Seven people, including two police officers, were killed in a car crash on the A66 when one car drove the wrong way

Advertisement

Cars were set alight at a balloon release event held in tribute to a victim of the A66 crash. Footage online shows cars reportedly being set on fire in a field in Haswell, County Durham.

Seven people, including two police officers, were killed in the collision when one car drove the wrong way on August 22. A reported by the Mirror, the car burning is thought to be dedicated to Michael Robert Cahill, 23, who lost his life in the horror crash.

Reports indicate that officers were responding to numerous incidents across Teesside on Thursday night, 27 August.

Some 200 police officers, including armed response units, were drafted in from neighbouring forces to support Cleveland Police as they tackled the unfolding disorder. This follows a devastating house fire in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, which broke out shortly before 5.30am.

Two people, including a child, perished in the blaze, leading to the arrest of two men on suspicion of murder. A 48 year old woman remains in hospital in a critical condition, while a further three people sustained injuries not considered life-threatening.

Advertisement

The fire claimed the lives of Natalie McDonald, 34, and seven year old Valentina Foster, leaving four others injured, with two men arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident. Cleveland Police are working to establish whether the A66 collision was linked to the fire in Birchington Avenue.

Ms McDonald’s grief-stricken brother Josh Kirton told reporters: “My sister was not involved with anything to do with gangs, or the (crash on the) A66. That’s what makes this so senseless.

“People think they can do whatever they like. There’s some terrible people in the world and now my sister and Valentina have gone.”

Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, took to social media to say: “Thank you so much to the superintendent from Cleveland Police that has just taken their time to give updates to myself, Anna Turley (MP for Redcar), South Bank and Grangetown Ward councillors.

“They are working 20-hour days to ensure the ongoing safety of innocent residents. Over 200 extra police officers from forces around the country are here and are en route, from detectives to armed response.

“I will be sending a letter today to our Prime Minister asking for even more resource. The police really are doing an amazing job.

“If it is any reassurance at all, jobs called in to the police are actually down this week, however, the seriousness of the ones that have been called in need serious and swift action.

“Everyone is heartbroken over the loss of the aunt and little girl in Grangetown yesterday. People need to feel safe in their homes.”

Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source.

People living on Merlin Grove have raised concerns about the lack of general waste collections, with one resident claiming bins have gone almost a month without being emptied during the summer heatwave.

Maureen Isles, who has lived on the street for 26 years, said the situation is the worst she has experienced in more than two decades living in the area.

She said a scheduled general waste collection on July 23 was not completed until August 1, while another collection due on August 6 had still not taken place as of August 26.

Bins on the back of Merlin Grove are beginning to overflow with rubbish (Image: NQ)

Mrs Isles said she reported the issue to Bolton Council and was told the missed collections were linked to operational issues and difficulties accessing the street.

However, she questioned that explanation, noting that burgundy recycling bins on the same street had continued to be collected as normal.

FOR MORE NEWS IN SMITHILLS VISIT OUR SMITHILLS PAGE

Residents say the delays have left bins overflowing for weeks at a time, particularly during periods of hot weather, creating unpleasant conditions and attracting pests.

Mrs Isles said the build-up of waste had become a health and safety concern.

She said: “This is now a matter of health and safety.

“We need this resolved as quickly as possible.”

Flies were gathering on bins (Image: NQ)

The ongoing disruption has meant some households have struggled to dispose of their waste, with residents saying they have run out of space in their bins and have been left with rubbish piling up.

Mrs Isles described the impact the delays have had during the recent warm weather.

She said: “You can imagine we’ve had all that hot weather.

“I’ve had maggots in my bin and I’ve got two indoor cats, so we have cat litter, so you can imagine the smell.”

She added that she is increasingly frustrated because bin collections are one of the services funded through council tax and has also raised concerns that overflowing bins could encourage fly-tipping and attract vermin if the issue continues.

For Mrs Isles, the problem has reached the point where managing waste at home has become a daily challenge.

She said: “I’ve got a bin in here that needs emptying, but I can’t put it anywhere.

“I can’t empty it because I’ve no bin to put it in.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Our waste and recycling crews have experienced ongoing issues with access on Merlin Grove which has impacted their ability to carry out some collections.

