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Votes picked up in Asda could be vital in the Makerfield by-election

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Manchester Evening News

Polls open from 7am tomorrow for the Makerfield by-election – which is expected to be a tight contest

Forget door knocks, leafleting or TV and radio appearances. It could be something as simple as where a candidate does their big shop that clinches a few votes at the Makerfield by-election.

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A day away from polls opening for the crunch vote and the streets of Ashton town centre are busy with backers of both Andy Burnham and Robert Kenyon.

The battle between Labour and Reform has been the story since MP Josh Simons resigned and the by-election was called.

That fact isn’t lost on the voters. The majority of people the Local Democracy Reporting Service/Manchester Evening News spoke to said they will vote Labour or Reform, no matter their political persuasion.

Click here for our dedicated Makerfield by-election newsletter with exclusive interviews and analysis

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Asked about a significant moment in the election campaign that clinched their vote, radio broadcasts, TV debates and newspaper articles were the usual answers. But Mr Burnham pushing a trolley through Asda clinched it for one voter.

Social worker Nicola Clancy said: “I hope for Burnham to win. I know he is the best person for the area, I’ve done my research.

“I think he can make us be seen and heard in Makerfield. He is a genuinely nice guy as well. He does his shopping in the Asda around here. It’s not for face value or the PR, he stops to chat to people there as well when he’s doing his big shop.

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“He’s a public servant. When you work in the public sector your days are longer because we serve people, he gets that.

“I brought my son up as a single mum, I dread to think of opportunities other families like mine would get if Reform or Restore were in.

“There was no particular moment during the election I thought Burnham was the right person, I just know he is.

“He is keeping me with Labour. We need him.”

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The ‘local lad’ card has been played by Mr Burnham, Reform’s Robert Kenyon and Conservative Michael Winstanley. Local identity and being proud of your roots is a big deal for people in Makerfield, so there is little wonder putting Ashton first has been front and centre of the election campaign.

It’s a battle Mr Burnham, current mayor of Greater Manchester, is losing with some locals, mainly because he is widely speculated to challenge for the Labour leadership and move into Downing Street if successful.

Many people disliked the idea of him using the constituency as a ‘stepping stone’ for bigger things.

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Paul Tushingham was out with a volunteer group tidying up Ashton Memorial Garden. He said: “I’m a lifelong Ashtonian, I’ve been to school here and lived here all my life. I shop here best I can. It’s very important to me.

“I do think Andy Burnham will use this as a stepping stone. It disappoints me because we’re being used as a political pawn. I can’t believe Josh Simons stood down to implement this.”

The 70-year-old used to be an independent councillor for the area between 2004 and 2012.

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He added: “My concern for this area is that all the votes for other candidates are going to detract from Reform and they’ll lose out to Labour.

“I should support Michael, because I signed the paper for him to run, but I think he would be a wasted vote. I just don’t want Burnham in. If he gets to be Prime Minister, he will be off.”

Fellow garden volunteer George is also an anti-Burnham man.

Taking a break from pulling up some weeds, he said: “I have seen so many negatives against Burnham with his handling of the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and stuff like that, but he did get the buses right to be fair to him.

“He’s using Ashton to become Prime Minister. He will forget about sleepy old Ashton.

“I’m voting for either Burnham or Kenyon. I’ll go Tory. I’m basically spoiling my vote aren’t I.

“Michael Winstanley seemed more sincere. I don’t think he said things he couldn’t do – it was that performance on BBC Question Time that clinched it for me.”

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Further down Gerard Street, into the town centre, Jill Reynolds was out with her granddaughter Chloe. Her vote for Burnham comes with conditions.

The 77-year-old said: “I am leaning towards Andy Burnham. I’ll never forgive him if we don’t get a health centre in Orrell.

“My sister has been going on at me, that is why I’m voting for Labour. She’s a Labour councillor and she’s come over from Yorkshire to canvas recently.

