“The substances burned are harmful to the environment and the cost to remove bonfire debris is an unnecessary expense on an already stretched budget.”

Northern Ireland Water is to take action against the culprits behind a Co Antrim illegal bonfire site amid alleged threats and a failure to reach a resolution.

Village residents and Lisburn and Castlereagh City councillors have previously spoken out against the dumping of material for the Stoneyford bonfire.

Gate pillars at the former Northern Ireland Water reservoir are annually marked in red, white and blue with ‘UVF’ graffiti and a sign directing people to dump material destined for a July bonfire.

READ MORE: Co Down concerns pond pollution linked to bird and wildlife deaths.

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NI Water statement reads: “NI Water has gathered and documented evidence relating to the activity at the site and continue to do so. This information will be referred to the appropriate authorities.

“NI Water has been robust in engaging with elected representatives, community groups and other statutory agencies in the area.

“Extensive efforts have confirmed that the individuals responsible for this bonfire neither engage with, nor respond to approaches made by intermediaries.

“Unfortunately, given previous experiences on this site neither NI Water nor other agencies were able to secure the services of a contractor to remove materials from the site.”

NIW has previously confirmed in a letter, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, that its staff members have been threatened on site when attempting to negotiate with those responsible for the dump collection and bonfire.

The LDRS in 2025 revealed a £60,000 price tag on bonfire clean-ups at the Stoneyford beauty spot over the last five years, following a decision by the Information Commissioner’s Office to force NIW to release the figures.

The cost included a removal and disposal of tyres by a specialist contractor.

An up to date Freedom of Information request has shown last year’s clean up of bonfire waste on the site cost NIW approximately £2,500.

Video footage seen by the LDRS shows this year’s “1st July Bonfire” being lit with plumes of black smoke coming from the blaze.

NIW added:”Given the absence of any identifiable organisation or recognised point of contact, there is no meaningful route for community engagement or negotiated resolution, and the matter must therefore be addressed through the relevant statutory processes and enforcement mechanisms available.

“NI Water would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that building bonfires on this site is illegal.

“The substances burned are harmful to the environment and the cost to remove bonfire debris is an unnecessary expense on an already stretched budget.”

The LDRS contacted the PSNI. A spokesperson said:”There have been no reports received in relation to threats at the Stoneyford site.

“PSNI continues to engage with all relevant partners in relation to the Stoneyford bonfire site, including the landowner, residents and statutory agencies where appropriate.

“The primary responsibility for decisions relating to structures located on privately owned land rests with the landowner.

“Police engagement has focused on supporting multi-agency discussions, maintaining community safety, assessing any risks associated with the site, and ensuring that any policing response remains proportionate.”

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New Sentencing Council guidelines for careless driving in England and Wales mean even a momentary lapse in concentration could now result in a driving ban or a fine of up to 250% of your weekly income

Drivers could encounter a driving ban for even minor mistakes behind the wheel – owing to the rigorous new sentencing guidelines for careless driving in England and Wales.

They took effect on July 1, 2025, and mean a brief distraction, such as checking a sat nav, failing to indicate or any momentary lapse, could now trigger significant legal consequences and potentially result in losing your driving entitlement. It’s not solely reckless motorists or those operating vehicles under the influence who need to exercise vigilance; the revised regulations specify that even a temporary error by the most careful of drivers might leave them facing harsh penalties. The overhauled “careless driving” rules – formally termed driving without due care and attention – have been considerably strengthened.

Driving prohibitions lasting up to 56 days are being actively proposed for medium-level offences – incidents that historically would have only incurred penalty points may now mean you forfeit your driving entitlement for nearly two months. Furthermore, substantial fines that can reach 250% of your weekly earnings face those committing even isolated offences, threatening to impact finances severely.

While the possible maximum sentence hasn’t increased, there is a heightened focus on aggravating circumstances associated with the offence, such as consequent harm, indicating the probability of more severe punishments being imposed with increased regularity. Professional motorists face even more rigorous assessments.

Those whose employment relies on driving – whether van operators, HGV drivers, taxi or bus drivers – must remain especially alert. The regulations cite “driving for commercial purposes” or in a goods vehicle as elements that render an offence more grave. Put simply, being on duty at the wheel won’t attract any clemency; in fact, courts may deliver harsher penalties.

