Norway’s $2 Trillion Fund Turns Up Heat on Polluters Amid U.S. Climate Pushback
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund the world’s largest, valued at over $2 trillion has unveiled a tougher climate strategy aimed at forcing its 8,500 portfolio companies to align with net-zero emissions by 2050. Built on revenues from oil and gas exports, the fund has long positioned itself as a paradoxical but powerful force in global sustainability, arguing that climate change poses a material financial risk to investors. Its latest move builds on its 2022 net-zero pledge but now widens its focus beyond direct (Scope 1 and 2) emissions to include Scope 3 emissions, those produced throughout companies’ supply chains often the biggest and hardest to cut.
Key Issues
The fund’s updated plan arrives amid a global divergence in climate policy. While much of Europe accelerates green investment and corporate accountability, the Trump administration in the U.S. is rolling back environmental standards, expanding fossil fuel production, and formally withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The contrast is striking: the Norwegian fund has around half of its value $1 trillion invested in the U.S., meaning its climate demands now directly challenge the regulatory direction of its largest market.
By targeting high-emitting firms for “board-level climate engagement,” the fund aims to push corporate leaders to accelerate transition plans, disclose credible pathways, and account for full life-cycle emissions.
Why It Matters
Norway’s initiative underscores how financial pressure is becoming a frontline climate tool as policy action falters elsewhere. With trillions in assets and stakes in nearly every major listed company, the fund wields unparalleled influence a “shareholder superpower” capable of shaping global corporate norms. Its expanded scrutiny of Scope 3 emissions could set a new benchmark for investors, forcing multinationals especially in energy, manufacturing, and transport to reassess their carbon strategies.
However, the timing also reveals a deepening transatlantic rift on climate governance: while Europe doubles down on decarbonization, Washington’s pivot toward fossil fuels risks isolating U.S. firms from the evolving standards of global capital markets.
- Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), The operator of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, spearheading the climate strategy and engaging directly with company boards. Its decisions ripple across global markets.
- Portfolio Companies (≈8,500), From energy giants to tech firms, these are the fund’s primary targets. Those with high Scope 3 emissions such as oil majors, automotive firms, and manufacturers will face intensified scrutiny and board-level engagement.
- U.S. Corporations & Regulators, With half the fund’s investments in U.S. assets, American firms and the Trump administration’s deregulatory stance form the main obstacle to the fund’s climate agenda.
- European Union & ESG Investors, EU regulators and climate-focused investors stand as Norway’s allies in enforcing global sustainability norms, reinforcing the idea that green standards are both moral and market-driven.
- Global Climate Advocacy Groups, NGOs and environmental watchdogs view the fund as a critical lever for corporate accountability, often pushing it to go beyond “dialogue” toward divestment or sanctions for non-compliant firms.
What’s Next
The coming phase will test whether Norway’s financial clout can translate ambition into action. The fund is expected to:
- Publish a revised focus list of high-emitting companies for targeted board-level dialogue.
- Expand climate disclosures across its portfolio, demanding clearer transition roadmaps and transparent emissions data.
- Monitor Scope 3 implementation, a notoriously difficult area, as it involves supply-chain accountability beyond direct corporate control.
- Potentially escalate engagement measures from public naming to partial divestment if firms fail to comply.
Meanwhile, resistance may build from U.S. policymakers and fossil-heavy corporations, framing Norway’s ESG push as interference in domestic markets. Yet, as global capital increasingly rewards sustainability, the momentum may shift in Norway’s favor forcing even reluctant players to adapt or risk financial marginalization.
With information from Reuters.
Myleene Klass looks stunning in very daring low cut top at star-studded event
MYLEENE Klass stunned in a daring low cut top as she stepped out for a star-studded event.
The TV personality, 47, cut a glamorous figure in the all-black ensemble as she attended Global’s Audio & Entertainment Upfronts party on Tuesday evening in London.
The Calm Classics radio host was joined by a flurry of her Global colleagues, including Sian Welby, Jordan North, Emily Maitlis and Chris Stark for the starry event.
Myleene showed a hint of cleavage in the braless number, which she simply paired with black heels and a gold-detailed watch.
Her honey blonde wavy locks were styled with a simple middle parting as she beamed a smile for cameras.
It comes as the star put her stalker hell behind her after a crazed fan sent her an “accumulation” of concerning items.
Read more on Myleene Klass
Peter Windsor, 61, was convicted of stalking Myleene and her Classic FM colleague Katie Breathwick after bombarding them with creepy letters and gifts.
The 61-year-old allegedly sent Myleene items with “sexual overtones” – including a Catwoman outfit and set of handcuffs.
He also called her a “naughty vixen” and sent a police uniform to the Classic FM studio, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Giving evidence, Myleene said she was informed in an email in August last year that an “accumulation” of items had been sent to her.
She became upset when she was asked about being told how Royal Mail had “intercepted” an air pistol addressed to her.
She said “it just felt extreme on every front” after she was shown a list of items and photographs of letters Windsor allegedly sent.
The ITV star added: “It was very clear very quickly that it was a highly volatile selection of items.
“It was a huge shock, especially the extent to which it had escalated.
“It was pretty overwhelming when you have the accumulation of a bundle of this information. It’s pretty terrifying.”
It also emerged that Windsor was arrested but not prosecuted after sending a letter in October 2020 to Ms Sturgeon when she was Scottish First Minister.
Following his conviction earlier this month, Myleene said: “After a horrific year, my family and I finally have peace.”
Posting to her 500,000 fans on social media, she added: “Thank you for your love and support.”
‘I visited popular Spanish holiday spot and it was smelly and awful’
A woman recently visited a popular Spanish holiday spot but was left gutted by the experience. According to her, it was “smelly and awful”, and left her rather disappointed
There’s nothing like the feeling of having a break away, and exploring somewhere new, but one woman was recently left disappointed after her Spanish getaway, even though people have previously claimed to have found “hidden gems” near the area. The woman recently documented her experience in a candid TikTok video after visiting the popular holiday spot.
According to her, people advised her to visit the area, but she was left underwhelmed. The vlogger, known as girl_in_barcelona, ventured to Alicante, in Spain, to explore somewhere different and new, but she said it was nothing other than “smelly” and “awful”, and she didn’t understand what all the fuss was about.
Even though she thought the port was nice, and admitted there are some “cute” plazas, she said it was a “disappointment.” Though she confessed the coast around Alicante is “beautiful”,” she just couldn’t get over what the city looked like.
Since she shared the video, it’s been viewed thousands of times, and hundreds of people have commented. They were quick to share their thoughts on the matter.
One agreed, writing: “Hated Alicante. Never again. Waste of money.” Another replied: “I live here and, yes, Alicante is worse each year.”
A third made a joke, adding: “It’s awful there. The whole coast from Barcelona down and around Magaluf is awful. Best stay at home and let us who live here just suffer. We’ll be brave though and not complain.”
Meanwhile, a fourth was quick to praise the city, saying: “Alicante is so beautiful. Any city has horrible parts.” Someone else also chimed in with: “Alicante is beautiful. Every city has ugly places.”
If you’ve never been to Alicante before, it’s a very popular tourist destination. It draws in millions of visitors annually due to its beaches, historical sites like Santa Barbara Castle and vibrant nightlife.
