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Final days of Port Talbot steelworks captured in images

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Final days of Port Talbot steelworks captured in images
Jon Pountney Two steelworkers in safety jackets, visors and helmets stand in a dark room near orange molten metal, with bright sparks around them.Jon Pountney

Some steelworkers at the site in Port Talbot are on their final shifts as the blast furnaces switch off on Monday

“You’ll open the window one morning and it won’t look like Port Talbot.”

Photographer Jon Pountney said he remembers thinking “what the hell is this?” the first time he saw the steelworks, driving on the M4 to a party in Swansea in 1998.

He has been one of the photographers allowed regular access to capture the closure of Tata Steel’s blast furnaces, with the expected switch off on Monday ending the traditional way of steelmaking in Wales.

“As an outsider you just go in and think, ‘I don’t quite know how to respond to what I’m seeing because it’s so incredible’, and as a photographer that’s quite hard because you’re also trying to concentrate on the pictures,” he said.

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His current project, The Allure or Ruins, focuses on post-industrial relics and landscapes of Wales – or “old stuff”, as he puts it.

But he said it has also been an opportunity to tell the story of Tata in “real time” and to “document stuff that is not going to happen again”.

“I didn’t know what to expect, and you’re basically met with a very large dark room where there is a river of molten metal running through the middle.”

Jon Poutney Steelworkers' overalls and helmets are hung on a short row of coat hooks at the Port Talbot site.Jon Poutney

The second of Tata’s two blast furnaces will shut down by the end of the month, when about 2,000 jobs will be lost

“You’ve never seen anything like it – it’s this incredible almost volcanic elemental thing, which is quite terrifying,” he added.

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The visual artist also said the sense of pride among the workers was “very, very tangible” as soon as you went on site.

“People are very professional and respectful of each other, and the stuff that they’re doing, which is incredibly dangerous,” he said.

Mark Griffiths A woman dressed in white overalls holds a large plastic container holding bread rolls for her burger van used by steelworkersMark Griffiths

Mandie Pugh has operated a burger van near the steelworks for the past 36 years

Photographer Mark Griffiths described his “close connection” to the town, growing up in Port Talbot and having family and friends working in the steelworks or part of the surrounding infrastructure.

The 43-year-old said he felt compelled to make a short film called The Beginning Of The End, telling the story of a community facing an uncertain future.

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“The ripple effect is going to be phenomenal. It’s not just the steel workers that are impacted, it’s the surrounding infrastructure, it’s the local businesses, it’s the communities that are going to be ripped apart and devastated by this.”

“I think that’s why it was important for me to make this work,” he said.

Mark Griffiths Conveyor belts and chimneys on the site are captured from nearby Aberafan beachMark Griffiths

Mark Griffiths says he felt compelled to make a short film about the unprecedented change Port Talbot faces

As part of the film, he spoke to to local MP Stephen Kinnock, a mental health charity, a union representative and business owner in the town.

“I’ve got a really close connection to a lot of people in Port Talbot – my uncles, my wider family, friends that have at some point worked in part of the steelworks, whether that’s directly or the surrounding infrastructure, so it was really difficult to hear their stories.

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“Port Talbot has what I would consider a valley’s mentality, in that we are one giant family, everyone looks out for each other,” he added.

Mark Griffiths A man sits alone at a table inside Tata Steel's sports and social club roomMark Griffiths

Brian Short, who manages the Tata Steel sports and social club, features in the Beginning Of The End film

The photographer hopes his work will keep the town’s story in people’s minds, and encourage those in power to look out for the community too.

For Jon, there is a strange sense of déjà vu, having documented the fictional demise of a steelworks in the town as a production photographer for the Michael Sheen drama The Way last year.

Set in Port Talbot, it told the story of civil unrest and fears over the closure of a fictional steelworks and was described by the actor as “bizarrely very close to the truth”.

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Jon Pountney The actor Michael Sheen stands on some sand dunes looking into camera wearing a navy padded jacket and holding a folder.Jon Pountney

Filmed in his home town Port Talbot, Michael Sheen both starred in and directed BBC drama The Way

Although Jon sees a more hopeful picture for the future of the town than the one depicted on screen.

“That’s to do with the pragmatism of Welsh people, that even in bad times, a bit like the miners’ strike, it’s this kind of idea that we will continue.

“We will have order, we will have society, we will look after each other, and we will keep pushing forwards, and tomorrow will always be a better day,” he added.

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Trump Claims Biden and Harris Have Mental Health Issues

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Trump Claims Biden and Harris Have Mental Health Issues

Donald Trump is locked in a heated contest with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.

Accused of Immigrants in Floods

One of the central issues in the race is immigration at the southern border, which continues to dominate voter concerns, according to polls.

During a recent campaign event, Trump intensified his rhetoric against Harris, who recently visited the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her presidential campaign. Trump accused Harris and President Joe Biden of allowing undocumented immigrants to flood the U.S, according to Digi24.

He claimed some of these immigrants aim to “rape, rob, and kill Americans,” a comment he acknowledged was “dark.” Trump further condemned Harris, blaming her for what he sees as the erasure of U.S. borders and insisting she should never become president.

