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Police end criminal probe into teen’s disappearance

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Police end criminal probe into teen's disappearance
Ewan Gawne

BBC News, Manchester

GMP A picture of Alex Batty, age 11, wearing a white-collared polo shirt, smiling for a photograph in a living room. GMP

Alex Batty vanished in 2017 after being taken on holiday by family

Police have called off a criminal investigation into the disappearance of British teenager Alex Batty, who returned to the UK in 2024 after going missing for six years.

The boy from Oldham vanished in 2017 aged 11 after going on holiday with his mother and grandfather, before he was found in France in 2023.

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A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said a probe into child abduction had been dropped as his family did not support it and there was “no realistic chance of prosecution”.

Det Supt Matt Walker said: “The right thing to do is bring closure to this chapter of Alex and his family’s lives, particularly as this is the outcome they wished for.”

Alex was discovered in the foothills of the Pyrenees in south-western France close to the city of Toulouse on 13 December 2023, after he was last seen in the port of Malaga six years earlier.

The teenager said he, his mother and grandfather, Melanie and David Batty, who were not his legal guardians, had lived a “nomadic lifestyle”, after staying in communes and caravans in the area.

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Alex returned to live with his grandmother in Oldham shortly after he was discovered.

A map of Spain and France showing the know movements of Alex Batty, which marks he was found over the French border in Revel on 13 December, close to Toulouse. Other marks show he want on holiday to Marbella in September 2017, and was last seen in the nearby port of Malaga in October 2017.

Alex went on holiday with his family in September 2017 and was last seen a month later

‘Safe and reintegrated’

But the probe has now been dropped by police, who found after consulting with lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service and National Crime Agency that there was no realistic chance of prosecution.

Det Supt Walker said the force felt it important to “properly and thoroughly” investigate the disappearance and had “explored all possible lines of enquiry”.

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He said Alex’s safety had been “at the forefront” of the investigation.

“Alex is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority.”

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Environmental bodies to be stripped of powers to delay building | Politics News

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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner during a visit to a construction site in Cambridge, as the government announces major planning reforms to get Britain building. Pic: PA

Environmental bodies will be stripped of their powers to delay major infrastructure projects in a bid to “get Britain building” again.

In changes aimed at speeding up 150 road, rail and energy schemes, regulators will no longer be able to demand that developers mitigate environmental harm before construction can begin.

Instead they will be asked to contribute to a new Nature Restoration Fund, which will pool the money to fund larger strategic interventions to protect habitats and wildlife, rather than on a site-by-site basis.

Politics Live: Badenoch brands Starmer’s school reforms an ‘act of vandalism’

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The new law is also aimed at unblocking housebuilding in areas affected by controversial nutrient neutrality rules.

The water pollution restrictions have been blamed on preventing tens of thousands of new homes being built, with critics arguing houses have a minimal impact on nutrient levels in rivers compared with water companies and agriculture.

Former housing secretary Michael Gove sought to scrap the EU-derived rules in 2023, but this was prevented by a Labour-led rebellion in the House of Lords.

However, it is understood Labour ministers are not worried about a repeat of this scenario because they believe the impact will be offset by the Nature Restoration Fund, which could be used to clean up rivers.

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A source close to the plans said the government consulted with nature groups to find “a practical solution that works as a win-win” for the environment and building.

Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside link, stopped short of criticising the announcement but called on Labour to honour its manifesto commitment to “restore the natural world”.

He told Sky News: “Under no circumstances should the government’s proposals open the door to unsustainable developments in return for vague promises of future gains.

“But done well, there’s a real opportunity here to improve the way developers fulfil environmental rules while multiplying investment and protection for nature recovery.”

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What are Labour’s housing plans?

The government is under pressure as it seeks to deliver on its manifesto pledge for 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament, and 150 decisions on infrastructure projects, to help achieve its mission of economic growth.

Pro-building campaigners have expressed concern over the feasibility of the plans, given problems with the UK’s clogged-up planning system.

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At present, infrastructure projects have to secure mitigation for environmental harm to protected sites and species before being granted permission to build, adding costs and delays to the process.

£100m for HS2 bat shed

The issue was highlighted by the recent news that the beleaguered HS2 project had to spend £100m on at bat shed on a section of the line.