As well as this, it’s a major gateway to the Costa Blanca region and is also popular with international property buyers. Even though the video implies the city is a little run-down, not everyone thinks this is the case.
While some areas may show signs of underdevelopment or older architecture, its city centre, especially the Old Town, is normally vibrant and visually appealing. Here you’ll find well-maintained promenades and tourist areas.
The city offers both historic charm and modern amenities, though opinions vary on its overall vibrancy. This was made clear in comments posted underneath the video following the content creator’s trip in September.
Based on the comments, it’s clear everyone has different views when it comes to visiting the holiday spot. When someone told the woman she must have worked “hard” to create such a negative video, she replied: “Not at all. I would have made a video to show how beautiful it was, if it was the case.”
She also noted that everyone has different opnions, and this was reflected in the comments too. One person said: “You’re joking, I loved it there. You can find badness anywhere.”
Someone else also chimed in with: “Why are people so upset about this video? Some people like it, some others not, and that’s it. We can’t all like the same things.”
Luka Doncic scores 43 but Lakers fall to Warriors in season opener
The Lakers were not whole for their season opener and that meant Luka Doncic had a heavier load to carry while LeBron James sat on the bench injured in this game against rivals Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
So, the question while James recovers from sciatica injury on his right side, is who will fill his void and help Doncic navigate the stretch his running mate is out.
The Lakers didn’t get that complete answer Tuesday night, falling 119-109 to the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena despite Doncic’s impressive performance of a near triple-double with 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
James is entering an NBA-record 23rd season, but it was the first time over his career that he has missed a season opener.
He sat on the end of the Lakers’ bench dressed in a double-breasted suit, cheering his teammates on, offering words of encouragement when necessary, knowing that was the only way he could help until returns to the court in mid-November.
“It’s hard to forget about LeBron, (but) the reality is, when you’re focused on the group that you have, you’ve got to make the group work,” said coach JJ Redick afterward. “Sometimes you can just be like, ‘Oh my God, we’re gonna get LeBron back at some point.’ Like it’s awesome, but you are focused. I’ll be honest with you, I did have one moment in that first half when we had a few possessions when we couldn’t score against the zone and I thought, ‘It’d be great to have LeBron.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves gets past Warriors guard Gary Payton II for a layup during the second half Friday night.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
When the Lakers went inside to center Deandre Ayton, he didn’t overpower the small Warriors. Ayton got seven touches, scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.
But he had four turnovers. One of the other issues was his teammates trying to get the ball inside to Ayton. The lobs just weren’t working, a big reason why the Lakers had 19 turnovers.
“Yeah, today, I was realizing I’m probably a confusing big (center), whether I can roll and stand in the pocket, probably gets a little difficult for them sometimes,” Ayton said. “I’m so used to the league having that low man on me. Sometimes I can’t even finish a roll, and I tiny bit linger around the free-throw area just to be available for him.”’
Austin Reaves showed he was up to the task with James out, producing 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
But he had a team-high five turnovers and picked up five fouls by the third quarter.
“We haven’t had a lot of time together as a complete group,” Reaves said. “Obviously, we’re still not complete, but we’re just gonna continue to build, get better, and learn how to play alongside one another. I mean, I had five turnovers tonight, and I don’t think a couple of them are just dumb. But a couple of them were just miscommunications on where I needed to throw a pass to DA (Deandre Ayton). It wasn’t the wrong read. It was the wrong pass at the right time, basically. So it’s just like learning those little things, and you learn those on the fly.”
The Warriors, meanwhile, had four players score in double-figures and that was a big difference in the game. Jimmy Butler led the Warriors with 31 points, Stephen Curry had 23 and Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield each had 17.
The Lakers fell into a hole in the third quarter, going down by 17 points, putting them in catch-up mode.
They were outscored 35-25 in the third. They allowed the Warriors to make 60% of their shots, 50% (five-for-10) of their three-pointers.
Even with the Lakers cutting that deficit to six points in the fourth, their poor play in the third doomed them again.
“The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team to start,” Redick said. “That was last year. That was the preseason. Gotta rethink some things and it’s, you know, a two-way thing with the guys. What do they need at halftime to make sure they’re ready to play? They’re not ready to play to start the third quarter.”
Etc.
The Lakers picked up the rookie option on Dalton Knecht for $4.2 million for the 2026-27 season, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. … The Lakers said that forward/center Maxi Kleber has an oblique strain and will be reevaluated in two to three weeks.
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles ahead of APEC summit

North Korea fired a flurry of ballistic missiles eastward on Wednesday morning, Seoul’s military said, a week before South Korea hosts the APEC summit. File photo by Jeon Heon-kyun/EPA
SEOUL, Oct. 22 (UPI) — North Korea fired a flurry of short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, Seoul’s military said, a week ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s scheduled visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
“Our military detected several projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Junghwa area of North Hwanghae Province in a northeasterly direction around 8:10 a.m. today,” Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to reporters.
The missiles flew approximately 217 miles, the JCS said, and may have landed inland rather than in the East Sea.
“Under a robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, the military is closely monitoring North Korea’s various movements and maintaining the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocation,” the JCS said.
Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said at a press conference that the missiles did not reach Japan’s territorial waters or exclusive economic zone. She added that Tokyo was coordinating closely with Washington and Seoul, including sharing real-time missile warning information.
The launch was North Korea’s fifth of the year, and the first since South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took office in June. Lee has made efforts to rehabilitate relations between the two Koreas, with conciliatory gestures such as removing propaganda loudspeakers from border areas.
The missile test comes ahead of South Korea’s hosting of the APEC summit in Gyeongju on Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Trump is expected to visit Gyeongju before the official summit for bilateral meetings with leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korea’s Lee.
Analysts had speculated that the North may conduct a provocation ahead of the event as Pyongyang continues its push to be recognized as a nuclear-armed state.
The regime unveiled its latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-20, at a massive military parade earlier this month. The ICBM, which North Korean state media called the regime’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon,” is a solid-fuel missile believed capable of reaching the continental United States.
North Korea last fired a flurry of short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on May 8, in what South Korean officials characterized as a potential weapons test before export to Russia. Pyongyang has supplied missiles, artillery and soldiers to Russia for its war against Ukraine and is believed to be receiving much-needed financial support and advanced military technology in return.
Bus collision on highway near Uganda’s capital Kampala kills 63 people | News
Two buses travelling in opposite directions on the Kampala-Gulu Highway collided head-on while overtaking.
Published On 22 Oct 2025
At least 63 people have been killed in a major road accident involving multiple vehicles on the highway between Uganda’s capital Kampala and the northern city of Gulu, police have said.
The collision took place just after midnight [21:00 GMT on Tuesday] and was caused by two buses coming from opposite directions trying to overtake a truck and a car.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“In the process, both buses met head-on during the overtaking manoeuvres,” the Uganda Police Force said in a statement on X. “Sixty-three people lost lives, all occupants from involved vehicles.”
The police added that “as investigations continue, we strongly urge all motorists to exercise maximum caution on the roads, especially avoiding dangerous and careless overtaking, which remains one of the leading causes of crashes in the country”.
Those travelling in the truck and the car were injured and taken to Kiryandongo Hospital and other nearby medical facilities, the statement said. It did not give further details on the number injured or the extent of their wounds.
The Kampala-Gulu Highway is one of Uganda’s busiest as it connects the capital with the biggest town in northern Uganda.
