Families

Trudy Polkinghorn

‘Our light and joy’

Trudy Polkinghorn

Karen Staniland

CHRISTMAS is just six weeks away, and with that, many festive events and experiences are opening.

But sometimes meeting Santa or heading to a light trail can set you back quite a bit of money – especially when you add on the inevitable hot chocolate your child screams for when they get cold.

With Christmas already stretching our pockets, finding something to do with the family that doesn’t require you to get out your debit card is hard.

So we’ve rounded up some of the free events across the UK you can head to this Christmas, from pop-up performances to lantern parades.

Santa’s Grottoes and Meet & Greets

In Leeds, at Kirkgate Market, families get the chance to meet Santa for free on December 6, 13, 20, 22 and 23 between 12pm and 3pm.

At the Cadbury House Christmas Fayre on December 3, families can meet Santa in his grotto between 5pm and 7pm.

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The Fayre will also have an array of stalls.

At Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke, near Bristol, families can head to a Christmas Jamboree for free on November 28.

The event will have a Santa meet and greet, as well as a free bouncy castle, Rodeo Rudolf, obstacle course, slide and bungee run.

Visitors will also be able to meet the Grinch, and Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked.

For a slightly different Santa meet and greet, head to Hamleys toy store.

Over the Christmas period, visitors can share hugs and high fives every day at either 1pm or 2:30pm, with Santa Hamley Bear outside the Regent Street store in London.

Light trails

South Bank Winter Light Trail in London features numerous artworks by different artists that glow in the dark night.

The event takes place from November 6 to January 18, 2026.

In Liverpool, you could head to the Royal Albert Dock which features giant light-up figurines and a fairytale carousel.

Over in Sheffield, Light Up Sheffield features three of the city’s most iconic landmarks lit up – Sheffield Cathedral, Sheffield Central Library and Pounds Park.

The event will take place across 10 nights from December 5 to 14.

Light Up Wakefield will take place in Wakefield city centre from November 21 to 23.

On November 21, visitors can head to the Cathedral Precinct to enjoy live music and entertainment before the switch on event at 5:30pm.

Just after Christmas is Christmas Dubs in Clifton Village, near Bristol.

Taking place on December 26, visitors can see a number of Volkswagens light up Clifton Village, as they are decked out in lights.

In Torquay in Devon, visitors can head out on the Bay of Lights illuminated trail from November 28 to January 2, 2026.

Across the event, Torquay waterfront will become illuminated with a light trail stretching 1.5 miles.

In Devon, Lanterns, Lights and Luminations in Brixham will take place from November 21 to 22.

The popular event features a lantern parade, firework display, live music, street entertainment and a market.

Markets

A lot of markets across the UK are free to enter, but once inside you usually do spend money – whether that be on food and drink or attractions.

However, if you take some snacks with you and skip the attractions you can get into the festive spirit without spending a penny.

For example, you could head to one of Liverpool’s most loved buildings, the Bombed Out Church, for their weekend Makers Market.

From 10am to 4pm on various dates throughout November and December, you can wander around stalls selling fresh bakes and pretty creations.

In London, you could head to the Chelsea Winter Village where there is street food, artisan markets, firepits, traditional fairground rides, and an aprés ski bar.

The event is set within the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, so even if you don’t want to spend any money, it is a pretty market to see and take in the free choir performances.

Festive treasure hunts and other trails

In London, visitors can head off on the Snowman Trail, which is a free outdoor sculpture trail inspired by Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman.

Each sculpture has been decorated by artists and then place close to the city’s landmarks.

There will also be a Snoopy Trail around Fleet Street.

Light switch ons

Up and down the country there are thousands of Christmas light switch-ons taking place in November and December – and most of which are free to attend.

This includes the Christmas Light Switch On in Oldham, just outside Manchester.

Taking place on November 15, the event will feature the turning on of the Christmas lights, a visit from Santa, as well as Bluey and Bingo from the hit TV show and fireworks.

For a slightly different ‘switch on’ event, head to Tavistock in Devon on December 5, for a Victorian Christmas lights switch on, with people in Dickensian costumes and vintage entertainment.

In Richmond, the Christmas lights will be switched on, on November 27 and visitors can expect entertainment with the Wickedly Witches, Candy Cane Stilt Walkers and Giant Nutcracker.

Store events

Ikea stores across the country also offer a number of free events so it is worth checking out the events page for your local store.

For example, at Ikea Greenwich children can write a letter to Santa and post it in a special post box between November 10 and December 23.

At Ikea Southampton, families can even have breakfast with Santa if they are an Ikea family member – which is free to sign up to.

The same goes for Hamleys with events at the Regent Street store including Box of Christmas Mischief, a festive game show (November 6 to December 24) and Twinkle Jingle Town Parade where Hamleys elves dance their way through the store (November 6 to December 5).

If your kids love to read or you want them to explore more stories, Waterstones offers loads of events up and down the country, including regular free storytelling sessions.

Over the festive period, there are even more events such as Epsom Christmas Evening with local authors and illustrators and late night Christmas shopping nights, with free mince pies and mulled wine.

Other events

Inside Sheffield Cathedral, visitors can explore 40 Christmas trees decorated by different local charities.

A similar event will also take place at Selby Abbey – the Christmas Tree Festival, which will take place from November 28 to January 5, 2026, will feature 30 trees decorated by locals.

On November 21, when Wakefield’s Christmas lights are switched on, there will be a lantern parade through the city at 6pm.

At Windmill Hill City Farm, near Bristol – a free family farm attraction with a play area and animals – the cafe will be hosting free screenings of much-loved children’s films every weekday from 3:45pm.

In Devon, Candlelit Dartmouth is from November 28 to 30.

Visitors can see a procession of hundreds of handmade paper lanterns through the town as well as Father Christmas’ boat gliding across the River Dart.

For fans of Charles Dickens, the UK is home to some Victorian and Dickensian-themed events including a Victorian evening in Newton Abbot, Devon on December 3.

The high street will be transformed into a Dickensian Christmas Shopping scene with performers and a chance to meet Santa.

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For more ideas of things to do around the festive season, the UK’s biggest Christmas event is returning with 150 rides and attractions… and new FREE Santa’s grotto.

Plus, the prettiest Christmas markets in Britain – with hotel stays from £37.

Two federal judges told the U.S. Department of Agriculture in separate rulings Friday that it must begin using billions of dollars in contingency funding to provide federal food assistance to poor American families despite the federal shutdown, but gave the agency until Monday to decide how to do so.

Both Obama-appointed judges rejected Trump administration arguments that more than $5 billion in USDA contingency funds could not legally be tapped to continue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for nearly 42 million Americans while the federal government remains closed. But both also left unclear how exactly the relief should be provided, or when it will arrive for millions of families set to lose benefits starting Saturday.

