The concession has been in place for a number of years, allowing highly skilled shearers to work in the UK during the sheep shearing season.

The Home Office announced in January that it would be ending the concession. However, this prompted concern in the sector and in Northumberland due to a gap in the workforce.

Ensuring that sheep are shorn in a timely manner is vital to safeguard the animal’s welfare, as it prevents issues with heat stress and fly strike.

Shearers from New Zealand have been coming to stay in the Coquet Valley for more than 30 years.

Last year, six shearers from New Zealand stayed in Coquetdale for three months and sheared nearly 90,000 sheep across farms stretching from the Scottish Borders to County Durham.

Following criticism, the Home Office has confirmed the concession would be extended for one more year.

However, the industry has been told it will need to create a “fully sustained” UK workforce in the future.

A spokesman said: “The sector has been supported for 14 years to enable it to train up British workers, reduce reliance on migrant labour, and provide a fully sustained workforce within the UK,” said a spokesman.

“A final extension has been provided to the sector. We now expect the sector to complete its transition to using domestic labour.”

Northumberland MPs Joe Morris and David Smith, who represent the rural Hexham and North Northumberland constituencies respectively, welcomed the news.

In a joint statement, the Labour MPs said: “This is good news. We know how important these shearers are for local farms and we’ve been speaking with the Government about the visa scheme since the first announcement.

“After we raised this with the Home Office we’re very pleased that the Government has listened and continued the scheme for one more year. Thank you to the farmers who first raised this issue with us.”

Rothbury councillor Steven Bridgett had written to both MPs urging them to lobby the Government to reinstate the concession.

He said he was “pleased”that the Government had withdrawn the proposals for the coming year.

However, he added he was “disappointed” not to have received any response to his letter from either MP.

Most coffee shops will give you a discount if you bring in a reusable coffee cup, as it reduces the number of takeaway cups that end up in landfill. Disposable coffee cups can’t be recycled with paper and cardboard, because they have a plastic inner coating. Given that Britons drink almost 100 million cups of coffee per day (according to the British Coffee Association), that’s a lot of waste.

One way to reduce your footprint is by investing in one of the best reusable coffee cups or travel mugs (some of which double as reusable water bottles). Costing between £5 and £40, they come in a range of materials, shapes and sizes. Often, the coffee tastes better than in the cardboard-plastic cups. Plus if you make your brew in a coffee machine at home, you can take it on the go. 

The best reusable coffee cups: At a glance:

How to choose a reusable coffee cup

We like a stainless steel, leak-proof cup that holds under 500ml – compact enough to be tossed into a work bag or carried on a morning commute without fear of leaks or bulk. Of course, personal preference plays a big part in choosing the right reusable coffee cup.

The market now offers an impressive range of sustainable options, with most falling into two broad categories. The first includes cups with thermal linings that keep coffee hot for hours, ideal for those who sip slowly throughout the day or face long journeys between refills.

The second type lacks insulation, meaning the coffee needs to be enjoyed relatively quickly, much like a traditional mug or takeaway cup. The latter are typically cheaper and lighter, and many coffee lovers argue they provide a better drinking experience since the liquid cools to a comfortable temperature more quickly.

How we test reusable coffee cups

He was involved in two altercations, one being while on bail

A violent 18-year-old drug dealer has been jailed after a firearm was discharged in a Peterborough park. The teenager was sent to prison after being involved in two altercations, one being while on bail.

Hamdard Khan, was part of a group involved in an altercation in Central Park in the early hours of March 9 last year. It was reported a firearm had been discharged and police arrived to discover a folding lock knife and five spent firearm casings.

Khan was identified from CCTV footage and his home in Thistlemoor Road, New England, Peterborough, was searched. Officers discovered cocaine and heroin worth £1,310, more than £400 in cash, 60 blank firing rounds that matched those found at the scene, a machete and an extendable baton.