Undated handout artist's impression image issued by HS2 of the Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure which will run for around one kilometre (0.6 miles) alongside the wood, creating a barrier allowing bats to cross above the high-speed HS2 railway without being affected by passing trains. Issue date: Thursday November 7, 2024.
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Artist’s impression of the HS2 bat protection structure

Sir John Thompson, the company’s chairman, said there was “no evidence that high-speed trains interfere with bats” and the cover was being built to appease the Whitehall advisory body, Natural England.

He called it a “genuine problem” with completing major infrastructure projects in the UK, with HS2 required to obtain over 8,000 planning consents from public bodies after legislation was passed to approve the project by central government in 2017.

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Thames crossing delayed after planning it cost more than world’s longest road tunnel
Property developers could bypass planning committees in bid to ‘overhaul’ process

Reforms to speed up projects

Undated handout artist's impression image issued by HS2 of the Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure which will run for around one kilometre (0.6 miles) alongside the wood, creating a barrier allowing bats to cross above the high-speed HS2 railway without being affected by passing trains. Issue date: Thursday November 7, 2024.
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The HS2 bat protection structure has cost £100m

Ministers said the reforms announced on Wednesday will help to speed up 150 projects, including new wind farms, railways and roads, gigafactories and data centres across the country.

The current rules mean developers are required to identify and meet environmental obligations on a project-by-project basis, which misses opportunities to find strategic solutions, the government said.

The new approach removes the need for individual site-level assessments and mitigation, with development able to proceed after a single payment to the Nature Restoration Fund in most cases.

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The fund is expected to be managed by Natural England, which will look at overall actions needed to protect sites and species in the country. This could include using the money to reduce water pollution or securing nesting habitats to increase the population of a certain species, for example.

It is hoped the fund will help developers to meet their environmental obligations faster and at greater scale by pooling contributions for larger interventions.

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The changes will be included in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is expected to be introduced early this year.

Campaign group Britain Remade welcomed the announcement, saying that for “far too long” environmental agencies “have been able to hold up and delay the growth boosting infrastructure projects our economy desperately needs”.

Chief executive Sam Richards said: “From bat tunnels to fish discos these measures add huge delays to projects, cost hundreds of millions of pounds and do little to protect or enhance nature.”

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Nature and development have been unnecessarily pitted against each other for too long. This has blocked economic growth but done nothing for nature’s recovery.

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“These reforms will unblock infrastructure projects while protecting the natural environment we all depend on.”

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Southport attack: Labour MP blasts ‘damning failures’ of social services to stop Axel Rudakubana

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Labour MP James Frith has issued a scathing critique of Britain’s social services, describing their failure to prevent the Southport attack as a “damning” indictment of the system.

Speaking during PMQs Live on GB News, Frith highlighted what he called “a failure of a joined up social services system that has repeatedly been warned and failed to act”.


The attack, carried out by Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer, resulted in the deaths of three young girls.

Frith emphasised that while individual judgments should be measured, the systemic failures were clear.

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James Frith, Axel Rudakubana

James Frith has hit out at social services failings in the case of Axel Rudakubana

GB News / CPS

“Whether it’s an under-investment or a lack of scrutiny and oversight, a number of the social services have systemically failed to pick up this issue, and the worst has happened for these three girls and their families,” he said.

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The Labour MP stressed that while knife access was a crucial issue, the broader failures of social services demanded urgent attention.

“It’s not complicit in the act, but is certainly unintentionally given permission for such acts to happen,” Frith added in what he termed a “damning statement on our social services”.

The Southport attacker had purchased the murder weapon from Amazon without significant barriers, when he was 17-years-old.

u200bAxel RudakubanaAxel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to all 16 charges he faced in court on Monday CPS

Frith warned that the Southport attack highlighted broader concerns about evolving terrorism risks in Britain.

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“There’s a changing face of the risks of terrorism in this country, and the online hate, the radicalisation that is also being accessed by some of these loners and monsters,” he said during the GB News discussion.

The Labour MP called for a comprehensive review of existing protective measures.

He acknowledged the complexity of predicting such attacks, stating: “We shouldn’t cast too much judgment, given that you can never know for sure as somebody that is reported will go on and do such an appalling act.”

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However, Frith insisted that both knife access restrictions and social service reforms needed urgent attention.

James Frith

Frith told GB News there is a ‘changing face of the risks of terrorism in this country’

GB News

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In response to the attack, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced stricter measures for online knife purchases, requiring two forms of identification.

