids after the measure was challenged by a Christian counselor.
Last year, the justices found that parents who have religious objections can pull their children from Maryland public school lessons that use LGBTQ+ storybooks. In 2022, the court found a high school football coach who knelt and prayed on the field after games was protected by the Constitution.
The court deadlocked, though, over a plan to establish a publicly funded Catholic charter school after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.
LUANDA, Angola (AP) — And in Africa, the lion roared.
There is a case to be made that Pope Leo XIV, the careful, reserved, Midwestern Augustinian, found his voice on his epic trip through Africa, blasting the “handful of tyrants” and “chains of corruption” that have held parts of the continent hostage for centuries.
But the fact is, Leo has been preaching this kind of message for a while now, including in the context of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. It just took U.S. President Donald Trump’s unprecedented broadside and Vice President JD Vance’s claims of theological superiority for many people to pay attention, especially American Catholics.
“Yes, Pope Leo might give the impression that he is engaging, in his quiet way and with authority, and this is how it looks to the world press and social media,” Cardinal Michael Czerny, a top Vatican official and aide to Leo, told The Associated Press.
“But in fact the Holy Father’s homilies and talks in Africa have been prepared, well in advance, in terms of the local African reality and the church,” Czerny said. “So, if they seem relevant to the current wars, controversy, this reminds us of Jesus saying, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!’”
Leo tried to make that point when he came to the back of Air Pope One on April 18, en route from Cameroon to Angola, and complained that “a certain narrative” had taken hold suggesting he was in a feud with Trump over the Iran war and his peace messages in Africa were directed at the president.
Leo insisted his words about tyrants and the religious justification for war had been wrongly interpreted and he was referring only to the African context, and to a separatist conflict in western Cameroon, in particular.
The thin line of the pope’s explanation
But Leo also was trying to have it both ways. Yes, he was talking about the separatist conflict at a peace meeting in Bamenda. Yes, he was preaching the Gospel message of peace and fraternity. But he also has been talking about Trump, a lot.
“That distancing of Pope Leo from some interpretations was really a move to de-escalate a very dangerous situation,” said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology at Trinity College Dublin. “Because the Vatican needs the United States to restore some kind of peaceful — not order — but a horizon of peace, a hope of peace.”
Leo criticized Trump, directly, before he got to Africa. And in one remarkable comment two weeks ago, he encouraged the faithful to contact their congressional representatives to demand an end to the war.
The headline from the April 7 encounter outside Leo’s country house in Castel Gandolfo was that Leo had called Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable.”
But the more significant message followed. “I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities, political leaders, congressmen, to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war,” Leo said.
Faggioli termed the comment “the Vatican’s nuclear option,” making a direct appeal to U.S. voters to take a stand, because it genuinely feared Trump was about to take the Iran war in a vastly more catastrophic direction.
What came before Leo’s unprecedented appeal
The Holy See had never resorted to such a directly political message from a pope even at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when a Catholic president — John F. Kennedy — was on the verge of a nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union, Faggioli said.
At that moment, Pope John XXIII did make a public appeal — his famous Oct. 25, 1962, radio address — with a strong, direct plea for peace including to “those who have the responsibility of power” to “do everything in their power to save the peace.”
The pope also sent private letters to Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and worked behind the scenes through diplomatic channels to de-escalate the situation. But he didn’t urge U.S. voters to essentially choose which Catholic to listen to: their president or their pope.
“What is at stake now is that at a time of war, loyalties of Catholics are tested in a particular way,” Faggioli said. He added that however the situation ultimately resolves itself, the tension will complicate any future political aspirations of Catholics seeking high office, whether Vance on the Republican side or California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the Democratic side, as long as a U.S.-born pope is still in Rome.
Kathleen Sprows Cummings, director of the Global Catholic Research Initiative at the University of Notre Dame, said Leo has consistently operated “on a higher plane” but American Catholics are used to church discussion of morality in the context of sexuality, gender and abortion, and it’s jarring to process foreign policy through a moral lens.
“So JD Vance can say the pope should stick to morality,” she said, “but war and peace are ancient moral issues.”
The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, the under-secretary in the Vatican’s culture department, said Leo is continuing in the tradition of popes past to preach the Gospel message of peace. What has changed, he said, was how Trump reacted.
“The strong reaction arrived from America,” he said. “It was America that reacted to Leo’s words, and not vice versa.”
Even with his direct comments about Trump, Leo was not engaging in an attack, Spadaro said.
“It’s very dangerous to imagine that the pope is fighting with Trump, because it means demeaning the pope to a level of contrast, one against the other, which Trump may want but that the pope has no intention of doing,” he said.
