Latest News

End this farce

THE “non-crime hate incident” is a ­modern invention both sinister and yet monstrously absurd. It must be scrapped.

This mad concept flourished under the Tories, to their shame. But Labour politicians, ideologically committed to shaping and now policing the public’s behaviour, have doubled-down.

Alamy

The NCHI allows anyone to trigger a police probe into any interaction they feel was motivated by hostility towards someone’s race, religion, disability or sexual preference. No evidence is needed.

It is nothing but a charter for snowflakes and vexatious troublemakers.

Among the jaw-dropping examples on Pages 4 and 5: A bloke who thought an barber cut his hair roughly. A German offended by the word “Rottweiler”. A man mysteriously branded a “Leonard”.

All contacted police, like thousands of other “non-crime” claimants, revelling in their victimhood, seeking “justice”.

Police, supposedly too stretched now to attend your burglary or nick shoplifters, obsessively log each one. And Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is still keen on this drivel, even as real crime rises.

Meanwhile her Tory shadow Chris Philp says: “Police should only investigate or record actual criminal allegations, or incidents with a real and imminent risk of criminality subsequently occurring.” Which sounds right.

The Met at least will surely have to give up on it. A monstrous budget cut is forcing London’s force to lose 2,000 cops and limit police station opening times.

It cannot justify a single non-crime probe now. Can it?

Clown court

THE farcical arrest warrant for Israel’s PM heaps disgrace and global ridicule on the International Criminal Court.

Its claim that Benjamin Netanyahu is starving Gaza is ludicrous when Hamas gunmen routinely hijack supplies.

Let’s not forget — unlike the ICC — that Israel is at war. A war against terrorists who hide beneath their own citizens, ­relishing their deaths as valuable PR.

Hamas is to blame for every casualty. It ignited this conflict by massacring 1,200 Jews and still holds almost 100 hostage.

 Israel, the Middle-East’s sole democracy, is defending itself. Why should it live any longer within missile range of maniacs bent on Jews’ annihilation?

The ICC is a kangaroo court Israel, the US and others refuse to recognise.

Far from respecting it, as Keir Starmer foolishly does, Britain should denounce it.

Wads for hods

Alamy

We applaud its £140million of fresh funding for 5,300 apprenticeships[/caption]

TO build its 370,000 homes a year, Labour will need to train a new army of brickies.

So we applaud its £140million of fresh funding for 5,300 apprenticeships.

That’s a big win for the Builder Better Britain campaign we launched last year to get more youngsters into construction.

Let’s hope there’s mortar come.

Republicans are suddenly more optimistic about the housing market after Donald Trump‘s presidential election win, while Democrats grow less so, according to a new survey commissioned by Realtor.com®.

He's really blubbering.

Kyiv’s former military commander in chief delivered a chilling warning

Father-of-three Ryan Borgwardt vanished during a kayaking trip in August, leaving his forlorn family fearing the worst after he never came home from Green Lake, about an hour-and-a-half north of Madison.

Will the Reagan family be returning to our TV screens with a new season of Blue Bloods in the new year? Fans are wondering what will happen to the police procedural drama. Is Blue Bloods Coming Back for Season 15? It was announced that Blue Bloods would not be retuning for season 15. Season 14,...

Minjee Lee and Grace Kim are the leading Australians, four shots off the pace after the first round of the LPGA's season-ending Tour Championship in Florida.

RUSSELL MARTIN has told under-fire refs’ chief Howard Webb: You need to be more honest to make VAR a success.

Southampton became the latest Premier League club to criticise PGMOL, in the wake of the David Coote scandal, following two controversial decisions in the 2-0 loss at Wolves this month.

PA

PGMOL chiefs have yet to conclude their investigation into David Coote[/caption]

Former top-flight whistler Mark Halsey called for an independent investigation into the referees’ body with the state of top-flight officiating at “an all-time low”.

The panel that reviews PGMOL decisions claimed VAR made only TWO mistakes this season, before Webb later admitted awarding West Ham a penalty against Manchester United last month was also wrong.

But Saints boss Martin, who held a meeting with Webb during the international break, said: “If we’re going to improve VAR and make it better, we need to have real honesty and accountability.”

Martin was left frustrated after a Ryan Manning goal against Wolves was ruled out before Matheus Cunha put the hosts two up with an effort that he felt should have been chalked off.

He added: “I still have an issue with our goal and a foul on the second goal. I also have an issue with them coming out and saying it was a correct decision ultimately.

“For it to come out as a correct decision in the match review is frustrating to me.”

Saints join fellow promoted sides Ipswich and Leicester as well as Wolves themselves in fuming over controversial decisions given against them this season.

Martin said: “We’ve been told a few times on decisions we’ve been on the wrong end of that it has to be a clear and obvious error.

Getty

Russell Martin believes only more ‘honesty and accountability’ can improve VAR[/caption]

“Ryan’s goal is open to interpretation. It’s the wrong decision because it’s not a clear and obvious error.  We are going to disagree on that forever.

“For the second goal, they should take longer on analysing the foul from Craig Dawson because it’s a foul.

“I don’t want to be moaning about decisions all the time.

“I’d love to go back to human error and balance out over the season.

“But if you still make a mistake after that process  it becomes even more frustrating.”

PGMOL chiefs confirmed yesterday that they have yet to conclude their investigation into suspended Coote.

The shamed 42-year-old made derogatory comments in an X-rated video rant at ex-Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.

A PGMOL statement read: “We’re following an internal process and taking the allegations into David’s conduct very seriously as part of our ongoing  thorough investigation.

“Whilst David remains suspended, his welfare continues to be important to us and he is aware of the support network available to him.”

