WL Distillery in Durham, founded by Scott Wilson-Laing, has introduced Graduation Gin to celebrate academic success and the start of new journeys.

The small-batch spirit, featuring vibrant fruit notes and subtle warming spice, is intended as a premium keepsake for graduates, whether gifted, enjoyed at celebrations, or shared with loved ones.

Graduation Gin from WL Distillery (Image: WL Distillery)

Mr Wilson-Laing said: “Graduation is one of those rare moments in life that deserves to be truly celebrated.

“Through working with universities, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and supporting some incredible students and aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Graduation Gin is our way of recognising their hard work, raising a glass to their achievements and wishing them every success as they begin the next chapter of their journey.”

The launch holds personal significance for Mr Wilson-Laing, who has long supported universities in the region.

His involvement includes business mentoring, guest lectures, industry collaboration, and course involvement with students and graduates.

WL Distillery describes the gin as a tribute not only to academic achievement but also to the determination, resilience and entrepreneurial mindset that graduates carry forward.

The gin’s distinctive flavour combines carefully selected botanicals with bright fruit and subtle warming spice to create a versatile, celebratory spirit.

Its release marks another milestone for WL Distillery, which has built a reputation for innovative, small-batch spirits rooted in craftsmanship and storytelling.

With a growing product range and increasing recognition in the craft spirits market, the distillery continues to focus on creating spirits that capture meaningful occasions.

Graduation Gin is being promoted as an opportunity for hospitality venues, retailers, and event operators to enhance their offering.

It has the potential to feature on themed drinks menus and in celebration packages or as a special gift for graduates and their families.

Mr Wilson-Laing said: “At WL Distillery, we’ve always believed that great spirits help create lasting memories.

“Graduation Gin celebrates a milestone for those receiving their degrees, but it also marks another important chapter in our own journey as a business.

“It’s a product that perfectly reflects our commitment to craftsmanship, community and celebrating success.”

WL Distillery was established with the aim of creating gin that embodies the character of the North East, using locally sourced botanicals and time-honoured distilling techniques.

Since its founding, the brand has received numerous accolades, including gold at The Gin Masters, recognition in the London Spirits Top 100, and appearances in Vogue’s Hot List and GQ’s Cocktail Club.

Graduation Gin is now available from selected stockists and through the distillery’s website.

His opposite number Thomas Christiansen, meanwhile, was the picture of frustration after his side were cruelly denied a first point at the World Cup finals. Their debut in 2018 ended pointless, and the main goal for the 2026 edition is to at least get on the board, which will be a struggle in subsequent matches against Croatia and England.

Atticus Bartlett was just four-weeks-old when he died after collapsing at the family home

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A father accused of killing his newborn baby after allegedly shaking him has been pictured for the first time.

Four-week-old Atticus Bartlett sadly died in hospital after collapsing at the family home in Chard, on July 16, 2022.

Tony Bartlett, 39, of Axminster in Devon, denies charges of murder and manslaughter relating to the death of Atticus, who died from brain injuries. Bartlett, a postman, was pictured arriving at Bristol Crown Court earlier today (July 17) as the trial continues.

It is alleged that Bartlett shook Atticus while alone with him, according to SomersetLive. Atticus had been cared for by his grandmother, Rachel Donovan and her husband Andrew, earlier in the evening, while Bartlett and Ms Ballentyne went to a pub and comedy club.

The trial this week heard from the prosecution that Bartlett had consumed up to nine pints of beer and was left to feed Atticus while his partner went upstairs to change at about 11pm. It is alleged that while Ms Ballentyne was upstairs, Bartlett shook Atticus so hard he caused severe internal injuries to his brain and spinal cord.

Several of Atticus’s ribs were also cracked, the court has heard. Atticus was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton before being transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

His brain damage was so severe that Atticus could no longer breathe independently and did not regain consciousness. The little tot tragically died just before midnight on July 23, 2022.

Ms Ballentyne, gave evidence yesterday and described the moment she came downstairs and saw her baby floppy and grey in colour. She said that Atticus had been lying face down on his father’s knees.

Representing Bartlett, Nigel Power KC suggested Ms Ballentyne had sought to “minimise” her actions – which she denied.

He asked her: “Tony didn’t do anything to harm Atticus, did he?”

Ms Ballentyne replied: “Yes he did.”

Bartlett, of Axminster, Devon, denies the two charges against him and the trial continues.

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Weight-loss jabs are the latest craze for shedding a few pounds. Their effect has been dramatic with drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) causing users to lose up to 15% of their body fat on average.

Semaglutide, which is a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1 receptor agonist drug), mimics the action of a natural gut hormone which is released after we eat.

This gut hormone triggers multiple physiological responses that play a role in regulating body weight, such as releasing insulin to help control blood sugar levels, slowing stomach emptying (so we feel fuller for longer) and even telling the brain’s hunger centres to suppress appetite.