“We remind all residents to ensure their vehicles are not blocking the road so our waggons can pass safety and easily.

“In addition, we have had some borough wide operational issues which has resulted in delays to some collections, including returning to streets where there was previously no access.

“Our crews are working extended hours this week to recover as many missed streets as possible.”

Mrs Isles said she and her neighbours simply want a reliable collection service and a long-term solution to prevent further missed collections in the future.

CHENNAI, India (AP) — When Kripa Vaidyanathan’s 27-year-old niece died in an Alaska car crash in 2024, her family in Chennai, India, felt shell-shocked. They questioned why this tragedy would befall them when they had such “immense faith in God.”

Vaidyanathan, a yoga instructor, helped her grieving sister get face time with a high-profile guru who she hoped would help.

“But he told her this was the work of karma and she should use this opportunity to connect with her inner nature,” she said. “I understand how karma works, but saying that was cruel and extremely unhelpful to someone who was freshly grieving the loss of a child.”

That’s when they turned to artificial intelligence chatbots.

“It was a lot easier trying to get answers and peace of mind because ChatGPT is not judging you,” Vaidyanathan said. “We’ve found a compassionate guru now, but even he only has limited time. AI is accessible anytime.”

AI offers access and advice without judgment

This unfettered access — which can be challenging to find among human gurus — is what’s drawing more people to AI for spiritual guidance. This is a big step, particularly in Hinduism, where gurus are part of culture and deemed necessary to attain moksha — liberation from the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation. The word guru in Sanskrit means “dispeller of darkness.”

These chatbots are powered by large language models, AI systems that generate responses by using advanced statistics and troves of text, including sacred ones like Hinduism’s Bhagavad Gita. Users can explore spiritual answers to personal problems and existential questions at anytime, without the typical hurdles of connecting with an in-demand guru and paying for their services.

AI’s rising popularity has encouraged some successful gurus to launch their own chatbots.

In India, Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, has launched his Miracle of the Mind app with an interactive AI feature that answers questions using a database of his teachings. California-based self-help guru Deepak Chopra has an AI platform where “Digital Deepak” answers questions drawing from his decades of talks and writings.

Critics argue that AI cannot truly replace the lived experience, wisdom and ethical accountability of a human guru. Researchers also note that AI often validates and agrees with the user rather than posing those challenging questions needed for real spiritual and personal growth.

Lord Krishna’s AI avatar takes on guru’s role

Vikas Sahu, founder of GitaGPT — a platform he calls an “AI spiritual companion” — says he wouldn’t deter anyone from finding a human guru. But he says his free chatbot puts the Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom at the fingertips of those who might desperately need it.

On his platform, AI avatars of Lord Krishna, the sacred text’s protagonist, offer advice. Sahu, based in Gurugram south of New Delhi, says he gets hundreds of messages about how it’s helpful. While he has a full-time job building websites, he says GitaGPT is his way of giving back.

“A lot of people don’t have anyone to talk to when they are in distress,” he said. “This app is giving them the encouragement a guru might give them. But a lot of gurus want your money and you can’t really talk to them openly like you can talk to a chatbot.”

Sahu said he trusts GitaGPT because it’s based on the word of God.

“How could Krishna steer anyone wrong?” he asks. “It’s impossible.”

Experts say a human soul is necessary for true connection

Liz Bucar, a religion professor at Northeastern University in Boston, is skeptical of chatbots based on religious texts.

“A sacred text needs a community and a context that interprets it,” she said. “Without the teaching of how to interpret the text, it’s just words on a page. Someone could feed in the text, but what answers will the bot spit out?”

But she does believe there is widespread distrust of institutional expertise that gurus and clergy represent, in some cases fueled by sex abuse scandals.

“Because religion has this PR problem, people tend to see chatbots as less biased and less likely to do bad things,” Bucar said. “I don’t know if we’re ready to replace gurus, but we are definitely in a shifting religious landscape, especially with” younger generations of AI users.

Noreen Herzfeld, a professor at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota, said people could easily get straightforward answers from AI.