‘Love is Blind’ Season 9 finale ends with dramatic first for the show
This article contains spoilers for the Season 9 finale of “Love Is Blind.”
Netflix’s hit dating series “Love is Blind” is actually an experiment, its creator, Chris Coelen, says. The show tests whether couples can build a lasting relationship based on a core emotional bond that is not tethered to physical attraction or appearances.
In Season 9, for the first time in the show’s history, the experiment failed to create lasting bonds. No couples from this season said “I do” at the altar in the finale, which began streaming Wednesday.
Six couples left the pods engaged, but the decoupling began almost immediately, with Kacie McIntosh breaking things off with Patrick Suzuki. They were followed by Annie Lancaster and Nick Amato, and finally Madison Maidenberg and Joe Ferrucci, whose breakups were documented in Episodes 10 and 11. The remaining couples going into the final episode, where the weddings would take place, were Ali Lima and Anton Yarosh; Kalybriah Haskin and Edmond Harvey; and Megan Walerius and Jordan Keltner.
Megan and Jordan didn’t make it to the altar — Megan broke things off just before the wedding because she felt their lifestyles would not mesh well long term. That partly had to do with their jobs. Jordan works long hours in transportation and logistics, while Megan is a wealthy entrepreneur with a flexible working schedule. Jordan is also a single father to a young son, who has Type 1 diabetes. Over the course of the season, the pair often discussed the demands of parenting.
Anton said “I do,” but Ali said “I can’t be your wife” at the altar. She said she felt like the man she had fallen in love with in the pods was not the person she’d been experiencing in real life before she ran off in tears. Anton said in an interview later that he had “done nothing but care for her,” and that the rejection “f— sucks.”
Kalybriah also said no at the altar after her fiancé said yes. Kalybriah said Edmond “deserve[s] someone that is 100% at the altar” and that she wasn’t there. Edmond had a tempered reaction to the rejection, and Kalybriah thanked him for being graceful before the two walked off hand in hand. Kalybriah left the door open for a possible reconciliation down the road.
Season 9 was full of messy breakups and controversial comments from the participants. Patrick went into the experiment with insecurities about his Asian American identity, and his short-lived fiancée, Kacie, broke up with him on the heels of their first meeting. Annie and Nick, who split before the wedding preparations were in full swing, received backlash over a conversation they had about raising LGBTQ+ children, and they have both since walked back those comments in recent interviews. And an argument between Kalybriah and Edmond about her decision to wait until the wedding to have sex with him was the subject of intense scrutiny on social media.
Before Season 9, each season ended with at least one couple getting married. While some later split, many still remain married and several have started families. Days before Season 9’s finale was released, Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed-Hamilton from Season 1 announced Monday that they welcomed their first child together.
The Season 9 reunion, which will address unanswered questions about the many breakups, will be available to stream on Netflix on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET.
Manchester City defender Kerstin Casparij: ‘Being gay didn’t feel normal, until I became a footballer’
The 25-year-old, who has 48 caps for the Netherlands, has found love in Manchester – settling down with her partner Ruth, who she met on a dating app.
Now an openly gay woman, Casparij says the community is “close to her heart”.
“It was hard at times growing up until I got into women’s football. It was normal and openly spoken about [at Heerenveen],” she said.
“I learned a lot about myself. I didn’t have that when I was young, I had so many doubts and questions.
“I was lying awake at night thinking ‘is this weird or am I weird?’ Being able to be that role model now with my partner, for so many young girls, is so important.”
The right-back has a platform to promote inclusivity in women’s football and has taken full advantage.
She wears rainbow laces on her football boots, rainbow armbands, regularly posts messages of LGBTQ+ support on social media and in April, dedicated her goal against Everton to the transgender community.
“Why I find it really important to spread the word and stand with people is because in modern society if it’s often not against you, you won’t say anything,” said Casparij.
“It’s important that we stand up for people that need it so they feel supported. For example, the trans community. They are good people and I care about them.
“I want to show that I stand with them. I’m hoping to inspire people to do the same. I think we need more togetherness generally and a sense of community.”
She has supported numerous campaigns – most recently becoming a patron for the LGBTQ Foundation, helping to fund helplines against domestic abuse and transphobia.
“I think queer women are having a tough time at the moment and I want to help them have safe spaces,” said Casparij.
“In domestic violence, for example, queer women are often overlooked. I want to make sure they have a place to heal and someone to talk to.
“I want to be a woman that helps women.”
She is also passionate about setting an example to young, gay women – the type of representation she wished she had as a child.
“It’s nice to be able to make other people take away doubt. It’s about helping them to understand why they are feeling how they are feeling,” she added.
“I always love being surrounded by queer people. Feeling included and supported is important. All I want to do is spread love.”
State of emergency declared in Peru’s capital Lima amid protests | News
The state of emergency lifts constitutional rights, including the right to protest, amid popular unrest over the rise in extortion and killings.
Peru’s Interim President Jose Jeri has declared a state of emergency in the capital, Lima, to stem a wave of protests that contributed to the recent downfall of his predecessor.
In a televised message on Tuesday, Jeri said the emergency in the city would last 30 days.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“Wars are won with actions, not words,” the president said, adding that he is planning a new approach to fighting crime that he described as going “from defence to offence”.
Under the state of emergency, the government can send the army to patrol the streets and restrict freedom of assembly and other rights.
Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez, reporting from Lima, said the announcement comes after six days of uncertainty over whether the interim government would push ahead.
In the decree formally declaring the emergency, the government did not mention how it intended to gather critically needed intelligence to curb extortion cases, which are estimated at 18,000 this year, up 30 percent from last year, Sanchez said.
The rise in extortions has also led to an increase in killings in recent years. Between January and September, police authorities reported 1,690 homicides, compared with 1,502 during the same period of 2024.
“The state of emergency will lift constitutional rights and people will not be able to protest,” Sanchez said.
Dina Boluarte was removed as president by Peru’s Congress on October 10 after an impeachment during which lawmakers said she had been unable to tackle the crime wave. Jeri, the parliament speaker, replaced her immediately and will serve as interim president until July next year.
Peru has been roiled by weeks of antigovernment protests over corruption and organised crime led by Gen-Z activists.
On Thursday, protests to demand Jeri’s resignation turned violent. One person was killed and about 100 were injured, including police officers and some journalists.
Jeri has said he will not resign.
Earlier, Boluarte had declared a 30-day state of emergency in March following the murder of a famous musician, but the move did little to reduce crime.
Paul Flores, a well-known cumbia singer, was killed when assailants attacked the bus he was travelling on in an apparent attempt to extort the operator.
Video: Peru declares 30-day state of emergency in Lima amid rising crime | Government
Peru’s interim president Jose Jeri has declared a 30-day state of emergency in the capital Lima and nearby Callao, saying the decision was to tackle surging crime. Anti-government protests last week left one person dead and over 100 injured.
Published On 22 Oct 2025
Hollyoaks Peri Lomax star’s life away from Channel 4 soap as shock death confirmed
Hollyoaks actress Ruby O’Donnell has been at the centre of some of the Channel 4 soap’s most dramatic storylines as fan favourite Peri Lomax over the past 12 years
Hollyoaks actress Ruby O’Donnell has tackled some of the Channel 4 soap’s most intense plotlines over the past 12 years.
