When I was working for a large corporation, one of the first things that was implemented was the involvement of Occupational Therapy, supporting me in my role by putting in reasonable adjustments.

However, whilst I was happy to implement adjustments within the workplace, when it came to the outside world, I was less confident.

Not only did I not realise things weren’t available, but I was too proud and too scared to ask for things to be put in place, fearing I may be judged.

However, just like asking for them in the workplace, all I was asking for was to be put on the same level playing field as others.

The first time I found out there were things in place in shops was in Primark. After a full days shopping, a few too many shopping bags and my battery running low on my chair, I was determined to finish off the last bit of my Christmas shopping.

But as I was trying to turn to get down the till aisle, I was knocking everything off the shelves.

At this stage a member of staff came over and told me there was a till dedicated for people with disabilities on the end and if I waited there then when someone was free they would come over. I wasn’t sure at this stage if it was more to save their stock or to help me to be honest.

However, having a dedicated till really helped grow my confidence when it came to asking for assistance in stores.

I would often look at shops and think I can’t get my chair in there as they might have a clothes rail or boxes in the way, and I would move on. As time has gone on though, and I have more confidence, if a shop has not made access requirements, then I ask.

Adjustments cannot always be made, especially if it is the layout of the shop, but in these circumstances, many times I have been asked if there is anything they can bring to me to look at.

I am noticing more shops are helpful when it comes to people with disabilities, helped by the introduction of the Nimbus Access Card, which can be discreetly shown to staff. Not everyone is aware what the card means, but more are starting.

Food shopping is another area that has often been a struggle. And whilst I appreciate I could do an online shop, I do enjoy going round the store and picking my own stuff. Tesco offers Priority Assistance, where a member of staff will assist you whilst you go round. It is best to book this in advance as there may be a wait if you just turn up.

There are many places where you do have to book which can be a pain; like assistance on the train and if you require help with fuel, though services such as the FuelService App has really helped me.

I would often struggle with putting fuel in my car, calling on friends to help which is no good if you are 100 miles away from home, but with the app you can find your nearest fuelling station, advise of the time you will be there, let them accept and then tell them the pump number on arrival and they do the rest. Oh, except pay, unfortunately I haven’t found a station that will pay for my fuel yet!

Being in a power chair you can see that I have a physical disability but people often shy away from asking if I need help, if you are happy for people to ask or you have a hidden disability, the Sunflower scheme has great options.

If I pop into a shop on my own, I can wear the lanyard and shop assistances always ask if they can help.

To this day I am finding out about new schemes retailers have in places. Businesses, especially in retail, are striving all the time to make things accessible, and whilst I have had to learn to ask for adjustments, I have also found that so many are willing to change and learn with us.

Reasonable adjustments are not just about retail, and the ones I have listed just scratch the surface, it is about every aspect of the world and no place should be immune to making these adjustments or putting things in place

The Soham murderer remains in hospital in serious condition following the assault at the County Durham prison

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Soham murderer Ian Huntley has allegedly been declared blind following an assault in prison.

Huntley, 52, was urgently taken to hospital last Thursday after the attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham. Insiders revealed that medical staff “worked miracles” to save him, and that prison officers initially believed he was dead when they discovered him lying in a pool of blood.

Earlier this week, it was disclosed that if Huntley recovers, he will not be returned to the jail known as Monster Mansion. His injuries are so severe that he is instead expected to be transferred to Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside, reports the Mirror.

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Reports suggest that Huntley was given just a 5% chance of survival after being hit multiple times, resulting in serious head injuries. Emergency services were called to the Category A prison around 9am on February 26.

The Sun now reports that Huntley has been declared blind after being hit in the eyes. It is claimed that he is not expected to regain consciousness.

A source informed the outlet: “It is now looking like he will not pull through, barring a miracle. Huntley never recovered from the battering and never stood much of a chance of doing so.

“His condition has not really improved since day one despite the best efforts of doctors. It looks like it’s only a matter of time. It could be days, it could be weeks. It is probably for the best. Few people will shed a tear.”

In a statement released today regarding his health, a representative for Durham Constabulary stated: “There has been no change in the 52-year-old man’s condition overnight – he remains in hospital in a serious condition.”

Following the brutal attack on him last Thursday, the convicted double murderer was swiftly transported to hospital via ambulance, with armed police forming a protective convoy both ahead and behind. Two prison guards and an armed officer were present inside the ambulance during this high-security operation.

An insider revealed: “He was placed in an induced coma because he was so close to death. The team from the helicopter travelled with him but he could not be evacuated by air in case of any complications. He was transported by road because he was in a coma; this helps to keep him stable.

“The helicopter then travels to the hospital to collect the medics. Two armed officers are guarding Huntley around the clock at the hospital.”