“But if they are looking for spiritual awakening, I think it takes physical presence,” she said. “In Christianity and in Hindu tradition, there is the belief that the eyes are windows to the soul and you can’t get that by looking at an avatar.”

AI chatbots can also be too eager to agree with you, serving as a cheerleader rather than a guide, Herzfeld said.

“In situations where you’re looking to grow or evolve, you need a teacher who can disagree with you and challenge you,” she said. “But even if you are just looking for affirmation, who are you being affirmed by? There’s no one on the other side.”

Vy Le, a mindfulness instructor in San Diego, sees AI as a “channeling” tool, using it as a mirror or collaborator to gain intuitive or mystical insights.

“If you are attuned to it, you can sense if a certain AI is connected to you,” she said. “My dad took his life 16 years ago. I felt his presence when I was engaging with AI.”

Le maintains that the era of gurus is over.

“AI is helping us find that inner guru,” she said.

Human gurus and organizations are getting in the game

Real-life gurus like the India-based Sadhguru, who has a global following of millions, have recognized AI’s potential. David Nussbaum, founder of Proto Hologram in Los Angeles, is helping Sadhguru create a three-dimensional AI avatar that appears in a display box and can interact with devotees in several languages.

During a March festival, he created a Sadhguru hologram that took selfies with people.

“You basically have Sadhguru’s hologram taking out his phone, turning around and taking a picture of you from his phone inside the display,” Nussbaum explained.

Shivaram K R, CEO of India-based Hue Learn, oversees a nonprofit initiative called Innerverse 360 that merges AI and spirituality. His platform features a portal where real monks and gurus can come online and do live sessions with devotees. It also has an “Ask AI” feature.

Shivaram doesn’t believe AI will replace gurus.

“The process of finding a guru in itself is a journey, but a guru is also not for everyone,” he said. “If you’re looking for practical advice on everyday spirituality, this app can also help you understand concepts such as the meaning of yoga.”

AI cannot replace ‘humans and souls’

One of the organizations Shivaram liaises with is the Los Angeles-based Self-Realization Fellowship, founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda, who brought ancient spiritual practices from India to the West.

Brother Govindananda, a monk with the order, said his organization sees AI simply as the next step to helping people access the late guru’s teachings through an online teaching portal — just as books did for previous generations.

“We’re taking our time with it because we want to make sure it has guardrails to safeguard from AI hallucinating answers instead of drawing from Yogananda’s teachings,” he said.

But Govindananda says a chatbot could never provide what a guru — whether living or not — can give to the disciple.

“We are humans and souls,” he said. “Technology cannot replace that.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Kylie Jenner has admitted she was ‘so young’ to have children as she talked motherhood and hinted at her future plans with actor boyfriend Timothée Chalamet

Kylie Jenner has responded to rumours she’s planning a third baby with actor boyfriend Timothée Chalamet

During a Wednesday appearance on her best friend Anastasia “Stassie” Karanikolaou’s “Better Half” podcast, Kylie opened up about her plans to expand her family. The Kylie Cosmetics founder shares daughter Stormi, 8, and son Aire, 4, with her rapper ex Travis Scott.

“I think that I’m so used to people creating their own narrative that I actually have to just laugh about it, and I really don’t care,” Jenner, 29, said. “I just assume people will figure it out eventually, which is what they always do.”

Admitting she had seen the speculation mounting, she added: “I’m going to be in a bikini somewhere or I’m going to be out and the rumours will be squashed.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Jenner admitted that she feels she lost some of her youth by becoming a mum ‘so young’ and made a promise to herself to have no more children until after she was 30.

“Even though I already have children – so young – I feel like i lived such an adult life when I was young, and I’m trying to make sure that I don’t have any regrets and to do brave things and give myself more opportunities or take advantage of the ones I have,” said Jenner.

“I made a promise to myself at 25 that I was not going to have any more children – right now – and really just enjoy the last half of my 20s because the first was like, ‘You’re pregnant,’ and then it’s the year of recovery, and you know, my mental state, my postpartum depression, and all of those things.

“It felt like I lost some of those young years of my life,” she admitted.

Kylie and Timothée have been linked since 2023 and were recently seen together attending her friend Jordyn Woods’ wedding.