Her character Peri Lomax has found herself at the centre of the drama but her time in the village has come to an end.
During Tuesday’s (October 21) episode, Peri got crushed by ship chimney which fell on her after an explosion went off and she attempted to save Tom Cunningham (Ellis Hollins).
Pushing fiancé Tom out of the way, Peri was struck by the chimney and fell to the ground.
The nurse was conscious for a while chatting with Tom about their daughter Steph Cunningham-Lomax (Isabella Hibbert) and but she sadly passed away wen her mum Leela Lomax (Kirsty Leigh-Porter) finally arrived in extremely emotional scenes.
Ruby previously revealed that certain scenes she’s filmed over the years were “hard to tackle” given she was “still quite young” when she first joined the show in 2013.
The actress confessed she “wanted to find out how teenagers actually react in these situations” and her commitment was worthwhile as she secured Best Young Actor at the 2016 British Soap Awards and has subsequently received numerous award nominations.
Ruby loves to share her escapades on Instagram and regularly posts pictures from her social events with friends.
She can be seen having a boogie with her mates, sometimes in fancy dress, while basking in the sun in a back garden or on holiday.
The soap star is also a regular festival attendee and keeps her fans updated with her on-set and behind-the-scenes action.
Ruby is currently dating Hollyoaks co-star Nathaniel Dass, who made his debut as Dillon Ray in 2023,
Their characters might not cross paths on screen often but off-screen their romance is blossoming since going Instagram official in 2024.
The actress marked their first anniversary on Instagram by sharing a series of loved-up snaps.
She delighted fans by posting a quartet of adorable pictures, alongside the caption: “1 year with u” capped off with a pink heart pierced by a blue arrow.
Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am
High school girls volleyball: Southern Section playoff results
Oct. 21, 2025 10:33 PM PT
SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round
DIVISION 2
Rancho Christian d. Rosary, 3-2
San Marcos d. Murrieta Valley, 3-0
Long Beach Poly d. Yorba Linda, 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, 26-24
Corona Centennial d. Beaumont, 3-0
San Clemente d. Louisville, 25-16, 25-13, 25-17
Redlands d. Etiwanda, 25-21, 25-16, 25-7
Chaminade d. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 25-14, 25-14, 25-23
Santa Margarita d. Los Osos, 3-0
Thousand Oaks d. She Hill, 3-0
JSerra d. Windward, 3-0
Murrieta Mesa d. El Segundo, 25-12, 25-23, 25-13
Bishop Montgomery d. Xavier Prep, 25-8, 25-10, 25-12
West Ranch d. Tesoro, 3-0
Eastvale Roosevelt d. Bishop Amat, 3-0
Orange Lutheran d. Sunny Hills, 3-0
Marina d. Cerritos Valley Christian, 3-1
DIVISION 3
Corona del Mar d. Mayfield, 25-20, 25-14, 20-25 20-25, 15-12
DIVISION 4
Marlborough, bye
Diamond Bar d. Heritage Christian, 19-25, 25-17, 19-25, 26-24, 15-8
Portola d. Western Christian, 3-0
La Canada d. San Dimas, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18
Dana Hills d. Arcadia, 25-10, 25-17, 25-17
Quartz Hill d.Fullerton, 3-0
Crossroads d. Southlands Christian, 3-0
Corona Santiago d. Peninsula, 3-1
San Jacinto d. Palm Desert, 3-0
Linfield Christian d. Hesperia Christian, 25-11, 25-22. 25-8
Oak Park d. Sultana, 19-25, 25-16, 25-25-21, 25-23
Ridgecrest Burroughs d. Northview, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18
Ventura d. Rancho Cucamonga, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18
Yucaipa d. Santa Rosa Academy, 3-2
Cerritos d. West Torrance, 3-2
Paloma Valley d. La Serna, 3-1
DIVISION 6
Oakwood d. Desert Christian Academy, 3-0
Garden Grove Pacifica d. Western, 3-0
Norwalk d. Trinity Classical Academy, 3-1
Pasadena Marshall d. Charter Oak, 3-2
Arrowhead Christian d. Gabrielino, 3-1
South Hills d. Coachella Valley, 3-1
St. Paul d. Rialto, 3-1
Cantwell-Sacred Heart d. Academy of Academic Excellence, 25-23, 25-20, 25-15
Wiseburn Da Vinci d. Oxnard, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21
Bishop Diego d. Indio, 19-25, 25-22, 25-11, 25-10
Lakewood d. Woodcrest Christian, 3-2
Burbank Providence d. Rim of the World, 25-8, 25-14, 17-25, 25-20
Norte Vista d. Ocean View, 3-1
Capistrano Valley Christian d. Webb, 25-8, 25-16, 25-11
Valley View d. Segerstrom, 3-2
Barstow d. Oxford Academy, 3-2
DIVISION 8
Foothill Tech d. University Prep, 25-18, 25-11, 22-25, 25-14
Rancho Alamitos d. Holy Martyrs, 3-2
Wildwood d. Santa Maria Valley Christian, 25-16, 25-21, 25-17
Malibu d. Firebaugh, 3-1
Arroyo Valley d. St. Pius-St. Matthias Academy, 3-0
Victor Valley d. Big Bear, 3-0
Whittier d. Rancho Verde, 3-0
Schurr d. Eastside, 3-0
Paramount d. Pilibos, 3-0
Canoga Park AGBU d. Downey Calvary Chapel, 3-2
Loma Linda Academy d. Garden Grove, 3-1
Katella d. St. Monica Academy, 3-1
Lighthouse Christian d. St. Mary’s Academy, 3-2
Vistamar d. Patriot, 3-1
de Toledo d. Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 3-2
Artesia d. Ramona Convent, 3-0
DIVISION 10
River Springs Magnolia d. Noli Indian, 3-0
Colton d. Packinghouse Christian, 25-21, 27-25, 27-25
Edgewood d. Newbury Park Academy, 3-1
Thacher d. Lucerne Valley, 3-0
Anaheim d. Joshua Springs, 3-0
Hueneme d. New Covenant, 3-0
Rosemead d. Compton Early College, 3-0
Indian Springs d. Santa Barbara Providence, 25-23, 25-21, 13-25, 25-7
San Luis Obispo Classical d. Desert Chapel, 25-15, 25-15, 25-18
Desert Hot Springs d. Gorman, 3-0
Lakeside d. Waverly, 3-0
Mesa Grande d. San Bernardino, 3-0
Bassett d. Animo Leadership, 3-1
Moreno Valley d. Mesrobian, 3-0
Pacific Lutheran d. Highland Hall, 25-16, 25-16, 25-14
Glendale Adventist d. Oak Grove, 3-0
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(All matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)
First Round
DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon, bye
Oaks Christian at Temecula Valley
Newport Harbor at Mira Costa
Marymount, bye
Mater Dei, bye
Crean Lutheran at Harvard- Westlake
Los Alamitos at San Juan Hills
Redondo Union, bye
DIVISION 3
Lakewood St. Joseph at South Torrance
Crescenta Valley at Glendora
Agoura at North Torrance
Newbury Park at Flintridge Prep
Claremont at Burbank Burroughs
Campbell Hall at South Pasadena
Aliso Niguel at Foothill
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Saugus
Santa Monica at Pasadena Poly
Hesperia at St. Margaret’s
La Salle at El Dorado
Trabuco Hills at Long Beach Wilson
Riverside Poly at Cypress
Village Christian at Hemet
Summit at Millikan
DIVISION 5
Granite Hills at Downey
Warren at Ontario Christian
Villa Park at Culver City
San Marino at Camarillo
Canyon Country Canyon at Gahr
Highland at Orange County Pacifica Christian
Paraclete at Santa Barbara
Grand Terrace at Sacred Heart LA
Lancaster Desert Christian at Alta Loma
Jurupa Valley at Placentia Valencia
St. Bonaventure at Valencia
Irvine University at Royal
Whitney at San Gabriel
Palm Springs at El Toro
Chadwick at La Palma Kennedy
Buckley at Corona
DIVISION 7
Pomona Catholic at Ontario
Santa Clarita Christian at Elsinore
Beverly Hills at San Jacinto Leadership Academy
Century at Esperanza
San Jacinto Valley at Faith Baptist
Calvary Baptist at West Valley
Rowland at Eisenhower
Bell Gardens at Wildomar Cornerstone Christian
Laguna Blanca at Cate
San Gabriel Academy at Santa Fe
Tustin at Temecula Prep
Chino at Coastal Christian
San Gorgonio at Pasadena
Geffen Academy at Lancaster
Azusa at CAMS
DIVISION 9
Cathedral City at Beacon Hill
Redlands Adventist at Westminster La Quinta
Tarbut V’ Torah at Crossroads Christian
Avalon at Los Amigos
Santa Ana Valley at Anza Hamilton
Ganesha at United Christian Academy
California School for the Deaf Riverside at Lawndale
Acaciawood Academy at Nogales
Cobalt at Nordhoff
Santa Paula at Estancia
Legacy Prep at Fairmont Prep
Montclair at Buena Park
Cal Lutheran at Riverside North
Miller at Victor Valley Christian
Sierra Vista at South El Monte
Ambassador Christian at Loara
Note: Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 second round Oct. 23; Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9 second round Oct. 25; Division 1 quarterfinals Oct. 28; Divisions 2-10 quarterfinals Oct. 29; semifinals Nov. 1; finals Nov. 8.
