The readout, which took the form of an email sent by Sir Keir’s Principal Private Secretary Dan York-Smith on Wednesday, also said: “There is some discretion for departments to proceed with clearance and the FCDO had exercised it in this case, granting Mandelson vetting clearance.

‘Mr Starmer is right to be furious but it must be a moment of reckoning for the Prime Minister – he needs to toughen up and learn from this’

He needs a firmer grip

Keir Starmer admits he made a serious mistake making Peter Mandelson US ambassador. But what matters just as much is he was not given the full facts.

Being kept in the dark about security vetting concerns being raised and then overruled by the Foreign Office points to a troubling breakdown at the heart of government.

He is right to be furious. But it must be a moment of reckoning for the Prime Minister. Mr Starmer needs to learn from this, toughen up and impose a far tighter grip on how decisions are taken in his name.

No leader can afford to be shielded from critical information or left exposed by those around them. Authority must be asserted – clearly, consistently and without hesitation.

As global tensions flared during the Iran conflict, Britain saw the value of steady leadership. Mr Starmer refused to be dragged into war, demonstrating a calm, measured approach when it mattered most. Now he must bring that same steel to his own ranks.

Canine crisis

We cannot ignore the horror unfolding in Britain’s homes.

Three fatal dog attacks in a single week is no coincidence. It is a crisis unfolding before our eyes. Deaths tripled in a year, with thousands more injured. This is no longer rare; it is a serious and growing public safety threat.

Ministers must act. Tougher enforcement is not cruelty to animals, it is basic protection for people. Sympathy alone is not enough; reckless owners must face real consequences. Without decisive action, more families will suffer, and more warnings will come too late.

Spiteful splash

A wedding day should be about brides in white dresses, not someone seeing red and turning them black. The paint attack on Gemma Monk by her sister-in-law was petty revenge at its ugliest.

Family feuds are one thing, but this crossed a line. No bride should have her big day splashed with spite.

Adam Thomas has been battling a health condition, brought on by an autoimmune disease, which means he struggles to walk and was enduring ‘pretty unbearable’ pain

Adam Thomas has been battling a health condition, brought on by an autoimmune disease, for years. During a conversation on I’m A Celebrity tonight, boxer David Haye will be seen trying to get Adam to take taking part in the Termite Terror, unable to accept that the former soap actor just isn’t feeling up to it.

Trying to sleep, Adam admits it would be hard to get through it today because he is feeling dehydrated, but David is seen raging: “Dehydrated?! We’ve all got the same amount of water! Adam is doing it and that’s it!”

David’s co-stars continually try to remind him that their campmate isn’t feeling well enough to get through it, but he becomes hellbent on trying to force Adam into it. He continues: “When is your top form gonna come? Why aren’t we forcing this dude to go and do it? Coincidentally, every time there’s something to do, he’s not feeling well!”

It is at that point that Scarlett, clearly in despair at the situation developing, says: “Stop it David, he’s not well!” Adam previously said he had been in pain every day since his diagnosis – but he had finally found something that would help.

“I’ve been struggling with this autoimmune disease now for about two and a half years. It’s been tough. I’m not overexaggerating when I say this but literally within two and a half years, every day I’ve been in pain,” he explained.

“It’s difficult but now I feel like I’ve found – because I’ve been on so many different meds and trying so many different things, back and forth from doctor’s and hospitals.” Back in 2024, Adam explained that he could “barely walk” and was enduring “pretty unbearable” pain due to his arthritis. Adam took to Instagram and told his followers: “The pain is pretty unbearable at the moment, it’s as if my whole body is seizing up!! The pain was bad before, but it’s a lot worse now… how why???

“Now I wish I never came off the methotrexate because I would take that pain to this every day of the week! I’ve just started my new medication today which takes 12 weeks to take effect and even then it might not work so am not too sure what I can do to ease the pain until then?? I’ve had my steroid injections and it literally lasted a week …

“Going to check in at the hospital tomorrow to see what pain relief I can get, because I can’t carry on like this!” Arthritis is a common ailment causing pain and inflammation in the joints, according to the NHS. Main treatments include lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, medication, and in severe cases, surgery. However, there’s no known cure.

An orthopaedic surgeon said that arthritis can be “very debilitating” and may appear in unexpected areas. He explained that while people often think of hips and knees being affected, they don’t usually consider the hands.

Talking about the pain which is often overlooked, Dr Tom Naylor said that “when you’ve got arthritis pain in the thumb right there (video below) it affects so much of what you do on a daily basis. And it really is debilitating for people who have this”.

Speaking on BBC Morning Live, he explained arthritis as a term that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the joints. He said: “It literally means inflammation of a joint.”

Talking about CMCJ, which stands for Carpometacarpal joint, he said that it was all to do with the “joint down at the bottom of the thumb and what happens is the joint starts to wear away and the cartilage starts to get more and more worn.

“Even a deformity can start to form and it impacts everything that you do with your hands.” Speaking about treatments for this type of arthritis, the doctor said: “With all types of arthritis, we tend to follow was called a stepwise approach to treatment.”