The new requirements will mandate that buyers provide documents such as a passport or driving licence, along with a live video verification of their age.

Amazon has responded to the incident by launching an urgent investigation, stating they take their responsibility around age-restricted items “extremely seriously.”

The online retailer confirmed they use ID verification services to check personal details and require age verification upon delivery.

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Traumatised Uber driver who survived gun blast warns it is not safe to drive in London

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Traumatised Uber driver who survived gun blast warns it is not safe to drive in London

An Uber driver who was left traumatised after a gun blast to his front window missed him by centimetres has warned of the dangers of driving in London and called for more support for cabbies on the capital’s roads.

Safdar Khan was making a drop off in Hendon, north west London when his passenger was ambushed by a gang with two gun shoots fired at his front and passenger side window.

Cornered in a dead end, Mr Khan managed to duck and speed off into the night despite glass shattering directly into his eyes in the surprise attack.

Safdar Khan has been an Uber driver since 2018

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Safdar Khan has been an Uber driver since 2018 (Supplied)

The 49-year-old told The Independent: “These guys were hiding in wait and popped out. It felt wrong my passenger told me to step on it. I had to try and turn on my car while they were getting closer.

“It was so scary. All of a sudden it was ‘bang, bang’ they were just five feet away.

“It could only have been from a shotgun. There were lots of pellets sprayed. The glass shattered all over me.”

Shattered glass was sent all over the driver

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Shattered glass was sent all over the driver (Safdar Khan)

Mr Khan’s customer, claiming to be from Birmingham, who had been talking to a friend through the window before the attack “stayed calm” and urged him not to call police.

When Mr Khan insisted the customer apologised for the shooting in the early hours of 13 November and thanked him for getting them away without being killed.

The Uber driver, who also moonlights as a security guard, called for more support from Uber who turned down his insurance claim for speaking therapy after a doctor diagnosed him with anxiety and depression following the attack.

His family have barred him from taking rides to outer London

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His family have barred him from taking rides to outer London (Getty)

He was back driving for the £115billion dollar company in just days.

The driver, who has worked for Uber since 2018, paid £300 out of his own pocket to fix the windscreen.

Safdar Khan warned it is not safe to drive Ubers in London

Safdar Khan warned it is not safe to drive Ubers in London (Supplied)

He added: “It is not safe to drive in London. My kids don’t go to sleep knowing that I’m out there working in the night- but I have to. I was completely shaken afterwards.

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“I only got one call from Uber to say they are sorry and a specialist team would be in contact. They rang me and said they were sorry for whatever happened and all they said they would make sure in future this customer couldn’t pair up with me – but I can do that myself!”

Safdar Khan had a piece of broken glass cut his eye

Safdar Khan had a piece of broken glass cut his eye (Supplied)

He said his wife has given him no-go zones in London after the shooting forcing him to stay in central London but he is now struggling to make ends meet.

“We never know how many people are going to get in or what they look like”, he added.

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“If they try to do some harm the only thing we can do is jump out and run away.

“If you are in the city or outside they can do whatever they want. You have to go out to make money so I have no choice. I have no confidence the areas are safe.”

After being contacted by The Independent an Uber spokesperson said they had been in touch with the driver and offered him a gesture of goodwill.

The spokesperson said:“Everyone at Uber was deeply shocked and concerned by this appalling incident. The safety of drivers is a top priority and we are continuing to investigate the matter, as are the police.

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“We are in ongoing communication with Mr Khan via our Urgent Safety Response Team, and Uber has agreed to provide financial support to assist his recovery and wellbeing.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed the shooting in Stratford Road car park on Wednesday, 13 November.

He said: “Two men, aged 18 and 20, alleged they were shot at by two suspects while speaking to another man in a parked vehicle. The suspects then fled the scene.

“Officers attended and provided care to the driver of the vehicle, a 49-year-old man, who was taken to hospital a short time later.

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“His injuries were assessed as neither life-changing nor life-threatening.

“The vehicle was also damaged.

“The two men aged 18 and 20 were not injured.

“No arrests have been made at this stage of the investigation. Enquiries are ongoing.”

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Police ‘must investigate’ far-right group PA exposed by BBC

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Police 'must investigate' far-right group PA exposed by BBC

Dame Sara Khan believes the UK government should make groups like Patriotic Alternative illegal

Warning: This story contains strong and offensive language.