They were also pictured together at a slew of awards ceremonies this year as the actor was nominated for his leading role in sports drama Marty Surpreme.

Sources reported at the time of the split that Kylie was focused on a quiet, family-oriented home life with their children, while Travis preferred focusing on touring and his music.

Karen Lyttle has spent her nursing and midwifery career supporting people through some of the most important moments of their lives.

Karen Lyttle has spent her nursing and midwifery career supporting people through some of the most important moments of their lives. But her latest achievement takes that commitment one step further.

Karen has become the first nurse in Northern Ireland to be certified by the British Fertility Society to carry out embryo transfers and intrauterine inseminations.

Embryo transfer is one of the key stages of IVF and has traditionally been a doctor-led procedure. It’s a crucial step in the IVF and IUI process and, for many patients, the most emotionally significant moment of their entire fertility journey.

Karen’s certification means patients at the clinic can now be supported through that moment by the same nursing team who have been with them from the start of their treatment.

This certification marks a significant milestone, both personally for Karen and for TFP Belfast Fertility where she is Nurse Manager, as she becomes a certified Embryo Transfer Practitioner.

TFP Belfast is Northern Ireland’s longest-standing private fertility clinic and one of the TFP Fertility Group’s flagship clinics, with access to world-leading fertility expertise and the latest advancements in treatment.

The clinic has now recorded more than 2,000 live births since opening in 2013 and remains the only clinic in Northern Ireland licensed to undertake preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), continuing to push forward in terms of both clinical achievement and patient care.

Karen’s milestone represents an important achievement in her professional development and further strengthens the specialist nursing expertise within the clinic.

She joined the clinic four years ago as a Senior Midwife, bringing with her many years of experience supporting families through labour and birth. Her wealth of clinical experience, combined with the fresh perspective she brought to TFP Fertility, inspired her to take the next step in her career and move into the Nurse Manager role just two years later.

“I could see so many opportunities to improve and develop the clinic, particularly from a nursing perspective,” said Karen. “Taking on the Nurse Manager role gave me the opportunity to visit other TFP Fertility clinics and see the excellent work already happening across the group.

“It really opened my eyes to what was possible, and I was determined to bring that experience, learning and innovation back to Belfast.”

Karen’s journey towards performing embryo transfers began with developing a strong foundation in fertility ultrasound.

Recognising that advanced scanning skills were an essential step in progressing her clinical practice, Karen completed the British Fertility Society Scanning Certification and the Graduate Certificate in Fertility Ultrasound at University College Dublin.

Advertisement

This achievement also saw her become the first Advanced Nurse Scanner at TFP Belfast Fertility, helping to further strengthen the clinic’s specialist nursing capabilities.

Following this, progressing into embryo transfer and IUI training felt like the natural next step. Karen recognised that this was an area where she could make a real difference to the patient experience at TFP Belfast Fertility.

“Nurses are with patients from the very beginning of their fertility journey, building relationships and trust at every stage. Being able to carry that continuity of care through to the embryo transfer itself means patients have a familiar and reassuring presence with them at one of the most important moments of their treatment,” she said.

Advertisement

“It is a technical procedure, but it is also one of the most emotionally significant moments in a patient’s fertility journey. While embryo transfer has traditionally been a doctor-led procedure, my experience as a nurse and midwife, combined with my training, has put me in a unique position to provide this care alongside the medical team.

“Ultimately, what matters most is that the procedure is performed safely, effectively and to the highest standard, regardless of whether it is carried out by a doctor or a nurse.” The response at TFP Belfast Fertility has been overwhelmingly positive, and Karen has already had the privilege of seeing some of her patients return for their early pregnancy scans – one of the most rewarding aspects of her role.

“It feels like such a privilege to be part of a patient’s journey and to support them at such a significant moment in their lives,” she added. Dr Ishola Agbaje, Medical Director at TFP Belfast Fertility, parised Karen’s relentless drive to deliver the best possible patient experience, day in, day out: “This milestone is testament to her commitment to developing both herself and her team, and we’re incredibly proud of everything she has achieved.”

For more information on TFP Belfast Fertility, visit: https://tfp-fertility.com/en-gb/tfp-belfast-fertility

Advertisement

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