Khan, now of Scotswood Crescent, Leicester, was charged with possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, supplying heroin and supplying cocaine. While on court bail, on November 26, Khan and another man, Rihaem Khan, 23, were involved in an altercation with a group of people in Geneva Street, Peterborough.

Pieces of wood were used during the melee, a knife was seen and the older man was captured on CCTV throwing multiple punches, before picking up a brick from the ground. Two people suffered minor injuries, one requiring hospital treatment for a cut to his head.

Hamdard Khan admitted the drug offences and an additional count of affray following the incident in November. On Friday, March 13, at Cambridge Crown Court, he was jailed for 26 months. At the same hearing Rihaem Khan, of no known address, was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, having previously admitted affray.

DC Nik Loizou said: “This was a worrying incident for local residents, with a firearm being discharged in a popular public place.

“Hamdard Khan was clearly involved in supplying class A drugs, with the evidence giving him little choice but to plead guilty. These substances lead to addiction and misery, as they destroy lives and contribute to crime in the city.”

Ripon Grammar School, in Clotherholme Road, has shared its intention to open its doors again after having to close today (March 16) for a gas leak.

The school posted a notice on its official Facebook page on Sunday evening, letting parents and students know that the building would be closed until the site was made safe.

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This afternoon, the school has updated their page to let people know that following work by gas engineers, the leak has been isolated and made safe.

They said: “Catering facilities, however, will be limited while repair work continues, so could students please bring a packed lunch to school tomorrow. Thank you, once again, for your cooperation.”

The school added that boarding students would be able to return to their houses this evening, with separate arrangements for catering.

Thirty years after it first aired, This Life will return to the BBC for a whole new generation to enjoy this 90s cult classic.

The era-defining British series – created by Amy Jenkins – starred an early-career Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead) as well as Daniela Nardini, Jack Davenport, Amita Dhiri and Jason Hughes.

The quintet played a group of twenty-something lawyers sharing a house in south London ‘as they navigated friendship, ambition and the complexities of their twenties.’

Or, as the synopsis dubbing it ‘raw, real and revolutionary’ reads: ‘The 90s’ most famous houseshare. Five aspiring lawyers are aiming for the top – but behind the scenes, they’re a mess of love, drugs and excess.’

Hailed a ‘landmark drama’ with ‘fresh, raw and unfiltered performances’, it became the ‘defining series of the decade’ and a time capsule of London life during this time.

Behind the scenes, the show was also a fertile training ground for Britain’s up-and-coming directors, such as I May Destroy You’s Bafta-winning director Sam Miller and Harry Bradbeer (director behind hits like Fleabag and Enola Holmes).

The 32-episode rerun, offering a trip down memory lane, will be introduced by Daniela.

Fans and critics alike have praised its impact as a cultural touchstone and enduring legacy – despite its short time on screens.

Metro called it ‘the greatest drama of the 90s’, adding ‘no other TV series managed to capture the Cool Britannia zeitgeist as brilliantly as This Life’.

In a 2021 review, The Guardian wrote: ‘It was the sort of television where you wanted to contact all your friends immediately after watching an episode to recap it. It was funny but it also broke your heart.

‘It felt freakishly true to life. It depicted all the messiness and glory of being in your 20s in a way that you never usually see on commercial television.’

And in a review fresh after its release in 1996, The Independent shared: ‘What keeps you watching, in the absence of much discernible forward motion, is a quality of observation – the dialogue, apart from the odd passage here and there, continues to have an eavesdropped quality.’

The show has been praised for its diverse storylines, such as gay character Warren, who is grappling with his identity and discussions around interracial couples.

Over on IMDB, user shootingstar82 wrote: ‘While there are a couple of moments where This Life feels a little dated, overall, it holds up very well and is still immensely watchable.

‘This is one of the truly great British TV shows which I look forward to viewing again at some point in the future.’

‘A near-perfect study of life’s transitional period between careless partying and responsible adulthood,’ ideorio shared.