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The two-car crash happened in Farnworth at 4.30pm this afternoon (April 17), blocking Bradford Road in both directions.

The incident closed the road for almost two hours and happened just before the junction with Minerva Road leading towards Royal Bolton Hospital.

There were reports that ambulances heading to the hospital were forced to turn around when they reached the junction, unable to get past the crash.

Ambulance crews were quickly on scene and checked-up on two men but no major injuries were reported.

The Bee Network said that buses on routes 22, 36 and 501 were affected with traffic diverted onto Bishops Road.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “Officers were called to a collision between two vehicles on Bradford Road, Farnworth at 4.30pm.

“The road is blocked from both directions.

“Ambulance is also at the scene seeing to two men, no major injuries have been reported at this time.”

Cllr Nadeem Ayub, of Farnworth North, warned drivers to avoid the area as it remained shut into the evening.

The Labour councillor said it was the second crash of the day and there have been calls for speed cameras to be installed.

He said: “The earlier one was due to the weather, it was a bit heavy, but this one is affecting road users at peak times.

“The earlier one was due to the weather, it was a bit heavy, but this one is affecting road users at peak times.

“Having two accidents is unusual, however, we do have problems on this road regarding speeding cars and we’ve considered speed cameras here.

“I would just tell people to avoid the area if they can at this moment in time.”

The road was cleared shortly after 6pm, with both cars taken away by recovery crews and traffic would soon return to normal.

The Lyrid meteor shower will peak on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and will be visible across the UK – here’s everything you need to know to catch the display

The oldest-recorded meteor shower is set to light up the night sky next week, as Earth passes through debris left in the wake of comet Thatcher during its journey around the sun centuries ago.

Stargazers can expect between 10 and 15 meteors per hour at the shower’s peak, though those particularly fortunate may witness an outburst potentially producing up to 100 meteors per hour.

Named after the constellation Lyra, from which the meteors appear to originate, the shower will run from April 16 to April 26 and reach its peak next Tuesday, April 21. With the moon in a waning crescent phase and setting late in the evening, conditions for viewing should be ideal.

People living in Peterborough may be lucky to see it, as it is set to appear over the city. For those wanting to see it, it’s advised they head to darker places to experience it at its best. The clearer the sky, the higher the number of meteors you are likely to spot, reports the Irish Mirror.

The constellation is generally straightforward to locate as it contains Vega, one of the brightest stars visible in the night sky. While the radiant point marks where the meteors appear to stem from, they will streak across the entire sky, lighting it up brilliantly. For the best experience, allow your eyes sufficient time to adjust to the darkness; this will ensure you can pick them out immediately.

The Lyrid meteors will be strikingly bright and may on occasion even outshine the planet Venus at their most dazzling. The vivid colours are produced by minuscule dust particles, no bigger than a grain of sand, as they interact with the molecules and ions present in Earth’s atmosphere. The luminous display becomes visible as these fragments heat up and ionise, with the characteristic streak appearing as the meteor cools and fades from view.

While the shower originates from debris left behind by Comet Thatcher, it is in fact impossible to observe the long-period comet itself.

First identified by scientists in 1861, the comet takes roughly 415 years to complete a single orbit around the sun. It will reach its furthest point from the sun at around 2070, before making its return to our skies sometime in the vicinity of the year 2283.

“While Booth’s imprisonment cannot change what happened that night, I hope it brings some comfort to Dylan’s loved ones.”

A man has been jailed for live over the “shocking and violent” murder of another man in Aberdeen. Dylan Geddes died after being found seriously injured in Tillydrone on Thursday July 10, 2025.

The 24-year-old had been involved in a disturbance at a property on Coningham Terrace with Brandon Booth, 25, who pled guilty to his murder at the High Court in Glasgow. Detectives described the incident as “shocking and violent”.

Dylan was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after he was found seriously injured nearby on Pennan Road but was pronounced dead a short time after arriving. In a statement released after his death, his family said: “Dylan was a much-loved son, grandson, brother and nephew.

“He will be sorely missed every day by all who knew him. The family is absolutely devastated by what has happened and would like privacy at this difficult time.”

Detective Inspector James Callander said: “This was a shocking and violent incident and the impact on Dylan’s family and friends has been devastating. While Booth’s imprisonment cannot change what happened that night, I hope it brings some comfort to Dylan’s loved ones.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their assistance throughout this investigation. I want to reassure the public that violent incidents such as this will not be tolerated in our communities, and our officers will continue to work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland: “A man has been jailed for life in connection with the murder of Dylan Geddes in Aberdeen. Brandon Booth, aged 25, pled guilty to murder at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, April 17. He received a life sentence.

“In the early hours of Thursday, July 10, 2025, 24-year-old Dylan Geddes was found seriously injured in the Pennan Road area, following a disturbance at a property in Coningham Terrace. He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.“

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What is “Japanese walking”?