The two rulings came almost simultaneously Friday.

In Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani stopped short of granting California and a coalition of 24 other Democrat-led states a temporary restraining order they had requested. But she ruled that the states were likely to succeed in their arguments that the USDA’s total shutoff of SNAP benefits — despite having billions in emergency contingency funds on hand — was unlawful.

Talwani gave USDA until Monday to tell her whether they would authorize “only reduced SNAP benefits” using the contingency funding — which would not cover the total $8.5 billion to $9 billion needed for all November benefits, according to the USDA — or would authorize “full SNAP benefits using both the Contingency Funds and additional available funds.”

Separately, in Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John McConnell granted a temporary restraining order requested by nonprofit organizations, ruling from the bench that SNAP must be funded with at least the contingency funds, and requesting an update on progress by Monday.

The White House referred questions about the ruling to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear if the administration would appeal the rulings.

The Massachusetts order was a win for California and the other Democrat-led states, which sued over the interruption to SNAP benefits — which were previously known as food stamps — as Republicans and Democrats continue to squabble over reopening the government in Washington.

However, it will not mean that all of the nation’s SNAP recipients — including 5.5 million Californians — will be spared a lapse in their food aid, state officials stressed, as state and local food banks continued scrambling to prepare for a deluge of need starting Saturday.

Asked Thursday if a ruling in the states’ favor would mean SNAP funds would be immediately loaded onto CalFresh and other benefits cards, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta — whose office helped bring the states’ lawsuit — said “the answer is no, unfortunately.”

“Our best estimates are that [SNAP benefit] cards could be loaded and used in about a week,” he said, calling that lag “problematic.”

“There could be about a week where people are hungry and need food,” he said. For new applicants to the program, he said, it could take even longer.

The rulings came as the now monthlong shutdown continued Friday with no immediate end in sight. The Senate adjourned Thursday with no plans to meet again until Monday.

It also came after President Trump called Thursday for the Senate to end the shutdown by first ending the filibuster, a longstanding rule that requires 60 votes to overcome objections to legislation. The rule has traditionally been favored by lawmakers as a means of blocking particularly partisan measures, and is currently being used by Democrats to resist the will of the current 53-seat Republican majority.

“It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Chief Executive Michael Flood, standing alongside Bonta as members of the California National Guard worked behind them stuffing food boxes, said his organization was preparing for massive lines come Saturday, the first of the month.

He said he expected long lines of families in need of food appearing outside food distribution locations throughout the region, just as they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a disaster type of situation for us here in Los Angeles County, throughout the state of California and throughout the country,” Flood said.

“5.5 million Californians, 1.5 million children and adults in L.A. County alone, will be left high and dry — illegally so, unnecessarily so, in a way that is morally bankrupt,” Bonta said.

Bonta blamed the shutdown on Trump and his administration, and said the USDA has billions of dollars in contingency funds designed to ensure SNAP benefits continue during emergencies and broke the law by not tapping those funds in the current situation.

Bonta said SNAP benefits have never been disrupted during previous federal government shutdowns, and should never have been disrupted during this shutdown, either.

“That was avoidable,” he said. “Trump created this problem.”

The Trump administration has blamed the shutdown and the looming disruption to SNAP benefits entirely on Democrats in Congress, who have blocked short-term spending measures to restart the government and fund SNAP. Democrats are holding out to pressure Republicans into rescinding massive cuts to subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health insurance.

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, previously told The Times that Democrats should be the ones getting asked “when the shutdown will end,” because “they are the ones who have decided to shut down the government so they can use working Americans and SNAP benefits as ‘leverage’ to pursue their radical left wing agenda.”

“Americans are suffering because of Democrats,” Jackson said.

In their opposition to the states’ request for a temporary restraining order requiring the disbursement of funds, attorneys for the USDA argued that using emergency funds to cover November SNAP benefits would deplete funds meant to provide “critical support in the event of natural disasters and other uncontrollable catastrophes,” and could actually cause more disruption to benefits down the line.

They wrote that SNAP requires between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month, and the USDA’s contingency fund has only about $5.25 billion, meaning it could not fully fund November benefits even if it did release contingency funding. Meanwhile, “a partial payment has never been made — and for good reason,” because it would force every state to recalculate benefits for recipients and then recalibrate their systems to provide the new amounts, they wrote.

That “would take weeks, if it can be done at all,” and would then have to be undone in order to issue December benefits at normal levels, assuming the shutdown would have lifted by then, they wrote. “The disruption this would entail, with each State required to repeatedly reprogram its systems, would lead to chaos and uncertainty for the following months, even after a lapse concludes,” they wrote.

Simply pausing the benefits to immediately be reissued whenever the shutdown ends is the smarter and less disruptive course of action, they argued.

During a Thursday hearing in the states’ case, Talwani had suggested that existing rules required action by the government to prevent the sort of suffering that a total disruption to food assistance would cause, regardless of whatever political showdown is occurring between the parties in Washington.

“If you don’t have money, you tighten your belt,” she said in court. “You are not going to make everyone drop dead because it’s a political game someplace.”

In addition to suing the administration, California and its leaders have been rushing to ensure that hungry families have something to eat in coming days. Gov. Gavin Newsom directed $80 million to food banks to stock up on provisions, and activated the National Guard to help package food for those who need it.

Counties have also been working to offset the need, including by directing additional funding to food banks and other resource centers and asking partners in the private sector to assist.

Dozens of organizations in California have written to Newsom calling on him to use state funds to fully cover the missing federal benefits, in order to prevent “a crisis of unthinkable magnitude,” but Newsom has suggested that is not possible given the scale of funding withheld.

According to the USDA, about 41.7 million Americans were served through SNAP per month in fiscal 2024, at an annual cost of nearly $100 billion. Of the 5.5 million Californian recipients, children and older people account for more than 63%.

This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

EASYJET is turning thousands of old crew outfits into school uniforms to support families struggling with rising costs.

The airline partnered with Luton-based charity Level Trust, which works across 75 local schools, providing uniforms to support the estimated 45 per cent of children living in poverty in the town.

Their initiative is aiming for pilots and cabin crew to donate 100 per cent of their retired outfits – which will be recycled into shirts, skirts, blazers, jackets and trousers.

The garments will then be available for older year students through the charity’s Uniform Exchange.

It comes as 58 per cent of 2,000 parents polled said they feel the pressure of the rising costs of school uniforms.

An average of £256 a year is forked out on school uniform items for just one child, totalling over £3,072 across 12 years in education.

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With over a third of parents (34 per cent) sacrificing household essentials to keep up with the costs of school uniforms.

Nearly one in five (19 per cent) have used overdrafts and credit cards to afford school uniforms, as 53 per cent reported having to purchase new items before even the end of the first term alone.

