If you don’t vote you can’t whinge PLUS Tributes to ‘El Tel’ AND A maze of entrepreneurs

Hello,

“You’re joking. Not another one?,” I hear you cry as voters go to the polls for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election. I’m afraid it’s true.

After fiery, whole-hearted and at times angry campaigns in Gorton and Denton, Makerfield and of course for our local councils, we’re on our fourth election of the year here in GM – and it’s only July.

But I would argue that voting today is well worth your time. Casting your ballot for a new mayor means you are ushering in the person you think if best placed to handle a multi-billion pound budget, take over the Bee Network, policing oversight, housing and regeneration, adult skills and aspects of health policy across our city region.

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They will also become the public face of England’s largest city region outside London. And let’s be honest, our last mayor did pretty well out of that position.

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We’ve interviewed candidates including Reform UK’s Sian Astley, Green Geraldine Coggins, Labour’s Bev Craig, Conservative Phil Eckersley, Lib Dem Richard Kilpatrick, and Restore Britain’s Marlon West. And while Independent candidate Marcus Farmer very politely declined an interview, his final statement is here to view along with the other six candidates’. We also held a hustings with all of them which you can watch in full here.

Turnout has struggled ever since the mayoralty was created. It was 29 per cent in 2017. This year’s mayoral election has been overshadowed by Mr Burnham heading to Westminster and Nigel Farage fighting a bin in Clacton-on-Sea.

This means that turnout could be even lower. We understand that people are fed up with politics and politicians, but that’s why your vote matters.

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Democracy works best when people take part, not when they leave it to everyone else. If you decide not to vote at all, don’t be surprised if other people end up making the big decisions for you. And you might not like them.

But more importantly than anything, if you don’t vote you can’t moan – or at least not with authority. As a perpetual complainer, that’s swung it for me.

After today elections in Greater Manchester will be over for at least 18 months. Famous last words?

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We’ll bring you all the latest as the polls close and the results start coming in via our live blog here.

Remembering El Tel

Much has been made of Andy Burnham’s penchant for colloquialsims and addressing people as ‘lad’. But he isn’t the first affable politician to use this kind of language.

Terry Lewis, who has died aged 90, was Labour MP for Worsley from 1983 to 2005 and called everyone ‘kid’ – even our chief reporter Neal Keeling.

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And as Neal writes in this lovely tribute, ‘El Tel’ knew everybody and everything. “He was fearless and could be both eloquent and direct when triggered,” he writes.

“The late MP was authentic – the personification of a great constituency representative. In the House of Commons he once confronted then Prime Minister, John Major, and asked him “Why don’t you resign you plonker”?”

The maverick and staunch socialist ironically represented a Tory enclave in Salford. You can read Neal’s full tribute to Terry Lewis here.

A maze of entrepreneurs

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A short walk from Holt Town tram stop, you find yourself surrounded by signs of Manchester’s rich industrial heritage. Former cotton mills still stand between the trendy New Islington neighbourhood to the west and Etihad to the east.

Some historic mills here have been beautifully restored into hubs for theatre, community and music. Others have been converted into modern residential apartments.

Lying in their shadow is a maze of shipping containers. Though rather than simply lying dormant on derelict land, they boast a forward-thinking remit and a clear nod to the city’s industrious and entrepreneurial past.

As What’s On editor Jenna Campbell writes, Pollard Yard is a hub for the region’s most creative and promising start-ups. And owners Meanwhile Creative are now expanding further.

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Jenna has the details here.

Hardly any crimes?

According to Greater Manchester Police neighbourhood data, just four crimes were committed in Piccadilly Gardens in the last 12 months.

Data journalist Richard Ault and chief reporter Neal Keeling have crunching the numbers and looking at why it appears hardly any crimes were committed there for this fascinating piece.

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Weather etc

Friday: Sunny intervals, 19C.

Roads: A671 Rochdale Road, Royton, northbound closed for roadworks from Middleton Road to Market Square until January 29.