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“I live across the road from another constituency. We get forgotten about because we’re on the border you see.

“I just want Starmer out.”

The 27-year-old Chloe just said she votes for whoever her gran or auntie tells her to – this time it will be Labour.

Elizabeth Williams was basking in the sunshine when she weighed in: “I’ve always voted Labour and I will go for Burnham. I tried to listen, I’m not politically minded, but I think Burnham deserves a chance.

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“There was no other credible candidate on the ballot. When you look how much he’s down for Manchester he’s the clear option, I’m resolute on that.”

But Mr Burnham’s track record as mayor of Greater Manchester wasn’t winning him votes everywhere. Dave Culshaw and Hazel Ellis are backing Reform to keep him out.

Dave said: “I shall be going against Burnham. We live in Hindley and my bugbear is the mayoral precept.

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Wigan’s council tax has been going up by 4.99 per cent each year. The precept has gone from 12 pc to 19.5 pc. You’ve got to pay that, you can’t get out of it.

“Burnham’s finances are out of control. If he gets into power he will spend people’s money rapidly. He’s not financially responsible enough for higher office.

“Buses are also a problem, lots of them have poor service histories. It cost millions to paint all of them yellow.”

Dave, a former Conservative councillor, also bemoaned Mr Burnham’s alleged lack of response when he was his MP. This was when Hindley came under the Leigh constituency before the boundary changes in 2024.

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Hazel added: “I’ve got a problem with him using Makerfield as a stepping stone. He’s the mayor of Greater Manchester, if he’s so bothered about making the north a powerhouse, stay here and do it.

“He’s not got a record. He wants the top job, but what has he achieved? Has he ever been held to account?

“I dread to think what would happen if he came in as Prime Minister.”

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The sun was shining on the high street of the constituency’s principal town, but not all the opinions on politics were glowing. A popular third choice to Labour and Reform was not voting at all.

Political apathy in Ashton was there in abundance. The M.E.N repeatedly heard statements like, ‘I don’t believe anything they say’, ‘they’re all hypocrites’ or ‘no more interviews, I’m fed up with politics’.

It’s clear that whoever becomes the newest entrant to the House of Commons is come early Friday morning – they have a lot to prove.

Polls will open from 7am on Thursday, June 18, until 10pm the same day.

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Here is the full list of candidates in the Makerfield by-election in alphabetical order:

  • Jake Austin – Liberal Democrats
  • Count Binface – Count Binface Party
  • Andy Burnham – Labour and Co-operative Party
  • Dan Clarke – Libertarian Party
  • John Dyer – Independent
  • Ed Gemmell – Climate Party
  • Paul Gould – Independent
  • Howling Laud Hope – The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
  • Robert Kenyon – Reform UK
  • Rob Pownall – Independent
  • Rebecca Shepherd – Restore Britain
  • Sarah Wakefield – Green Party
  • Peter Ward – Rejoin EU
  • Michael Winstanley – Conservative and Unionist Party

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Emergency services respond to two-car crash on Deane Road, Bolton

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Emergency services respond to two-car crash on Deane Road, Bolton

The fire service, police and ambulance service were all in attendance, with the area around the crash cordoned off.

Pictures and videos from the scene show two cars on the pavement outside the Haribhai Travel Service shop.

One car was heavily damaged on the passenger side, while the other sustained front-end damage.

Crash on Deane Road (Image: Supplied)

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews attended the scene but were not required.

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Greater Manchester Police have also been contacted for comment.

Following the crash, Rumworth ward councillor Ismail Ibrahim issued a statement thanking the emergency services for the swift response.

He has also highlighted the wider issues of dangerous driving in the area following a string of similar accidents.

Cllr Ibrahim told the Bolton News: “It’s just a very busy area. It’s very congested, it’s got a lot of footfall, a lot of businesses, wedding venues, colleges, university and we’ve got big stores, you have got stores everywhere.