Michael Brown, director of cabin services for easyJet, which is launching a crew uniform refresh on 10th November, said: “We’re proud to launch the uniform recycling programme – our aim for this first phase is both to support parents who are facing financial hardships as well as reduce our textile waste.

“Our crew uniforms have always represented care, professionalism and unity, and we’re honoured they’ll carry those same values into classrooms to empower the next generation.”

It emerged 76 per cent would like to see more government-backed community initiatives, like the uniform exchange, to help families.

Two-thirds of parents (66 per cent) say they would consider second-hand or upcycled uniforms in order to save money.

And a further 93 per cent of parents would also favour increased flexibility when it comes to school uniforms.

With 80 per cent of parents agreeing they would like to see more businesses repurposing retired materials such as uniforms into items to support local communities.

And 85 per cent would be likely to use cheaper or free school uniforms made from upcycled materials.

The research also found that 76 per cent of British parents would like to see more government backed community initiatives like the Level Trust’s uniform exchange rolled out on a national scale.

Jennie White from the charity the Level Trust, added: “We have seen a significant rise in requests for school uniforms, highlighting the challenges many families are facing.

“easyJet’s donation of surplus uniforms is a crucial step in addressing these needs as this initiative not only helps alleviate the financial strain on parents but also ensures that children have the necessary attire to feel confident and focused at school.”

AUTUMN has most certainly arrived – and with it, the dilemma of where to entertain the kids that’s weatherproof.

Luckily, London is home to a lot of attractions that are both indoors and free.

So you can be kept dry and warm, without spending a penny – and the kids will be happy.

If in central London, unlimited travel within Zone 1 and Zone 2 across a day will set you back £8.90 per adult.

Zones 1 to 3 will cost £10.50 per adult and Zones 1 to 4 will cost £12.80 per adult.

Children between five and 10-years-old travel for free on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line if travelling with an adult who is using pay as you go or has a valid ticket.

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Unlimited daytime travel between Zones 1 and 2 costs £4.45 per child between 11 and 18-years-old.

This rises to £5.25 if including Zone 3 and £6.40 if including Zone 4.

Here is a long list of tings to o in the city, when the weather isn’t playing ball.

Zone 1

Zone 1 ultimately has a lot of free attractions, many of which are close to each other.

South of the river you could head to the Tate Modern, about a 10-minute walk from Southwark (Jubilee Line) Tube Station.

The gallery is home to modern and contemporary art and often runs children’s workshops and activities as well.

Also south of the river is Battersea Power Station – which only reopened a few years ago.

The former power station has been converted into a grand shopping complex, but inside there is also a Lego store, Transformers store and Peppa Pig store.

Each is full of exciting products to explore and they often host events and activities.

More widely, the Power Station also has information boards to learn about the location’s history.

If you kids are massive Lego fans though, head to the Lego Store in Leicester Square instead. where families can enjoy a Pick & Build Wall, demo table, chance to make a mini figure and more.

Perhaps your kids are Harry Potter fans (or you are and want to drag them along) – well then head to House of MinaLima in Soho, near Oxford Circus tube station.

This hidden gem is a gallery and store that displays and sells the graphic art created by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

Think – newspapers with the headlines that Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban and the boxes from Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.

And downstairs there is even a mini museum with props from the films.

Chat to the staff as well, for great stories and facts about the designs and props.

For those more into dinosaurs, the Natural History Museum near South Kensington is a must.

The museum has over 80 million life and earth specimens to investigate across five main collections – Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology and Zoology.

Exhibits include a blue whale skeleton, a number of small and large dinosaurs and interactive displays, like an earthquake simulator.

Alternatively, for those more into space and the wonders of the scientific world, head to the Science Museum, also in South Kensington.

Here visitors can see a number of different items from history, such as early computers and space exploration artifacts.

Many of the areas across the museum also include ‘hands-on’ activities and displays, ideal for kids.

Just last month, the museum also opened a new Space Gallery with cutting-edge prototypes and key items used in space exploration.

A third stop in South Kensington is the V&A, which is dedicated to art, design and performance.

There are over 2.8million objects to explore inside the museum, including Henry VIII’s writing desk and a number of Vivienne Westwood‘s designs.

There are a bunch of other museums in Zone 1 as well, like The British Museum, which is dedicated to human history, art, and culture.

In fact, the eight million items span from over two million years of history.

Highlights include ancient Egyptian mummies and the Parthenon Sculptures.

For an insight into Britain’s military, head to The National Army Museum for history of the army from the English Civil War to the present day or the Imperial War Museum for history of modern war and conflict including both World Wars.

There are a number of galleries in Zone 1 as well, such as the National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square, which is home to the world’s most extensive collection of portraits of historically important and famous Brits.

Next door is then the National Gallery, where you will find the UK’s collection of Western European paintings from the 13th to early 20th centuries.

You’ll be able to spot artwork by Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci.

Or over in Pimlico, you could explore the Tate Britain – a major art gallery which holds the UK’s national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day.

Expect artworks by J.M.W Turner, William Hogarth, David Hockney and Barbara Hepworth.

To see an extravagant house in the heart of London, venture to The Wallace Collection.

Inside visitors will find lots of art and antiques that were collected by the Hertford family and Sir Richard Wallace, left to the UK in 1897.

It is perfect for older children who like history and exploring fascinating artefacts.

Book worms should check out the British Library, which is home to over 13million printed and electronic books.

The library hosts a lot of free activities, workshops and exhibitions – especially for children.

For example, you could head to Story Explorers: A journey through imaginary worlds, which explores the stories behind weird and wonderful objects.

If your kids like gaming or high-tech, make sure to visit The Outernet, next to Tottenham Court Road Station.

The Outernet is an immersive entertainment venue, which broadcasts different digital art displays on giant LED screen.

Current shows include ‘Enchanted Forest’ which allows visitors to step into a “musical adventure where you help bring a silent forest back to life”.

Last but not least is an amazing spot to see both the city’s skyline and enjoy a sprawling garden, without being rained on.

Sky Garden, near Monument, is a public garden inside the glass dome that sits at the top of the famous Walkie-Talkie building.

The garden offers breathtaking views of the city, as well as lots of greenery.

Tickets do need to be booked in advance though.

Zone 2

If you venture out to Zone 2, one top spot is The Young V&A in Bethnal Green, which only opened in 2023.

The museum is the perfect place to take kids to spark their creativity, with hands-on activities based on colours, textures and shapes.

For example, there is a construction zone for den making and a giant marble run.

In West India Quay, you can head to Museum of London Docklands where the history of London’s port and river are explored.

The museum takes visitors on a chronological journey of the docks’ history, with interactive displays along the way.

Having only opened this year, the V&A East Storehouse is a new one to add to your ‘to visit’ list.