Discussing its unexpected popularity, and what drew him to the show in 2020, Miles actor Jack shared with The Guardian: ‘The writing was really different from most television. If you took a load of drugs, you didn’t necessarily die immediately.

‘If you had unprotected sex, you didn’t automatically become HIV positive. People liked it because there was no moralising. If you’re 22, you’re going to make some really bad decisions, but that’s OK. Relax.’

This Life returns to BBC Four at 10pm on Wednesday, March 18. Seasons one and two, as well as the 10-year reunion, will be available from iPlayer from 6am.

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Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Miami Open due to illness.

The 23-year-old British No 1 had received a bye into the second round of the tournament, which begins on Tuesday.

Raducanu is still recovering from post viral symptoms she picked up in the Middle East last month.

The 2021 US Open champion competed at Indian Wells earlier this month – suffering a 6-1 6-1 third-round defeat to Amanda Anisimova.

Speaking after that 52-minute loss, Raducanu admitted she could not summon the power to compete with the two-time grand slam finalist.

She repeatedly declined to chase down drop shots and struggled to put her opponent under any pressure with her return of serve.

Raducanu cut ties with her latest coach Francisco Roig in January and has been working on an ad-hoc basis with Mark Petchey in a bid to rediscover top form.

Seeded 24th, she could have faced compatriot Sonay Kartal – who begins against American Peyton Stearns – in the round of 64 in Miami.

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Katie Price has spoken out about her romance with Lee Andrews amid claims he isn’t what he says he is. The pair got married in Dubai weeks after meeting

Katie Price has revealed the unexpected reason why her husband Lee Andrews hasn’t met her kids yet. Lee and Katie got married weeks after meeting for the first time in Dubai, with no family or friends – including any of her children – in attendance.

There is much mystery about Lee. He was thought to have had obtained a PhD from Cambridge University but the claims were later thwarted, and in recent days, a voice note emerged in which Lee appeared to be begging for cash shortly before he staged the lavish proposal, but Katie has since said she has seen proof that he is a millionaire despite concerns.

Her children have yet to meet Lee though in person, despite the businessman getting a tattoo tribute to Katie’s eldest son Harvey. Whilst they haven’t met, Katie has now explained why that’s the case, saying: “I want to get to know him more myself.”

Speaking about how her kids have met Lee via FaceTime, she admitted: “No, like it never is enough. And for me to introduce him to the kids, I won’t be introducing him to the kids yet, because I want to get to know him more myself.

“And I think the thing that everyone can’t get their head round is why have I married him quick. I was there. We got engaged. And it just felt right, so why not get married?”

Later in the interview, Katie also defended her new husband, insisting that he does have a PhD – just not from Cambridge as well as a diplomatic passport in the name of ‘Dr Lee Andrews’.

“His passport says that he’s a doctor, it’s reported that he has a PhD from Cambridge, but Cambridge University said they had never heard of him,” host Ed Balls explained to her.

Katie then replied: “He doesn’t have a PhD from Cambridge, it’s one in Spain. That’s for him to say that he’s got his PhD, but it’s not from Cambridge, I don’t know where that came from, he hasn’t got a PhD from Cambridge at all but he has got a PhD. I’ve seen everything I need to see, on his diplomatic passport, it’s Doctor Lee Andrews, on his normal passport, it’s Wesley Lee Andrews.”

When host Susanna Reid said “I’m not sure you’ve had time to get to know the person to whom you are now married, so why the whirlwind?” Katie then replied to give her opinion on the matter.

“Do you ever really know anyone? If you look at my past marriages, did I ever know they would be what they would be Sometimes I don’t think you can ever know who anyone is…” she had said.

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If you are a student in the UK, news of an outbreak of meningitis affecting university students in Kent may be causing you alarm.

The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed 13 cases of invasive meningococcal disease, a severe infection that can cause meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning), and is providing antibiotics and guidance to students and their close contacts. Two young people, a year 13 school pupil and a university student, have died. Others are seriously ill.

