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NewsBeat

The young traders reviving Britain’s market stalls

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The young traders reviving Britain’s market stalls

As job vacancies vanish, young entrepreneurs are pitching up at markets, discovering new opportunities in an old trade

From behind his market stall Alex Ward watches children dare each other to try spoonfuls of Charva Lava, a pineapple and mango hot sauce with a sting in its tail. Some swagger forward, while others bottle it.

“That’s the great thing about market stalls: you meet your customers, you immediately see how they react to your products. You also see the geezers who run a mile as they don’t want to look like wimps ’cause they can’t handle their chilli,” he laughs.

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Ward, aged 27, runs Chilli Charva with his older brother Tom, 32, trading across the north of England from their Rotherham base. The brand evolved from their childhood Sunday dinners, when the brothers used to douse them in Tabasco and dare each other, as Alex puts it, to “go big” with competitive chilli consumption.

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‘Charva’ is northeastern slang for a flashy, working-class lad, and today they lean into their brand, manning their stall in black leisurewear, bucket hats and chain necklaces.

They are among an estimated 30,000 market traders operating in the UK, and are the new generation of young traders who are picking the market stall over a university place or an apprenticeship.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 957,000 young people aged 16 to 24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET) in the last three months of 2025. That is one in eight young people and a 26% rise from pre-pandemic levels. A further 110,000 graduates under 30 are out of work. Youth unemployment stands at 16%, compared with 3.6% for adults overall, with hotspots in the West Midlands at 20%, East Yorkshire at 18%, Northumberland at 17% and outer London at 19%.

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The reasons are layered: fewer entry-level vacancies amid economic uncertainty and AI adoption; higher employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage costs; and a mismatch between employer demand and graduate supply. The long-term damage for people not in employment can be severe. Research suggests that a six to 12-month spell of unemployment between 18 and 24 can cut lifetime earnings by 10%. Young people who are NEET are two to three times more likely to report poor mental health than peers in work or education.

Policy ideas range from paid military-style gap years to wage subsidies and expanded digital skills training. A less obvious intervention has come from a partnership between the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF), the trade body founded in 1899. For the past decade the NMTF has run its Young Traders Market scheme, offering free market space to 16 to 30-year-olds and culminating in an annual Young Market Trader of the Year competition in Warwickshire. In 2025, Chilli Charva won the grocery category.

“The business has taken off because of the market stalls,” Alex says. “We get immediate feedback on recipes from customers and when we run the stall somewhere [affluent] like Leeds we get online subscriptions the next day.”

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The business has taken off because of the market stalls

After a decade experimenting in their mum’s kitchen, the brothers had their epiphany in 2023 while backpacking through southeast Asia. In December 2024 they launched at a Christmas market in West Melton, South Yorkshire.

Although there are plans to be working on Chilli Charva full-time by the end of the year, Alex is still working construction shifts to fund a professional kitchen on land once owned by their grandparents, Bryan and Helena Ward, who ran a Rotherham fruit and veg shop.

Joe Harrison of the NMTF calls stalls “ideal business incubators”. They allow young people to test ideas cheaply and visibly. They can also suit those who do not thrive in formal work structures. He says he loves seeing shy traders “blossom in confidence” once they start talking to customers.

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For Shanice Palmer, 31, from Croydon, opening a marketstall was a lifeline. “It was the pandemic and I had been let go from a job as an administrator at a women’s co-working space in London and I thought: what the hell do I do?” she says.“I’d made scented candles as a hobby for ages so on a whim I applied for a stall at Greenwich Market.”

She entered the NMTF scheme, traded at markets in Peckham, and in 2023 won Young Market Trader of the Year in the retail category for her fragrance brand, Kurroc. A six-month rent-free lease in Doncaster followed. She relocated 200 miles north and now runs a permanent stall.

“It’s like a live R&D lab [as a market trader]: you test price points and products in real time and you get new ideas; it’s market stall shoppers who told me to launch reed diffusers, which are now one of my most successful lines.”

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It’s not always easy, she admits. “When it’s coming down with rain and zero degrees, and you’re wearing the wrong clothes you need a lot of coffee to keep smiling,” she laughs. But the stall built the brand.

It’s like a live R&D lab – you test price points and products in real time and you get new ideas

Jayden Roberts, 19, in the West Midlands, also found his footing in public. He began screen printing at sixth form and launched Purgatory Clothing at Walsall Makers Market in 2024. “Nerve-wracking,” he recalls of those first exchanges. “But then it dawned on me: I’ve made this, I’ve printed this, and now I’m selling this and I should be proper proud.”

Roberts, of British and Caribbean descent, notes that his grandfather sold watches at markets in the ’80s and ’90s. “It’s in the blood, I guess.” He plans to “make a go of it” full-time after his studies.