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Crash on Deane Road (Image: Supplied)

“I just feel we need to do something. We need to do more. Do we reduce the speed? Do we have more CCTV cameras?!

In his statement, he added: “We cannot afford to wait until another serious collision or tragedy occurs before taking action. Where residents and road users are consistently raising concerns and there is a pattern of serious incidents, we have a responsibility to review what more can be done to make our roads safer for everyone.”

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Labour Now On Course To Win Next UK General Election

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Labour Now On Course To Win Next UK General Election

Labour is on course to win the next election, according to new analysis.

However, the party would lose its huge Commons majority if the country went to the polls now.

The findings, by UK Polling Report, come despite the fact that Reform UK are still more popular than the other parties.

Nevertheless, the first-past-the-post electoral system would reward Labour for having a wider geographical spread of support, leaving them the largest party.

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According to an average of opinion polls, support for Reform is at just under 25%, with Labour on 22% and the Conservatives on 20%.

When translated into seats, that would would leave Labour with 209 MPs, some 202 fewer than were elected in 2024 and 117 short of an overall majority.

Reform would come second on 149 seats, with the Tories on 133 and the Lib Dems on 72.

The SNP would win 44 seats, with the Greens on 7 and Plaid Cymru on 4.

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The findings are a boost for new prime minister Andy Burnham less than a week into the job.

However, speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, the PM ruled out calling an early election before 2029.

He said: “There is no general election.

“And the thing I would say to you is 20 million people voted for a manifesto. We’re in a parliamentary democracy, so that is what people voted for, and I will honour that manifesto.”

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Asked again if he was ruling out an early election, the PM said: “Well I’m going to rule it out. There’s no early general election. I don’t think people want it.

“The opinion polls might say some people do, some people don’t. I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back where it should be, getting it working.”

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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Former Minnesota baseball coach John Anderson dies at 71

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Former Minnesota baseball coach John Anderson dies at 71

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — John Anderson, the former University of Minnesota baseball coach and Big Ten career victories leader, died Sunday. He was 71.

Anderson’s family announced his death through the university, where he first arrived as a pitcher for a failed tryout in 1974 and spent 43 years as head coach of the Gophers until retiring after the 2024 season.

Anderson was hospitalized Wednesday after going into cardiac arrest, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the university did not announce the cause of death.

Anderson is survived by wife Jan and daughter Erin, who were with him when he died. His body was returned to the university for organ donation.

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After a arm injury ended his playing career, Anderson became a student manager and was honored as the most valuable player of the 1977 College World Series team by his peers, a squad that featured future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.

He became the head coach at age 26 entering the 1982 season and amassed 1,390 wins to lead the Big Ten and rank 20th in NCAA Division I. Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson and major league All-Stars Terry Steinbach and Greg Olson and Miami Marlins pitcher Max Meyer are among the many standouts he coached.

The Gophers had winning records in 38 of 43 seasons under Anderson, who won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award eight times and took them to the NCAA tournament 19 times, including the Super Regional round in 2018.

Anderson was recently named the annual winner of the Wilson Lefty Gomez Award by the American Baseball Coaches Association for contributions to the sport at local, national and international levels.

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Anderson had his No. 14 uniform retired in 2024.

“He leaves behind a legacy that will never be matched, and our entire Gopher baseball family is heartbroken by this loss,” current head coach Ty McDevitt said in a statement distributed by the university. “Coach Anderson always reminded us to appreciate the people around us and to take care of one another. That’s how he lived his life, and it’s how we’ll honor his memory.”

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Andy Burnham pledges continued support for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky visit

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Zelensky, wearing a dark suit, walking through a doorway

Andy Burnham has pledged to continue the UK’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

Zelensky will become the prime minister’s first international visitor since he took office a week ago, which No 10 said “illustrates the strength of the relationship between the two nations”.