Why meningitis outbreaks happen at universities

Meningococcal disease is caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. Although many people can carry the bacteria harmlessly in their nose or throat, very occasionally it invades the bloodstream or central nervous system and causes life-threatening illness. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.

Meningococcal disease spreads through close contact with respiratory droplets. This could be through kissing, sharing drinks or utensils, and coughing and sneezing. This is what makes the risk higher in settings where people live, study and socialise closely together, such as university campuses.

Outbreaks such as the recent one in Kent, especially in communal settings like universities or schools, are less common than individual sporadic cases. While the overall risk remains low, the proportion of cases among young adults and students is higher than in older age groups simply because of the social mixing and living arrangements typical of school and university life.

How to reduce your risk

There is no guaranteed way to eliminate risk entirely, but several practical steps can help.

The first is vaccination. In the UK, there are routine immunisation programmes against key meningococcal strains. The MenACWY vaccine is usually offered in school to protect against four common meningococcal groups and can be given up to age 25 if missed. The MenB vaccine is given to infants. Whether older teenagers have had it varies because the risk profile and vaccine history differ. The MenB vaccine is available privately for teenagers and adults.

So check your vaccination history. You can do this by looking over your vaccination records, asking your GP practice, checking the NHS app or looking at your university or travel clinic records. If you can’t find a record of having a vaccination against meningitis, doctors may recommend vaccinating again – receiving an extra dose is generally safe.

Talk to your friends about their vaccination history, too. People can carry meningococcal bacteria without symptoms. Awareness of your own vaccination status and encouraging friends to be up to date increases community protection.

Even if someone has been vaccinated, they may still be advised to take preventive antibiotics if they were a close contact of a case of meningococcal disease.

Good hygiene is important. Simple measures like covering your mouth when coughing, not sharing drinks or utensils, washing hands regularly and avoiding close face to face contact when someone is ill can help reduce transmission.

What to look out for

One of the biggest challenges with meningococcal disease is that its early symptoms can look like flu or a bad cold, making it easy to overlook until it becomes severe. According to UK public health guidance, early symptoms can include fever or high temperature, a very bad headache, vomiting or nausea, muscle and joint pain, cold hands and feet, and rapid breathing. Symptoms can develop in different sequences and progress quickly.

As the disease progresses, more specific and serious “red flag” symptoms may appear. These include a stiff neck, confusion or delirium, dislike of bright lights, severe sleepiness or difficulty waking, seizures, and a rash that does not fade under pressure. This last is a key sign of septicaemia, and you can use the “glass test” to help identify it. Press a clear glass firmly against the glass. If it doesn’t fade under this pressure, contact a doctor straight away.

It’s crucial to stress that not all cases will show a rash, and no single symptom alone proves meningitis. But the combination of severe headache with fever, stiff neck, rash or rapid deterioration should prompt urgent suspicion.

If a friend shows symptoms

If you notice a friend exhibiting any concerning signs – especially rapid worsening over hours – take them seriously. Public health advice is clear: if symptoms are worrying or escalating, seek medical help immediately. In the UK, that means contacting NHS 111 for advice, or calling 999 if they are seriously unwell.

Check on your friend regularly, don’t dismiss symptoms as “just a hangover” and err on the side of urgency when in doubt. Early treatment with antibiotics can be lifesaving.

Acting quickly is vital

The Kent outbreak is a stark reminder that although meningococcal disease is uncommon, when it does occur it can progress rapidly and have devastating consequences. Students and young people, in particular, should be aware that illness can be serious even in previously healthy individuals. Early recognition and rapid medical response are vital and vaccination and awareness are primary tools for prevention.

While public health authorities work to contain outbreaks, the first line of defence is individuals and communities. Knowing the symptoms, acting quickly if someone becomes ill, and encouraging vaccination can make the difference between a contained case and a fatal outcome. In meningitis, the disease can escalate within hours. Early recognition and immediate action can save lives.