Bernadette Fong, 31, in Reading, did not set out to become a trader. She began making candyfloss art as a teenager, shaping spun sugar into cartoon animals and puppets such as Elmo and a yellow duck she calls Duckie. Inspired by hawker markets in China and South Korea, she added her own twist. She was working as an physio when she tried a Christmas market in Hertfordshire in 2023. A TikTok video of her crafting Duckie at a stall in Droitwich went viral. Now she runs Cloud Nine Candyfloss Art at markets and festivals through the summer and holds a permanent stand near Hatfield shopping mall. She is training freelance sugar-spinners to expand nationwide.

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“I think having a small treat as well as the fun of watching the creations happening in front of you really works at markets and as a business in 2026,” she says.

Amy Bennett, 26, in Leeds, started trading after work dried up during Covid. She was studying sustainability at the University of Leeds at the time. “I’d applied for part-time jobs that suddenly didn’t exist due to lockdown,” she says.

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Instead, she started baking cookies, then sold them to fellow students. Her boyfriend Diego Espinosa, 32, whom she met backpacking in Australia, became Chunk Cookies’ cycle delivery driver, and when lockdown eased and deliveries slowed, they pivoted to markets.

“We got on to the [NMTF] young traders’ scheme and criss-crossed the whole of Yorkshire from Keighley to Hull on market stalls,” she says.“It taught us loads, particularly that customers want experiential retail, not just a tasty product.”

In 2023, they signed a lease on a bricks and mortar Chunk Bakery shop in Leeds. They now employ 10 staff and still trade at markets. Bennett sees small entrepreneurship as one route through a shrinking graduate premium. “I do use my degree in a way as the business is all plant-based and sustainable, but not many of the people that I went to uni with have actually gone into graduate jobs,” she says.

It dawned on me: I’ve made this, I’ve printed this, and now I’m selling this – I should be proper proud

More than half of recent graduates in some studies are considered underemployed. Yet critics including Sir Alan Milburn argue that small entrepreneurship schemes risk being marginal in a structural crisis. Self-employment carries exposure: no holiday pay, patchy pensions, volatile income. Average pre-tax turnover for market traders is around £34,000 a year. Milburn calls for a system-wide response tied to major employers and local labour markets.

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Markets themselves are in flux. Landmark sites such as Grainger Market in Newcastle and Cardiff Market are undergoing multi-million pound renovations. Others, including Birmingham Bull Ring indoor market and London’s Smithfield meat market, face closure. The total number of UK markets has held steady at around 1,150 over the past decade, but many council-run sites now trade fewer days, with artisan, experiential and night markets replacing traditional daily produce.

Back at the chilli stall, the Wards are scaling up. A professional kitchen is coming online. New products include One Charva To Kill, a barbecue sauce reformulated to replace a synthetic smoke favour with natural hickory drops after customer feedback. “Hopefully some chilli-loving kids will give us their feedback,” Alex laughs.

Harrison likes to temper expectations with a nod to Britain’s best-known fictional trader, Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter. “I tell them: ‘this time next year Rodney, you probably won’t be a millionaire’,” he says. “But I say: ‘you might make a living, and have some fun while you’re at it’.

Main image: Owen Richards

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Trump declares ceasefire with ‘scum’ Iranian leaders ‘is over’, lashes out at NATO over Greenland and cuts off all trade with ‘terrible’ Spain in extraordinary press conference

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) and US President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, on July 8

Donald Trump has labelled Iran ‘a bunch of scum’ and declared that the ceasefire is ‘over’ after the US and Tehran exchanged strikes overnight.

In an extraordinary press conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, the US president renewed his attack against the Western alliance over Greenland, and threatened to cut off all trade with ‘terrible Spain‘.

Trump ​has repeatedly expressed frustration with Spain, which has not ⁠agreed to NATO’s new defence spending target of 5 per cent ​of GDP and whose Socialist leadership refused to let the ​US use its airspace or bases on its territory for the Iran war. 

‘Spain doesn’t agree to anything, and you shouldn’t carry them,’ ​Trump told NATO chief Mark Rutte.

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‘I don’t want to do any trade ​with them, alright?’ he said, turning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who replied: ‘Yes, sir.’

Trump also criticised the UK, which ‘would not let us use the island for two weeks,’ and said Italy was ‘very bad’, referring to a lack of support over his war with Iran.

He repeated his controversial demand to take control of Greenland, calling it ‘a big problem’.

He claimed the semi-autonomous Danish territory was ‘very important for the US, but it’s not important for Denmark’.

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) and US President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, on July 8

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 8

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 8

On Tuesday night, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it fired at more than 80 Iranian targets, including over 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats.

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In retaliation, the Islamic Republic said it attacked US military sites based in Bahrain and Kuwait.

‘To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum,’ Trump told a reporter in answer to a question about the status of the memorandum of understanding.

‘They’re led by sick people. They’re vicious, violent people,’ the US president said, adding: ‘If they had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. I’ll speak to our negotiators.’

Earlier, he accused the regime of ‘wanting to take out the US leader’, pointed at himself, and claimed he was on ‘every single one of their lists’. 