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Japanese equities drop in early trading after leadership election

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Austria’s far-right Freedom party scored a historic victory in the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday, with the result consolidating pro-Russian, anti-establishment forces in central Europe.

The FPÖ was projected to win just under 29 per cent of the ballots cast, according to a near final official estimate of the vote late on Sunday, bolstering the claim of its firebrand leader Herbert Kickl to become Austria’s next chancellor.

It is the first time the FPÖ, which has embraced increasingly hardline and extremist policies on immigration and the war in Ukraine in recent years under Kickl, has come first in a national election.

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Iran warns Israel attacks ‘will not go unanswered’ after Houthis targeted in Yemen

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Iran warns Israel attacks 'will not go unanswered' after Houthis targeted in Yemen

Israel is now waging war on three battle fronts in the Middle East – in Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen – with all eyes on how Iran may retaliate against a series of humiliating blows.

A stunning series of attacks in Lebanon this week have not only killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, but has almost wiped out the group’s senior military leadership, according to reports.

The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had killed seven senior leaders of the Lebanese militant group since 20 September, including Nasrallah, who was Hezbollah’s leader for 32 years.

This evening, hundreds of Israel’s tanks gathered on the country’s northern border with Lebanon, suggesting Tel Aviv is planning a ground invasion of its neighbour, The Times reports.

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The United States issued a last-minute appeal to both sides for restraint, warning Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, that war would not return 60,000 displaced Israelis to their homes in the north of the country.

A prominent general in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was also killed in the Israeli air strike that targeted Nasrallah in Beirut on Friday.

It remains unclear how Iran will respond, but its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has vowed that the Israeli attacks “will not go unanswered”.

Even as it kept up its barrage against Hezbollah in Lebanon over the weekend, the Israeli military targeted Houthi fighters – another Iranian-based group – in Yemen, some 2,000km away.

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The attack on Sunday, which hit the port city of Hodeidah, was in retaliation for recent Houthi missile strikes aimed at targets in Israel, the Israeli military said.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft, including fighter jets and spy planes, participated in the strikes against infrastructure and ports that it claimed were being used to transport Iranian weapons.

“The IDF attacked power plants and a port, which are used to import oil. Through the targeted infrastructure and ports, the Houthi regime transfers Iranian weapons to the region, and supplies for military purposes, including oil,” the Israel military said.

The Houthi movement has repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians, since the Gaza war began on 7 October.

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In a post on X, Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesperson for the Houthis, said the Israeli strikes on Sunday would not cause the group to “abandon Gaza and Lebanon”.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt-Gen Herzi Halevi said Israel can reach enemies even farther away. “We know how to reach very far, we know how to reach even farther, and we know how to strike there accurately,” he said during a meeting with senior officers.

The attacks against Hezbollah and Yemen – both part of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance”, a collection of factions and governments that include the Palestinian group Hamas – mark a game-changing moment for the region, and a stunning victory for Israel.

But it ushers in one of the most dangerous periods for the Middle East in nearly a year of conflict, resetting the balance in Israel’s proxy war with Iran.

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Iran’s leadership is divided over what to do next, with hardliners wanting a strong response, including a direct attack on Israel, while moderates are urging restraint, the New York Times reported, citing sources.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been taken to a secure location inside the country amid heightened security, sources told Reuters, signalling a sense of extreme anxiety in Tehran as it decides its next steps.

Khamenei was deeply shaken by Nasrallah’s death and was in mourning, four Iranian officials told the New York Times. In public, Khamenei signalled that it would be Hezbollah, not Iran, that would be leading any response to Israel, and that Tehran would play a supporting role.

“It will be Hezbollah, at the helm of the resistance forces, that will determine the fate of the region,” he said.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that “Israel is winning”, but warned that “difficult days are still ahead”.
“We should not forget that we are still in the midst of a difficult war, the costs of which are heavy,” he said.

Lebanon ‘experiencing the largest wave of displacement in its history’

One million people in Lebanon – a fifth of the country’s population, have fled their homes as a result of the Israeli strikes, according to the Lebanese government.

“Lebanon is experiencing the largest wave of displacement in its history,” caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, said on Sunday.

“Our priority is to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression through continued diplomatic efforts. We have no other choice.”

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, said more than 1,400 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian refugees “are now sheltering in seven” of its facilities.

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“Many are traumatised and scared,” the agency said in a post on X.

The UN World Food Programme began an emergency operation to provide food for those affected by the conflict.

In Gaza, meanwhile, at least four Palestinians were killed and several injured in an Israeli air strike on a school north of the enclave sheltering displaced civilians, according to local health officials.

The attack on Sunday targeted the Umm al-Fahm School in the town of Beit Lahia. The Israeli military acknowledged the attack, claiming that it targeted a Hamas command centre.

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It brings the death toll in Gaza to 41,600, according to Palestinian health authorities.