Pressure is growing on police to investigate a far-right group exposed in an undercover BBC investigation.

Leading political and legal figures have said the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have a “duty” to look at evidence gathered by the BBC Wales Investigates team into Patriotic Alternative (PA).

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An undercover reporter spent a year investigating PA and its members in Wales who were filmed saying the group should mimic political tactics used by the Nazis and migrants should be shot.

Now a former government adviser on terrorism law, an ex-police and crime commissioner and a leading politician are all urging police action.

Former North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick K.C, said it was “essential” police and the CPS follow up on the report.

“They have a duty to look at the evidence,” he said

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“Some individuals say they are going to get arms and guns. That’s going to incite others to do the same and through inciting they themselves are committing a crime.”

PA leader Mark Collett said they were not extremist, do not promote violence and peacefully campaign for the rights of what he calls “indigenous British people”.

The group, considered to be the UK’s largest far-right group with about 500 members and thousands of followers online, says it exists to “raise awareness” of immigration and promote “family values”.

Lord Carlile, who acted as the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation from 2001 to 2011, said the undercover report was “extremely concerning”.

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“It seems that organisation should be the subject of a police enquiry and possibly a charging decision by the director of public prosecutions,” he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“If the BBC reports are correct, there is at least the beginnings of evidence of incitement to commit crime, including violent crime against immigrants, and that is not acceptable in our society.”

PA has regional branches around the UK and encourage members – including former teachers and nurses – to hold protests, highlight immigration issues, film their activities and share clips online.

The BBC Wales Investigates reporter infiltrated the group in Wales, posing as a new recruit and filming its activities.

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One PA member said he believed a race war was inevitable and the organisation should use a similar tactic to the Nazi party to gain power.

Former counter-extremism commissioner Dame Sara Khan believes the UK government should urgently change the law to ban such groups.

People hold up plaquards on a bridge, one says 'stop the invasion'

Patriotic Alternative lead protests but members also discussed arming themselves

Lord Carlile, who also served as MP for Montgomeryshire for 14 years until 1997, added: “People are entitled to form political parties and express strong views.

“But they are not allowed to incite crime and the reports suggest Patriotic Alternative may have crossed the line.”

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Sioned Williams, who sits on the Senedd’s equality and social justice committee, backed calls to ban the group.

“The law needs to be looked at to designate extreme right-wing groups like these as terrorist groups,” she said.

“They represent a threat to society and to a number of people from specific groups within our society.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.

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Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman’s death in Luton | UK News

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The incident happened at an address on Turners Road North, Luton. Pic: Google

A 25-year-old man has been arrested after a woman died in Luton on Monday.

Bedfordshire Police said the man from Luton was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

He currently remains in police custody where he is being questioned by officers.

Detectives from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire major crime units are continuing to investigate.

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In a statement, Bedfordshire Police said a 46-year-old woman was injured at a property in Turners Road North at around 11.45am. She was taken to hospital, where she later died.

A second woman in her 20s suffered serious injuries, which police say are not life-threatening.

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Kim Leadbeater accused of ‘stitching-up’ Assisted Dying Bill committee over selection of expert witnesses in secret

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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has been accused of “stitching-up” a House of Commons committee after attempting to select an expert witnesses in secret.

Leadbeater’s last-minute amendment was supported by committee members yesterday, meaning much of the session took place in private as it met for the first time.


The Spen Valley MP tabled the motion on Monday night to ensure that the committee sits in private.

Tory MP Danny Kruger, who opposes the bill, argued that there was “clear public interest” in decisions being made openly.

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Kim LeadbeaterLabour MP Kim Leadbeater has claimed that most Britons want to allow assisted dying.PA

He said: “And if there are concerns about the witnesses, they should be aired publicly.”

Kruger added: “Of the getting on for 60 names that have been put to us, 38 of them are in favour of this Bill and in favour of the principle of assisted dying.”

However, Leadbeater argued that it would be “inappropriate to discuss named individuals” and their suitability as witnesses, and that, while transparency is important, “so is respecting individuals’ privacy”.

Tory MPs piled pressure on Leadbetter over the lack of transparency.

Protesters gather to support assisted dyingProtesters gather to support assisted dyingPA

Former Home Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘This is not reassuring me that getting good legislation is the priority for the proponents of the Bill.

“I’ve seen this before. People become so focused on getting the win, they lose sight of the importance of getting a balance of views.”