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He said Washington had given Tehran the greenlight to hold a funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but ‘instead of that, they started shooting rockets at ships’.

‘And so we hit them very hard last night,’ he said. ‘I told them, every time you hit, we hit.’

World oil prices soared more than five per cent Wednesday after Trump said the ceasefire was over.

International benchmark Brent North Sea crude jumped 5.3 per cent to $78.09 a barrel, while the main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, advanced 5.4 per cent to $74.23 a barrel.

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The US launched extensive strikes on Iran following attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a wave of reprisals against American bases in the Gulf.

The strategic shipping route remains a flashpoint in the conflict, which began in late February with massive US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Tehran insists on controlling the waterway, saying it will charge fees for passage and threatening to hit vessels that deviate from its authorised route.

Its military has struck at least three ships in recent days, prompting an extensive US retaliation.

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Both sides reported hitting dozens of targets, placing fresh strain on an interim deal to end their war and pushing oil prices to their highest level in two weeks.

Iranian state media on Wednesday reported a wave of explosions around the strait, including six on the island of Qeshm, seven in the city of Sirik and more in the major port city of Bandar Abbas.

It later also reported a series of blasts in the port city of Bushehr, which hosts the country’s only civilian nuclear power plant and lies near Kharg island, the main oil terminal through which 90 percent of the nation’s crude exports transit.

State media said a member of the military’s Revolutionary Guards was killed in Iran’s southwest.

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CENTCOM said its forces had struck Iranian air defence systems, coastal radar sites and 60 IRGC small boats.

The strikes aimed ‘to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor’, it said.

Tehran’s reply came quickly, with the Guards saying they hit dozens of US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, where an AFP journalist heard blasts.

Early on Wednesday, Bahrain’s interior ministry and the Kuwaiti army both reported their air defence systems were triggered, but did not offer details of any possible damage.

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Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of ‘major’ breaches of their memorandum of understanding, including by reinstating oil sanctions and ‘violating Iranian adjustments in the strait’.

Washington revoked sanction waivers on Iranian oil sales, raising pressure on Tehran as it negotiates over a final settlement to the conflict.

The US Treasury Department cancelled a licence announced in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and related products through August 21.

‘Iran’s actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences,’ a US official told AFP.

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The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was ‘entirely performance-based’, warning that Tehran would see benefits only if it showed ‘good behaviour’.

Smoke rises at an unknown location following what U.S. Central Command says is a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, in this still image taken from video released July 7

Smoke rises at an unknown location following what U.S. Central Command says is a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, in this still image taken from video released July 7

British maritime security agency UKMTO said Tuesday an ‘unknown projectile’ hit a tanker near Hormuz, causing a fire, before two more vessels were struck, at least one by a drone.

CENTCOM identified the ships as the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged Wedyan and the Liberia-flagged Cyprus Prosperity.

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All three vessels were struck close to Oman, which had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline – an initiative opposed by Iran as it seeks to impose fees on ships using the narrow waterway.

The Al-Rekayyat is Qatari, and Doha denounced the ‘unacceptable’ attack on international maritime navigation and summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint.

Iran voiced ‘dismay’ over Qatar’s accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the claims ‘unacceptable’.

‘We are now in a sensitive period where potential alternatives to an Iranian toll or fee system are being explored,’ Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London, told AFP.

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‘Iran is sending a clear signal that no alternative will be accepted.’

Maritime traffic had tentatively resumed after Washington and Tehran signed the memorandum last month, but Iran has insisted there will be no return to pre-war arrangements, under which vessels could pass freely through the strait.

Under the 14-point US-Iran memorandum, Iran and Oman, which border Hormuz, must hold talks ‘to define the future administration and maritime services’ in the waterway with other Gulf states.

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New Middlesbrough Pitch Sports Bar: Teesside Lions’ partnership

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New Middlesbrough Pitch Sports Bar: Teesside Lions' partnership

Teesside Lions have teamed up with Pitch! Sports Bar Middlesbrough, which is set to open in July 2026 and will feature a seven-metre LED screen, sports simulators and what aims to be a first-class atmosphere for watching live events.

Located under the A66 and opposite Stack in central Middlesbrough, the venue will offer interactive sports experiences for all ages as well as numerous TV screens throughout the venue.

James Thomson, director of Teesside Lions, said: “We are delighted to welcome Pitch Sports Bar to the Teesside Lions family.

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“From our very first conversations it was clear that Pitch! shares our passion for sport, community and providing outstanding experiences for people across the region.

“As a club, we are continuing to grow at every level, from our junior programme through to our senior National League teams, and partnerships such as this are incredibly important in helping us achieve our ambitions.

“We are excited to work alongside the team at Pitch! and look forward to developing a strong relationship over the coming years.”

Pitch Sports Bar is part of the Pneuma Group, a locally based investment company committed to making a positive impact in the region.