They will visit a naval base, where Burnham will announce the sharing of the intellectual property behind the UK’s new “Stone Cloak” electronic warfare system, enabling Ukraine to produce the technology at scale.

The prime minister said: “Britain stands with Ukrain, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering. Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve long lasting and just peace for Ukraine.”

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He added: “Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries.”

The electronic jammers are the size of a tablet computer, and are designed to block the detection of any drones it is fitted to.

The Ministry of Defence has already given thousands of the devices to Ukrainian forces to bolster their drone operations.

Downing Street said that following its deployment in Ukraine, the technology will be built into the UK’s next generation of long-range weapons.

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It said this would include Project Brakestop, a government programme to develop low-cost cruise missiles – self-propelled guided weapons which fly like normal aircraft for much of their flight.

During Monday’s visit, the two leaders will also meet more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who have spent the last three weeks taking part in a maritime exercise in the UK.

Exercise Sea Breeze is aimed at strengthening warfighting capabilities and counter-mine measures in the Black Sea.

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Northern Ireland weather outlook for the week ahead

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Belfast Live

Here is what we can expect for the last week of July

After a wetter weekend than we’ve been used to this summer, the weather forecast for the week ahead shows the rain isn’t going away just yet.

According to the Met Office, we are in for some changeable weather as we head into the final week of July.

The forecaster has said that despite a dry start to the day on Monday, some light rain could creep in as we move into the afternoon.

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The Met office said: “Toward the end of July and into early August, Southern areas are likely to remain relatively settled and very warm, while northern parts of the UK could still see some periods of rain or showers.

“Early August could see a change to more widely unsettled conditions, but details of this are very uncertain at this stage.”

This is what the Met Office has forecast for Northern Ireland:

Monday:

A mostly dry start with variable cloud and some bright spells. Clouding over from the west with some patchy light rain in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 21C.

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Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

A changeable and often cloudy period with occasional showers or longer spells of rain, the rain possibly heavy at times.

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

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Arsenal learn Jose Mourinho stance on Vinicius Junior sale as Real Madrid transfer policy revealed

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Arsenal learn Jose Mourinho stance on Vinicius Junior sale as Real Madrid transfer policy revealed

Arsenal, meanwhile, need to strengthen on the left flank. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli split the burden of that position last season, but neither quite hit the level desired by Arteta. Trossard has since left the club to join Besiktas, while Martinelli remains in situ. Tzolis can play across the front three, and it remains unclear where he will be utilised this season.

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‘Future of Andy Burnham’s mission to transform Britain rests on dodging Starmer’s destructive defence targets’

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Daily Mirror

Ruinous rises for a spendthrift Ministry of Defence are a bullet Andy Burnham and John Healey either dodge or Labour’s fresh commanders will shoot a revitalised UK government in the foot.

Because the blunt choice is between prioritising higher living standards, social care and council houses or throwing away good money after bad without any proof Britain would be better protected militarily. The new Prime Minister signalled he’s spotted the trap in refusing to commit to predecessor Keir Starmer’s £80billion annual target of 3% GDP by 2030, up £10bn a year, in his BBC interview.

For Healey, now charged with finding money after quitting as Starmer’s Defence Secretary with an incendiary claim the country wasn’t safe, the dilemma is deeply personal as well as highly political. Stick to Starmer’s destructive Nato 3.5% guns and that would soar to £140bn by 2035, requiring a £40bn increase in today’s prices. The respected Institute for Government think-tank warned that is the equivalent to two-thirds of the schools budget or the combined budgets of the Home Office and Ministry of Justice.

Welfare vs warfare may over-simplify options but unless the PM and Chancellor find a giant pot of gold there would be trade-offs. And unless a political-industrial-military consensus (all major national parties save the Greens are locked in a ludicrous game of Play Your Cards Right shouting “higher”) is challenged an MoD damned for “unbelievable” waste by decorated Colonel Al Carns who resigned alongside Healey will be a disastrous drain.