Recent revisions to judicial guidance emphasise that intent carries no significance. In essence, if your driving fails to meet the standards of a careful and competent driver – a benchmark readily crossed when distracted – you’re culpable.

Changes implemented by the Sentencing Council aim to address dangerous driving conduct and have reportedly positioned ordinary drivers firmly in the crosshairs, according to a legal specialist.

Speaking when the changes came into effect a year ago, Charlotte Le Maire, a barrister and transport defence authority at CrashLaw24, urged motorists to treat these changes with seriousness.

She said: “This is a real wake-up call for UK motorists. You don’t have to be intentionally dangerous behind the wheel to end up banned. Under these guidelines, just a momentary lapse in concentration can lead to severe consequences – a court summons, a huge fine, even losing your licence.

“Any driver could be one small mistake away from a ban. Drivers absolutely must take these changes seriously and stay alert at all times – because a moment’s distraction can ruin lives.”

The fresh regulations have scarcely come into force, yet Charlotte anticipates a dramatic rise in prosecutions following the 2022 introduction of Causing Serious Injury by Careless Driving. She forecast numerous motorists will be astonished to discover themselves charged with “careless driving” for mistakes they regarded as trivial.

The possible consequences for such offences now encompass brief disqualifications and substantial fines, rendering the cost of a moment’s lapse more expensive than previously, the legal expert warned. Particularly when a collision happens, she underlined that securing prompt legal advice is “crucial”.

Charlotte additionally drew attention to a distinctive element of road traffic law: officers can caution and question you at an incident location without legal representation. The account provided in the chaos after a collision could determine the outcome of a criminal prosecution against you, she underscored.

Each chapter traces a revolutionary idea to a different corner of the globe. In Connecticut and the Caribbean, for instance, she examines how slavery transformed the meaning of liberty, giving rise to new political language and radical demands for freedom. The book is a litany of revolt, a kind of world tour of grievances, from Edinburgh to Guangzhou to Kolkata, and from St Kitts to Sierra Leone.

The immersive VR sessions place young people at the centre of realistic scenarios involving knives and gangs, helping them understand the dangers and long-term impact of their decisions in a safe environment.

County Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “Knife crime in Durham remains low compared to other areas of the country but it is still an issue.

“Our young people are exposed to the same influences and risks as their peers, and some are already engaging in risky behaviour that could escalate into violence if left unchecked.

“It’s vital we intervene early to break the cycle.”

“Through this important work, we will stop serious violence and knife crime from gaining a greater foothold in our communities.”

The programme uses VR headsets and accessories, with a £4,500 contribution from the PCC funding the Virtual Decisions licence and VR accessories including headphones, alongside match funding from Durham Action Against Crime (£2,000), housing provider Livin (£2,000), and The Cornforth Partnership (£2,200).

Additional funding will allow the Newton Aycliffe Rotary Club, which runs the scheme, to expand delivery across more schools and youth groups.

So far, the project has reached 1,194 students in primary, secondary, and special educational needs schools across the area.

Virtual Decisions, the award-winning VR programme in use, has already reached more than 20,000 young people nationwide.

Evaluation shows that after taking part, 91 per cent said they were more likely to consider the consequences of knife crime, while 96 per cent agreed that carrying a knife is more dangerous than not carrying one.

Ms Allen said the programme builds on awareness sparked by the arrival of the Knife Angel sculpture in the region last year.

She said: “The visit of the Knife Angel monument last year provided a platform to initiate difficult conversations about knife crime and to show young people what really is at stake by carrying knives to inform their future decisions.

“This project has built on the momentum of this work, allowing young people to immerse themselves in situations that explore the dangers and potential consequences of carrying knives so they can ‘feel’ the emotional impact of their decisions in a safe environment.

“It goes back to prevention – an approach to community safety that lies at the foundations of my plan – and sparing families the pain and devastation of losing people they cherish to violence by changing behaviour before it’s too late.”

Ms Allen has made tackling serious violence a core priority within her Police, Crime and Justice Plan, pledging to address its root causes in partnership with other organisations.

She has also committed to promoting education as a key protective factor, focusing on improving school attendance and reducing exclusions to help keep young people safe.

Alongside the VR scheme, the PCC and members of the County Durham and Darlington Serious Violence Prevention Partnership have continued to fund other education and intervention programmes.