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The sponsorship agreement will see Pitch! support the Lions’ ongoing work in the National Basketball League, junior development, community outreach and the club’s collaboration with Teesside University.

The partnership is also expected to offer fans, players and sponsors additional opportunities to engage with the club outside of match days.

A spokesperson for Pitch! Sports Bar Middlesbrough said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Teesside Lions.

“The club represents everything that is positive about sport in our region – ambition, inclusivity, development and community spirit.

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“We have been hugely impressed by the work being carried out by the Lions and are excited to support their journey.

“We look forward to welcoming players, supporters and sponsors to Pitch! and becoming part of the club’s continued success.”

The announcement comes as the Lions prepare for the 2026-27 season with a renewed focus on player development, community programmes and expanding the reach of basketball in the region.

It marks another year of off-court growth for the club, which sees the partnership as a way to deepen its impact in Teesside.

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The Lions have thanked Pitch! for its backing and said they look forward to building a long-term partnership.

The club also encourages supporters and the wider community to follow its progress and activities through its official channels.

Fans can keep up to date with Pitch! Sports Bar Middlesbrough on social media @pitchmiddlesbrough or sign up for updates at pitchsports.bar.

The partnership aims to create new ways for fans to celebrate basketball and engage with the club outside of the arena, reflecting both organisations’ shared focus on community and high-quality experiences.

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As the Lions continue to expand their presence on and off the court, the partnership is regarded as another step forward in their long-term vision for basketball across Teesside.

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More or less protein? What to eat to get you through a heatwave

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Swingers

“There’s no need for more protein in a heatwave,” says Aisling Daly, senior lecturer in nutrition at Oxford Brookes University.

But if you fancy it, some of the most common proteins will need cooking (like meat, chicken and fish) and that can be off-putting in the heat. Even an outdoor BBQ can be too hot to handle.

Enter the air fryer. Cooking a chicken leg in the worktop device uses less than half the energy of a conventional oven, according to Radio 4’s Sliced Bread. And because they are smaller and speedier, they also pump less heat into your kitchen.

But experts say don’t forget about your slightly less fashionable slow cooker – likely buried in the back of your cupboard. Even though they run for longer, they’re typically more energy efficient and release even less heat than the air fryer.

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The reality, though, is that simply by eating and digesting protein, our bodies produce more heat than other food groups.

That’s due to the energy needed by the stomach, intestines and liver to break down and absorb these complex molecules.

So that steak you crave will only bring you out in a sweat.

But you can also get your protein from lentils, nuts, milk, tofu and cheese too.

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To reduce body heat while still getting your protein fix, Dr Daly recommends focusing on things like bean salads, eggs, pre-cooked meats and plenty of Greek yoghurt (frozen too).

Making a smoothie by blending up fruit, veg and yogurt (while adding in peanut butter for protein) can provide a balanced, nutritious meal in an easy way.

And it might also be time to turn to some lighter fish, such as tuna, salmon or prawns.

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The health workers fighting Ebola without pay

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The health workers fighting Ebola without pay

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The healthcare workers at the epicenter of Congo’s Ebola outbreak are walking off their jobs to protest delays in their payments, threatening efforts to slow the outbreak that officials said continues to spread faster than the response.

In Ituri province, the hardest hit among the three provinces in eastern Congo affected by the outbreak, some of the health professionals and other front-line workers told The Associated Press they’ve not been paid their wages and bonuses since the outbreak was declared on May 15. They also alleged they were working with limited gear, and were being treated unfairly by authorities as well as response teams.

“Since the Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared, we’ve been demanding payment for our work,” Dr. Biensi Kano, a member of the epidemiological surveillance committee in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, told The Associated Press.

The latest government data shows 1,708 recorded cases, including 580 deaths, and that the first month of this Ebola outbreak was already the worst on record, health authorities said. The strike comes at the start of enrollment for clinical trials for the treatment of the Bundibugyo virus that is responsible for this outbreak.

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Treatment centers at near-full capacity

The World Health Organization representative in Congo, Dr. Anne Ancia, said Tuesday that the virus continues to spread, fueled by population movements and insecurity, while some treatment centers are at near-full capacity.

The non-payment of benefits “exposes us and our families to significant socio-economic difficulties and seriously undermines our living conditions,” said Kano.

In an official notice to national and provincial authorities over the weekend, front-line workers in Ituri threatened to strike if the wages were not paid in 24 hours. By Tuesday, some had already stopped working although no official strike has been declared.

The aggrieved front-line workers also include safety and security teams, those that often embark on community outreach as well as those burying patients who died from Ebola.

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Congo’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the situation. Officials in Ituri, however, said they’ve met with the workers and their concerns are being addressed

“The fact that Bunia airport is closed is hampering the very implementation of the response, particularly certain aspects of the flow of funds. This is one of the reasons that may account for the delay in payment,” Akilimali Pierre, incident manager at Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, told The Associated Press.