Driver arrested after vehicle rams White House gate

Oct. 22 (UPI) — Authorities in Washington, D.C., have arrested a driver accused of ramming a barricade protecting the White House.
Little information about the incident has been made public.
The U.S. Secret Service said in a brief statement that incident occurred at 10:37 p.m. EDT.
The suspect is accused of ramming the Secret Service vehicle gate located at 17th St. and E Streets NW.
“The individual was arrested & the vehicle was assessed and deemed safe,” the Secret Service said on X. “Our investigation into the cause of this collision is ongoing.”
This is not the first time a vehicle has been driven into a White House barrier.
On the night of May 4, 2024, a driver died after his vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed, collided with an outer barricade of the White House complex. The driver was identified as 57-year-old James Chester Lewis Jr.
In May 2023, then 19-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula drove a U-Haul truck into the White House as part of what prosecutors said was an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government and replace it with a Nazi dictatorship.
In January, Kandula was sentenced to eight years in prison.
This is a developing story.
Video: Trump says he doesn’t want ‘wasted meeting’ with Putin | Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump has explained a decision to postpone plans for a meeting in Hungary with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine war, telling reporters he doesn’t want a ‘wasted meeting’.
Published On 22 Oct 2025
Nelly accused of ‘taking writer credit on songs NOT written by him’ on hit Country Grammar album in $10 million lawsuit
RAPPER Nelly was accused of taking writer credit on song he didn’t write on his hit albums Country Grammar and Nellyville in a massive $10 million lawsuit.
The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal that the Hot In Herre artist was sued in federal court in May after a lawsuit was initially lobbed at him in a local Missouri court in 2024.
Production company D2 filed an amended complaint against Nelly, 50, in August.
The suit read “D2 is a production company started in a local community skating rink by twin brothers Darren Stith and David Stith.
“D2 was known for developing producers and talents and giving them an opportunity to further their art and careers.”
The brothers claimed: “They were directly responsible for finding, nurturing, and bringing to the public the music of Nelly and the group known as the ‘St. Lunatics.’”
Read More Nelly and Ashanti
St. Lunatics was made up of Nelly, Ali Jones, Torri Harper, Robert Kyjuan Cleveland and Lavell Webb, aka City Spud.
In the suit, D2 alleged that they had a contract with both Nelly and the St. Lunatics, separately, but that they released the Ride Wit Me rapper from his contract with them in June of 2000, with a $75,000 payment.
D2 claimed that Nelly, in a secret agreement, claimed a writer credit on songs that weren’t written by him, and were actually written with the St. Lunatics, which made it so the artists were able to avoid paying D2 royalties on those songs.
“The Songs, which were included on the Country Grammar and Nellyville albums, sold over twenty million copies.
“D2 was never paid its portion of the revenues that were legally due to D2 under Lunatic Agreements with Harper, Cleveland, and Jones (and then the Publishing Agreement), but went to Nelly instead under the Secret Arrangement,” the suit went on to allege.
Nelly and the St. Lunatics are being sued by D2 for more than $10,000,000 for breach of contract, fraud, conspiracy and breach of good faith and fair dealing.
D2 is also suing Nelly specifically for tortious interference, which essentially means the rapper putrposely interfered with D2’s business.
The suit said the Air Force One’s rapper “intentionally induced, and caused an interruption of D2’s contractual relationship with, and its business expectancy with, Harper, Cleveland, and Jones, by proposing, negotiating, entering into, and implementing the Secret Arrangement.
“Nelly knew or should have known that his actions would interfere with the Lunatic Agreements and cause D2 to lose revenue it was entitled to receive from the Songs pursuant to the Lunatic Agreements, and later, through the Publishing Agreement,” the suit claimed.
In September, Nelly, along with Cleveland and Harper, attempted to get the suit dismissed.
The case is ongoing.
Earlier this week, Nelly’s wife, Ashanti, was seen sporting a bathing suit on a trip to Barbados just after her 45th birthday on October 13.
Nelly was not seen during the outing, though their child, Kareem Kenkaide ‘KK’ Haynes, was with her for the trip.
She and Nelly welcomed their son in July of last year.
ON SCREEN
Recently, Nelly and Ashanti landed their own reality series after splitting up and later reuniting.
The pair dated on and off for 10 years after first getting together in 2003, but thought their 2013 breakup was final.
However, they surprised fans by getting back together a decade later.
Wasting no time, Nelly and Ashanti tied the knot just three months after making their reunion public.
The trailer for Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together was released ahead of the show’s premiere in June.
Fans quickly took to the comments on the first-look, with one saying, “This is the show I never knew I needed.”
Another wrote: “We’re all rooting for you, Nelly and Ashanti!”
A third added: “So here for these two being happy and in love.”
The show’s debut came just hours after The Sun exclusively revealed the truth behind rumors that Nelly had cheated on Ashanti.
Life at Wrexham by the unsung hero who has seen it all
Over more than two decades, Geraint Parry has witnessed first-hand Wrexham’s rise from financial crisis to global name
Source link
Pakistan speeds up expulsion of Afghan refugees amid tensions with Taliban | Refugees
Islamabad, Pakistan – Allah Meer’s parents were among the millions of Afghans who fled their country after the then-Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979.