One such project is delivered by the Foundation of Light, the official charity of Sunderland AFC.

It offers an intensive 12-week intervention for young people aged nine to 15 who are not currently involved in criminal activity but are considered at risk.

The programme aims to improve educational engagement, decision-making, and awareness of the consequences of serious violence.

It targets individuals through schools, youth groups, and community organisations in the Peterlee area.

The man ignored red traffic lights and drove at double the speed limit

A man drove at double the speed limit in residential areas and ignored red traffic lights in a bid to escape police. Thomas Toth, 21, led officers on a high-speed pursuit in broad daylight on May 8.

He was driving a black Audi A3 in Star Road, Eastgate, Peterborough at about 10.35am, when officers on patrol received information that the car was uninsured.

When the officers indicated for him to stop, Toth accelerated and drove at more than double the speed limit in residential areas, ignored red traffic lights and drove on the wrong side of keep left bollards.

The pursuit ended in Ling Garth, Dogsthorpe and Toth ran to try and flee from the officers. He was arrested following a police foot chase.

PC Chris Euerby said: “Toth drove recklessly and clearly with no thought to the danger he was putting other people in. He narrowly missed numerous collisions as other innocent motorists were forced to take evasive action. Thankfully, the pursuit ended and he was arrested before anyone was hurt.”

Toth, of Meadow Grove, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, admitted dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for a year, and handed an 18-month driving ban on Monday, June 29 at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Russia endured a period of violent criminal lawlessness known as the “wild 90s”. Organised crime spiked, with gangs taking control of banks, factories and other lucrative markets. Contract killings, shootings and car bombings became part of urban life.

There are now fears that the Ukraine war will give rise to a similar situation as members of Russia’s army, as well as former convicts who were pardoned in exchange for military service, return from the frontlines.

A variety of conditions enabled organised crime to flourish in the 1990s. Weak state institutions, economic turmoil and mass privatisation following the Soviet Union’s collapse created a governance vacuum in Russia.

As criminologist Federico Varese, of the University of Oxford, explains in his work, criminal groups stepped in to provide “private protection” in areas where the state was ineffective or absent. They provided services such as contract enforcement, debt recovery and physical business security.

Sociologist Vadim Volkov, meanwhile, describes the rise of “violent entrepreneurs” who commodified coercion in an environment where legal institutions had largely collapsed. Russia’s murder rate surged in this period. Between 1990 and 1994, it more than doubled to a peak of over 33 killings per 100,000 people. This made Russia’s murder rate among the highest globally.

Contemporary Russia presents a different picture. Following Vladimir Putin’s rise to power in 1999, the Russian state has consolidated its authority. Putin quickly expanded the state’s security apparatus while reasserting control over criminal networks.

In many cases, organised crime has become integrated into systems of governance, complementing the state’s political or strategic interests. For example, criminal networks have facilitated sanctions evasion by transporting restricted goods through parallel trade routes and acquiring sanctioned technologies via intermediary networks in third countries.

Reinforcing this transformation

The Ukraine war is likely to reinforce this more recent transformation. Expanded western sanctions imposed since the start of the war have widened opportunities for illicit trade and smuggling networks. But the most significant consequences arise from the social and security challenges associated with large-scale military demobilisation.

Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has mobilised hundreds of thousands of military personnel. This includes up to 180,000 former convicts. Many of these people have experienced prolonged exposure to combat. Military service does not inherently lead to criminality and it would be inaccurate to suggest that all returning veterans are likely to become offenders.

However, evidence from post-conflict societies such as Colombia, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and Bosnia-Herzegovina suggests that poorly managed demobilisation can reshape criminal markets. Research on disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration consistently demonstrates that unemployment, psychological trauma and weak institutional support creates opportunities for criminal groups to recruit former combatants.

Military service also teaches soldiers organisational skills beyond battlefield experience such as logistics, intelligence gathering and network management. These skills are all transferable to contemporary organised crime. In modern organised crime environments, traditional racketeering is complemented by cybercrime, cryptocurrency laundering and transnational financial crime.

Even if only a small proportion of military personnel returning from Ukraine become involved in criminal activity, they could change the composition and improve the operational sophistication of Russian crime groups. While the circumstances differ, the case of Colombia illustrates how poorly managed demobilisation can transform organised crime.