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Some of the workers organized a protest Monday outside the Rwampara Ebola treatment center. They set tires alight, causing a brief panic in the vicinity before the police intervened to restore order.

Health workers face other challenges as well, including attacks from angry residents and skepticism about the virus.

‘We risk dying for nothing’

Dr. Ben Bakule, a community investigator, said he narrowly escaped death in late May when a group of angry young men attacked him and his colleagues while they were tracing contacts of a confirmed Ebola case in the village of Tutu, in Djugu territory.

“We spend money on transport to get to work. We thought we’d be rewarded. At the moment, nothing is going right because we’re not being paid. We don’t deserve this sort of treatment,” he told The Associated Press.

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“We might have to give up our jobs. These are risks we’re taking. We risk dying for nothing. This government wants this epidemic to continue,” Bakule added, his voice tinged with frustration.

When he visited the mining town of Mongbwalu — considered the hot spot for the disease — last month, Congo’s Minister of Health Roger Kamba assured the response teams that the government was prioritizing their working conditions.

“All doctors, all nurses and all staff working on the response will be fully supported. We have the money for that,” Kamba said at the time.

But front-line workers say the reality is different.

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“We are doing everything we can to make the public understand how dangerous this disease is. I came here to save people’s lives, but this is how I am being thanked. We are working day and night without being paid,” said Dr. Ghislain Maneba, an epidemiologist and community investigator in the Rwampara health zone.

Meanwhile, the strike by some workers has caused concern among residents in Ituri, where measures to slow the outbreak have resulted in economic hardship.

Bunia resident Anifa Kito said she fears that response efforts may falter, further complicating daily life. “I would ask the authorities to resolve this situation before things get any worse,” she said, standing in front of her tomato stall.

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AP writer Constant Same Bagalwa in Bunia contributed to this report.

——

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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Argos’s cool backpacks can be snapped up for free in deal

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Belfast Live

“Love it. Perfect for a small picnic, lightweight and takes small ice pack in the lid.”

With the current warm weather and whether you’re planning to make the most of the sunshine with a picnic or a leisurely walk, or simply commuting to work, having a cold drink on hand will be essential.

Thankfully, one compact gadget can keep your drinks and snacks cool throughout the day, and some customers can obtain it for free by taking advantage of a cashback offer .

The Ice Backpack Cooler is priced at £15 at Argos, however, a promotion from TopCashback allows new members to receive a complimentary £15 welcome bonus alongside cashback on any Argos purchase of £15 or above. This effectively means the Ice Backpack Cooler can be snapped up at no cost once the cashback has been processed.

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Customers will need to pay the initial £15, but this sum will be credited back to their TopCashback account as cashback, which can then be transferred to a bank or PayPal account. It should be noted that cashback isn’t issued immediately and may take up to seven days to appear in accounts.

This price includes free click and collect, with standard delivery starting at £4.95 or complimentary for smaller items when spending over £100. To claim the offer, shoppers simply need to complete their purchase via this unique link , reports the Manchester Evening News.

Perfect for day hikes or picnics, the Ice Backpack Cooler maintains the freshness of your food and beverages without the hassle of carrying a cool box. Its insulated design preserves temperature for hours, ensuring sandwiches remain fresh and drinks stay cold from the car park right through to the campsite.

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The lightweight build won’t burden you during walks, while the hands-free backpack format allows you to carry additional equipment or keep children under control. An internal bottle holder system secures drinks upright, preventing any tipping or spillage while on the move.

The space-efficient design has enough space for a family lunch or a full day’s snacks without taking up boot space. The durable fabric withstands regular outdoor use and cleans easily after muddy excursions, with the internal bottle holder ensuring everything remains within easy reach when required.

For those with a larger budget, Dunelm offers the Three Rivers 2 Person Backpack with Picnicware for £59. This backpack includes all the necessities for an ideal outdoor meal for two, featuring two acrylic wine glasses, two acrylic plates, and two sporks.

The 15-litre insulated section is ideal for maintaining your food and beverages at the perfect temperature for as long as six hours. Thanks to the white PEVA heat-sealed interior, any spillages can be quickly wiped clean.

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Alternatively, the Lifewit 21L Soft Cooler Backpack Bag is £20.99 on Amazon. This multi-purpose insulated rucksack can hold up to 30 cans and features several pockets for convenient hands-free transport during picnics, camping trips or family days out.

Meanwhile at Argos, the Ice Backpack Cooler has received almost 30 five-star reviews. One customer commented: “Love it. Perfect for a small picnic, lightweight and takes small ice pack in the lid.”

Another reviewer shared: “Put a frozen bottle of water in at 8am and it still had ice in it at 5pm after being in 26°C heat all day. Excellent bag, plenty of room for a few bottles of drink and sandwiches.

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“Highly recommend, would buy again. I love it, handy big pocket on the front for a phone, for example.”