Located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the storehouse has 250,000 objects, 1,000 archives and 300,000 books instead.

The Sun’s deputy travel editor Kara Godfrey said: “It almost reminded me of an IKEA warehouse with the simple plywood and metal structures and open concept.“

Zone 3

Located in Forest Hill, families should visit the Horniman Museum and Gardens.

The museum has lots of different collections including ones based on natural history, anthropology, and musical instruments.

There is even an aquarium as well.

For some multi-fun, drop into God’s Own Junkyard to see Europe‘s largest collection of vintage and new neon signs.

Located in Walthamstow and open Friday to Sunday, the warehouse even has a number of signs from films including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Batman.

You’re bound to have seen some of William Morris’s designs plastered across hotel walls as wallpaper or even as a notepad cover, and at the William Morris Gallery – also in Walthamstow – you can see the world’s largest collection of Morris’s work up close.

Zone 4

If you fancy travelling out to Zone 4, then make sure not to miss the Royal Air Force Museum London.

Located in Colindale, The Royal Air Force Museum London has a vast collection of aircraft and artifacts that all tell the story of aviation and the RAF.

In total there are six hangars to explore and key exhibits including a Spitfire and Hurricane.

You can even try out a flight simulator, that feels like you are flying a Typhoon jet.

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Bereaved families are calling for a public inquiry into what they say are “repeated failures” by the UK government to protect vulnerable people from a website promoting suicide.

A report by the Molly Rose Foundation says departments were warned 65 times about the online forum, which BBC News is not naming, and others like it but did not act.

The suicide prevention charity says at least 133 people have died in the UK as a result of a toxic chemical promoted by the site and similar forums.

The government has not said whether it will consider an inquiry but said sites must prevent users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content or face “robust enforcement, including substantial fines”.

Families and survivors have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer asking him for an inquiry to look into why warnings from coroners and campaigners have been ignored.

David Parfett, whose son Tom took his own life in 2021, told the BBC successive governments had offered sympathy but no accountability.

“The people who host the suicide platforms to spread their cult-like messages that suicide is normal – and earn money from selling death – continue to be several steps ahead of government ministers and law enforcement bodies,” he said.

“I can think of no better memorial for my son than knowing people like him are protected from harm while they recover their mental health.”

David and six other families are being represented by the law firm Leigh Day who have also written a letter to the prime minister highlighting their concerns about the main suicide forum.

The letter says victims were groomed online, and tended to be in their early 20s, with the youngest known victim being 13.

It argues a public inquiry is needed because coroners’ courts cannot institute the changes needed to protect vulnerable people.

According to the report, coroners raised concerns and sent repeated warnings to the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Department of Health and Social Care on dozens of occasions since 2019, when the forum that has been criticised by the families first emerged.

The report highlighted four main findings:

• The Home Office’s refusal to tighten regulation of the substance, which remains easily obtainable online, while UK Border Force “struggles to respond to imports” from overseas sellers

• The media regulator Ofcom’s decision to rely on “voluntary measures” from the main forum’s operators rather than taking steps to restrict UK access

• Repeated failures by government departments to act on coroners’ warnings

• Operational shortcomings, including inconsistent police welfare checks and delays in making antidotes available to emergency services

A government spokesperson said that the substance in question “is closely monitored and is reportable under the Poisons Act” meaning retailers should tell the authorities if they suspect it is being bought to cause harm.

But campaigners say the government’s response has been fragmented and slow, with officials “passing the parcel” rather than taking co-ordinated action.

Adele Zeynep Walton, whose sister Aimee died in 2022, said families like hers had been “ignored and dismissed”.

“She was creative, a very talented artist, gifted musician,” she told BBC News.

“Aimee was hardworking and achieved great GCSE results, however she was shy and quiet and struggled to make friends.

“Every time I learn of a new life lost to the website that killed my sister three years ago, I’m infuriated that another family has had to go through this preventable tragedy.”

The demand for an inquiry follows concerns raised by the BBC in 2023, when an investigation revealed sites offering instructions and encouragement for suicide and evading regulations.

Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said the state’s failure to act had “cost countless lives”.

He also accused Ofcom of being “inexplicably slow” to restrict UK access to the main website the Foundation has raised concerns about.

Under the Online Safety Act, which became law in October 2023, Ofcom got the power in March 2025 to take action against sites hosting illegal content, which includes assisting suicide. If sites fail to show they have systems in place to remove illegal material, Ofcom can block them or impose fines of up to £18m.

UK users are currently unable to access the forum, which is based in the US. A message on the forum’s homepage says it was not blocked to people in the UK as a result of government action but instead because of a “proactive” decision to “protect the platform and its users”.

“We operate under the protection of the First Amendment. However, UK authorities have signalled intentions to enforce their domestic laws on foreign platforms, potentially leading to criminal liability or service disruption,” the message reads.

In a statement, Ofcom said: “In response to our enforcement action, the online suicide forum put in place a geo-block to restrict access by people with UK IP addresses.

“Services that choose to block access by people in the UK must not encourage or promote ways to avoid these restrictions.”

It added the forum remained on its watchlist and a previously-launched investigation into it remained open while it checked the block was being maintained.

• If you, or someone you know, has been affected by mental health issues BBC Action Line has put together a list of organisations which can help.

TEAM Fabulous road-tests three coastal campsites.

From Costa Dorada in Spain to Vendee in France, we have a beautiful beach for everyone.

SPAIN – Playa Montroig, Costa Dorada

Editor in Chief Sinead McIntyre, husband Alistair and their teenage twins found a coast with the most, including a day trip to Barcelona.

THE PAD

Set on the stunning Costa Dorada coastline and a quick 25-minute drive from Reus airport, the star of the show here is the sandy beach, with its lively bar and floating dive pontoon.

One morning, my daughter Riley and I woke early to swim out and had it all to ourselves while watching a yoga class – just one of the activities on offer.

Our premium three-bed lodge was also minutes from the three swimming pools, slides and a pool bar.

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You’ll also find a well-stocked supermarket, bakery, fishmonger’s and pizza takeaway on-site.

Tennis and padel courts are a win, too.

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The coastal village of Miami Platja just 5km away is flanked by picturesque hills and mountains, and boasts golden beaches.

A short drive from here is Llaberia Nature Park, perfect for hikes through stunning flora and fauna.

Meanwhile, Barcelona is under 90 minutes by train from nearby Cambrils.

Book well ahead to visit Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia – the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world – and admire its astonishing architecture.

Tickets cost from £23 each (Sagradafamilia.org).

Or stop by Barcelona’s famous Camp Nou football stadium – though currently under renovation, you can still visit its excellent museum.

Entry costs £25 per person (Fcbarcelona.com).