We need Burnham to state Britain is already the world’s sixth biggest defence spender and towards the head of the Nato pack in share of national wealth. The basic idea of Nato is Britain never stands alone which is a double relief given the MoD’s record of paying more for late and worse armoured vehicles and warships.

My hunch is the PM will duck and dive rather than disown Starmer’s legacy of unrealistic, unnecessary international targets as he tries to fill a £5bn black hole. For Healey, it’s much tricker, though he could drop into conversations the 500,000 men GCHQ spy centre’s chiefs believes Russia has lost in Ukraine means Putin’s bled his country dry.

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One of Burnham’s new ministers told me the percentage targets were madness. The PM might agree.

The future of his mission to transform Britain for everybody rests on missing them.

Farage’s pop-up prison hypocrisy

Had to laugh when flailing Farage proposed pop-up “Nightingale” prisons on MoD land to ease overcrowding when kneejerk Nigel and Reform routinely back locals campaigning against holding asylum seekers in redundant army camps.

I don’t imagine villagers and townies would welcome thousands of criminals plopped on their doorsteps in makeshift, insecure huts and I bet hypocritical Farage would join the outrage.

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Burnham, who is reviewing who might be let out early to free cells for fresh convicts, inherited a poisonous Sophie’s Choice from the Con-servatives which bedevilled Starmer but this is an issue exposing Reform’s vacuous gimmickry.

Running away from debating a bin in his Clacton farce, Farage wants to talk about everything except his £5million secret bung, aristo “Posh George” Cottrell paying his bills and now London private bank Arbuthnot Latham freezing Reform’s account for two weeks during the general election over potentially illegal donations.

Fleet is the real deal

Burnham enjoyed a sure-footed first week but one misstep was not finding a new job for Natalie Fleet, the Bolsover MP whose own rape traumas prevented her from continuing as Safeguarding Minister.

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Groomed, raped and made pregnant aged 15 by an older man and revealing she was raped in her sleep by another, the strength she finds to speak publicly is heroic.

That Fleet doesn’t consider herself brave or courageous is another reason this working class marvel who speaks for and inspires millions of other women feeling ignored should’ve been shuffled into another post. Be it making welfare work, sorting social care or building houses, the point is we need people not robots in power – and fighter Fleet is the real deal.

Inciting the dross

No great surprise most thugs arrested during last month’s mindless violence after the jailing of student Henry Nowak’s cynical murderer had previously been reported to police for domestic abuse.

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I say no great surprise because two in five arrested after summer 2024 disturbances in parts of the country following the Southport murders had similarly been reported for domestic abuse.

Hard Right and Far Right politicians incite the dross to riot. Entirely separately, have you heard their deafening silence since the arrest of influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate on 59 charges of rape, violent assault, trafficking girls and the indecent images of a child? Bet it would be a different story if they were Muslims.

Going Up

Brickie turned Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram is the most important building block in Andy Burnham’s team.

As long as these Scousers stay friends the new PM’s feet are on the ground. Fall out and it’ll be like the ravens leaving the Tower of London.

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Going Down

Blocked standing again for the Cons by Kemi Badenoch because she doesn’t think him extreme enough, ex-party chair Grant Shapps should reapply under his get-rich-quick pseudonym Michael Green. The Tories always love a scammer.

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Jacoby Brissett agrees to reworked 1-year deal with Cardinals

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Jacoby Brissett agrees to reworked 1-year deal with Cardinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to a reworked one-year deal Sunday and first-year coach Mike LaFleur confirmed that the veteran is the team’s likely starter for Week 1.

Brissett, 33, was unhappy with his previous contract, which included just $1.5 million of guaranteed money for the upcoming season. His new deal is worth a reported $15.5 million.

“It hasn’t been a distraction by any means — I think we’ve got some very mature and professional players,” LaFleur said. “But it’s just one more thing that we don’t have to talk about.”