A third customer explained: “I bought this because I no longer own a car so do a lot of my shopping on foot and bus,” a third said. “I buy frozen fruit and veg because they keep better, but I’m often buying several 1KG or 500g bags at a time and this is too much to carry with all the other bits and pieces.

“So, I bought this. I can now put all my frozen food in this on my back and still carry two bags with my others shopping. Keeps tighter frozen stuff nice and cool and it comfy so very happy. Big enough for me and very light.”

The Ice Backpack Cooler hasn’t attracted any critical feedback online, though there are a few considerations worth noting before making a purchase. With a 10-litre capacity, it’s perfectly suited for transporting a packed lunch, but may fall short for family-sized picnics.

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Additionally, the bag comes exclusively in blue, which might not suit everyone’s preferences. Despite this, another satisfied Argos customer praised their recent buy , stating: “I bought this two weeks ago for a road trip and it kept drinks cold throughout. Well worth the price.”

A separate five-star review notes: “I bought this for a holiday and took it on a hike. It was perfect for the job.

“It’s big enough for two (500ml) water bottles, a small first aid kit and I could have fit a snack in too, if I’d had one. I used the side pocket for sun cream and it was really comfortable to carry for the walk, which was about 90 mins. Really happy with it.”

Here’s how to claim the cool bag ‘for free’ via TopCashback:

  • Sign up as a new member at Top Cashback for free via this link .
  • Search for ‘ Argos ‘ on the site, click through and buy the item normally.
  • Get £15 cashback when you spend £15 or more on an item.
  • The cashback will track to the TopCashback ‘Earnings page’ within seven days of your purchase.

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Gardener died after falling onto bamboo cane trimming hedges at Scottish castle

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Daily Record

Norman Mackenzie continued to work after the accident but then needed emergency surgery in a bid to save his life

A man died after falling onto a bamboo garden cane while trimming hedges, a fatal accident inquiry has heard. Norman Mackenzie fell backwards onto the cane which pierced his groin and left a fragment of his jeans embedded deep inside the wound, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

The injury happened while the 68-year-old gardener was trimming hedges at Darnaway Castle near Forres on September 17, 2024. Despite pulling himself free and continuing to work for the rest of the day, the father of two developed a rapidly spreading infection.

Four days later he died at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary from multi-organ failure, septic shock and necrotising fasciitis – described as a flesh-eating bacterial infection. Sheriff David Harvie found that the accident could realistically have been avoided had a safer working platform been used instead of a step ladder positioned beside the edge of a sunken flower bed.

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The inquiry heard Mr Mackenzie, who had worked for Moray Estates for around 40 years, misjudged the bottom step of the ladder as he climbed down. He stumbled backwards into the flower bed, where a bamboo cane penetrated his groin.

Believing the injury was not serious, he pulled the cane from his body, rested briefly and then returned to work before going home for lunch and completing the day’s duties. He attended Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin two days later after suffering increasing pain and swelling. Scans showed the injury reached from the scrotum towards the abdomen, but did not reveal that a small piece of denim from his jeans had been driven into the wound.

By the following day his condition had deteriorated sharply. Blood tests showed severe infection and emergency surgery was carried out at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where surgeons discovered widespread necrotising fasciitis and recovered a fragment of torn denim from the wound. Large areas of dead tissue from his lower abdomen, groin and scrotum had to be removed in an attempt to halt the infection.

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Despite intensive care treatment, Mr Mackenzie died on September 21. While the inquiry heard evidence that earlier surgery might, with hindsight, have been beneficial if the contamination had been known, Sheriff Harvie concluded there was insufficient evidence to find that the clinical decisions made by NHS Grampian caused or contributed to Mr Mackenzie’s death. Instead, the sheriff identified failures in workplace supervision and the use of inappropriate equipment.

He found there was no clear responsibility for supervising Mr Mackenzie and that he had effectively been left to assess risks himself despite restrictions on the work he was supposed to be carrying out. Following the accident, Moray Estates removed bamboo canes from its sunken gardens and flower beds, tightened accident reporting procedures, strengthened supervision arrangements and reviewed its risk assessments with external health and safety advisers.

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Sheriff Harvie made no formal recommendations, noting that significant changes had already been implemented by both Moray Estates and NHS Grampian following Mr Mackenzie’s death. The sheriff offered his condolences to both Mr Mackenzie’s family and friends.

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Taylor Swift’s wedding secrets revealed by Greg James as he says he watched the ceremony with Hugh Grant and had clandestine ‘Traitors-style’ talks with Graham Norton

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding secrets have been spilled by guest Greg James as he gushed he 'had the best night.. probably ever'

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding secrets have been spilled by guest Greg James as he gushed he ‘had the best night.. probably ever’.

The BBC Radio 1 DJ was among the 1,000 guests invited to the epic Madison Square Garden nuptials on Friday night, and on Wednesday he finally returned to his Breakfast Show to reveal all in a Q&A with his team and Swifties who called in.