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Romford MP Andrew Rosindell added: “I believed Kim Leadbetter when she assured us that sunlight would win the day and there was to be full public scrutiny of the Bill. I now know that wasn’t true.”

Leadbeater’s bill would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live legally allowed to end their lives.

Campaigners near Parliament Square against the proposed bill to legalise assisted dying,Campaigners near Parliament Square against the proposed bill to legalise assisted dying,GETTY

Two doctors and a High Court judge must approve the request before.

The controversial session held yesterday sets out dates over the course of the next few months.

The committee will hear oral evidence from medical and legal professionals and line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill will begin in February.

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MPs backed the second reading of Leadbeater’s proposal by 330 to 275 in November.

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Man who died after falling down London Waterloo escalator ‘may have been pushed’ as police hunt for witnesses

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Man who died after falling down London Waterloo escalator ‘may have been pushed’ as police hunt for witnesses

Police are looking for witnesses after a man who died after falling down an escalator at Waterloo Station may have been pushed.

Ian Airlie, 48, was found dead at his home in Greenwich on Thursday, 10 October. He fell down the escalator at the tube station’s Jubilee Line at 17.05pm on Sunday, 15 September.

After Mr Airlie’s death his family told the Metropolitan Police he was reportedly been pushed. It is understood that Mr Airlie spoke to a number of people after the fall.

The force are now appealing for any witnesses or people who spoke to Mr Airlie to come forward.

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Mr Airlie is believed to have spoken to security at the station after his fall and told them he had fallen into a woman described as of South Asian appearance, who also stumbled on the escalator.

He also spoke to a woman on the bus from North Greenwich underground station, who handed him a tissue as he was bleeding from above his left eye.

At the time, Mr Airlie was wearing a black t-shirt and light grey jogging bottoms. He wore a turquoise and grey Mountain Warehouse rucksack on his back and carried a medium, black suitcase.

A post-morning examination on Tuesday, 29 October was inconclusive and police await the result of further tests.

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Detective Inspector Chris Rogers said: “Mr Airlie’s death is tragic, and his family continue to mourn the loss of a loving son, partner, brother and uncle.

“We are determined to piece together the events, and give Mr Airlie’s family the answers they are searching for. You can assist us by coming forward with any information. However small it may seem to you, this could be the key we need to unlock the investigation.”

The force asked that anyone with further information contact them via 101, or anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111, quoting 01/942310/24.

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Cat makes three flights in 24 hours after being left on plane

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Cat makes three flights in 24 hours after being left on plane

A cat has made three flights between New Zealand and Australia in just 24 hours after being forgotten on a plane.

Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine Coon, was booked to travel from Christchurch to Melbourne on 12 January – but her cage was left in the Air New Zealand aircraft’s cargo hold.

After waiting for three hours for Mittens at Melbourne airport, owner Margo Neas was told by ground staff the plane had already returned to New Zealand with her pet.

During that flight the heating was turned on to keep the cat comfortable, Ms Neas said. The pet – who had lost weight but was otherwise unharmed – was later flown again to Melbourne to reunite with her owner.

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Speaking to NBC on Wednesday, Ms Neas said she and her son had been informed about the mishap by airport ground staff in Melbourne.

“They said: ‘Look, we have located your cat – but it’s actually on the return flight to Christchurch…’

“And I said: ‘When did you discover that the cat wasn’t taken off the plane?’ And they said: ‘We’ve only just discovered now.’ And I said: ‘How can this happen?’”

Ms Neas said she was told that the pilot had already been alerted to turn the heating on in the cargo hall where the temperature could be as low as 7C.

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The incident is still being investigated, but reports say a stowed wheelchair may have obscured a baggage handler’s view of Mittens’s cage.

Air New Zealand has apologised for the distress caused, promising to reimburse all travel costs.

The company does not accept direct animal bookings from the public for international flights, so passengers must book via approved pet carrier firms.

Ms Neas said she had been relieved to be finally reunited with Mitten.

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“She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time,” she was quoted as saying by the AP news agency on Wednesday. “It was just such a relief.”

Ms Neas, who had earlier decided to relocate to Australia, added: “It was not a great start to our new life in Melbourne because we didn’t have the family, we weren’t complete.”

The one-way flight time between Christchurch and Melbourne usually takes less than four hours.