Brissett was the team’s starter for the final 12 games last year after Kyler Murray suffered a season-ending foot injury. He did well individually with 3,366 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but the Cardinals had a 1-11 record in those games.

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LaFleur confirmed that Brissett’s deal was done before Sunday’s practice and said that the veteran would begin working with the starters soon. The team’s other main options at quarterback are veteran Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck.

Brissett is a popular presence in the Cardinals’ locker room and some players — most notably eight-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker — were publicly supportive of a new deal for the quarterback.

LaFleur said he wasn’t worried about Brissett’s lost practice time.

“He’s got a level head about himself,” LaFleur said. “He’s been in a lot of different systems and heard a lot of different things and seen a lot of different things. He’s had the ups and downs with teams. He’s in a good spot and I’m excited to really start working with him.”

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The Cardinals open the preseason Aug. 6 against the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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The Odyssey: 9 Other Adaptations Besides Christopher Nolan’s Film

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The Odyssey: 9 Other Adaptations Besides Christopher Nolan's Film

Whatever you thought of it, there’s no getting away from the fact that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the film everyone’s talking about right now.

For his follow-up to the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, Nolan decided to turn his attention to bringing Homer’s Ancient Greek epic poem to life on the big screen, the result being an almost-three-hour mammoth journey featuring a star-studded cast and some jaw-dropping practical effects.

But while Nolan’s efforts will no doubt go down as one of the biggest cinematic takes on The Odyssey to date, he’s far from the first filmmaker to try their hand at turning the celebrated literary work into a movie or TV series.

From faithful adaptations to complete reimaginings, here are nine unique screen versions of The Odyssey from years gone by…

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The Return (2024)

Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in The Return

One of the most recent adaptations of The Odyssey came just two years before Christopher Nolan’s take on the epic tale.

Starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche (reuniting the former Wuthering Heights and The English Patient co-stars) as Odysseus and Penelope, The Return focussed on the final section of Homer’s text, focussing on what happens to our hero once his mammoth trek is over, and he’s returned home to Ithaca.

Critics were pretty won over by Italian director Uberto Pasolini’s efforts, highlighting the way he focussed more on the intricacies of the relationships between The Odyssey’s central characters than its more fantastical elements.

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The Odyssey (1997)

Armand Assante In Homer's The Odyessey
Armand Assante In Homer’s The Odyessey

The episodic nature of Homer’s Odyssey means it’s probably better suited to a TV adaptation than the big screen.

One such example of it being brought to television came in the late 1990s, when Andrei Konchalovsky helmed a two-part miniseries inspired by The Odyssey, with Gotti star Armand Assante in the lead role.

Now, while Nolan’s version is probably going to be the one that goes down in history as the most star-studded, this is the one that perhaps has the most camp casting of them all, including Vanessa Williams as the Calypso, Isabella Rossellini as Athena and Bernadette Peters as Circe.

Ulysses (1954)

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Kirk Douglas in Ulysses

One of the most popular attempts to adapt the story of The Odyssey came during Hollywood’s golden age, casting Kirk Douglas as Ulysses (the roman name for the hero Odysseus).

Unlike Nolan’s version, this adaptation condenses the whole story down into under two hours, meaning it’s considerably faster-paced with some story arcs being condensed or removed completely.

In keeping with the 1950s release, it’s also a slightly sanitised version of the original story, but one interesting aspect is the fact that co-lead Silvana Mangano took on double duty as both Penelope and Circe.

The Return Of Ringo (1965)

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Alright, this is when we start getting into the projects that play fast and loose with the source material.

The Return Of Ringo, for example, is a spaghetti Western from the mid-60s which took inspiration from the story of The Odyssey, but shifts the story to being about a soldier’s return home at the end of the American Civil War.

Helmed by the genre’s maestro, Duccio Tessari (who also makes a cameo), Giuliano Gemma/Montgomery Wood takes the lead as Ringo, a soldier who comes back to his hometown at the end of the war to discover that things are very different.