REFUEL

Get your tapas fix and dig into calamari, £12.60, garlic shrimp, £10.90, and Iberian ham croquettes, £1.75 each, on-site at Terrassa restaurant.

Pair with a refreshing carafe of sangria with cava, £14.70.

Or try beachside Tucanamar, with its stunning sunset views and divine spaghetti with clams, £10.90.

A walk along the shoreline is Restaurant Friends, serving up specialty spare ribs, £17.25, and grilled sea bream, £15.20 (Friendsplaya.com).

In Barca, hit Catalanian eatery La Nueva Marquesa for delights such as fried eggs with Iberian ham shavings and monkfish skewers with prawn and crab sauce.

Finish with melt-in-the-mouth tiramisu.

Three-course set menus cost from £13 (Lanuevamarquesa.com).

DON’T MISS

Mas Miró – the family home of Joan Miró, legendary Catalan artist and friend of Picasso – is nearby.

Explore the buildings he brought to life and see his sketches first-hand.

Entry costs £8.70 per person (Masmiro.com).

BOOK IT

Seven-night stays for four people at Playa Montroig during May half-term 2026 cost from £586 (Eurocamp.co.uk).

FRANCE – Le Garangeoire, Vendee

Deputy Editor Ellie O’Mahoney, husband Mark and their two young kids fell for crêpes and climbing on the west coast of France.

THE PAD

This five-star, family-run campsite, just 15 minutes’ drive from the beautiful beaches of France’s Atlantic west coast, has 200 hectares of woodland and a stunning 17th-century château, complete with free pedalo and canoe hire on the boating lake.

There are tennis courts, crazy golf, a horse-riding stable and two kids’ clubs.

Of the four pools, the main one boasts three slides, and is our kids’ favourite.

For some quiet time, head to the natural lagoon surrounded by a sandy beach.

There are tons of activities, including aromatherapy and night walks, and our three-bed lodge was perfectly appointed with a veranda for alfresco feasts.

EXPLORE

Kids will love swinging through the branches at Le Grand Défi, the world’s largest tree-climbing park just down the road, plus there’s a huge aqua park and pony rides.

Treeclimbing costs from £10.70 for kids, £20.90 for adults (Grand-defi.com).

Historical theme park Puy du Fou, an hour’s drive away, puts on eye-popping performances.

Watch gladiators fight in the “Roman” coliseum and experience stormy seas aboard an 18th-century-style explorer’s ship.

Tickets cost £39 for adults, £28 for kids (Puydufou.com).

Or head to the beach town of Brétignolles-sur-Mer – you’ll find pretty Breton T-shirts and wooden toys at its busy market on Thursdays and Sundays.

REFUEL

At nearby lakeside restaurant L’Auberge du Jaunay, we demolished a stack of cheese galettes for a bargain £3.25 with a half-carafe of red wine, £8.90.

A sugar and lemon crêpe, £4.70, completed the kids’ favourite feast of the trip.

On a beach day, we nabbed a table on the white sand at Crêperie La Normandelière.

We didn’t get the warmest of welcomes, but the food made up for it – I loved the smoked salmon salad, £12.70, and Nutella and banana crêpe, £5.20 (La-normandeliere.eatbu.com).

In the nearest town of Saint-Julien-des-Landes, just minutes’ drive away, you’ll find Rest’O Landes, which does the most delicious honey and goat’s cheese takeaway pizza, £9 (Restolandes.com).

DON’T MISS

Spot star constellations during the ferry crossing with the free SkyView app.

BOOK IT

Seven-night stays at La Garangeoire in May half-term 2026 cost from £363 for up to six (Eurocamp.co.uk).

An overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo with Brittany Ferries for four people with a car costs from £351 (Brittany-ferries.co.uk).

ENGLAND – Daleacres, Kent

Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Danielle Woodward, husband David and their two teens sought out safaris and steam trains in the South East.

THE PAD

In the heart of the Kent countryside, near the seaside town of Hythe, you’ll find Daleacres Campsite, complete with a playground for younger kids and a communal firepit for glampers.

Safari tents offer kitchens with a fridge and microwave, and the kids took turns to fill up the water dispenser, a short walk away.

With patchy free Wi-Fi, they also “enjoyed” screen-free time!

We woke to cock-a-doodle-dos from a nearby farm, before freshening up in the spotless shower and loo block.

EXPLORE

Feeling beachy? Pick between Hythe’s shingle or nearby Dymchurch’s three miles of sand and amusement park with classic rides and an arcade (Dymchurch-amusements.co.uk).

Meanwhile, spot apes and tigers at Port Lympne Safari Park.

Day tickets including safari cost £32 for adults, £28 for children (Aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne).

Or hop on the miniature steam train on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

Tickets cost from £10 return (Rhdr.org.uk).

The kids were also fascinated by the crypt in St Leonard’s Church, home to the largest, best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain (Slhk.org/theossuary.htm).

REFUEL

In Dymchurch, hit Lamby’s Seafood stall next to the Ocean Inn pub for a pot of brown shrimp, £4 (Oceaninn.co.uk/lambys).

At Port Lympne, scoff tasty wood-fired prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella and rocket pizza, £15, followed by fig and pistachio frangipane tart, £5, in Babydoll’s restaurant.

While the 400-year-old cosy Botolphs Bridge Inn pub, a short walk from Daleacres, offers fab pies of the week with mash, veg and gravy, £13.50 (Botolphsbridgeinn.co.uk).

DON’T MISS

The Battle of Britain Memorial in Folkestone has an interactive Scramble Experience, which brings WW2 to life.

SOAP ROMANCE

Max Bowden snogs ex-Corrie actress Katie McGlynn on ‘very intimate’ night out

HORROR ORDEAL

I haven’t peed for 18 months & NEVER will after UTI left me feeling suicidal

Entry is £7 for adults, £4 for kids (Battleofbritainmemorial.org).

BOOK IT

A safari tent at Daleacres sleeping five costs from £59 per night (Experiencefreedom.co.uk).

The families of Israeli captives held in Gaza are celebrating news of a ceasefire agreement that includes the release of their relatives. Video shows the U.S. president telling families their relatives will return on Monday. The agreement marks the first phase of a plan to end the two-year Gaza war.

McALLEN, Texas — The Trump administration said Friday that it would pay migrant children $2,500 to voluntarily return to their home countries, dangling a new incentive in efforts to persuade people to self-deport.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn’t say how much migrants would get or when the offer would take effect, but the Associated Press obtained an email to migrant shelters saying children 14 years of age and older would get $2,500 each. Children were given 24 hours to respond.

The notice to shelters from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Administration for Families and Children did not indicate any consequences for children who decline the offer. It asked shelter directors to acknowledge the offer within four hours.

ICE said in a statement that the offer would initially be for 17-year-olds.