In the 2000s, over 30,000 fighters from right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia were demobilised. A minority of these former combatants subsequently joined or established criminal organisations. They provided military training, discipline and networks, aiding the capabilities of organised crime.

These groups rapidly became major players in the Colombian organised crime ecosystem. A Human Rights Watch report found they became major perpetrators of drug trafficking, extortion and violence. Estimates suggest they controlled up to half of the Colombia’s cocaine exports by 2011.

The Russian state is far stronger than the one that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This makes a wholesale resurgence of traditional criminal violence unlikely. Instead, the Ukraine war looks set to accelerate a new generation of criminal networks that are more professional, militarised and embedded within state structures.

However, the Kremlin still faces a difficult balancing act. Contemporary Russian governance has relied upon managing and exploiting criminal groups. And Moscow appears wary of the broad social instability that would emerge if criminal organisations become sufficiently powerful or autonomous to operate beyond state control.

Russia has thus began preparing plans for the return of veterans from Ukraine. The Kremlin has implemented initiatives such as the “Time of Heroes” programme. This programme channels selected veterans into public administration and political office following their demobilisation. Although limited, such planning reflects official recognition that domestic consequences of war will extend beyond the battlefield.

Regardless of these efforts, the distinction between organised crime and state power in Russia is likely to become harder to draw than at any point since the end of the cold war.

England fans could be handed a boost as reports suggest the England vs Mexico World Cup 2026 may move

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England supporters have reportedly received welcome news as the dreaded 1:00am kick-off on Monday (July 6) now appears unlikely after the Mexico fixture has allegedly been brought forward.

It is reported the game could take place at 7pm on Sunday night (July 5) instead, due to the threat of thunder storms rather than to help out England fans watching at home, according to multiple publications in Mexico.

Warnings of stormy weather had been issued around game time at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and could have seen the game face kick-off delays. The BBC understands that FIFA is set to bring the game forward due to thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Fifa regulations for World Cup 2026 say it is their right to “cancel, reschedule or relocate” matches “at its sole discretion”, reports the Daily Star. The Press Association reports FIFA is now in ongoing discussions over moving the kick-off time to earlier in the day due to the risk of adverse weather on Sunday.

Pubs and other establishments had been gearing up to get ready for opening late and into the early hours, but it now looks like we may get a more UK-friendly time for fans.

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Donald Trump kicked off America’s 250th birthday celebrations by traveling to Mount Rushmore with his son Don Jr and newlywed wife Bettina, just as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce exchanged their vows in the celebrity wedding of the century. 

The President was flanked by the happy couple, his daughter Tiffany, and her husband, Michael Boulos, as they all boarded the new Air Force One on Friday night, headed for South Dakota.

Not long after that, Swift and Kelce were wed at an elaborate ceremony inside Madison Square Garden with comedian Adam Sandler officiating.

After boarding, Bettina posted an image to Instagram showing a large cookie emblazoned with a picture of the iconic monument with Trump’s likeness added on to it. 

Prior to boarding, the group all shared pictures of themselves enjoying the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC. 

Tiffany and Bettina even had time for a quick mirror selfie at the Presidential Walk of Fame along the West Colonnade of the White House. 

The trip marks Trump’s triumphant return to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, exactly six years after he held a controversial pre-Fourth of July event at the monument amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The president touched down following a flyover of the famous sculpture nestled in the the Black Hills of the state. 

Former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem was then serving as South Dakota governor and embraced a hands-off approach to the virus, allowing the mass gathering to happen despite the health risks. 

Air Force One is seen here performing a flyover at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Friday night

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The President took to the skies as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden

Bettina Trump, Michael Boulos, who is partially obstructed, Tiffany and Don Jr leaving the White House on Friday night alongside White House aide Natalie Harp

Bettina and Tiffany in a mirror selfie along the Presidential Walk of Fame before heading for Mount Rushmore

There were also environmental concerns. 

The fireworks display that year was the first since 2009, after the National Park Service stopped them due to wildfire risk. 

Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately cost him reelection in 2020. 

But on Friday, the President will fly into South Dakota on his new Qatari-gifted Air Force One. 

The fireworks ban, reinstated during President Joe Biden’s tenure, has been lifted again. 