His family settled in a refugee village in Kohat in northwestern Pakistan. That’s where Meer, now 45, was born. Meer says that more than 200 members of his extended family made the journey from Afghanistan to Pakistan, which has been their home ever since.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Over the past two years, as Pakistan has moved to send back hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, the family has feared for its future, but managed to evade Islamabad’s dragnet.
Last week, the threat of expulsion hit home: Pakistan announced it would close all 54 Afghan refugee villages across the country as part of the campaign it began in 2023 to push out what it calls “illegal foreigners”. These include the villages in Kohat, where Meer and his family live.
“In my life, I visited Afghanistan only once, for two weeks in 2013. Apart from that, none of my family have ever gone back,” Meer told Al Jazeera. “How can I uproot everything when we were born here, lived here, married here, and buried our loved ones here?”
Amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, which returned to governing Afghanistan in 2021, families like Meer’s are caught in a vortex of uncertainty.
Fighting erupted between Afghan and Pakistani forces along the border earlier in October, pushing already strained relations into open hostility. On Sunday, officials from both sides met in Qatar’s capital, Doha, and signed a ceasefire agreement, with the next round of talks scheduled in Istanbul on October 25.
Yet, tensions remain high. And families like Meer’s fear that they could become diplomatic pawns in a border war between the neighbours.
From welcome to expulsion
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. As civil war gripped Afghanistan and the Taliban first rose to power in 1996, successive waves of Afghans fled across the border.
After the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 following the September 11 attacks on the US, the Taliban’s fall prompted thousands of Afghans to return home. But their return was short-lived.
The Taliban’s stunning comeback in August 2021 triggered yet another exodus, when another 600,000 to 800,000 Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan.
However, as relations between Kabul and Islamabad soured during the past four years, Pakistan – which was once the Taliban’s principal patron – accused Afghanistan of harbouring armed groups responsible for the cross-border attacks. The government’s stance hardened towards Afghan refugees, even those who have lived in the country for decades – like Meer.

A father of 10, Meer earned a degree in education from a university in Peshawar, and now runs a vocational training project for Afghan refugee children backed by the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR.
Since 2006, the UNHCR has issued what are known as Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to document Afghan citizens living in Pakistan. These cards have allowed them to stay in Pakistan legally, giving them some freedom of movement, although this is restricted, as well as access to some public services, including bank accounts.
But from June 30 this year, the Pakistani government has stopped renewing PoR cards and has invalidated existing ones.
“We all possess the UNHCR-issued Proof of Residence cards, but now, with this current drive, I don’t know what will happen,” Meer said.
In 2017, Pakistan also started issuing Afghan Citizenship Cards (ACC) to undocumented Afghan nationals living in the country, giving them identification credentials to provide them with a temporary legal status.
But the ACC is not a protection against deportation any more.
According to the UNHCR, more than 1.5 million Afghans left Pakistan – voluntarily or forcibly – between the start of the campaign in 2023 and mid-October, 2025.
‘Illegal in our home’
About 1.2 million PoR cardholders, 737,000 ACC holders and 115,000 asylum seekers remain in Pakistan, Qaiser Khan Afridi, the UNHCR’s spokesperson in Pakistan, told Al Jazeera.
Pakistan’s tensions with the Taliban have added new precarity to their status.
“For over 45 years, Pakistan has shown extraordinary generosity by hosting millions of Afghan refugees,” Afridi said. “But we are deeply concerned by the government’s decision to de-notify refugee villages all over Pakistan and to push for returns [to Afghanistan].”
“Many of those affected have lived here for years, and now fear for their future. We urge that any return should be voluntary, gradual, and carried out with dignity and safety.”
Meer, who has volunteered for the UNHCR over the years, said that seven refugee villages in Kohat alone house more than 100,000 people. He accused both Pakistan and Afghanistan of using the refugee issue as political leverage.
“With the latest situation, our family elders have sat together to discuss options. We thought about sending some of our young men to Afghanistan to look for houses and means to do business, but the problem is, we have no connections there at all,” he said.
With his PoR card now invalidated by the Pakistani government, he has no recognised identity card, making it hard for him to access even medical facilities when his children need treatment for any illness.
“We are, for all practical purposes, considered illegal in a country that I and my children call home,” he said.
Caught between borders
Pakistan’s plan to expel Afghan residents began in late 2023, amid a rise in rebe attacks. Since then, violence has surged, with 2025 shaping up to be the most violent year in a decade.
Pakistani authorities argue Afghan refugees pose a security risk, accusing the Taliban government of sheltering armed groups, a charge Kabul denies.
Two years ago, Pakistan’s then interior minister, Sarfraz Bugti, alleged that 14 out of 24 suicide bombings in the country in 2023 were carried out by Afghan nationals. He did not provide any evidence to back his claim, and he did not clarify if the individuals were refugees living in Pakistan, or Afghan nationals who had crossed the porous border between the two countries.
But Meer fears that Afghan refugees in Pakistan will be distrusted back in Afghanistan, too, given the climate of animosity between the neighbours.
“We will be seen as Pakistanis, as enemies there, too,” he said.
Afridi, the UNHCR spokesperson, urged Pakistan to reconsider its repatriation drive.
“UNHCR calls on the government to apply measures to exempt Afghans with international protection needs from involuntary return,” he said.
“Pakistan has a proud history of hospitality, and it’s important to continue that tradition at this critical time,” he said.
Where tourists seldom tread, part 19: three UK towns with industrial legacies | United Kingdom holidays
Academics, journalists and pundits talk at great length about the conundrum of overtourism; the ready-made solution is simply to swerve the crowds. These three towns are regional centres where you will never need to queue, but will come away culturally stimulated and historically enlightened.
Leicester
Like many people, I’ve spent a lot of my travels going to edges, extremities, ends of the road. I overlooked Leicester because it was so very central – quintessentially in-between. The Fosse Way, from Lincoln to Exeter, bisects it; Watling Street, from Dover to Wroxeter, passes nearby. The stylish, high-spec Jewry Wall museum – which reopened in July after a major redesign – shows how roads and traffic made Roman Leicester (Ratae Corieltauvorum) a wealthy, important hub: sublime mosaics; a gold ring; a bathhouse complex; a wall still standing.
A cluster of medieval and Tudor structures beside the River Soar, including stone gateways, a church and castle motte, indicates a major religious centre. I was the only visitor on a Sunday morning. Near this convenient national crossroads, Richard III was able to gather forces from across the kingdom for the Battle of Bosworth; little good it did him. Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre delineates the whys and wherefores of the blood-drenched savagery of the Wars of the Roses. The mental shift demanded of you as you segue from the vast, interlocking, bastard-rich Plantagenet family trees and riots of heraldry to the quiet science of archaeology and, finally, to the cold, austere tomb of the dead hunchback in the cathedral next door, is not insignificant. This is a city so loaded with history that every new retail and hotel development unearths new treasure or traces of past peoples, like a stratified tell in the Holy Land.
A pint in the Globe allowed some thinking time and – as the former preferred boozer of stockingers – a natural link to Victorian and Edwardian Leicester, which rippled with entrepreneurial energies. Thomas Cook, Walkers crisps, Wolsey clothing and Currys started here. Garments, hosiery and corsetry made the city more like a Lancashire town. Chimneys, mills and, most reassuringly, makers are still in evidence.