But as effective as GLP-1 drugs are, not everyone who uses them will lose a significant amount of weight. So-called “non-responders” are people who lose less than 5% of their body weight after roughly six months of treatment on the highest tolerated dose. Research suggests that between 10% and 30% of patients fit into this group.

Many people labelled as non-responders to GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide do not take the medication correctly or discontinue treatment before adequate therapeutic effect can be achieved. Studies show up to 20-60% of people people stop treatment within the first year, and widespread use of the drug in doses below the recommended amounts.

Certain metabolic issues such as insulin resistance, where the body’s cells stop responding properly to insulin, may also block semaglutide’s actions. Sleep disruption could inhibit the drug’s actions as well, as poor sleep is shown to delay the release of the body’s natural GLP-1 hormone.

People taking other medications, such as corticosteroids and psychotropic drugs (such as antidepressants) which can cause weight gain, may also find GLP-1 drugs don’t work very well for them.

But these aren’t the only reasons a person may be labelled a non-responder.

Interestingly, sex may play a role in how a person responds to these drugs, with research showing women taking semaglutide consistently lose more weight compared to men.

A review of 47 randomised controlled trials involving over 23,000 patients found that the greatest weight-loss effect from GLP-1 drugs was shown in participants who were young, female and not diagnosed with diabetes (so they therefore had better insulin sensitivity).

One reason why women react better could be their higher oestrogen levels. This hormone improves insulin sensitivity and stimulates GLP-1 secretion.

Another reason some people respond poorly to GLP-1 drugs is because of their genetic makeup.

Scientists have identified variants in the gene coding for the enzyme PAM (peptidyl-glycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase) that appears to cause GLP-1 resistance. This genetic change is carried by approximately 10% of the population.

People with this genetic change have higher circulating levels of GLP-1 but without the expected biological effect. This means that more GLP-1 hormone is needed to achieve the same response in people without the mutation. This suggests a clear resistance to the hormone.

Research which looked at the genetics of nearly 28,000 people taking a GLP-1 drug also identified genetic issues in another set of receptor genes called GLP-1R and GIPR.

This genetic issue caused differences in both weight loss and side effects. Those who had these genetic issues had higher body mass index (BMI) and body mass on average, and were more likely to have type 1 diabetes and other metabolic issues. Such genetic differences may explain why some people fail to lose any weight when taking a GLP-1 drug.

Another factor that may contribute for non-responders relates to the causes of obesity itself. Our body operates based on four distinct types of hunger. If a medication targets something that is not the primary cause of a person’s obesity, the response seen will be small.

The first type is our baseline slow-burn hunger, which is the minimum number of calories our body absolutely must consume in order to function (also known as our metabolic rate). Another type of hunger is hungry gut, relates to a genuine, physiological need to eat. The way we eat can also be driven by our brain (known as a hungry brain, where we eat from habit or stress) or our emotions (known as emotional hunger, where we eat to cope with how we feel).

For patients with emotional hunger, GLP-1 drugs do not address the root cause of the anxiety and depression driving that person’s overeating. According to one observational study carried out in Japan, emotional eaters were less likely to see significant weight changes when using a GLP-1 drug treatment.

Integrating cognitive behavioural therapy may therefore be important for people who struggle with emotional hunger and are using as GLP-1 drug. For hungry gut patients, a high-protein, high-fibre diet can enhance the drug’s effectiveness.

For patients with a hungry brain, switching to dual agonists such as tirzepatide (commercially known as Mounjaro), which targets two digestive hormones, GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) may be useful. For slow-burn hunger, resistance training can increase resting metabolic rate.

While weight-loss drugs have proven effective for many, the fact that they don’t work for everyone shows how important it is to move towards developing precision obesity medicine. This would involve analysing a patient’s unique genes and lifestyle patterns to match them with the correct medication. While genetic testing for variants linked to non response is not common, it represents the next step in helping ensure patients are given therapies that work better for them.

The sight of Rice being substituted is a rare one for club or country, particularly at such a crucial point in the game when England, dominant after a chaotic first half, were leading 3-2 but struggling to put the game beyond doubt despite creating numerous golden chances as they found Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic in inspired form.

Caleb Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Ghana a 1-0 win over Panama in a chilly and lively World Cup 2026 game in which the African ⁠side were forced to play the second half without starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi on Wednesday.

After a lightning-quick counter-attack, Brandon Thomas-Asante charged forward before playing a precise pass into the area for Yirenkyi, who tapped home for his first competitive international goal.

Ghana, competing in their fifth World Cup and looking to improve on their run to the quarter-finals in 2010, were forced to play the match without Thomas Partey after the midfielder was denied entry into Canada and lost a visa appeal.