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Major UK airport to open its first Wetherspoons pub in £1.3billion transformation for Brits heading abroad

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The new terminal will be completed in the summer of 2025

A MAJOR UK airport has announced the opening of its first Wetherspoons pub as part of a whopping £1.3 billion transformation.

Brits jetting off from Manchester Airport can now enjoy a pint at the airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub next year.

The new terminal will be completed in the summer of 2025

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The new terminal will be completed in the summer of 2025Credit: Getty
Bosses confirmed that the new Wetherspoons will 'feature nods to sporting greats of the North in its decor'

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Bosses confirmed that the new Wetherspoons will ‘feature nods to sporting greats of the North in its decor’

The new pub is part of a £1.3 billion project that will transform Terminal 2.

The popular pub chain will join major brands like Chanel, Pandora, LEGO, and Greggs, all expected to be added to the terminal.

Bosses have confirmed that the new Wetherspoons will “feature nods to sporting greats of the North in its decor”.

The pub’s name has yet to be announced, but future customers are assured they can look forward to the usual Wetherspoons offerings.

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Brits will be able to enjoy discounted cooked breakfasts along with a wide selection of beers, wines, ciders, and spirits.

The highly-anticipated Terminal 2 is set to open in the summer of 2025 and will feature the Great Northern Market.

The new food hall will be able to seat a whopping 472 travellers and will hope to bring the best of Manchester’s street food scene to the airport.

Manchester Airport retail director Richard Jackson said: “We are proud of the world-class facilities on offer in Terminal 2, and a key part of our vision for the finished terminal is to provide an unrivalled experience for passengers shopping and dining before they catch their flight.

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“We’re delighted to be bringing such a varied offering to the second phase of our brand-new Terminal 2, with local brands complemented by well-known high street names and options to suit every budget.”

Bosses recently announced a huge change for Brits jetting off from the major airport.

‘Queues moving well’ in Dublin Airport following major power outage that saw huge delays for holidaymakers

The airport, currently being revamped, has confirmed that 11 airlines will move terminals his fall.

The airlines, including Jet2.com, will move from Terminal 1 and 3 to the brand new Terminal 2 between October and November.

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More airlines are expected to follow the move next year.

Several airlines have begun operating from the revamped Terminal 2 – part of which opened in 2021 – which is being doubled in size to cater to 70 per cent of the total flyers using the airport.

Major airlines including Austrian, Lufthansa and Swiss will move to the brand-new terminal in October.

This will be followed by Egyptair, SunExpress, Biman Bangladesh and Jet2.com which will start operating in the new Terminal in November.

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Passengers who have already booked parking or launce access near Terminal 1 or 3 can contact the airport to change their bookings, Travel Weekly reports.

However, passengers who have booked parking or lounge access through third-party agents will have to contact the provider.

A huge renovation project at Manchester Airport is nearing completion, with plenty of brand-new facilities that will excite passengers.

The £1.3billion project, which was first announced back in 2015, was split into two phases.

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The early stages of the project saw Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 more than double in size before its west side reopened to passengers in July 2021.

Now in its final phase, work is focusing on the east side of Terminal 2, including a second pier with additional boarding gates.

Construction work on the pier began back in June 2023, and it is nearly complete, as reported by Marketing Stockport.

When the brand-new pier opens, it will double the aircraft capacity at Manchester Airport.

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INCREDIBLE PLANS

Airbus A380 passenger jets will also be compatible with the new boarding gates.

There are plenty of other features for passengers to get excited about when the expansion opens in 2025, including 27 new restaurants, bars and shops.

Specific shops will be announced later this year but several local brands including Manchester brewers Joseph Holt and Seven Bro7hers are slated to be inside the revamped terminal.

The revamped Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport will feature a “market-style food hall” and there will also be a “boutique shopping area”.

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There will also be a champagne bar, artisan cafes and a brasserie.

A new security hall, complete with 3D scanners, will also be added during this phase and a new dual taxiway system designed to improve airfield efficiency.

When the west side of Terminal 2 opens in 2025, it will become the main terminal at Manchester Airport, catering for more than 70 per cent of passengers.

Jill Fraser, Manchester Airport Transformation Programme delivery director, said: “The last 12 months have seen an incredible amount of work and it’s amazing to see the project really taking shape.

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“From the creation of more than 500 jobs, to the work to improve the way the airfield works – this is a huge project but one that will have so many benefits for our passengers.

“We’ve already started to see some of the benefits of the programme, with our passengers who have used Terminal 2 giving amazing feedback and the award of the prestigious Prix Versailles.

“And the exciting thing is that we’ve not even finished yet – so we’re looking forward to an epic 18 months ahead. We’re proud to connect the North to the world and are looking forward to passengers seeing everything we deliver.”

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Strictly Come Dancing celebrity issues five-word response after becoming first eliminated star

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Strictly Come Dancing celebrity issues five-word response after becoming first eliminated star


Olympic swimmer Tom Dean was the first celebrity to be voted off of Strictly Come Dancing after finding himself in the bottom two alongside Toyah Wilcox on Sunday night.

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FT Crossword: Number 17,855

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FT Crossword: Number 17,855

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