New role, same Leo, Vatican official says
Spadaro added that from his perch, Leo hasn’t changed at all from when he was known as Robert Prevost, the Chicago-born missionary priest.
“I see the Prevost I’ve always seen,” Spadaro said. “Let’s say it’s the backdrop that has changed, so his calm yet very direct style stands in stark contrast to a chaotic scenario, and that’s why it’s striking.”
For better or worse, the incredible saga of Trump, the war and geopolitics seems far removed from Leo’s day-to-day ministering to his flock in Africa, who have turned out in droves to welcome the American pope in each stop on his four-nation tour.
The polyglot pope has made it easy for them to hear his words, delivering speeches, homilies and prayers in the languages of the faithful: French in Algeria, English and French in Cameroon, Portuguese in Angola and, starting Tuesday, Spanish in Equatorial Guinea.
Lucineia Francisco left her family behind on Sunday so she could see Leo at the Shrine of Mama Muxima, Angola’s most popular pilgrimage destination. Some 30,000 people turned out for Leo’s rosary prayer.
“My kids were crying to come, but I said no,” Francisco said. “This is a spiritual journey that I’m really going to face on my own.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
___
This version corrects the title for Rev. Antonio Spadaro, the under-secretary in the Vatican’s culture department
Today’s best Travelodge discount codes and deals
Whether you’re booking a city break, business trip or weekend getaway, Travelodge offers affordable and comfortable stays across the UK and Ireland. With more than 580 locations, from bustling cities to coastal towns, it’s a go-to for travellers looking for value for money, without compromising on convenience. Here at The Independent, our deals team has curated the best Travelodge voucher codes to help you save even more.
Use the best price-finder tool
The handy price-finder helps you locate the lowest prices in a fraction of the time. Search by location or region to see all Travelodge hotels in your area. Their proximity to the location you provided and prices for each night will be available.
This is particularly useful for large cities or popular beach destinations, where prices can vary by more than £100 a night in the same area, depending on the date.
Business discount
Businesses, both big and small, can enjoy a special saving of five per cent when booking a stay with a flexible rate at Travelodge. Along with this discount, you’ll be able to amend or cancel your stay up until midday on your arrival date without any fees. Other benefits include:
- Enhanced booking management features
- Personalised booking and budget dashboard
- Dedicated support team to help with any queries or special requests
Kids eat for £1
Families can save on added costs with the £1 kids’ breakfast offer. Children under 15 eat for just £1 when accompanied by a full-paying adult, which is a saving of nearly £9. Travelodge breakfasts are unlimited, with a choice of cereal, pastries, cooked breakfast options and juice – ideal for even the pickiest eaters.
Saver vs. flexible rates
When booking with Travelodge, you can choose between saver and flexible rates. Saver rates are cheaper (in fact, we found savings of 11.5 per cent on selected dates), but it’s important to note they are non-refundable and may incur amendment fees. Flexible rates cost more but come with free cancellation up to noon on the day of check-in, and can be amended at no extra charge.
Room types and optional extras
Every Travelodge room includes all of your essentials, such as a king-size bed, Freeview TV and tea and coffee facilities. However, you may want to consider a super room if you want an upgraded stay on a dedicated “quiet” floor. You’ll also get:
- A Lavazza coffee machine
- Your choice of firm or soft hypoallergenic pillows
- A larger 32in Samsung TV
- A hair dryer and a full-length mirror
- More power and USB charging ports
Extras you may want to consider before you arrive include:
- WiFi: Free for 30 minutes per day or upgrade to unlimited Virgin Media WiFi for £7 (valid on two devices)
- Early check-in and late check-out: £15 for either check-in from 12pm or check-out at 2pm
- Parking: Free at some locations, paid at others. We recommend checking availability when booking
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How do I redeem my Travelodge discount code?
Select your room and head to checkout by clicking on ‘Book and Checkout.’ Locate the ‘Discount Code’ box in the ‘Basket Summary’ section, where you can enter your code.
Does Travelodge have an NHS or student discount?
Not anymore. Travelodge used to offer five per cent off for both groups, but not in the last few years.
Does Travelodge have a group discount?
Yes, larger groups can get special rates. For parties of 10 or more, use groupbookings@travelodge.co.uk or call 0330 041 2900. All guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Is Travelodge family-friendly?
Yes. Travelodge has family rooms that can accommodate up to two adults and two children with a king-size bed and two pull-out beds. Cots are available free of charge but are subject to availability, so it’s worth requesting this prior to arrival.