A58 Gerard Street Westbound, Ashton-in-Makerfield closed due to roadworks from A5062 Wigan Road to A58 / A49 (Kings Arms traffic lights) until November 22.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Isabelle Welsh was just two years old when she was murdered by her own mother Alexandra Walker and her boyfriend Harrison Simpson

Footage has been released showing the mother of murdered tot Isabelle Welsh smoking while the toddler’s life ebbed away.

The two year old suffered appalling physical and sexual abuse leading up to her death. Medical staff discovered she had sustained 21 broken bones and a devastating head injury before collapsing at her Thornaby home.

Her despicable killers – her own mother Alexandra Walker and Walker’s paedophile partner Harrison Simpson – were both convicted of murder this week after a trial at Teesside Crown Court. They have now been handed life sentences.

The jury heard distressing testimony detailing how little Isabelle became “floppy and unresponsive” on September 13 last year while in her mother’s care at the Thornaby residence. Simpson had been minding Isabelle that morning before departing that afternoon.

In unsettling video footage released by Cleveland Police, Walker can be seen reflected in her kitchen window smoking a cigarette as her toddler lay dying. Rather than contacting emergency services, Walker had searched online for “why would my toddler be bleeding”, reports Teesside Live.

She only dialled 999 after being instructed to do so by her stepdad, whom she’d summoned to her Hartington Close address. Despite efforts, Isabelle could not be saved and the youngster tragically passed away hours later.

While conversing with a nurse, during her police questioning and throughout the court proceedings, Walker attributed all the child’s injuries to her new partner. In her sentencing remarks, Judge Ms Justice Norton described the murder as the culmination of a series of assaults that the pair attempted to conceal.

Addressing Walker’s delay in phoning 999, she stated: “I have no doubt whatsoever that your lack of urgency or concern for your child was because you wrongly believed that Isabelle was already dead, and you were working out what to do to save your own skin.”

On Tuesday, a jury convicted Walker, 26, and Harrison, 22, of murder and child cruelty. Simpson, from Greenham Close in Thorntree, was additionally found guilty of sexually assaulting the toddler.

The judge noted that the girl was sexually assaulted approximately when the fatal injury was delivered. The defendants caused the injuries and subsequently neglected to seek medical attention for Isabelle, she stated, “even though it was obvious that she needed it”.

No witnesses observed the abuse and CCTV cameras installed in the property failed to record it, with the judge noting a “wall of silence” surrounding the events. Simpson refused to answer police enquiries or testify during the trial, while Walker “lied from start to finish”, the judge remarked.

She noted that Walker had falsely claimed higher educational qualifications, pretended to have breast cancer, and told others she abstained from drugs while actually dealing them. The mother maintained she rarely drank, yet on the evening Isabelle was killed she consumed 10 cans of Stella Artois.

The judge branded her not merely a liar but “a fantasist and an attention-seeker” who inflicted wounds upon herself before alleging assault. She declared: “Right to the very end, your interest was not in Isabelle, but in yourself.”

The judge revealed she had weighed up imposing a whole life tariff on Simpson but couldn’t establish with certainty that the killing was sexually driven, despite it occurring around the moment of the fatal strike. This uncertainty arose because while the jury acquitted Walker of sexual assault, they found her guilty of murder.

The judge described the injuries sustained by the two year old as “sadistic”, noting she was “obviously in pain and distressed, and in the final week of her life, gravely ill”.

Simpson received a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years behind bars. Walker, of Hartington Close, was similarly handed a life sentence, serving at least 22 years.

In additional footage issued today by police, Isabelle appears cheerful while playing on a sofa. The court heard that Isabelle had been a contented, thriving child until her mother began a relationship with Simpson last summer.

The footage was captured before the killers connected through Facebook Dating. Isabelle’s relatives said in a statement the youngster was “so loved”.

They stated: “Isabelle should have had her whole life ahead of her, but she was taken from us in the most heartbreaking way. She was so loved and our lives will never be the same without her.