Cold Mountain (2003)

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Nicole Kidman and Jude Law in Cold Mountain
Nicole Kidman and Jude Law in Cold Mountain

Miramax/Kobal/Shutterstock

Cold Mountain is the epic war drama starring Nicole Kidman and Jude Law that most of us associate with being the film that won Renée Zellweger the first of her Oscar wins, a year after she lost out for Chicago.

What you might not realise, though, is that Cold Mountain is based on a novel by Charles Frazier which shares several parallels with Homer’s Odyssey.

Like The Return Of Ringo, Cold Mountain moves the story to the 19th century, focussing on a solider in the American Civil War, and his mammoth journey home after deserting the conflict, and the many characters he meets along the way.

Keyhole (2011)

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Jason Patric in Keyhole

Perhaps the most surreal offering on our list, Keyhole mixes elements of the traditional gangster movie and supernatural horror, while also retracing the beats first laid out by Homer around 2000 years earlier.

The quest of the Canadian film’s central figure, Ulysses Pick (played by Jason Patric), is a little closer to home than that of Odysseus, as he makes his way from room to room in his former family home, which is surrounded by police.

Interestingly, Keyhole also features Isabella Rossellini in a pivotal role, marking her second appearance in this round-up.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou?
John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Touchstone/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

Although on the surface the Coen Brothers’ musical satire about three escaped convicts on the hunt for hidden treasure while being chased by the town sheriff has little in common with Homer’s Odyssey, the Ancient Greek tome was actually the movie’s source material.

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Present and correct are aspects like the sirens, the cyclops and even Poseidon himself, even if the Coens later claimed that they’d not actually read The Odyssey when they started putting their movie together.

Despite this, they received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination at the Oscars for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which featured George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson and Severance’s John Turturro serving as the film’s leads.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of Stanley Kubrick's most important works
2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of Stanley Kubrick’s most important works

MGM/Stanley Kubrick Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock

The story goes that Stanley Kubrick was struggling to name his sci-fi epic, before eventually settling on 2001: A Space Odyssey as a nod to another work inspired by a mammoth journey.

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“It occurred to us that for the Greeks the vast stretches of the sea must have had the same sort of mystery and remoteness that space has for our generation, and that the far-flung islands Homer’s wonderful characters visited were no less remote to them that the planets our spacemen will soon be landing on are to us,” the esteemed director told The New Yorker back in 1965.

Over the years, numerous parallels have been drawn between the two Odysseys, with some suggesting that HAL’s ominous circular design alludes to Homer’s cyclops, while the mysterious “monoliths” fill in a role occupied by the gods in the Ancient Greek poem.

It’s even been noted that the hero’s name, David Bowman, could refer to Penelope’s final archery challenge for her suitors towards the end of Homer’s story.

The Simpsons: Tales From The Public Domain (2002)

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The Simpsons took on The Odyssey in the episode Tales From The Public Domain
The Simpsons took on The Odyssey in the episode Tales From The Public Domain

“Homer’s Odyssey… is this about that minivan I rented once?”

The Simpsons put its own inevitable spin on The Odyssey almost a quarter-century ago, in a Treehouse Of Horror-esque special episode which saw the show putting three historical stories through its own inimitable lens.

When we revisited Tales From The Public Domain after watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, we were impressed at just how many key beats the show was able to cram into a 10-minute segment, with Homer, Marge and Bart cast as Odysseus, Penelope and Telemachus.

The scene-stealers, of course, are Patty and Selma as the sirens, as well as Moe’s delivery of the line: “Boy… who decided to give every weirdo an island?”

Troy (2004)

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Brad Pitt in Troy
Brad Pitt in Troy

Alex Bailey/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock

Alright, don’t come at us, we’re well aware that Troy is not based on The Odyssey at all. Rather, it’s loosely inspired by Homer’s other famous epic poem, Iliad, so could potentially be considered a prequel to The Odyssey.