“Any payment to support a return home would be provided after an immigration judge grants the request and the individual arrives in their country of origin,” ICE said. “Access to financial support when returning home would assist should they choose that option.”

Advocates said the sizable sum may prevent children from making informed decisions.

“For a child, $2,500 might be the most money they’ve ever seen in their life, and that may make it very, very difficult for them to accurately weigh the long-term risks of taking voluntary departure versus trying to stay in the United States and going through the immigration court process to get relief that they may be legally entitled to,” Melissa Adamson, senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, said in response to the plans Friday.

ICE dismissed widespread reports among immigration lawyers and advocates that it was launching a much broader crackdown Friday to deport migrant children who entered the country without their parents, called “Freaky Friday.”

Gonzalez writes for the Associated Press.

Families and friends of Gaza-bound flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces joined a demonstration in the Netherlands demanding their release. Far-right Israeli officials have suggested the activists should be held in high-security prisons.

Ever since Elijah Maldonado was born at just 29 months, he has needed specialty treatments that his family could afford only with publicly funded healthcare.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant, he spent his first three months at a public hospital where the family lives in Orange County.

Now 7, Elijah receives physical and speech therapy among a host of other services paid for through Medicaid. He relies on a wheelchair funded by the government. An assistant paid for with taxpayer dollars makes sure he’s safe on the bus ride to and from school.

Each month, he receives a $957 disability check that helps to cover his and his family’s living expenses.

Josephine Rios wipes her grandson Elijah’s face.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Still learning to speak on his own, he uses a Proloquo speech app on an iPad provided by his school to tell his family when he’s hungry, needs to use the restroom or wants to play with his favorite toys.

“It’s his voice — his lifeline,” his aunt and primary caretaker Cassandra Gonzalez says of the app. Her compensation for his in-home care comes from taxpayer dollars too.

Now that lifeline — and much of the government assistance Elijah receives — is at risk of going away.

With hundreds of billions of dollars worth of cuts to Medicaid and food aid kicking in this fall thanks to the passage of the Republican-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — on top of earlier cuts imposed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency — a host of federally funded healthcare and nutrition programs that serve low-income Americans will be scaled back, revamped with expanded work requirements and other restrictions or canceled altogether if individual states can’t find alternate funding sources.

The budget reduces federal spending on Medicaid alone by about $1 trillion over the next 10 years nationwide, with initial reductions taking effect in the coming weeks.

Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by accusing the Trump administration of “ripping care from cancer patients, meals from children and money from working families — just to give tax breaks to the ultra-rich.”

L.A. public health officials called the cuts devastating for a county where nearly 40% of the population is enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. L.A. County’s Department of Health Services, which oversees four public hospitals and about two dozen clinics, projects a budget reduction amounting to $750 million a year, and federal funding for the Department of Public Health, which inspects food, provides substance-use treatment and tracks disease outbreaks, will drop by an estimated $200 million a year. Spending cuts have prompted hiring freezes and projections of ballooning budget deficits, county health officials said.

Spending reductions, combined with recent changes to the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, could leave an additional 1.7 million people in California uninsured by 2034, according to an analysis by the nonprofit healthcare research organization KFF.

Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), colloquially known as “food stamps,” will exceed $280 billion over the next decade, according to projections from the Congressional Budget Office.

It’s not just that the cuts to these programs are massive by historical standards.

The new rules and restrictions are confusing and states have been given little guidance from the federal agencies that oversee health and nutrition programs on how, or even when, to implement them, experts at the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities wrote in a recent report.

What’s clear, the CBPP said, is that millions of children, older adults, people with disabilities and veterans stand to lose not just Medicaid coverage but federal aid to access the type of healthy foods that could prevent illness and chronic conditions.

More than 5 million California households receive food aid through the state’s CalFresh program and 97% percent of them will see their benefits either slashed or eliminated because of federal spending cuts, changes to eligibility requirements or financial constraints at the state level, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan California Budget Policy Center.

Elijah plays with toy cars outside his aunt’s home in Tustin.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

In Orange County, where Elijah’s family lives, public health officials were already reeling from federal spending cuts in the months before the budget bill passed, said Dr. Veronica Kelley, director of the OC Health Care Agency. For example, there was the $13.2-million cut to funding for family planning services in the county, and the $4-million reduction in funding to Women, Infants and Children nutrition (WIC).

The agency has worked to prevent mass layoffs by moving public-health workers in canceled programs to other departments or leaving some positions unfilled in order to save jobs elsewhere, and it has sought out nonprofit social service organizations and philanthropies to either take over programs or help fund them, Kelley said.

Now, Kelley is preparing for possible cuts to programs to combat obesity, maintain community gardens, help seniors make better healthcare decisions and reduce the use of tobacco. The agency also has to figure out how to make up for a $4.8-million reduction in federal funds for the county’s SNAP program that takes effect on Wednesday — another casualty of the federal spending bill.

The measures that the agency has leaned on to get through the year are not sustainable, Kelley said. “We can only do that for so long,” she said. “It’s chaotic. In terms of healthcare, it’s devastating… It feels like we’re taking so many steps backward.”

The looming cuts and changes have also set off alarm bells at Kaiser Permanente, California’s largest private healthcare provider with 9.5 million members statewide, 1.1 million of whom are enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program.

“Without the ability to pay, newly uninsured people will find themselves having to delay care, leading to more serious and complex health conditions, increasing the use of emergency services and more intensive medical services,” Kaiser Permanente Southern California Regional spokeswoman Candice Lee said in a statement to The Times.

“This will affect all of us as the cost of this uncompensated care leads hospitals and care providers to charge paying customers more to cover their costs. Some hospitals and providers, especially those in rural and underserved areas, will be unable to make up for these unreimbursed costs, and will be financially threatened by these changes.”

Standing in front of her sister Cassandra’s town home in Tustin, a quiet suburban city of 80,000 about 10 miles south of Disneyland, Elijah’s mother, Samantha Rios; grandmother Josephine Rios; and Aunt Cassandra are filled with worry.

Elijah points to a command on his Proloquo speech app, which he uses to communicate his needs.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Josephine, a nursing assistant who works at a Kaiser hospital in Orange County, said she hears the panic in patients’ voices when they describe rushing to schedule needed medical procedures in anticipation of losing their Medicaid benefits.

Earlier this year, Josephine joined delegations of unionized California healthcare workers who traveled to Washington with the aim of pressing lawmakers to oppose spending cuts.

Rep. Young Kim, the Republican who represents the Rios family’s district in Congress, was receptive to the delegation’s pleas to vote no on the budget bill, Josephine recalls. The congresswoman ultimately voted for the bill, saying on her official webpage the legislation was good for Californians because it would relieve the tax burden on families, ensure that government dollars are used effectively and “strengthen Medicaid and SNAP for our most vulnerable citizens who truly need it.”