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Rachel Reeves risks economic ‘doom loop’ if spending cuts continue, ex-Bank of England chief economist warns | Politics News

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Andy Haldane was chief economist at the Bank of England until 2021

Rachel Reeves risks entering an economic “doom loop” if she continues to cut spending, a former Bank of England chief economist has warned.

Andy Haldane, who was with the Bank for 32 years until 2021, said the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast in March could lead to less investment and spending.

He told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge: “It would be deeply counterproductive to both growth and to the fiscal position if that led to a cutting back on investment and indeed in spending more generally.

“Then I think you really are into a doomed loop between debt and growth. And that’s a situation to avoid at all costs.”

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The OBR will publish an economic and fiscal forecast on 26 March, five months after its last forecast, which said the October budget was unlikely to increase economic growth over the next five years.

Mr Haldane, who became well-known for his speeches during COVID, said his concern depends on how much government spending is cut by the chancellor this spring.

“For me, I think some of the gloom and doom about both the economy and in bond markets is slightly overdone,” he added.

“I think once we get to the second half of the year, the underlying fiscal picture may look somewhat better as might be the underlying growth picture.

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“So anything precipitating now, I think, is best avoided.”

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves poses with the red budget box outside her office on Downing Street in London, Britain October 30, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska
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The OBR gave a dismal outlook when Rachel Reeves announced her autumn budget. Pic: Reuters

The economist, who is now chief executive of the Royal Society for Arts think tank, added the chancellor should not panic because of market reaction to the budget deficit by cutting spending further.

“Definitely not panic,” he said.

“I think the journey we’ve been on, when the government first came in, if anything expectations were a bit too high.

“And I think we saw those expectations punctured pretty quickly.”

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He said he could see pessimism within business and financial markets based on the October budget “being walked back in the remainder of the year as some of the announcements the government has made start to come on stream and be felt, including the fiscal measures in the budget”.

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Those fiscal measures are providing “a big boost to growth” this year, exemplified by the International Monetary Fund last week forecasting the UK performing relatively well on the European stage, he said.

Rachel Reeves poses with the red budget box outside her office on Downing Street.
Pic: Reuters
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The October budget saw taxes rise to the tune of £40bn. Pic: Reuters

Mr Haldane added he thought “there were mistakes in execution” of the autumn budget in October, “but even larger mistakes in the communication around that budget”.

He said: “Personally, I would not have loaded so much onto business at the budget but more importantly still, I would have found a way of communicating that budget in terms that could help businesses see that if not now, then tomorrow, this was a pro-business budget and that wasn’t done and that led to the further breakdown in business confidence.”

In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Haldane also said he thinks Donald Trump “taking an axe to regulation” and thinking “very differently” about how government functions means there is “a chance of real growth and supply side upside from which we will all learn better”.

You can watch the full interview at 7pm on Wednesday on Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge on Sky News.

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John Healey issues warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian spy vessel spotted in British waters

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Defence Secretary John Healey has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after a Russian spy ship was detected operating near UK waters.

“We see you, we know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,” Healey told MPs.


Healey revealed the Russians have been using the ship for “gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure”.

In November, the Yantar was detected “loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure”, prompting a decisive response from British forces.

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Jonathan Healey

John Healey spoke to MPs in the House of Commons earlier today

Parliament

“I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to the Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move,” the Defence Secretary said.

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The submarine is believed to have been one of Britain’s Astute-class nuclear-powered attack boats.

Following the encounter, the Russian vessel departed UK waters and sailed towards the Mediterranean.

The Yantar has now returned to the North Sea, having entered the UK exclusive economic zone approximately 45 miles off the British coast on Monday.

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Royal Navy vessels HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne have been deployed to monitor the Russian ship’s movements.

The warships have been tracking the vessel’s every move through British waters for the past two days.

“The foreign ship Yantar is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters,” Healey told MPs.

So far, the Defence Secretary noted that the Russian vessel has been complying with international rules of navigation.

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Yantar

So far, the Defence Secretary noted that the Russian vessel has been complying with international rules of navigation

PA

In response to the Yantar’s return, Healey has implemented new rules of engagement for Royal Navy vessels.

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The Defence Secretary confirmed he had amended the protocols to allow British warships to better understand the movement of the Russian vessel.

“I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar,” Healey told MPs.

He emphasised the vessel’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, saying: “Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.”

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