However, it deals with many of the same characters as The Odyssey, and is one of the 21st century’s most memorable Ancient Greek epics, so we’re giving it a special mention alongside other adaptations and projects more directly influenced by it.

Interestingly, following the success of his films Memento and Insomnia, Nolan was briefly attached to direct Troy, and some of the ideas he had from around this time were carried over 20 years later when he came to helming The Odyssey.

“When I was briefly attached to direct Troy, I did a lot of thinking about the Trojan Horse and how I would portray that and make it credible,” the filmmaker told The Independent earlier this month. “I’ve had an image of that horse sinking into the sand in my head for 20 years.”

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Vetting of ICE officer is under internal review after Maine shooting

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Vetting of ICE officer is under internal review after Maine shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s border czar said Sunday that the vetting of an immigration officer involved in the deadly shooting of a Colombian native in Maine is under internal review after relatives revealed to The Associated Press that he had a history of serious mental health struggles and violent behavior.

Tom Homan said if the allegations against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer are true, “I don’t think he should ever have cleared vetting.”

“There’s several things under review,” Homan said on CNN about the officer, Army veteran David Brouillette. “The training is under review. I know this specific case, as far as the vetting, is under review by the internal affairs section.”

Questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s rush to hire, train and deploy thousands of new ICE officers to carry out Trump’s immigration crackdown have come into stark focus after back-to-back fatal shootings of immigrants in Maine and Houston.

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin ordered a pause in vehicle stops after the fatal Maine shooting, but Trump almost immediately reversed course and insisted the stops resume as a necessary tool in his campaign to round up and deport immigrants who are in the U.S. without current legal status.

Homeland Security did not immediately respond Sunday to a request for comment about the internal review.

ICE issues new requirement for body-worn cameras during vehicle stops

Homan said that “changes have been made” and that acting ICE director David Venturella has issued a new directive that body-worn cameras must be in use if officers make a vehicle stop.

“Right now, on all vehicle stops, there’s at least one body camera on site to record the entire event,” he said.

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He said Venturella “sent an instruction out that he wants at least one body camera on those vehicle stops, so we have everything on video.”

It’s unclear if the steps that the department is taking will be enough to quell the concerns coming from certain lawmakers in Congress over Homeland Security’s training and tactics as tries to reach Trump’s mass deportation goals.

Lawmakers push for answers but have more questions

Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns.

Democrats pressed ICE officials during a closed-door briefing for the House Homeland Security Committee last week, leaving some with more questions than answers.

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Lawmakers were told during the briefing that there have been 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers — 32 were cleared, and one was referred for disciplinary action.

No discipline had yet been handed out, the lawmakers said they were told. The rest of the incidents are still under investigation.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, has pushed for the use of body-worn cameras and ensured funding for the effort. She had said it was “extremely unfortunate” that the officer involved in the shooting in her home state was not using a camera.

Homeland Security is under scrutiny but also faces pressure to increase deportations

The Trump administration has failed to meet its goal of deporting 1 million people a year, despite an intense immigration enforcement crackdown that has resulted in violent scenes in cities nationwide.

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At least 10 people have died in encounters with immigration officers since the start of Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

While the Trump administration insists it is targeting the “worst of the worst” criminals, that has not always been the result and American citizens also have been among the deaths.

The ICE officer shot 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national who was killed in his car near his home in the coastal city of Biddeford.

In Houston, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed July 7 when ICE officers chased his white work van through the streets, then shot him through the window in front of his work crew, including his brother.

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Earlier this year, two Americans protesting ICE actions in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, were killed, sparking a backlash nationwide.

Democrats launched the longest agency shutdown in history earlier this year when they refused to fund Homeland Security in a largely failed attempt to force the administration to impose various restraints on the officers.

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