Greg confessed he had been lying to his friends, family and fans for months, revealing he had received his wedding invite in mid-March and only told his wife Bella Mackie, who was also invited. 

The only other person Greg could discuss the big day with was fellow guest Graham Norton.

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The chatshow host and Greg were coincidentally booked on the same episode of This Morning shortly after they received their invites, where they held a whispered conversation in the dressing room.

Greg revealed that they then arranged to have a dinner alongside his wife Bella and Graham’s husband Jono McLeod, laughing: ‘We arranged to have a secret, under the cover of darkness dinner. It was like The Traitors meeting in the tower.’

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding secrets have been spilled by guest Greg James as he gushed he ‘had the best night.. probably ever’

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The BBC Radio 1 DJ and his wife Bella Mackie were among the 1,000 guests invited to the epic Madison Square Garden nuptials on Friday night

The BBC Radio 1 DJ and his wife Bella Mackie were among the 1,000 guests invited to the epic Madison Square Garden nuptials on Friday night 

‘We were going to go to a restaurant and he messaged to say maybe not a restaurant so we had a secret dinner round his house to talk about it.’ We had this dinner and were like “what’s happening, where even is this wedding?”. 

At the wedding itself, Greg revealed he hung out with fellow British guests, pointing out: ‘The Brits gravitate towards each other in any situation like that, and at one point it was me and Bella, and Hugh Grant and his wife and we were watching proceedings happen.

He added that with such an array of guests invited ‘every 10 seconds’ he was star struck, pointing out: ‘It was a room full of the most famous people in the world.’

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‘I just couldn’t believe it. It was like going to Madame Tussauds but the wax was animated and you could interact with wax and it talked back to you, it was absolutely mad … I had a few wees next to some NFL players.’ 

Greg also insisted that there was no champagne shortage, gushing that ‘the food was plentiful and delicious there was lots of everything.’

‘You know how sometimes at a wedding you get the first drink free on arrival? This was the first 10,000 drinks.’

Greg also revealed that contrary to rumours about watermarked invites, all of his communication about the wedding was electronic.

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Taylor invited the Radio 1 DJ live on air in October and he has now revealed he received his official invite in mid March. 

Greg revealed he hung out with fellow British guests, pointing out: 'The Brits gravitate towards each other in any situation like that, and at one point it was me and Hugh Grant and his wife'

Greg revealed he hung out with fellow British guests, pointing out: ‘The Brits gravitate towards each other in any situation like that, and at one point it was me and Hugh Grant and his wife’

‘This is how long I’ve been lying to you,’ he apologised. ‘The invitation arrived on my phone in the form of a link in the middle of the night when I was trying to get some sleep in Weymouth, during a storm when I had a really upset stomach.’

Greg explained that he was staying in a Weymouth hotel on March 12, the night before starting his Comic Relief cycle challenge.

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‘I was going to the bathroom and I turned my phone on and this link came through saying “you have been invited to the wedding”,’ he revealed.

‘It was the night before the Comic Relief challenge and I had to sit with it all week. I turned my phone off and had to be like “I can’t deal with that right now, I’m about to cycle a 1,000km on a tandem”.’

Greg said the only person he told that week about the invite was his wife who calmly told him “you can’t focus on that now, we will deal with that in July”. 

‘So it was during an almighty storm and an almighty storm in my stomach… That was the unglamorous place I received it… All I wanted to do was shout it and tell everyone but you don’t want to be that guy that ruins it all.’

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After telling his BBC bosses he was taking annual leave, he also told a white lie to organisers of the Crosswires podcast festival he was at on Thursday night. 

‘I couldn’t tell the people at the festival why I couldn’t do the rest of the weekend. I went “something’s come up”. I think they assumed it was to do with my dad not being very well so that felt bad! I can’t use him as an excuse!’ 

Greg and his wife Bella met up with fellow guest Graham Norton before the wedding, laughing that their secret dinner 'was like The Traitors meeting in the tower'

Greg and his wife Bella met up with fellow guest Graham Norton before the wedding, laughing that their secret dinner ‘was like The Traitors meeting in the tower’

Greg did concede that the lack of a paper invite made him suspicious that he was part of some Radio 1 prank, admitting: ‘Honestly until we were in there there was a huge part… Bella and I were like “this could be a scam” until we were in we were like “we might have made a big trip for nothing here”.’

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The Radio 1 star scored his invite months after Taylor, who he has interviewed multiple times over the years, told him live on his show that he would be there. 

After Greg joked that he wanted to meet her NFL star beau Travis, Taylor laughed that he’d get the chance at the wedding, telling him he was ‘obviously’ invited.

Taking to his Instagram Stories on Saturday, Greg revealed he had indeed been at the star-studded celebration after fans wondered if he made the guest list.

After skipping his Radio 1 show on Friday, Greg had insisted to listeners he was busy in Sheffield for a live recording of his Bad Chat podcast at the Crossed Wires festival. In fact, he had jumped on a flight across the Atlantic to make it in time for Taylor’s evening nuptials. 