“Whilst today’s result cannot undo the pain caused or bring Isabelle back, it does mean justice has been served. We will remember Isabelle forever and ask for privacy as we continue to grieve as a family.”

Outside the court following sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Steve Chatterton remarked: “This investigation exposed the heartbreaking and sustained abuse of a vulnerable little girl who should have been protected, loved and cared for.

“Instead, Isabelle suffered repeated and serious injuries over a prolonged period before ultimately losing her life as a result of a devastating attack. Our thoughts remain first and foremost with Isabelle.

“She was a defenceless child whose life was cruelly taken from her, and the circumstances of her death have deeply affected everyone involved in this investigation. Today, we remember Isabelle.

“She deserved a future filled with love, happiness and safety. She was denied that opportunity, and she must never be forgotten.”

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The FTSE 100 posted a new record high on Thursday, but ended lower as investors weighed a barrage of earnings and interest rate holds on either side of the Atlantic.

The FTSE 100 Index closed down 11.14 points, 0.1%, at 10,897.27.

The blue-chip index had earlier hit a new intra-day high of 10,979.60.

The FTSE 250 ended up 82.33 points, 0.3%, at 24,079.14, while the AIM All-Share closed up 3.05 points, 0.4%, at 764.90.

Investor focus in London was on a slew of earnings, while central bank meetings in the UK and US provided further food for thought.

In London, the Bank of England (BoE) left interest rates unchanged in a split vote as it weighs the impact on inflation from the Middle East crisis.

The BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 to leave bank rate at 3.75%.

The central bank has maintained rates in each of its five meetings this year, with the last change a quarter point in December.

BoE chief economist Huw Pill and Megan Greene continued to argue for a quarter point rate increase as they did at the June meeting.

In July, they were joined by Catherine Mann.

Despite the vote turning more hawkish, BoE governor Andrew Bailey played down the idea that the central bank is setting up a hike.

“Please do not leave this room thinking that the Bank of England is edging towards a hike,” he told reporters at a press conference.

“We took a decision today to leave bank rate unchanged, and that is the relevant conclusion.”

The reaction in the bond market supported Mr Bailey’s view.

The yield on 10-year gilts softened to 4.99% on Thursday from 5.04% on Wednesday.

Analysts at RBC Capital Markets said while the vote split surprised in a hawkish direction, the meeting minutes read relatively dovish in their discussion of the disinflationary process that was in place prior to the outbreak of the Iran conflict.

Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, noted that although there was an increase in the number of members voting for a rate hike this month, financial markets are trimming expectations for a rate hike in September.

There is now a 40% chance of a hike at the BoE’s next meeting, this is down from more than 50% ahead of this meeting.

“Overall, we think that this meeting has solidified the BoE’s ‘active hold’ stance. The Bank has stated that it remains ready to act, if necessary, but we would need to see a sharp deterioration in the inflation outlook for this to happen,” Ms Brooks added.

On currency markets, the pound soared against the dollar but was steady against the euro.

The pound traded at 1.3439 dollars on Thursday afternoon, against 1.3284 dollars at the equities close on Wednesday.

Against the euro, sterling was slightly lower at 1.1671 euros from 1.1673 euros.

In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed up 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended up 0.6%, despite a 16% fall in sportswear firm Adidas.

Stocks in New York were higher, with mixed fortunes for Facebook owner Meta Platforms, down 8.9%, and software firm Microsoft, up 14%, after earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.3%, the S&P 500 index was 0.8% higher, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.0%.

The gains came after Wednesday’s heavy falls, which followed a confused reaction to unchanged interest rates by the US Federal Reserve.

While Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh continued to state his intention to bring inflation down to target, analysts suggested his actions did not back his words.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley said financial markets went into the July FOMC meeting thinking the new Fed chairman might take decisive action on interest rates to establish inflation-fighting bona fides, regardless of favourable incoming data.

“They likely came out of the meeting more confused than they went in,” the broker added.

JPMorgan analyst Michael Feroli said once again Mr Warsh failed to specify how he intended to achieve his stridently asserted inflation resolve.