There is even a bill in Congress, introduced by Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna, to have Trump’s face added to Mount Rushmore, which features Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. 

The event is part of the Trumpified celebration of America’s 250th birthday, organized by Freedom 250, the group that Trump created by executive order last January to take control of the country’s semiquincentennial festivities.

Congress had already created a bipartisan commission, dubbed America250, back in 2016 to plan the events. 

Not long after boarding Bettina posted an image to her Instagram showing a large cookie emblazoned with a picture of the iconic monument with Trump’s likeness added

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Don Jr and Bettina boarding the new Air Force One on Friday evening

Mount Rushmore hovers over the stage set up for Trump’s appearance in Keystone, South Dakota, on Friday

The dueling groups have caused headaches, including the mass cancellation of musicians booked to play the Great American State Fair, when the artists realized it was being organized by the more partisan entity. 

The Great American State Fair has also been plagued by power outages, low attendance and extremely hot weather. 

Washington, DC, reached 100 degrees Friday afternoon, with the fair postponed for several hours due to the intensity of the heat. 

The Mount Rushmore event is happening amid drought conditions in the state. 

Ahead of the event, state and federal agencies were going to make a go-or-no-go call on the fireworks display. 

The US Wildland Fire Service also created a fire response plan for the Mount Rushmore fireworks, Politico reported. 

Trump is expected to touch back down in Washington in the early hours of Saturday morning ahead of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall. 

The stage is assembled on Thursday ahead of the President’s arrival

Trump held a Mount Rushmore fireworks event on July 3, 2020, a controversial move amid the COVID-19 pandemic 

The President watched a Navy Blue Angels flyover display during the event

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That event is also being threatened by extreme heat – it’s supposed to reach 101 degrees in DC on Saturday. 

But Trump remained undeterred. 

‘On July Fourth, it’s going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I’m gonna go, and I’m gonna make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,’ the 80-year-old President said Wednesday during his trip to North Dakota to open the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

The President is expected to speak after sundown, around 9.45pm ET, organizers said, with the ‘world’s largest fireworks display’ slated for 10.30pm. 

That means if Trump’s speech runs long, the DC fireworks show could drag into July 5.

A Dickens of a Christmas will be the theme of the annual display at Castle Howard, near Malton.

Running from November 12 to January 3, the Victorian extravaganza is promised to ‘leave you full to the brim with festive cheer!’

A spokesperson for Castle Howard said: “Charles Dickens’ classic novels are brought to life in grand Christmas style, leaping off the page with projections, soundscapes, and theatrical surprises.

“As the cold nights draw in, warm your hands and hearts by the grand roaring fire and encounter familiar faces from Dickens’ most treasured novels, including Ebenezer Scrooge and a ghost or two. Rich in nostalgia, storytelling and Christmas spirit, it’s an immersive journey that celebrates Christmas magic.”

Following the award-winning success of Christmas at Castle Howard with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Alice’s Christmas Wonderland, CLW Event Design and Imitating the Dog return to bring this joyful experience to life.

So, climb aboard your carriage and join us for a traditional Christmas like no other!.

More information about tickets will be announced very soon. In the meantime, sign up to the Castle Howard newsletter for the latest updates.

Loop’s website shows images of people wearing their devices in casual, fun settings, and the brand has also collaborated with festivals such as Coachella and Tomorrowland.

Alpine CEO Arthur van Keeken says their ear-plugs have been popular with “younger, urban people” – exactly the audience for these types of events.

He believes they are more conscious of looking after their hearing, and wants a future where music fans view ear protection in the same way skiers see helmets.

The British Association of Audiologists – healthcare experts who specialise in diagnosing and treating ear problems – say hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities.

According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), it affects about one in three UK adults.

The charity’s audiology manager Franki Oliver says that, under a microscope, the sound-sensing cells in our ears and the tiny hairs growing out of them resemble a patch of grass at a festival.

“The first day, the grass looks absolutely beautiful,” she says. “Nice and green.”

“After the first couple of days, it’s OK. But at the end of the weekend it’s looking pretty dead and it’s probably not coming back.

“The same thing is happening with our ears when we expose them to loud noises”.

Oliver says it’s a good thing that ear-plugs are increasingly seen as an “accessory to a night out, rather than something you have to use”.

But, like our ears, they are not all created equal.