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Sharing a photo of a slice of pizza the morning after, he joked: ‘I am currently experiencing the world’s greatest hangover and unable to reply to the hilarious number of messages I have received over the last 24hrs. 

‘But just to say: true to her word, of course the invitation arrived and I couldn’t tell anyone. And oh my God, what an unbelievably brilliant night. I’m off for a nap.’

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Reforms Zia Yusuf Gets Community Note On X Over Clacton By Election

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Zia Yusuf Slammed For Calling Tory And Labour Politicians 'Traitors'

Zia Yusuf has been hit with a community note on X after Reform UK offered to cover the costs of the by-election triggered by Nigel Farage’s resignation.

The party’s home affairs spokesman said they would “pay in full” so that taxpayers are not left out of pocket for staging the poll.

“It’s how politics should be done,” Yusuf said in a post on X.

But users of the social media platform were quick to point out that it was impossible for Reform to pick up the tab for the by-election, which is expected to be around £250,000.

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A community note below his post said: “The costs of UK parliamentary by-elections are paid by the government from the Consolidated Fund and cannot be covered by political parties.”

A polling expert said Reform would actually be breaking the law if they paid for the by-election, which is set to take place next month.

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Lord Hayward, who is a Conservative peer, said: “The oddest aspect of this is that Reform/Nigel Farage have said that they will pay for the by-election.

“The whole principle of British electoral law is that you separate the administration of the election from the party contest.

“Therefore it would be illegal – and Reform will know this – it would be illegal for them to make a payment to cover the cost of the by-election.

“Just imagine what Nigel Farage would have said at Makerfield, if [former Labour MP] Josh Simons announced his resignation and Labour said ‘we’re going to pay for this by-election because it isn’t absolutely necessary’.

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“Nigel Farage would have gone berserk because in paying for the administration, you’re paying for the counters to count the ballot papers, you’re paying for the location of the polling stations, you’re paying for the election leaflets. There would be all sorts of accusations of interference.

“There is no way Reform can pay for that election.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Emmerdale ‘confirms’ Doctor Todd’s killer with clue you may have missed | Soaps

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Emmerdale 'confirms' Doctor Todd's killer with clue you may have missed | Soaps
Her time is running out (Picture: ITV/YouTube)

Emmerdale has confirmed that Doctor Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker) will be murdered in the future.

In an episode that was broadcasted a couple of days ago, a flashforward sequence aired that saw Doctor Todd lying in a pool of blood.

Prior to this happening, Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) was seen confronting Caitlin about raping Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins).

Doctor Todd said that if she was forced to go to court, the jury would believe her version of events over Charity’s because she’s a well-respected member of the NHS. Mack couldn’t handle being around Caitlin for any longer, and left after telling her that if she went near Charity again, he’d ‘bury her’.

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While the flashforward kept most of the details surrounding Doctor Todd’s death a mystery, it may not have been completely devoid of clues, as one small detail hidden in the scene may reveal exactly where she dies.

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The only real clue comes from the floor beneath Caitlin. She’s lying on light wooden floorboards that could belong to an unfamiliar location, but they also closely resemble the flooring in one of Emmerdale’s best-known cottages.

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In Jacobs Fold, where Charity lives with Mack, Noah Dingle (Jack Downham) and young Moses, the floorboards look exactly the same as those seen in the flashforward with Doctor Todd.

If Caitlin is killed in Charity’s house, it potentially makes the suspect list a lot shorter.

Mack, Sarah, Charity and Noah in Jacobs Fold in Emmerdale
The flooring is pratically the same (Picture: ITV)
Charity and Mack in Jacobs Fold in Emmerdale
If Doctor Todd is killed here, it may make the suspect list a lot shorter (Picture: ITV)

Mackenzie is a broken man after Charity confessed all of her secrets to him. He is trying to contain his anger whenever he sees Ross Barton (Michael Parr), Leyla’s dad, but things will come to a head in a few days time, as he ends up fighting with his former best friend in a barn.

Could this, along with the threats he made towards Doctor Todd, be foreshadowing? Will he end up killing Caitlin after being pushed over the edge?

It’s also possible that Charity will attempt to get violent revenge on Doctor Todd, given the police investigation into her is currently moving pretty slowly.

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Who is Doctor Todd’s killer?

While Mack and Charity are high on the list of suspects, there’s also Noah Dingle to think about.

The young man has a criminal record after stalking and harassing Chloe Harris a few years ago, and currently has no idea of the things Doctor Todd has put his mum through.

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Interestingly, spoilers for future episodes confirm that Noah is debating applying for jobs abroad. This could be a subtle way of hinting at him being Doctor Todd’s killer, as he may end up making a run for it and leaving the village to prevent spending time behind bars.

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Norway ridicule ‘sickness bug’ claim before England World Cup match | Football

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Norway ridicule 'sickness bug' claim before England World Cup match | Football

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Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

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