“He also cast doubt on whether PCE inflation will remain the Fed’s inflation target in the medium run. Both of these points raise questions about the new chair’s credibility in delivering lower inflation,” he said.

The euro stood higher at 1.1516 dollars from 1.1380 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was lower at 159.44 yen, compared with 163.85 yen.

The dollar was also impacted by data showing US economic growth slowed more than expected in the second quarter of 2026, although economists said the headline figure masked underlying resilience, as business investment, led by artificial intelligence spending, continued to underpin the world’s largest economy.

In addition, figures showed the personal consumption expenditures price index, a closely watched pricing gauge, fell 0.1% in June from May, matching FXStreet-cited market expectations.

Annual PCE inflation slowed to 3.7% from 4.1%.

Core PCE, which strips out food and energy prices, rose just 0.1% on the month, below market expectations for a 0.2% increase.

Annual core inflation eased to 3.3% from 3.4%.

The yield on the US 10-year Treasury stretched to 4.67% on Thursday from 4.64% on Wednesday.

The yield on the US 30-year Treasury widened to 5.21% from 5.12%.

Back in London, Rolls-Royce led the risers, up 6.0%, after the London-based aerospace and defence company raised guidance once more after a strong first half of 2026.

Rolls-Royce said operating profit increased 17% to £2.42 billion in the first half of 2026 from £2.07 billion the year prior.

Underlying operating profit grew 46% to £2.53 billion from £1.73 billion, which RBC Capital Markets said was 38% ahead of £1.84 billion consensus.

Revenue rose 21% to £11.45 billion from £9.49 billion, outstripping £10.17 billion consensus.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Fielding called it “another very strong quarter with blow-out margins across the board”, while Chloe Lemarie at Jefferies was also effusive, calling it a “stellar performance”.

Lloyds Banking Group led a firmer banking sector higher, climbing 3.9%, as it set out financial targets to 2030 and reported better-than-expected results.

Peer NatWest gained 2.8% ahead of its own earnings on Friday.

But investors in Rentokil Initial had a day to forget as shares plummeted 21%.

The pest control specialist said it plans to invest more in its North American business, and as a result “retire” a margin target, as performance in the unit fell short of expectations.

Organic revenue growth in the North America Pest Control Services business slowed to 2.4% in the second quarter from 2.8% in the first three months of 2026, well below the 3.0% mid-point of the 2.6% to 3.4% guidance range.

Brent oil for September delivery traded lower at 89.84 dollars a barrel on Thursday afternoon, from 90.09 dollars late on Wednesday.

Gold was higher at 4,099.23 dollars an ounce on Thursday from 4,011.17 dollars on Wednesday.

The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Rolls-Royce, up 83p at 1,463p, Halma, up 164p at 3,574p, Antofagasta, up 155p at 3,704p, Lion Finance, up 450p at 11,590p, and Lloyds Banking Group, up 4.3p at 115.65p.

The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Rentokil Initial, down 91.3p at 352p, Relx, down 199p at 2,675p, London Stock Exchange Group, down 592p at 8,606p, Experian, down 179p at 2,898p and Sage Group, down 54.6p at 967.4p.

Friday’s economic calendar has an interest rate decision in Japan overnight, eurozone inflation data, the Chicago PMI and the Michigan consumer sentiment index.

Friday’s UK corporate calendar sees half-year results from British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines, bank NatWest and online property portal Rightmove.

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Kyle Campbell, from Westhoughton, had travelled to Thailand to marry his fiancée of two-and-a-half years when he was involved in a motorcycle accident in the country.

His family said Mr Campbell was taken to a local medical facility, where he was treated and then discharged.

Relatives say he was advised to return the following day so he could travel by boat to a hospital on the mainland for further treatment.

However, Kyle later died in his sleep with his family receiving the devastating call in the early hours of yesterday.

The family said they received a call at around 2.30am this morning (July 30) informing them that Kyle had died.

Kyle Campbell, passed away at age 32. (Image: Public)

The plumber, who worked in the borough and was the father of a 12-year-old son, had been in Thailand for only about a week when the tragedy occurred.