Huntley is currently serving a life sentence following his conviction for the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002. He will not be eligible for parole until at least 2042.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The United States and Venezuela agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations in a major shift in a historically adversarial relationship, the State Department said on Thursday.

The move comes after rounds of Trump administration officials have visited the South American nation following a U.S. military operation that deposed former President Nicolás Maduro in January. Since then, the Trump administration has been stepping up pressure on Maduro loyalists now in power to accept its vision for the oil-rich nation.

Relations between the two countries were cut off in 2019, during the first Trump administration, in a decision by Maduro. They closed their embassies mutually after U.S. President Donald Trump gave public support to Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Juan Guaidó, who claimed to be the nation’s interim president in January that year. That prompted U.S. diplomatic staff to move to neighboring Colombia.

The State Department in a statement on Thursday said that talks between the countries were “focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government.”

The announcement was made at the end of a two-day visit by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to Venezuela. The visit largely focused on the country’s mining sector. It followed a February visit by Energy Secretary Chris Wright that centered on Venezuela’s oil potential. Both secretaries are aiming to shore up foreign investment to advance the administration’s phased plan to turn around the crisis-wracked nation.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, formerly Maduro’s vice president, said on state televisions that such steps “will strengthen relations between our two countries.”

Rodríguez’s government in a statement later expressed confidence that reestablishing diplomatic relations “will contribute to strengthening understanding and opening opportunities for a positive and mutually beneficial relationship.”

“These relations ought to result in the social and economic happiness of the Venezuelan people,” she said.

Since the unprecedented U.S. offensive in Venezuela, the Trump administration has pushed the government to make sweeping changes, including opening its oil sector to foreign companies. Rodríguez’s government also approved an amnesty law that has enabled the release of politicians, activists, lawyers and many others, effectively acknowledging that the government has held hundreds of people in prison for political motivations.

Trump stunned Venezuelans in and outside their home country with his decision to work with Rodríguez, instead of the political opposition, following Maduro’s ouster. On Sunday, Venezuela’s top opposition leader and winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize María Corina Machado said that she will return to Venezuela in the coming weeks and that elections will be held in Venezuela.

Such seismic shifts would have been unthinkable just months before in the South American nation. Venezuela’s main political current, known as Chavismo, has been able to dodge curve balls thrown at it for years, from U.S. sanctions to spiraling economic crisis.

___

Janetsky reported from Mexico City.

As thousands of Tottenham fans streamed out of their stadium at half-time on Thursday, no one could have been in any doubt about the threat of relegation.

After taking an early lead against Crystal Palace, three goals for the visitors in 12 first-half minutes – sparked by a penalty conceded and red card for Micky van de Ven – condemned Igor Tudor’s side to another miserable defeat.

Spurs remain the only Premier League side without a victory in 2026. Their 11-match winless league run is the club’s longest since 1935, when they went 15 games without winning.

With nine matches to go, they remain one point above the relegation zone and in real danger of losing their Premier League status for the first time.

The thousands of empty seats were telling. The fans who remained until the end met the final whistle with loud jeers as belief of survival appears to be draining from them.

“Anxiety was all through the stadium,” former Chelsea and England winger Joe Cole said on TNT Sports. “The whole performance was tepid.

“There was no bite and no anger and the fans were feeling that. It feels like they have given up.

“It looks like the fans are disillusioned, disenchanted and not believing it.”

When Tudor was appointed as interim boss last month, he said Tottenham “100%” wouldn’t go down. It would take a brave person to say that now.

“Of course i understand the fans [leaving]. It’s normal, they wanted more,” said the Croat, whose has lost all three of his matches in charge.

“I need to choose the right guys: Who is in the boat and who will leave the boat.”

Tudor refused to be drawn into conversations about his future after full-time, despite questions already being raised about whether he would see out the season.

Spurs fan Chris Cowlin told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m lost for words over what I’ve seen tonight. You want fight, desire and most importantly points.

“It is too much for a lot of people and this is the reality that Spurs might get relegated.

“When we moved to this stadium in 2019 it was meant to be a game changer for us, the springboard for success and always competing for top honours. I’ve never known a time like this.

“We’ve gone through so many managers since moving to this stadium; six permanent managers and four interim appointments. Spurs have gone round in circles.”

Ukraine has raised the prospect of postponing future peace talks aimed at ending its four-year-old war with Russia, because of the Iran conflict.

The latest round of US-mediated negotiations was due to take place in Abu Dhabi starting on Thursday, before it was targeted by Iranian strikes.

Iran latest: ‘Security incident’ near Cyprus RAF base

Ukraine’s president said he had approached the US “about the possibility of changing the location and postponing the meeting for a while due to the ‌war in the Middle East”.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted the comments on X, based on his interview with Italian network ​Rai Italia.