The 21st-century city is multipurpose – the centre has diversified from retail into gaming, co-working, education, dining, cocktails, cafes – and famously diverse. The Golden Mile (Belgrave Road) is a thriving, gimmick-free Asian gauntlet for clothes, jewellery, spices, fresh veg and restaurants. The likes of Bobby’s, with its Bollywood-inflected interiors, and Sharmilee won the city the Curry Capital gong in 2024. Belgrave Road was part of the Fosse Way, which is thought-provoking – ancient Rome was multicultural too.
Things to see and do: Guildhall; Abbey Park; King Power Stadium; Curve theatre; De Montfort Hall
Paisley
Someone on Reddit asks: “Why is Paisley even still a place?” Sixty comments follow. At the end of it, I know Paisley is most definitely a place. I have to admit, as an English northerner, I thought of it as somewhere imprecise – suburb, district, city borough. But even on the non-stop train (nine minutes from Glasgow Central), you know you’re crossing a proper green belt and, when you arrive, you see towers and domes above the trees. Paisley stands apart; it stands tall.
Bold buildings hint at booming textile times. The station – the fourth busiest in Scotland – is Scots baronial. The town hall is a capacious neoclassical palace, recently turned into a concert venue. The mighty Abbey, built on the site of a 12th-century Cluniac monastery, is a solemn hulk (minimally subverted by a witty “Alien” gargoyle). St Matthew’s church, designed by local architect William Daniel McLennan, is a blend of perpendicular and art nouveau – somewhat influenced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Queen’s Cross church in Glasgow, but more strident and startling.
On White Cart Water stand two monumental mills. The massive Anchor Mills is residential and sits beside a weir that resembles a wild waterfall. Mile End Mill is a business centre and has a superb chimney, coffee shop and small textile museum. The dramatic gothic hulk of the Coats building, constructed as a memorial church – and nicknamed the Baptist Cathedral of Europe – is now an event space, used for weddings, proms and as a set for TV series Outlander. Paisley has gone big on repurposing.
The famous Paisley print pattern has its origins in Persia. The teardrop-shaped motif, known as boteh in Farsi, is probably a stylised almond or cypress cone (the cypress was sacred to Zoroastrians). Paisley Museum, undergoing a major refurbishment that will create a display space as good as any in Scotland, owns 1,200 Paisley shawls, as well as looms, pattern books and printing blocks. I was allowed to see the interior on a hard-hat tour and saw a Paisley-emblazoned guitar case and a Ken doll in a Paisley top.
The Paisley pattern features in street art and in the Buddie Walk of Fame, a series of 10 plaques spread around the town centre that honour local legends, living and dead. They include TV show Porridge’s Fulton Mackay; playwright, designer and painter John Byrne – whose Slab Boys Trilogy, originally titled Paisley Patterns, is set in a carpet-making factory; Tom Conti; Paolo Nutini; Phyllis Logan; and Gerry Rafferty (whose Baker Street can be read as an angst-ridden lament from London to his home town of Paisley). Byrne’s and Rafferty’s plaques should really have been placed at Ferguslie Park, the socially marginalised district from which they hailed. As did Gordon Williams, author of the novel From Scenes Like These, a blistering, honest, funny portrayal of social deprivation, violence, sex and booze, as good as anything by Alan Sillitoe, and nominated for the first ever Booker prize in 1969. The novel was long ignored but recently rediscovered. Like Paisley.
Things to see and do: Sma’ Shot Cottages; Paisley Heritage Tours; Mural Trail
Nelson
No town is born totally ex nihilo, but Nelson in Lancashire comes close. An early description is “a peat covered and rain sodden wilderness”. An 1844 map shows a cotton factory, two chapels, the New Inn and a post office. The canal, opened in 1816, enabled the fledgling settlement to ship its wares. When the railway came in 1849, it was known as Marsden – but there was already a Marsden in Yorkshire. The train guard would shout “Nelson!” as the train came to a halt by the Lord Nelson inn. The name stuck. Locals boast, half-heartedly, that it’s the only town named after a pub.
Two thousand terrace houses sprang up around the station – built from stone, many are still there, laid out on a gridiron plan. Mid-19th-century Nelson had nine small general stores, two drapers, two druggists, one tailor and one stationer. There was a saddler’s shop and two smithies. By 1876, to these were added butchers, cabinet-makers, chemists, cloggers, drapers, glass and china dealers, grocers, greengrocers, ironmongers and tobacconists – plus corner shops, fish-and-chip shops and 21 grocery and provisions branches run by the Co-operative Society. There were more than a dozen each of pubs and churches or chapels. What towns – and townspeople – miss isn’t only what we remember from our own lifetimes.
More than 20 mills clacked and whirred with thousands of looms. By 1921, almost 18,000 Nelson residents – divided equally between men and women – worked in weaving. Nine tenths of Nelson’s buildings and population were dedicated to textiles. I’d seen the sad husk of Whitefield Mill from the canalside. All that remains of Riverside Mill is a chimney. Lomeshaye Bridge Mill and Spring Bank Mill survive as mixed-use spaces. Brierfield Mill has been converted into posh flats. A 40ft-high shuttle on the high street is meant to remind people of the weaving heyday; it’s an ineffectual monument, unable to convey anything of the power, graft, suffering or pride of the old times.
There were also minor industries in brewing, quarrying, coalmining, corn-milling, soap manufacture, brick- and pipe-making and engineering. The Victory V lozenge, originally made with ether and chlorodyne (containing chloroform, the opiate laudanum and cannabis), was a local invention. A more mass-market mouth-pleaser was developed by an Austrian confectioner employed at Fryers in the 1860s. He was asked to make a mould for jelly bears, but the resulting sweets looked like newborn infants. They were rebranded as “Unclaimed Babies”. That name didn’t stick, and so Jelly Babies were born.
Nelson is a radical left haven. Weaving unions were strong and often militant. A local newspaper called the town Little Moscow. The first world war saw the emergence of a sizeable pacifist movement, leading to schisms between conscientious objectors and those who believed in the national war aims. Britain’s first working-class female novelist, Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, addressed a crowd of 20,000 at Victoria Park (formerly Victoria Recreation Ground), calling for an end to war as part of the Women’s Peace Crusade. Her 1925 novel, This Slavery, has just been reimagined in graphic form.
The building that best embodies local radical history is Unity Wellbeing Centre on Vernon Street – known as the Independent Labour Party Socialist Institute when it opened in 1908. One foundation stone, in memory of William Morris and Edward Fay, was laid by Katharine Bruce Glasier, a prominent ILP figure, known as “the grandmother of the Labour party”. The other, in memory of Caroline Martyn and Enid Stacy, was laid by Selina Cooper, who had moved to Nelson from Cornwall with her family in 1875 following her father’s death. She started working in the mills aged 10 as a half-timer then full time from the age of 13. Cooper played a leading role in politicising and organising local female textile workers. She lived at 59 St Mary Street, which has a plaque – though not an official English Heritage one.
The streets of stone terraces are attractive and many open on to bracing views of Pendle Hill’s south-eastern face and the steep slope that plummets down from the summit – beloved of fell runners – called the Big End. Nelson also opens vistas in the mind, and pilgrims travel in both directions – to the fells and moors, and to the cobbled streets and regenerated mills.