His cousin, Dianne Fisher, 39, said the family are now want to bring him home while still trying to come to terms with his death.

She told The Bolton News: “You just don’t factor this into your life. Nobody expects something like this to happen and you don’t just have savings sitting there to cover the costs.

“We don’t even know how much it’s going to cost yet. We just need to bring him home.

“At the moment we’re dealing with authorities, funeral directors and the British Embassy while trying to process what’s happened. It’s such a shock.

“He’s so far away and we’re all trying to deal with it.”

Ms Fisher said the family fear the cost of repatriating Kyle’s body to the UK and arranging his funeral could run into tens of thousands of pounds, although the full cost has yet to be confirmed.

The family are fundraising to allow them to bring him home and give him the send off he deserves (Image: Public)

She said: “Even £100 would be brilliant. Every little bit helps us start the process of getting him back home to his family.

“It’s one of the worst things a family can go through.

“It will help start the ball rolling with what is one of the worst times of a parents life.

“We just want to bring him home.”

Ms Fisher said Kyle had met his Thai partner around two-and-a-half years ago and the couple regularly travelled to see each other.

She said they were due to marry during his latest trip to Thailand.

Kyle leaves behind his son who relatives say he “loved to bits”, as well as a heartbroken family and friends.

The family said Kyle loved to go out his mountain bike with his friends, nice cars, and socialising and spending time with his son.

They added: “He loved days at the beach and little outings.

Kyle Campbell, passed away at age 32. (Image: Public)

“He loved his family, especially his mum. He loved everyone being together and being happy.

“He was a plumber who was devoted to his work, helping people in their hour of need.

“He worked hard to provide for his son and his long-term goal was to move to Thailand.”

A fundraising page launched by the family states: “What should have been a joyful occasion ended in unimaginable heartbreak.

“His death has devastated everyone who knew and loved him.”

Anyone wishing to support the family can do so through the fundraising page here https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dianne-fisher

“We are waiting for the next phase to start, hopefully in the Autumn of this year”

Austins department store needs no introduction.

Those who lived in Derry have their own memories of shopping in the grand building in the heart of the city, and were saddened to see it close in 2016.

Austins has been part of the fabric of Derry for 120 years and now we can take a look inside the restoration works to ensure it remains this way for generations to come.

We spoke to Helen Quigley, Strategic Projects Advisor with the Inner City Trust and Karl Pedersen, partner of Mullarkey Pedersen Architects about the ongoing works.

Helen said: “First of all, we were delighted when the Minister said that he would be giving the money to acquire it and then from that we worked very quickly to make sure that we were going to be hitting the ground running.

“The journey has been exciting, the people of the city are excited about the building and what it is going to become.

“The building itself, as you can see you, we have got in and got the preliminary works done, all the prep work and we have reported back to our funders. We are waiting for the next phase to start, hopefully in the Autumn of this year.”

The Austins restoration project is not the first for the Inner City Trust, having restored the Bishop’s Gate building previously.

Helen highlighted the importance of bringing these legacy buildings back to life.

She said: “These old buildings, if they are properly looked after, can survive for a long time.

“Just like the Bishop’s Gate building that we repaired and opened in 2016, that will stand for the next 100 years without any major intervention and Austins will be the same.

“People have fabulous memories of being in Austins and what Austins means to them and Christmas shopping and we are really enthused by the public and the interest they have taken in it.

“We sincerely hope they will be pleased when the building is eventually finished and occupied.”

Karl Pedersen gave Belfast Live an insight into the work that has gone in to saving the Austins building.

He said: “It has been joyful, everything has been positive here; what we have uncovered in the building and things we have discovered going along.

“I am from Derry originally so I’ve been familiar with it all my life but I’ve also been able to discover things about the building that not even the previous owners knew, as we’ve started to open it up and investigate and see what it is made of and what was sitting behind the shop front fittings they had.