The FA have launched their own probe into Coote, while Uefa also suspended and are investigating the Nottinghamshire ref after footage emerged of him appearing to sniff white powder in a hotel at Euro 2024.

Getty

Steve Cooper gave an unusual reason for not speaking out[/caption]

Rex

Thomas Frank reckons it’s unfair that refs face ‘crazy’ pressure[/caption]

Leicester boss Steve Cooper joked his dad — former top referee Keith — would show him the red card if he gave his opinion on Coote’s suspension.

Asked if the revelations about Coote would knock managers’ confidence in referees, Cooper replied: “I can’t go into that.”

He then joked: “I’m more worried about what my dad would say to me if I answered that!”

Martin added: “Referee are humans. They all make mistakes the same way we do. My trust probably eroded a bit more after the decision at Wolves than it did in watching a human make a mistake on a camera.

“Let’s have a bit of compassion and understanding. I’m sure he’s feeling very upset and embarrassed about it.

“What they do outside of their  football career as a referee really has no impact in how much I trust them.”

Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “We need to think about the pressure on the referees.

“No player or manager gets as much abuse on the pitch as a ref does – that’s crazy.

“It’s like the mental bin where we get all our anger out and then go, ‘Ah, we feel good.’ It shouldn’t be like that.”

I’M A Celebrity viewers were all left saying the same thing after Maura Higgins made her highly anticipated entrance into the jungle.

The Love Island superstar finally put rumours of her appearance on the hit ITV show to rest tonight as she emerged on screens at the end of the episode.

The Irish beauty and TV personality Reverend Richard Coles were announced as this year’s late arrivals at the end of the show, leaving viewers in a frenzy.

Maura, 32, who catapulted to fame after appearing on the fifth series of Love Island, joined the rest of the cast in Australia.

However, as is expected in the jungle, nothing is straight forward as Maura and Richard were segregated into their own “basic” camp.

It was revealed to the pair via a telephone call with Ant and Dec, that they would have to convince the other camp they were slumming it in the scrap yard.

After their call, all the luxuries of Maura and Richard’s camp became available, with fruit, baths, and even a sofa available in their luxurious secret camp.

Fans of the Irish star all flocked to social media to share their reactions to her late arrival.

Jasmine said: “Queen of the jungle just entered the camp.”

Caitlin remarked: “These two are so funny I’m here for it.”

Gillian wrote: “I know it is early days but I am loving Maura.”

Another fan added: “MAURA!!! The queen has arrived!”

Before entering the jungle in a short clip aired on the show, the Longford native was seen preparing herself to head into the jungle.

In a blurry outline, the star applied her makeup in a hotel mirror and fixed her red trousers.

She then picked up the iconic camp hat and came into focus on screens.

Maura immediately expressed her concerns for being a late arrival into the already bonding camp.

‘ABSOLUTELY PETRIFIED’

She said: “I am absolutely petrified of the eating challenge and the one with the glass around your head, with spiders in it.”

The funny lady joked: “I don’t want to eat testicles on TV.”

Maura added: “Even talking about them, I start to sweat. I am not a nervous person, but this will be hard.”

“I am ready to step outside my comfort zone. I hope I do make myself proud, and I am both excited but also very nervous because I am scared of absolutely everything.””

The presenter also admitted she wanted to come out of the series as a “braver Maura”.

A CYCLIST in his 50s has died following a collision with a lorry in Belfast.

Gary McMahon, 58, from Belfast died after the incident in the Clifton Street area in the north of the city on Thursday.

PSNI

Gary McMahon died in the Clifton Street area on Thursday[/caption]

Inspector Cherith Adair, of the PSNI, said: “Shortly before 7:50am, it was reported that a lorry and a cyclist were involved in a collision.

“Gary, who was the cyclist, sadly passed away at the scene as a result of his injuries.”

In a statement later, Ms Adair said Clifton Street had reopened.

“Our inquiries into the collision are ongoing. I would appeal to anyone with any information, or who may have dash-cam footage available to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 178 21/11/24,” she added.

A charity based in Northern Ireland that offers support services to those impacted by the death of road traffic collision victims paid tribute.

On its Facebook page Life After said: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of Cyclist Gary McMahon after he was involved in an RTC today in Belfast.

“Could everyone please keep the McMahon family in your thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with this traumatic event.

“We at Life After offer our deepest sympathies to the family.”

Meanwhile, a young man died in a horror single-vehicle crash in Leitrim this morning.

The single-vehicle collision happened in Derryherk, Co Leitrim shortly before 7am.

PRONOUNCED DEAD

Gardai and emergency services raced to the scene on a local road between Kinlough and Garrison after the alarm was raised.

One of the occupants of the vehicle, a male in his 20s, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

His body was brought from the crash scene to the morgue at Sligo University Hospital.

Another occupant, a female in her 40s, was transferred to Sligo University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

SCENE CLOSED

The scene has been closed to allow for a technical examination to be carried out by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.

The road remains closed at this time and local diversions are in place.

Cops say investigations into the accident are ongoing.

A spokesperson said: “Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal road traffic collision in Derryherk, Co. Leitrim this morning, Thursday 21st November 2024.

GARDA APPEAL

“The single-vehicle collision occurred on a local road between Kinlough and Garrison shortly before 7:00am.

“One of the occupants of the vehicle, a male in his 20s, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body has since been removed to the morgue at Sligo University Hospital.

“The other occupant, a female in her 40s, was transferred to Sligo University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.”

The spokespersons add: “A technical examination of the scene has been conducted by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.

“The road remains closed at this time and local diversions are in place.

“Investigations are ongoing.”