Panama, bolstered by a vociferous red-clad contingent of supporters, ⁠were energetic, purposeful and threatening in the final third while Ghana were unable to find their ​rhythm ⁠until the second half.

Ati Zigi was by far Ghana’s best player in the first half, commanding his area impressively while his teammates were unable to manage a single attempt on the Panama goal, but he did not come out for the second half after a collision.

Cecilio Waterman nearly ‌put Panama in front in the second minute with a slick first-time strike from a brilliant pass from Amir Murillo but was denied by a diving save from Ati Zigi.

Shortly after a hydration break that was loudly booed by spectators as light rain fell, Panama threw everything they could at the Ghana goal but failed to find a way through.

Panama demanded a penalty after Cristian Martinez went down in the box but their claims that there was contact from Jerome Opoku did not convince the referee.

Ati Zigi received treatment following a collision near the end of the first half and was replaced by Benjamin Asare when the game started to open up and Ghana found their stride. Panama nearly opened ‌the scoring in the 60th minute but Martinez lashed his attempt from close ​range into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Jonas Adjetey almost scored for Ghana when he rose high to meet a cross with a header that forced a smart stop from Orlando Mosquera. Thomas-Asante sent a gorgeous ⁠low cross into the box for Jordan Ayew but Panama defender Jiovany managed to poke it just wide of the post ‌before the night’s second ​hydration break was booed.

Ghana will look forward to ‌having Partey available for their June 23 match ​against England in Boston while Panama meet Croatia later that day in Toronto.

A species of bacteria living in the icy waters surrounding Antarctica could hold clues to future cancer treatment, especially for those battling melanoma, scientists say.

Researchers found that the melanoma-killing bacterium was growing on marine organisms called ascidians, or sea squirts, during a six-week expedition to one of the most remote environments on the planet.

“We first discovered this ascidian produces a bacterium that contains a toxic compound that kills melanoma cancer cells while not harming normal human cells,” said Bill Baker, a professor of chemistry at the University of South Florida.

“That selectivity is critical in drug development because you want to treat the disease without harming the patient,” Dr Baker said.

Many marine organisms in the frigid Antarctic waters rely on chemical defences to survive in the harsh environment, producing compounds that can deter predators and disease.

“The continent is unique because it has been geographically and environmentally isolated for millions of years,” Dr Baker said.

“As a result, species in Antarctica have had time to evolve independently, leading to highly specialised organisms. The ascidians we study are adapted specifically to this environment and are not found anywhere else,” he explained.

One of the compounds found to act effectively against melanoma cells is “palmerolide A” produced by the bacterium Candidatus Synoicihabitans palmerolidicus.

The latest expedition sought to find where the melanoma-killing bacterium occurs in the Antarctic and how widespread it is.

“We also wanted to understand how it lives inside the organism [sea squirt] and how that connects to the compounds linked to melanoma research,” Dr Baker said.

Researchers hope to further understand how the compounds are produced naturally and whether they can eventually be harnessed for medical applications.

Sea squirts harbouring the melanoma-killing bacteria are typically found at depths between about 18 and 24m (60 and 80ft), often along sloped or vertical seafloor surfaces where water currents are strong, scientists found.

At these depths, currents help deliver nutrients that sustain the organisms, they say.

Researchers conducted multiple dives and used two remotely operated vehicles to explore deeper waters.

The dives were carefully planned to ensure the safety of the scientists and the samples, they say.

“This research is important both environmentally and medically. We are learning how organisms use symbiosis to survive in extreme conditions, which is still largely unknown in cold-water ecosystems like Antarctica,” Dr Baker said.

“Understanding the source and function of this compound is critical if we hope to develop it into a drug,” he said.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Hey, Jude, you and Harry didn’t let England down.

Harry Kane scored twice to equal the English record for World Cup goals, and Jude Bellingham put England in front for good two minutes into the second half of a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday.

Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered each of Kane’s first-half goals in a rematch of a 2018 semifinal won by Croatia. Musa’s goal came on the final play before the whistle ending the first half.

The even score didn’t last long once play resumed.

Bellingham took a long pass from Elliot Anderson and stayed clear of the defender the rest of the way, sending a shot past Dominik Livakovic and in off the far post. Marcus Rashford padded the lead in the 85th minute.

“He just told us to let the shackles off,” Kane said of coach Thomas Tuchel’s halftime message after Croatia pulled even so late before the break. “The way we conceded that second goal is not the team we want to be. He finally just said, ‘What’s the worst that can happen? We lose the match, first group game, we get on with it.’ We move on. Just go and kind of show the world who we can be.”

Kane, who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia by scoring six times, is up to 10 World Cup goals, tying Gary Lineker’s mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.