I’ve never found walking easier or more fun

Homelessness charity Centrepoint has said it has ‘no plans’ to work with Sharon Osbourne again after she expressed support for a rally being organised by Tommy Robinson.

The former X Factor judge used her official Instagram account to leave a comment saying, ‘See you at the march’ in response to a post on the social media site about the event planned for next month.

Osbourne, whose husband, Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, died last July aged 76, has previously supported Centrepoint on its Omaze campaign to raise money by encouraging the public to enter a sweepstake to win a luxury house, filming ads with her daughter, Kelly Osbourne.

A spokesman for Centrepoint has now said: ‘Sharon supported us on this campaign, and, while she is referred to as an ambassador in that context, she was not an official ambassador for Centrepoint.

‘We have no plans to work together in the future.

‘Political activity like this runs counter to our values and our long history of supporting young people regardless of their background, religion or ethnicity.

‘If we want young people to thrive in this country, then we need to ensure our society continues to allow them to live without fear and to access the opportunities they need to start education or work and leave homelessness behind.’

The Unite the Kingdom rally, planned to happen in London on May 16, follows right-wing activist Robinson’s September protest, which was attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people.

It was the largest far-right rally of its type in British history.

As well as the presence of Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – the event included a remote address by Elon Musk.

‘Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back, or you die; that’s the truth, I think,’ he said.

Downing Street later condemned the message for ‘dangerous and inflammatory’ language.

MORE: Sharon Osbourne attending a Tommy Robinson march proves Kneecap were right about her

MORE: Sharon Osbourne confirms plans to attend Tommy Robinson march to ‘unite the UK’

MORE: Kelly Osbourne reveals she still has ‘hope for real love’ after Sid Wilson split

As Dulcie Thirling turned 100 today (Friday, April 17), her family shared the story of her life as she marked the milestone at Sandringham Care Home in Bishop Auckland, where she has lived for the past four years.

Dulcie was born on April 17, 1926, at The Hare and Greyhounds pub in Bowburn. She grew up there with her parents, sisters and brother.

Former Bishop Auckland teacher Dulcie Thirling, 100 (Image: PROVIDED)

She later married the love of her life, Charles Thirling. Dulcie went on to become a school teacher and worked at Wolsingham Junior School, near Bishop Auckland, until she retired at the age of 55.

Her family said the couple enjoyed many happy years together after retirement. They loved walking and often travelled to the Lake District with their caravan, spending weeks there at a time.

Sandringham Care Home has celebrated resident Dulcie Thirling’s 100th birthday (Image: PROVIDED)

Sandringham Care Home has celebrated resident Dulcie Thirling’s 100th birthday (Image: PROVIDED)

Dulcie and Charles lived in Howden le Wear for more than 60 years. Sadly, Charles died more than 20 years ago.

For the last four years Dulcie has lived at Sandringham Care Home in Bishop Auckland, where her family say she has been very well cared for.

Sandringham Care Home has celebrated resident Dulcie Thirling’s 100th birthday (Image: PROVIDED)

They said the staff at the home have looked after her wonderfully and helped make her 100th birthday a special occasion.

A parent with children at Ralph Butterfield Primary School, in Station Road, Haxby, started an online petition after she said she had become “deeply concerned” for the safety of her children and others at the school.

She was joined by local parents in calling for a well-marked and signed pedestrian, along with traffic calming measures near the school entrance.

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The petition statement read: “Every day, as we approach the school gates, what should be a safe zone turns into a hazard zone.

“The absence of a safe crossing not only endangers the lives of the students but also causes significant stress to parents, guardians, and school staff.

“We need immediate action to ensure that our children can arrive and leave school safely.”

A spokesperson for the school said that it welcomed measures that help improve pedestrian safety in Station Road – particularly during key drop-off and pick-up times.

They added: “Ensuring the wellbeing of our children, families and wider community is extremely important to us and we are supportive of actions that contribute to a safer environment around our school.”

The petition had been signed by 367 people at the time of publication.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport at City of York Council, said that the council shared the concerns raised by pupils and their families to create safer streets.

‘Subject to approval at this meeting, the works at Ralph Butterfield will take place before the end of the school year.’

She said: “Late last year we held a statutory consultation in Haxby towards installing new single yellow lines (enforceable during school drop-off and pick-up times) near Ralph Butterfield school to reduce parking immediately outside the school gates and at neighbouring junctions.

“This proposal is now one of 43 similar projects across York progressing to executive on April 28.

“Subject to approval at this meeting, the works at Ralph Butterfield will take place before the end of the school year.”

Members of the community, the petition read, had suggested chicanes, railings and zebra crossings.

The statement added: “Local residents also expressed that bay parking or drive installation to the residents opposite school would help with the flow of traffic.”

The council explained that in addition to the road plans, the authority had recently recruited a new crossing patroller for the school – who will begin their role in late June.

Cllr Ravilious said: “We welcome a continued discussion with both residents and the school community to build on these improvements and create an environment where everyone feels safe and supported when choosing to walk, wheel or cycle to school.”