Elijah’s Aunt Cassandra and grandmother Josephine look over his shoulder as he watches a TV show.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Now, Josephine looked on as Elijah, seated in his wheelchair, played on his iPad and watched a Disney program on his phone. He can press a tab on the touchscreen to make the tablet say “My name’s Elijah” if he’s feeling unsafe away from home, another to tell his family he needs space when upset.

Watching Elijah enjoy himself, the women said they feel awkward broadcasting their woes to strangers when all they desire is what’s best for him. They don’t need the public’s pity.

The family wants lawmakers and the public to understand how seemingly abstract healthcare decisions involving billions of dollars, and made 2,000-plus miles away in Washington, have brought new financial turmoil to a family that’s already on the edge financially.

Samantha, a single mom, works full time to provide a home for Elijah and his two sisters, ages 10 and 8. A subscription to the Proloquo speech app alone would cost $300 a year out-of-pocket — more than she can afford on her shoestring budget.

Due to changes in household income requirements, Samantha had already lost Medicaid coverage for herself and her two girls, she said, as well as her SNAP food assistance, leaving her at a loss for how to fill the gap. She now pays about $760 a month to cover her daughters and herself through her employer-based health plan.

The cut to food aid has forced her to compensate by getting free vegetables, milk, eggs and chicken from the food pantry at a local school, a reality that she said she was at first too ashamed to disclose even to relatives.

Then came the bad news Samantha recently received about Elijah’s monthly Social Security Insurance for his disability. She was stunned to hear that because of stricter income cut-offs for that type of aid, Elijah would no longer receive those checks as of Oct. 1.

“Before, he was getting $957 a month — obviously that’s grocery money for me,” Samantha said. The money also went to buy baby wipes, as well as knee pads to help him move more comfortably on the floor when not using his wheelchair.

“I don’t get food stamps. I don’t get Medi-Cal for my girls. I don’t get any of that,” Samantha said. “As of Oct. 1, now I’ve got to figure out how am I going to pay my rent? How am I going to buy groceries?”

Luckily, the sisters said, the physical, speech and behavioral-health therapies that Elijah receives are safe — for now.

And the women know they can lean on each other in tough times. The sisters and Josephine all live within minutes of each other in Tustin, close enough for Samantha’s children to eat at someone’s home when their own cupboards are bare.

Every few months, Samantha said, Elijah experiences severe seizures that can last up to 90 minutes and require hospitalization.

Cassandra and Josephine like that they can run over to help if Elijah has a medical emergency. Another sister who lives farther away is on hand when needed too.

“What’s going to happen to other families who don’t have that support system?” Samantha said.

Given the potential for further cuts to programs that pay for home-based healthcare and assistants for people with disabilities, Cassandra wonders what will happen to her own family if she can no longer work as Elijah’s caregiver.

Where would the family get the money to pay a new caregiver who is qualified enough to work with a special-needs child who can speak a few words thanks to speech therapy but who cannot eat, walk or use the restroom without supervision? What if funding is eliminated for the assistant who travels with Elijah to school?

“People think that cutting Medi-Cal, cutting food stamps or whatever isn’t going to affect that many people,” Cassandra said. “It’s affecting my nephew and nieces. It’s affecting my sister. But it’s not just affecting her household. It’s affecting my household.”

“We’re not saying we’re going to Disneyland or going out to eat every day,” Cassandra said. “This is just living. We can’t even live at this point, with things being cut.”

The women offered up principles they feel are in short supply lately in the discourse over the government’s role in public health — among them “morals” and “empathy.” Samantha adds one more word to the list.

“Humanity,” she says. “We lack it.”

Under the scorching sun, away from their makeshift tent of thatch, bamboo, and a trampoline sheet used as roofing, Pwanabeshi Job* washes clothes with a three-month-old baby strapped to her back. Her two-year-old son plays nearby, while her eldest fans the burning coal to ensure lunch can be ready. Her husband was out.

Before resorting to life on the streets of Imburu, a community in Numan Local Government Area, Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria, the family of five lived under a proper roof.

However, by early August, they, like many others in the Numan and Lamurde areas, grew anxious, knowing that from mid-August through September, their houses are usually flooded.

Each year, as the Benue River, one of West Africa’s largest rivers, swells, it pushes into homes and farms across Numan, where it meets with the Gongola River. The rising waters, which carved through the fertile Benue Valley, a region long prized for farming, leave communities across the area, such as Imburu, Hayin Gada, Ngbalang, Lure, and Opalo, quickly submerged. 

Some residents migrate to neighbouring communities, while others, like Pwanabeshi, gather mats, chairs, cooking utensils, clothes, and other essentials to settle on the street. There, on higher ground beyond the reach of the floodwaters, they remain for about two months. For many, this has become a way of life since 2022. 

Cycle of displacement 

Locals told HumAngle that flooding was first recorded on a large scale in Adamawa in 2012, especially in the Benue Valley. For the next decade, no incident of that scale was recorded. But in 2022, another devastating flood displaced more than 130,000 people across 153 communities. Twenty-five lives were lost, and properties were severely damaged. Heavy rains, dam spillover, and river overflow were said to be the causes of the incident.  

Flooding returned the following year. In 2023, unusually heavy seasonal rain combined with the occasional release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon led to floods that destroyed homes and infrastructure in Fufore, Demsa, Shelleng, and other local government areas.

By August 2024, communities such as Kwakwambe, Lure, and Imburu were again affected by a flood, this time linked to overflow from the Kiri Dam in Shelleng. In Madagali, floods struck due to the upstream flow of water from the Cameroonian highlands. 

Most recently, in July 2025, a violent flood ravaged communities in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, claiming lives and properties. By August, communities around the Benue Valley began to migrate after water levels rose and flooded their homes. 

A study identified the opening of dams, excessive rainfall, rising water levels, and poor drainage, among other factors, as the major drivers of floods in Adamawa State. It also noted that many residents fail to heed early flood warnings.

Lives under water 

On the streets of Imburu, affected residents like Pwanabeshi make do with thatch shelters, each separate but stretched along a street so long that it takes about thirty minutes to walk from one end to the other. They sleep, cook, and carry out domestic chores. With no bathrooms and toilets, they bathe and relieve themselves in nearby bushes, usually before dawn or at night. 

While every household is trying to continue their normal life on the streets, things are tough. The trampoline that covers Pwanabeshi’s shelter leaves gaps, so rain seeps in, soaking the mud floor and chilling the family. “The weather is cold, the mosquito nets we have are not enough, and we are many here, including children,” she said. 

Others face similar struggles. Dati John, a mother of six, keeps a plastic container in the middle of her tent to catch dripping water when it rains.

“I’ve been staying here for over three weeks,” she told HumAngle.