Earlier this week, Mr Zelenskyy said that ​Kyiv was open to other locations for the talks, such as Turkey or ‌Switzerland. He also told Sky News that he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and will do anything to bring about peace.

On Thursday, Ukraine ‌returned 200 prisoners of war ‌in its latest swap ​with Russia, including troops captured in ​Moscow’s siege ‌of Mariupol in early ​2022.

Mr Zelenskyy confirmed the news on X, adding: “Ukraine is working to bring everyone back. No one is forgotten.”

The ⁠Russian foreign ministry also said another 300 soldiers will be swapped on ⁠Friday.

During the Ukrainian president’s nightly ‌video address on Wednesday, he said that his country’s partners, ‌including the US, had ​sought Kyiv’s help in defending against ​Iranian drones.

“Partners are ‌turning to us, to Ukraine, ​asking for help in defending against [Iranian-designed] Shahed drones, ​with expertise and ⁠real operational ⁠experience… there have also been requests from the ‌American side.”

Ukraine has previously suggested it ⁠could share expertise ​with Middle East countries ​if they could ​help persuade Russia ⁠to observe a ceasefire in their war against Moscow.

But Mr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian assistance would only be provided if it did not weaken Ukraine’s own defences. “We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war [with Russia],” he said.

On Thursday, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte ​told ‌Reuters that ‌allies will keep supporting Ukraine with “‌what it ​needs to stay ⁠strong in the fight” despite the situation in ​Iran.

Read more from Sky News:
Watch: Hezbollah-Israel border battle
Stories from Ukraine’s children
‘Russian shadow fleet’ tanker seized

Mr Zelenskyy had warned on Monday that a prolonged and intense war in Iran could reduce the air defence systems available to Ukraine and that Russia was preparing a new wave of attacks on infrastructure, logistics and water supplies.

But Ukraine’s president has been an outspoken supporter of the US attack on Iran, striking a contrast with Russia, which has condemned the attacks on its ally.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s army has retaken territory from Russia in recent weeks, gaining more in February than it lost for the first time since 2023, according to ⁠the Finland-based Black Bird Group analysis team.

A key stumbling block in peace talks has been Kyiv’s refusal to give up full control of its eastern Donetsk region to Russia, which Moscow has been unable to fully conquer.

Civil resistance group Take Back Power called it a ‘Draconian overreach’

Fifteen activists from a group which claimed to be behind stunts targeting the Ritz and the Crown Jewels have been arrested on suspicion of planning a mass shoplifting campaign, police said.

The Metropolitan Police said that members of Take Back Power had been planning a campaign to steal from supermarkets before redistributing the goods, according to PA.

Activists gathered at the Quaker Meeting House in Westminster on Thursday evening to take part in “non-violent direct action training”, the force said.

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Officers halted the meeting and 15 people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft. One man was bailed and the others were taken into custody.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said: “There is a clear difference between lawful protest and criminal acts.

“This evening’s operation tackled a group who we have grounds to suspect were planning to steal from shops in a large, targeted and organised way.

“Theft is a crime and the public expect the police to deal with it – which is exactly what we have done today.”

Take Back Power, which describes itself as a non-violent civil resistance group, claimed it was behind a stunt which saw apple crumble and custard thrown at a display case containing the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London in December.

Days before that, activists from the group targeted the Ritz Hotel by emptying bags of manure next to its Christmas tree. The group has called for a citizen-led assembly that has the power to tax the rich.

Scotland Yard faced criticism for its arrest of six Youth Demand activists at an event at the Quaker Meeting House in March last year.

More than 30 police officers were involved in the action and the Quakers in Britain group condemned the arrests, saying they were the first at a meeting house “in living memory”.

Mr Harman said after Thursday’s arrests: “While we reflected carefully on those previous concerns before approving tonight’s operation, and took steps to ensure we caused minimal disruption, we ultimately felt we had no choice but to act.

“We cannot get into a situation where groups planning criminal acts can escape police action simply by booking rooms in certain venues. The criminal investigation will now continue.”

A Take Back Power spokesperson said: “The police arrested 15 ordinary people in a place of worship for discussing non-violent civil disobedience.

“This draconian overreach shows what the state is willing to do to protect corporate profits and billionaires, while ordinary people struggle to put food on the table.

“The state is scared of civil disobedience because it works. But when the super-rich have captured our politics, non-violent civil disobedience is the only choice we have to take back our power.”

Chester Road, which runs in front of Penshaw Monument along to Herrington Park from the A19 will be shut to motorists during the hotly anticipated festival from May 22 to 24.