Are pets allowed at Travelodge?
Many Travelodge hotels are dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry companion along with you. Pets can be added to your booking for £20 per room, with a limit of two pets per stay. Guide dogs are exempt from fees.
The Independent is committed to bringing readers the very best when it comes to deals and discounts of all kinds. Our consumer experts use their expertise to source the best offers from a selection of trusted online brands and retailers, along with tracking annual sales events and seasonal deals. Doing this day-to-day, our team certainly knows how to tell a great deal from a dud.
Need some inspiration for your next family getaway? We’ll help you find the perfect destination
At least two people are dead and “several” others are injured after a “planned fight” at a North Carolina park escalated into a mass shooting, authorities said.
Police have identified several victims and suspects after Monday’s shooting at Leinbach Park near Jefferson Middle School, according to the Winston-Salem Police Department.
Authorities confirmed there were multiple victims in the shooting, but did not provide an exact number. The suspects were still at large over two hours later.
Officers were called to the park just before 10 a.m. after reports of a fight, which then escalated into multiple people shooting each other.
Area schools are not in lockdown, and classes are operating as normal, police said.
“Due to the number of people involved, efforts are ongoing to account for everyone. At this time, some of those involved in the incident are juveniles,” police said.
According to local news station WFMY, at least three people were taken to the hospital. Officials have not shared their conditions.
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and remains under investigation.
This is a developing story
Witnesses told how the number 24 service Go North East bus was involved in a crash with the car, which police said had failed to stop earlier.
The crash happened on the A1018 Sunderland Road in Cleadon, South Tyneside.
A passenger on the bus said: “I thought we had run over someone on a motorbike – lots of pieces of debris flew past the window.
“A few moments later, police cars dashed past, and the police helicopter was in the air, so it looked like they were in a police chase.”
The passenger said she “is still in shock.”
Police said a 21-year-old remains in custody on suspicion of dangerous driving.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “At 8am today (Monday), we became aware of a vehicle of interest in the South Tyneside area.
“Later, the vehicle failed to stop when requested to do so by officers at about 1pm on Prince Edward Road and made off from the scene.
“A short time later, the vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the A1018 Sunderland Road before coming to a stop on Underhill Road in Cleadon.
“No-one is reported to have been injured in the incident.
“A man, aged 21, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving at the scene – he remains in police custody and enquiries are ongoing.”
In a statement, they added students were getting in touch with questions – “many of whom are among the most vulnerable, many are parents, many are from low-income backgrounds, many chose weekend study precisely because it was the only way they could access higher education around work and family commitments”.
TOKYO (AP) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday sparked a short-lived tsunami alert and prompted authorities to advise of a slightly higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there.
The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a mega-quake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the powerful quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches.
Officials said the advisory was not a quake prediction but urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to raise their preparedness while continuing their daily lives.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, speaking to reporters, urged residents in the affected area to confirm their designated shelters and evacuation routes and to check emergency food and grab bags so they can run immediately when the next big one hits. “The government will do our utmost in case of an emergency,” she said.
It was the second such advisory for the region in recent months. One was issued following a 7.5-magnitude quake in December but no mega-quake occurred.
Still, Monday’s earthquake and tsunami warning were a reminder to the quake-prone area of the March 2011 disaster that ravaged large swaths of the northern coast, triggering a nuclear crisis in Fukushima.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said two people, one in Aomori and another in Iwate, were injured after falling Monday.
The quake occurred off the coast of Sanriku at around 4:53 p.m. (0753 GMT) Monday, at a depth of about 19 kilometers (11 miles), the meteorological agency said.
Footage on NHK television showed hanging objects swaying and people squatting at a shopping center in Aomori, as authorities told people to seek higher ground and stay away from coastal areas.
Shinkansen bullet trains connecting Tokyo and northern Japan were temporarily suspended, leaving passengers in cars and on platforms waiting for service to resume.
A tsunami of about 80 centimeters (2.6 feet) was detected at the Kuji port in Iwate prefecture within an hour of the quake, and a smaller tsunami of 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) was recorded at another port in the prefecture, the meteorological agency said.
The U.S.-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the tsunami threat “has now passed.” Hours later, Japan also lifted all tsunami alert and advisories.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said nuclear power plants and related facilities in the region were intact and no abnormalities were detected.
The disaster management agency said at one point, more than 180,000 people in five northern prefectures from Hokkaido to Fukushima were advised to take shelter.
It’s 15 years since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, ravaged parts of northern Japan, causing more than 22,000 deaths and forcing nearly half a million people to flee their homes, most of them due to tsunami damage.
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