Kelvin Fletcher and wife Liz welcomed a new arrival to the farm and fans couldn’t get enough

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Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher and his wife, Liz, have been flooded with support from fans after they shared a significant update from their farm. The couple live on a sprawling 120-acre farm with their four young children, and fans often get a glimpse into their busy life as they allow cameras to document their farming journey on their popular ITV show Fletcher’s Family Farm.

Fans of the show have seen Kelvin, who previously played farmer Andy Sugden in Emmerdale, take on real-life farming duties alongside Liz. During a recent episode, which aired on Sunday, they announced that their beloved dog, Ginger, had given birth to three puppies.

The family first discovered that Ginger was pregnant after she was rescued before Christmas last year, having previously suspected she was just wider. At the time, Liz described finding out about the pregnancy as “the best news,” with vet Hugo confirming the pups with a scan.

Ginger has since given birth to the puppies, and Liz shared the happy news with fans. Sharing a clip from the show to the Fletcher Farm Instagram account, Liz admitted: “We’ve had a long night.”

She then explained: “Ginger started showing signs of labour, she was just panting and panting for hours and hours and hours. Then, she was just circulating the room, like, so restless.

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“She didn’t know what to do with herself. So I slept on the sofa. She’s made a little bed in this box, so I slept here next to her, and about 5 o’clock this morning, she finally delivered the first pup, and she was amazing. It was fascinating to see.”

While holding one of the newborn pups, Liz said, “Aww, is that just the cutest thing?” The camera then panned over to Ginger feeding her puppies as Liz continued: “This one’s a big lad. What are you…? Boy. They’re all so different. Aww, you want to be warm, don’t you, with your mum? There you go.”

As expected, the comment section was flooded with sweet messages from fans, including one that read: “Omg I can’t cope to cute @liz_fletcher83.” Another wrote: “I just love this programme and watching your family and farm grow!! Watching Ginger with her baby pups made me cry and smile… She is just adorable, and well done, Ginger.”

A third said, “What a lovely feeling bringing your puppies into the world.” Another echoed: “Just beautiful.” Meanwhile, one fan added: “Well done Ginger, you are going to be an amazing mummy.”

It comes as Kelvin and Liz recently shared their hopes that their children would one day take over the farm. During Sunday’s episode, Liz shared her dreams for the future and how important it is to her to have their children involved in the farm.

She said: “Having the kids involved and helping just makes it special, because they’ll one day, hopefully, take over, and me and Kelvin can be in the Bahamas.”

“So I’m hoping that the kids are doing all this, and we’re just sitting back, and they’re sending us money,” she laughed. Kelvin chimed in, “You know what I would actually love, let’s say in, I don’t know, 20 years from now, that I’m just kind of the farm handyman, the farm labourer, and that the kids are running a big farming enterprise. “

“Yeah, do you think you’ll let go, though?” Liz asked. “Do you think you’ll let go of that control? Because, knowing you, I can’t imagine it.” Kelvin reflected, “I think that’s probably the hardest thing for most farming families to let go.” Liz joked: “I won’t. I’ll be on a cruise. I’m doing my shift, and then I’m enjoying the rest of it.”

You can catch up on Fletcher’s Family Farm on ITVX

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The 2026 Academy Awards revealed a striking contradiction. Many of the winning films grapple with urgent contemporary issues, or difficult questions of historical memory. Yet their makers avoided following up on that political character in their acceptance speeches.

This paradox is revealing of the current political mood in Hollywood: filmmakers are willing to engage with politics in their work, but reluctant to raise their own voices.

It makes for a puzzling irony that contrasts with the attitude of, for instance, the music industry in the Grammy Awards. In a year of tariffs, Epstein files, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) shootings and military interventions in Venezuela and Iran, the show’s host, comedian Conan O’Brien, kept the political references contained to harmless jokes.