Sunderland City Council confirmed the closure in a letter sent to residents near the park in late February, adding it will bring “significant benefits to the city”, with 31,000 tickets up for grabs.

BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend in Middlesbrough in 2019.

The letter, seen by The Northern Echo, reads: “Whilst we celebrate the positives of bringing such a high-profile event to the city, we also understand that hosting an event of this scale can raise questions for people who live near the event site and we want to share early information with you about what to expect.

“A series of road closures will be in place around the park on event days to manage access safely.

“Resident access will be maintained through a controlled permit system to allow movement as freely as possible.

“If you have specific caring responsibilities or are planning an important social event during this time, we will work with you as part of the traffic management plan to support your needs.

“Please note that Chester Road will be closed from May 22-24, 2026 between Herrington Country Park and the junction with the A19.

“Access will not be available along this section during this period. This closure is required to facilitate shuttle bus operations and provide a safe environment for those attending the event.”

The council added that a ‘drop in’ session at the park will be held for residents with questions and concerns on March 10 between 2-4pm and 6-8pm.

The full line up for the weekend is set to be revealed on Friday (March 6), but previous headliners have included the likes of Sam Fender, The 1975, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish.

Works have already started to make the park festival ready, with many grass areas currently fenced off.

But this is not the first time that the Big Weekend has come to the region – the last time it was at Herrington Park was in 2005, with headliners including the Foo Fighters and The Black Eyed Peas.

In 2019, the festival came to Middlesbrough.

Music stars from around the world arrived at Stewart Park, with around 64,000 festivalgoers watching the likes of Ellie Goulding, Miley Cyrus, Little Mix, Lewis Capaldi, James Arthur, Rita Ora, Stormzy, Anne-Marie, Mumford and Sons and The 1975.

Miley Cyrus headlined the Main Stage on the Saturday, with Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills describing her as “a megastar – she was amazing”.

Meanwhile, X Factor favourites Little Mix kicked off Sunday’s performances, with The 1975 closing the event.

Vitinha has named Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes as one of the ‘top-four’ midfielders in the world but overlooked Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Fernandes is enjoying another impressive season at Old Trafford, scoring seven goals and providing 14 assists in 26 games.

The 31-year-old’s form has helped Manchester United climb back into the Champions League places after they finished just 15th last season.

Vitinha rates Fernandes as one of the best midfielders in the world alongside himself, Joao Neves and the player at the ‘top of the list’, Pedri.

Pedri, 23, has already won two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophieswith Barcelona and the Euros with Spain.

Vitinha has enjoyed similar success at PSG, helping the French giants win three successive league titles and the club’s first Champions League last season.

Given his standing in the game, Vitinha is well-placed to rank some of his contemporaries and was asked by Canal 11 who he rates as the best midfielder in the world.

‘I would put Pedri at the top of the list,’ said Vitinha. ‘He is magical, it is spectacular to see him play. When you play against him, you understand him even better.

‘A top-three? I would go with Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes. They are both on either side of me and Pedri. So, I don’t have a top three but a top four.’

Arsenal’s Rice is perhaps a surprising omission from Vitinha’s list given his form for club and country over the past two years.

Vitinha’s top-four midfielders

Pedri (Barcelona)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Joao Neves (PSG)

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Vitinha (PSG)

The Gunners spent over £100m to sign Rice from West Ham in 2023 and the England star quickly repaid that huge transfer fee.

Rice has played all but one of Arsenal’s league games this season, helping Mikel Arteta’s side open up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal’s aspirations are not just limited to the Premier League, however, with the Gunners still in contention of an unprecedented quadruple.

Gary Lineker believes Rice is one of the three candidates to win the Player of the Season award but says Fernandes is just ahead of the Arsenal star.

‘I think he’s the player of the season for me,’ the former England striker said on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘I know they’ll probably give it to someone that’s going to win something.

‘For me, it’s probably him or maybe Declan Rice if Arsenal go on and manage to clinch the title.

‘I suppose the only other one, if he came back and started banging in all the goals and won City the title, it might be Erling Haaland again.

‘But at the moment, for me, to do what he’s done this season… and he was still the standout player even when they were going through a rotten spell when they were really struggling under Ruben Amorim.

‘I think he’s got such a great footballing brain and technique. What a player, what a player!’

PSG, sitting four points clear at the top of Ligue 1, continue the defence of their Champions League trophy with a last-16 clash against Chelsea.

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Lionel Messi, owner Jorge Mas, and members of the Inter Miami team visited the White House to celebrate their 2025 Major League Soccer Cup victory.

Messi and Mas presented President Donald Trump with an Inter Miami jersey with his name on it and a glittering pink soccer ball trophy.

Trump jokingly asked the team and audience who was better: Pele or Messi?