“It’s a great project to work on and one of the benefits too is that we’ve got a fantastic client, Inner City Trust, when you look around the town you’ll see everything they’ve done here and Austins can add to that legacy that we already have.

“We have the right ingredients, we have a fantastic building to work with, a fantastic client and hopefully come September we will have a fantastic budget to work with too.”

Karl also revealed surprising elements of the restoration work, including elements of the Austins building that had been hidden.

He said: “There were a few things that we discovered here that were a surprise, we discovered huge windows that had been covered up. It showed how ambitious and how cutting edge this building was when it was built 120 years ago.

“Generally, we were pleasantly surprised with the condition, which is testament to those who built it all those years ago.

“There are some areas which need our help but there is so much of the original fabric that we are able to maintain and that is what we want to do because once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”

For those taking on the project, it is essential that the original features of Austins remain within the building.

Karl said: “It is 100% essential that we retain as much of the original fabric as we possibly can.

“The staircase in this building, everyone talks about it and has a memory of the slight tilt which increases as you rise through the building. That needs some help but we’re able to reuse that existing staircase.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

This is the bizarre moment a tourist froze as a wild bear bit at his leg in the Romanian mountains. 

Footage filmed from a nearby car on the scenic Transfăgărășan Highway on Monday showed the tourist staying completely still as a bear ran out of the bushes and onto the road where the man was standing. 

The video shows how the bear starts sniffing and biting at his leg. 

The man manages to stay still until a car drives towards the animal in an attempt to scare it away. 

However, the animal, unfazed by the vehicle, suddenly lunges at the man standing on the road, sending him running for his life. 

The video has since gone viral online, with several social media users commenting on the man’s reaction to the bear. 

Several wondered whether the man, who appeared to be on his phone, was too distracted to notice the animal, with some joking that he had the ‘survival instinct of a potato.’

Others, however, praised him for staying still, saying that choosing not to move away avoided provoking an aggressive reaction from the bear. 

The bear approaches the man, who remains completely still

‘If he had moved, the bear would have run after him. He tried to stay completely still. If he had run, the bear would have chased him and might have attacked him. He acted smartly,’ one social media user commented. 

Meanwhile, others criticised the fact that the driver in the car from which the video was filmed did not do anything initially to alert the man or to scare the bear away. 

The incident comes a month after a tourist suffered serious injuries after he was violently mauled by a wild bear in Romania’s Carpathian mountains.

Georgi Bizhev, a Bulgarian holidaymaker, was driving along a mountain road near the Vidraru Dam in central Romania in June when he decided to stop after spotting a mother bear and her cub.

The 46-year-old tossed food scraps at the animals and began taking pictures and videos of them when the mother bear suddenly launched a ferocious attack on him.

Footage taken by an onlooker shows the adult bear lunging into Bizhev’s car window.

In a separate video taken by Bizhev, the mother bear is shown clawing at the tourist as he screams for help.

The animal smashed a window and tried to drag the tourist out of his vehicle, according to local reports.

Bizhev suffered serious bite wounds to his left arm. He said the bear clawed and bit him as he raised his arm to shield his face and neck.

He said a seatbelt helped save him from worse injury as other drivers honked and shouted to scare the aggressive animal away.

He later said: ‘I saw the bear’s ears prick up and it jumped at me.

‘It tried to grab me and pull me out of the car.’

An onlooker tried to scare the bear away by driving towards it 

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The bear suddenly lunges at the man, but he managed to run to safety unharmed

Romanian emergency services responded after Bizhev alerted guards at the dam.

Officials stressed that the mother bear was likely protecting her cub.

The stretch of road is a famous ‘bear pass’ where tourists frequently stop to observe and feed wildlife.

Bizhev, a sports official and former football club president, said such encounters are commonplace on the route, with food sold at stops, although he acknowledged feeding bears is inappropriate.

He admitted: ‘I entered its environment, it was a mistake for which I paid.’

He has since returned to Bulgaria for further treatment.

Romanian authorities have urged tourists not to approach or feed bears, which are protected but increasingly habituated to humans across the country. 