For instance, O’Brien mentioned the tighter security for the gala, appearing to reference the FBI’s warning of possible drone attacks against the US west coast. But the nod quickly revealed itself as a pun about actor Timothée Chalamet’s recent declaration that “no one cares” about ballet and opera.

Even some of the more political speeches, such as Michael B. Jordan’s mention of the Black actors that preceded him when accepting the best actor Oscar, kept to industry boundaries.

Only comedian Jimmy Kimmel, whose show Jimmy Kimmel Live! has become strongly critical of President Donald Trump, obliquely mentioned his looming presence when presenting the best feature documentary award.

Politics of the nominated films

This attitude is glaringly detached from what this year’s nominees communicate in their films.

Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, poked at conspiracy theories through its kidnapping plot. The constant ping-pong hustle of Marty Supreme returned to the foundational moment of US capitalism in the 1950s and pointed out that it was already rotten way before Reaganomics and Trump. The Secret Agent, meanwhile, set its thriller story against the historical memory of the dictatorship in Brazil.

The two main winners of the night were also the most political films. Joyfully disguised behind the vampire film conventions and musical performances of Sinners lies a condemnation of ongoing racism in the US. But the film also proposes blues music as an alternative way to experience the world and create loving and protective connections between its inhabitants.

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Sinners: how real stories of Irish and Choctaw oppression inform the film

In this sense, Delroy Lindo’s performance as ageing blues singer Delta Slim centres the political core of the film. His retelling of a friend’s murder by lynching is first a lament, then rhythm and finally blues.

Lindo competed for best supporting actor against Sean Penn, whose winning work in One Battle After Another became relevant when it started to overlap with the media presence of Greg Bovino, commander-at-large of the US Border Patrol. Under Bovino’s command two US citizens were shot by Ice in Minneapolis in January.

One Battle After Another recaptures the political spirit of 1970s US films such as The Three Days of the Condor (1975), Network (1976) and All the President’s Men (1976). These films reacted against the consequences of the Vietnam War and President Richard Nixon’s resignation in the 1970s. One Battle After Another brings to the present their activist attitude to oppose our contemporary political challenges.

The film’s chilling depiction of state violence against its own citizens connected with the events in Minneapolis and showed how relevant cinema can be when aimed at those in power. But the film had to speak for itself: its director, writer and producer, Paul Thomas Anderson, carefully avoided any direct mention of Trump, Ice or Minneapolis in his three acceptance speeches (for best adapted screenplay, director and film). And Sean Penn, whose political activism as a friend of Hugo Chávez or in favour of Ukraine has often made Hollywood uncomfortable, chose not to attend the ceremony.

Why nominees stayed silent

The reasons for the lack of politics at the awards may be found in the current industrial climate in the US. In September 2025, the Federal Communications Commission took Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air for a few days, and continues to threaten to do it again. The industry chatter also believes Trump to be responsible for CBS’ decision to not renew The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, another critical outlet.

The possible acquisition, meanwhile, of Warner Bros. by Paramount, presided over by Trump’s ally David Ellison, follows Amazon’s purchase of MGM and Disney buying Twentieth Century Fox. The industrial landscape is concentrating in a handful of technological tycoons. They may may not take kindly to political activism when funding future projects.

The only political voice that was pointedly raised in the Oscars this year belonged to Spanish actor Javier Bardem.

Bardem appeared on stage to present the best international picture award sporting a lapel that said: “No a la Guerra” – no to war. He had worn the same lapel over 20 years ago when the Spanish Film Academy Awards in 2003 became a loud and clear indictment to Spain’s involvement in the Iraq war.

Bardem left a clear message as he introduced the award: “No to war and Free Palestine.” While films such as this year’s extraordinary intake can and do speak for themselves, the gravity of the moment requires that those who make them join with their own voices.

Bardem’s dissonant appeal reveals where Hollywood’s politics currently lie. They are caught between making committed films and a fear of what the country’s politics will bring.