The 32-year-old’s first goal came on his second chance on a penalty kick after Livakovic’s save on the first try was nullified by a video review that showed both his feet off the goal line as Kane was striking the ball.

Kane went the same way toward the right post with the second attempt, while Livakovic lunged the other direction, to his right.

The penalty was called when Luka Modric, the 40-year-old midfielder who extended his Croatian record by appearing in his fifth World Cup, kicked Noni Madueke in the thigh.

Kane matched Lineker’s mark when the Bayern Munich striker easily beat Livakovic with a powerful header off a corner kick from Declan Rice. Kane has 81 international goals.

“We scored two goals that were good actions and good situations, but they were too little,” Croatia coach Zlatco Dalic said through an interpreter. “England was very difficult, (we) also have to be strong on the defensive side.”

Bellingham almost immediately had another great scoring chance after the Real Madrid player’s seventh international goal. Livakovic made that save and about a half-dozen more in a matter of minutes during a frenetic English attack.

“We could have scored probably three goals in that 20-minute spell coming out (after halftime),” Kane said. “In the end, we just had too much for a great team that will probably go far in the tournament themselves.”

Musa scored the first World Cup goal for an active player from Dallas of Major League Soccer, which plays its home games about 40 miles from AT&T Stadium.

The retractable-roof venue that is home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys is giving World Cup fans an air-conditioned reprieve from the muggy Texas heat, this time for white-clad English fans and Croatian supporters who were mostly wearing their country’s familiar red-and-white checkered uniforms, not the blue kits the players had on.

Musa tracked a header from Ivan Perisic and put a one-timer past Jordan Pickford, who was also beaten in the 36th minute by Baturina. That shot into the left corner ticked off Pickford’s hand.

Bukayo Saka’s pass left plenty of room for Rashford as the Barcelona player entered the penalty area, faked a shot with his left foot and scored his 19th international goal with his right.

“I loved the second half, all of it,” Tuchel said. “I encouraged them to go for it. To play with more courage, to be brave, to be ourselves. And like I said, I loved their reaction.”

England next plays Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in Group L on Tuesday, the same day Croatia plays Panama in Toronto.

___

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Much-loved York fried chicken restaurant Clucking Oinks has announced it will be taking up residence at a popular York pub – The Fox in Holgate Road – ahead of summer.

This follows the closure of their Castlegate location at the end of last month, something that the owners said was due to the ‘climate situation of hospitality in the UK’ – adding that “it’s become clear the idea of a restaurant isn’t a viable one”.

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Their original location inside Spark:York will remain open, as will its other premises inside Stack – a similar venue to Spark – in Newcastle city centre.

The truck is set to open its hatch tonight, catering to pub quizzers and football fans who will be visiting the pub to watch the England v Croatia game.

In a post on Instagram, the restaurant dubbed the opening ‘the next episode’.

They said: “After closing Castlegate we promised something exciting was coming and here she is! Our stunning new truck will be at @foxpubyork Wednesday-Sunday through the summer!

“She debuted at @burger_fest_uk this weekend where we won The Best Chicken Burger Award which was judged by @wingfestuk”

The Three Lions are taking on Croatia in their opening game of the tournament stateside

There were joyous scenes as England opened their account at the 2026 World Cup tonight.

The Three Lions are taking are taking on Croatia in Dallas, Texas, in their first group game in the newlly expanded tournament being held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

And it was a dream start when a foul by Luka Modric on Noni Madueke saw England awarded a penalty.

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Captain Harry Kane’s initial effort was saved by the Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

However the referre ordered it to be retaken due to encroachment from two Croatian players,. and Kane made no mistake second time around, slotting home to give England a 12th minute lead.

Watch: Harry Kane gives England the lead from the spot

At the ‘We Are Football festival’ in Freight Island, where more than 2,000 fans have packed in, chaos erupted as England opened their account.

Beer was launched through the air as a sea of bodies bounced around in joy.

Stunned silence as Croatia equalise

That joy was cut short, with the fans reduced to stunned silence when a thundering strike from Martin Baturina drew Croatia level in the 36th minute.

It took Kane just eight minutes to get them celebrating again.

Kane restore’s England’s lead

A powerful header from a corner sent the raucous venue into raptures again.

Croatia draw level

Following an action-packed first-half, Croatia levelled again, with Petar Musa volleying home seconds before the half-time whistle.

Jude Bellingham puts England 3-2 up

But after a bright start to the second period, Jude Bellingham slotted home after a surging run to put England back in front and sparked further scenes of delerium in the fanzone.

Marcus Rashford makes it 4

Manchester United striker wrapped up the victory as he slotted home Bukayo Saka’s pass to make it 4-2 and a very satisfactory night for England faithful.

There chants of ‘It’s Coming Home’ and a booming rendition of Sweet Caroline following the full-time whistle.