Things to see and do: Seedhill Cricket Ground and West Indian cricketer Learie Constantine’s house; 66 bus ride to Clitheroe via Pendle Hill; Clarion House; Two Toms Trail
Chris Moss’s trips were supported by Paisley First, VisitScotland and Visit Leicester.
Expert warns young Brits not to skip this 1 crucial step when booking a holiday
More than half of all British holidaymakers have had to make a claim on their travel insurance after things went wrong before or during their trip – but not everyone is protected.
Two-thirds of young Brits are jetting off on their jollies without any travel insurance, with half of them convinced that nothing will go pear-shaped. This is despite the fact that research shows 29% of all holidaymakers have had to make a claim after things went south either before or during their trip, with the average claim totalling around a massive £4,500.
The top reasons for this include holidays being cancelled due to unexpected events like illness. Meanwhile, nearly half have had to dip into their policy because of lengthy travel delays, while 45% needed assistance following a medical emergency abroad.
However, a survey of 2,000 adults found that 58% of Gen Z and Millennial travellers have given travel insurance a miss because it’s too pricey.
Emily Barnett, travel insurance expert at Compare the Market, which commissioned the research, said: “Taking out travel insurance should be as instinctive as booking your flights, giving you protection against unforeseen circumstances, for example should you need to cancel before you depart.
“With the busy winter travel season upon us, whether it’s skiing in the Alps or a visit to the Christmas markets, it’s never been more important to make sure you have suitable cover in place before you set off.”
It also came to light that 41% have claimed for delayed or damaged luggage, while 40% needed their policy after falling victim to thieves abroad.
Others have been forced to turn to insurance after their hotel or travel firm let them down at the last minute, whilst 38% made a claim to get hold of medication whilst away.
But 16% weren’t aware their policy must meet the specific needs of their getaway – as certain trips, like winter sports holidays, require specialist coverage. This figure jumps to nearly a third amongst 18 to 24 year olds.
Regarding travel anxieties, the top concern amongst respondents is suffering a medical emergency whilst abroad (37%), followed by misplaced luggage (21%) and missing their flight (19%).
The research has sparked a powerful photo collection from Compare the Market, called ‘What Happened on Holiday’, created to emphasise how crucial it is to arrange insurance when booking your trip.
Emily Barnett added: “We’re urging Brits to protect their trips early to give themselves peace of mind, so they can focus on making memories instead of mishaps.”
TOP 10 MOST COMMON TRAVEL CLAIMS ACCORDING TO COMPARE THE MARKET:
- Trip cancellation (due to illness, injury, bereavement etc. )
- Travel delays (beyond a set time)
- Emergency medical treatment
- Emergency expenses
- Travel interruptions
- Delayed or damaged baggage
- Missed flights or connections
- Theft of items
- Hotel / travel company cancellation
- Prescriptions and medication
Gaza health crisis will last for ‘generations’, WHO chief warns
Sean Seddon,
Wahiba Ahmed and
Anna Foster
Gaza is experiencing a health “catastrophe” that will last for “generations to come”, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that a massive increase in aid is needed to begin to address the complex needs of the Strip’s population.
Israel has allowed more medical supplies and other aid to cross into Gaza since a ceasefire with Hamas came into effect on 10 October, but Dr Tedros said levels are below those needed to rebuild the territory’s healthcare system.
His intervention comes as the US attempts to shore up the ceasefire it helped to broker following an outbreak of violence at the weekend.
The agreement has been described by the White House as the first phase of a 20-point peace plan that includes an increase to the amount of aid entering Gaza, and supplies distributed “without interference” from either side.
Dr Tedros told the Today programme he welcomed the ceasefire deal but said the increase in aid that followed has been smaller than expected.
Asked about the situation on the ground, he said Gazans had experienced famine, “overwhelming” injuries, a collapsed healthcare system, and outbreaks of disease fuelled by the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure.
He continued: “On top of that, [there is] restricted access to humanitarian aid. This is a very fatal combination, so that makes [the situation] catastrophic and beyond words.”
Asked about long-term health prospects in Gaza, he added: “If you take the famine and combine it with a mental health problem which we see is rampant, then the situation is a crisis for generations to come.”
Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said earlier this week that aid groups are “turning the tide on the starvation crisis” but that “far more” was needed.
On Tuesday, the UN’s World Food Programme said lorries carrying more than 6,700 tonnes of food had entered since 10 October, but that was still considerably below its 2,000-tonnes-a-day target.
Six hundred aid lorries a day need to be arriving in Gaza but the average is between 200 and 300, Dr Tedros said, as he called on Israeli authorities to “de-link” aid and the wider conflict.
ReutersOn Sunday, Israel temporarily halted aid deliveries after it said two Israeli troops were killed in an attack by Hamas gunmen in Gaza. Hamas said at the time it was not aware of the clashes.
The Israeli military responded with a series of air strikes across the territory, killing dozens of Palestinians.
The aid deliveries resumed the following day after heavy international pressure.
Dr Tedros said aid should not be “weaponised” and called on Israel not to impose conditions on its delivery, including over the return of the remains of dead hostages still in Gaza, which has become a key point of contention during the ceasefire.
Hamas has committed to returning the bodies but so far has transferred only 15 of 28, saying it has not been able to retrieve the rest.
Twenty living Israeli hostages were released by Hamas last week in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails.
Dr Tedros told Today: “There should be full access, there should not be any condition, especially after all the living hostages were released, and a good part of the remains are transferred. I did not expect there would be additional restrictions.”
Asked about the role the US should play, Dr Tedros said “since the US has brokered the peace deal it has the responsibility of making sure that all sides are respecting” it.
Israel is currently operating two crossings – Kerem Shalom in the south-east, and Kissufim in central Gaza – but it has continued to face calls from aid groups for all the access routes it controls to be restored.
Dr Tedros said “all available crossings” were needed to get enough aid into Gaza, and called on Israel to allow aid groups previously been denied registration back into the territory, saying: “You can’t have a scaled up response without those who can deliver on the ground.”
ReutersHe also said supplies intended be used to restore Gaza’s health system have been confiscated at the border because Israeli authorities say they could have a military use.
“If you are going to build a field hospital, you need the canvas and the pillars [for tents],” he continued. “So if the pillars are removed, because of an excuse that they could be dual-use, then you can’t have a tent.”
Thousands of Palestinians are waiting for weekly medical evacuation flights, Dr Tedros said, though none have taken off for two weeks due to religious holidays in Israel. He said 700 people have previously died while waiting for medical evacuation and called on the number of flights to be increased.
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others as hostages.
At least 68,229 have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
In July, a UN-backed body concluded that famine had occurred in Gaza, though Israel disputed the findings, saying there was “no starvation”.
The UN has previously estimated it will cost $70bn (£52bn) to reconstruct Gaza. Dr Tedros said around 10% of that figure would need to be spent on its badly damaged health system.
He continued: “We have been saying for a long time that peace is the best medicine.
“The ceasefire we have is a very fragile one and some people have died even after the ceasefire because it was broken a couple of times.
“What is very sad is many people were cheering in the streets because they were very happy there was a peace deal. Imagine, [some of] those same people are dead after they were told the war is over.”