The road was closed for a number of hours following the collision

Two people were taken to hospital following a four vehicle collision in West Belfast.

The emergency services were called to the incident on Creighton Road at 3.09pm on Wednesday, July 29, with the road being closed for a number of hours between Stewartstown Road and Old Golf Course Road.

Three ambulances were sent to the scene with two people being taken to hospital after treatment from paramedics.

The road reopened again at around 8pm.

A NIAS spokesperson said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 15:09 on Wednesday, 29th July, following reports of an RTC in the Creighton Road area, Belfast.

“NIAS tasked 3 Emergency Ambulances to the incident.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, two patients were brought to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by Ambulance.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

No celebrity mother-daughter duo are more identical than Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber — and a new photo of the Gen-Z model and actress has just proved it.

The 24-year-old attended the red carpet premiere of her new drama series, The Shards, in New York City on Monday night.

Channelling the 1980s — the decade when her supermodel mother was rising to fame — Kaia glowed in a Valentino sheer column gown.

The dress featured spaghetti straps and a beaded diamond pattern, inspired by the high glam of the ’80s, but with a sleek contemporary feel.

Kaia’s outfit, combined with her voluminous, sideswept hair, smoky eyes and glossy lip (also a nod to the ’80s), left many fans having to do a double-take.

Because be honest: Raise your hand if you, too, thought you were looking at a younger Cindy Crawford.

The Shards official Instagram account shared footage of Cindy — sorry, Kaia — from the night, and was quickly flooded with comments about the strong genes clearly at play.

‘She’s a mini Cindy, beautiful,’ one person penned, as another called Kaia an ‘icon in the making.’

But aside from The Shards premiere and the actual show itself (it’s based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel, set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles), there have been plenty of other times when Cindy and Kaia have basically looked like the same person.

Here, we take a look at them side by side:

Los Angeles, 2025

Last year, Cindy and Kaia attended the LACMA Art+Film Gala at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

While Kaia went for a shimmering red halter dress and a middle parting, and Cindy went for a sequinned Bardot neckline number and a side parting, both looked eerily alike.

From the way they posed to the actual texture of their brunette locks (which, apart from the parting, were both styled in mermaid waves), Kaia looked like a mini version of her mother.

Paris, 2024

The queens of fashion were in the capital of fashion in 2024 as Omega Brand Ambassadors.

Rocking up to the opening night of OMEGA House Paris in matching black ensembles, they posed together for photos.

In this image, it’s clear how identical the pair’s bone structure and features are, especially in terms of jawline, cheekbones, nose and lips.

Beverly Hills, 2019

Way back to 2019 now, when Kaia was just 17. Even the teen’s chic Parisian bob can’t take away the side profile resemblance here.

Kaia has long attended high-profile work events with her mum, and we’ve seen her grow more and more confident in her own skin.

Cindy is obviously super proud of her daughter here, at the Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai annual luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

London, 2018

This was the year Kaia Gerber won model of the year at the British Fashion Awards, solidifying herself as a successful model and following in her mother’s fashion industry footsteps.

At only 17 years old, Kaia beat the likes of fellow models Bella Hadid, Adut Akech, Adwoa Aboah, and Winnie Harlow.

Again, this side profile is photographic evidence the pair share exactly the same DNA.

Malibu, 2018

The same year, so need we say more?

Cindy and Kaia stopped for another mother-daughter photo opportunity while attending the 2018 Best Buddies Mother’s Day Brunch Hosted by Vanessa & Gina Hudgens.

Milan, 2017

Another day, another fashion capital. Kaia accompanied her mum to Milan Fashion Week in 2017, where they twinned in monochrome looks.

Kaia went for a patterned black and silver dress, while Cindy opted for a space-like metallic number.

California, 2015

Even as a younger teen, it was obvious that Kaia was going to blossom into a mini-me of her mum.

Again, accompanying Cindy to public events, Kaia was evidently comfortable taking the reins.

In this pic, their smiles are almost identical.

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Caroline Dubois has parted ways with long-time coach Shane McGuigan and will be trained by Manny Robles for her upcoming World title defence

Caroline Dubois has opened up about her decision to part ways with trainer Shane McGuigan.

Dubois had worked alongside McGuigan since 2021, with the partnership proving hugely successful as the pair combined to deliver multiple world title victories during their time together.

The 25 year old is set to defend her world title against Amelia Moore in Birmingham next month, where she will work with new trainer Manny Robles for the first time.

“Most times fighters leave a coach when they lost, and they want someone to blame or throw under the bus, that’s a lame move,” Dubois said when quizzed about the switch.

“At the end of the day, I’m so happy and proud of the journey we had had together. I’ve become the unified world champion, I’ve announced myself into women’s boxing and the biggest stage possible and we did that with Shane McGuigan as my coach and as a massive part of my team.”

She continued: “I just want to say a massive thank you to Shane McGuigan who was a phenomenal coach and is a phenomenal coach. I’m honoured, proud and privileged to be part of that.

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“That work doesn’t get forgotten, lost or disappear; it grows and adds to the stable. I’m on a quest for greatness and will do whatever it takes to get there, and for me, moving to America and trying a different coaching team is a part of that quest.

“I want to grow and develop and be the best fighter you’ve ever seen. A fighter should never stop learning or growing or limit themselves.”

Speaking to IFL TV, Dubois shed light on her decision: “It’s not so much of a situation. It’s just circumstances.

“I’m super happy with what we achieved together. I’m super happy with the time that I spent in the gym with Shane.”

McGuigan, for his part, issued the following statement to The Ring regarding Dubois’ departure: “After many successful years of coaching and training Caroline, installing a professional boxing style going from pro debut to unified world champion we have mutually decided it’s best to part ways as trainer and boxer.

“We have a good relationship and will continue to support Caroline’s career as her management team working closely with MVP and Sky Sports to deliver her the biggest and best fights.”

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England and other UEFA nations are prepared to boycott the next World Cup should FIFA go ahead with their plans to sell shares of their flagship tournament. 

Europe’s governing football body has been staunchly opposed to plans shared this week by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. 

FIFA want to create a new company that would generate £3.1billion in private investment for FIFA tournaments, with Joshua Kushner – brother of Jared, Donald Trump’s son-in-law – leading the group of potential investors. 

In the wake of this summer’s World Cup, Infantino now plans to force FIFA’s associations to decide on the proposal by September 19. 

But after a crisis meeting held on Thursday, England’s Football Associations and fellow UEFA members confirmed that they will boycott FIFA’s tournaments, including next summer’s Women’s World Cup, should the proposal receive the green light. 

UEFA’s 55 member nations met virtually and their decision could all but kill FIFA’s plans due to the sway they hold in international football. 

Gianni Infantino has been widely criticised for his decision to put the World Cup ‘up for sale’

One international football insider told Daily Mail Sport: ‘This is at the nuclear button end of the spectrum, which is impressive’. 

Issuing a statement in the wake of the decision, UEFA underscored that the ‘World Cup is not for sale’ and called the secrecy around the plans ‘irresponsible and indefensible’. 

‘UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions,’ the statement began. ‘UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

‘The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.

‘It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.

‘National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences. This is not a “democratic decision”, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.

‘But our opposition goes far beyond process.

‘The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become a daily pressure. From that moment onwards, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders.

‘This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. Nor can the interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.

Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham came under pressure to take action

‘Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation.

‘As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.

‘Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.

‘There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are prepared to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments.

‘Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.’

On Wednesday, UEFA had accused FIFA of trying to bribe associations into agreeing with the proposals, which could see them receive up to an additional £15m in revenue. 

In another blow to the plan, the president of the Asian Federation Sheikh Salman wrote of his ‘great concern and disappointment’ in FIFA’s decision to prepare the plans without consultation. 

CONCACAF, which represents 41 countries in North and Central America and the Caribbean, is another federation which has also expressed early skepticism in the wake of the bombshell plans.