Within this period, Dati said that her children have fallen ill several times, but she could only afford paracetamol until workers from the local primary healthcare centre distributed drugs on Sept. 14. “My basic concern is proper shelter and drugs for our children. If we can get those waterproof tents and mosquito nets, then it’ll go a long way for all of us here,” she said.

According to Dennis Sarka, the community leader of Hayin Gada, about thirty households have been flooded in his community so far. He is unsure of the total number of affected households in Imburu, but he says they are the most affected.

The hardship in these communities goes beyond shelter. The floodwaters have also wiped out the residents’ main source of livelihood—farmlands. Talegopwa John said he lost his entire farm, unable to estimate the hectares submerged or the worth of what was destroyed.

“Some people cultivated large hectares of maize and soya beans, but the flood destroyed everything,” he said. Although the residents were informed about the looming flood months ago, they did not have anywhere else to cultivate their farm, so they clung to hope. 

“That is why I no longer cultivate rice or maize, because the rain washes them away easily. Now, I only farm millet, which can withstand the flood,” said Ramson Mandauna, a retired civil servant and full-term farmer who lives in Imburu. 

The 69-year-old said he didn’t experience flooding as a child living in the community. But over the past four years, he has lost his farmland repeatedly and has been forced to live on the streets each rainy season.

“What we need now is food and how to bring an end to the flooding,” Talegopwa said. 

For children and educators in Imburu, the crisis is not just about lost shelter or farmland; it is also about lost education. September marks the start of a new academic year, but pupils cannot attend classes because Kwakwambe Primary School, located in Hayin Gada within the Benue Valley, is submerged. Locals have nicknamed it the ‘Marine Academy’. 

Each year since 2022, the school, which has a population of about 100 pupils, has been forced to close from mid-August through September, leaving children from Imburu, Hayin Gada, and neighbouring communities at home until the water recedes and classes resume in October. 

Dennis told HumAngle that a non-governmental organisation recently surveyed the area with plans to build another school in a location that is not prone to flooding. “We have provided them with land, and we are expecting work to begin soon,” he said. 

These days, some of the out-of-school children spend their days swimming in the flooded areas.

‘Dredge the Benue River’

Agoso Bamaiyi, an environmental scientist from Adamawa State, says the overflowing of the Benue River through its tributary, the Gongola, is the main driver of flooding in the region. While climate change and global warming contribute to the rising frequency and intensity of floods worldwide, he argues that the Benue’s overflooding remains the central cause in Adamawa.

“The release of huge volumes of water from the Lagdo Dam and the fact that the Benue trough is silted so much that it cannot hold the resultant runoff anymore a major reasons,”  he stated, adding that the situation worsens each year. 

Agoso believes the suffering can be significantly reduced if the Benue is dredged and a reservoir dam is constructed. He said the dam, which could be completed within four to five years, would store excess water released from Lagdo, provide irrigation and electricity, and release water back into the Benue at a natural flow. “If this is done, the flooding caused downstream would be averted,” he said, stressing that dredging would restore the depth and banks of the river, allowing it to carry more water away from farmlands and communities.

“This will also restore year-round navigability and the economic benefits thereof,” he added. 

*Asterisked names have been changed to preserve the identity of the sources.

UKRAINIAN children abducted during the war are forced to make military equipment used against their homeland, chilling research reveals.

Thousands of innocent youngsters shipped to more than 200 sinister camps across Russia are being subjected to brainwashing and being used as pawns by deranged Vladimir Putin.

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Sickenlingly, satelitte images shows children being used as slave labour to assemble drones and other supplies fuelling the tyrant’s war machine in Ukraine.

Military training has been observed at around 40 of the sites holding children as young as eight, including ceremonial parades and drills, and combat training.

Officials told The Sun it shows Kremlin stooges are teaching children to fight against their home, blasting their use as a “weapons” against Ukraine and beyond.

Daria Herasymchuck, advisor and commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, told The Sun: “For those of us who have observed Putin’s actions up close for more than a decade, we are well accustomed to their evasion, distortion and calculated indifference. 

“We are appalled by the large-scale, logistical and operational capacity Russia is operating in – using children, who are always the most vulnerable victims in armed conflicts, in such a way, is deliberately cruel.”

Since megalomaniac Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been kidnapped and sent to at least 210 facilities inside Russia and occupied territory.

These sites range from summer camps and sanatoriums to a military base, and, in one case, a monastery, according to research by the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL).

Russia is known to have engaged in the deportation, re-education, militarisation and forced adopting of Ukrainian children since at least 2014 from the occupied territories of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk.

But since Putin’s ordered his troops in more than three years ago, researchers say these barbaric efforts have siginificantly expanded.

The HRL has used satellite imagery and open source materials to identify and track Ukrainian children snatched during the war.

Its horrifying report, Ukraine’s Stolen Children: Inside Russia’s Network of Re-education and Militarization, reveals the staggering efforts Moscow goes to to brainwash these youngsters.

Children have been rounded up and moved to at least eight different location types.

These are cadet schools, a military base, medical facilities, a religious site, secondary schools and universities, a hotel, family support centers and orphanages, and camps and sanatoriums.

At least two new cadet schools have been constructed, and at least 49 of the 210 locations have been expanded since the start of the war.

Children are forced to develop “fire and naval training skills” at some sites as part of a warped militarisation campaign.

They are required to participate in “shooting competitions and grenade throwing competitions” as well as receive “tactical medicince, drone control and tactics” training.

In one instance, youngsters from Donetsk oblast received “airborne training” at a military base, the HRL’s report – shared with United
Nations Security Council- reveals.

Children have also been used to help produced military equipment for Russia’s armed forces, including drones.

Herasymchuck, of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, told The Sun: “The report shows Russia is prepared to use Ukraine’s own children as a ‘weapon’ against Ukraine, and Europe more broadly.

“They are being trained to fight against their own homeland.

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“This is all part of Russia’s long-term campaign to erase the Ukrainian identity – central to this is the Russification and militarisation of Ukrainian children as the report outlines.”

Some youngsters have been held temporarily before returning home – while others have been held indefinitely.

As part of Putin’s callous regime to indoctrinate these children, many have been pushed into a network of so-called family centres.

Others have been pushed into Russia’s programme of coerced fostering and adoption – seeing them eventually placed within a Russian family.

For those who return home, Ukraine authorities have been told of the drastic work that has to be done to undo the damage.

Herasymchuck said: “Rehabilitation for children who return from deportation is one of the most sensitive and complex aspects of our work.

“These children have experienced not only physical displacement but also deep psychological trauma.

“When kids return, children often feel confused, disconnected, or afraid.

“These children have been taught not to resist. That is deeply alarming. Some carry guilt or shame. Others return with hostility or denial of their own identity.

“This is why our work does not end with bringing children home.

Children used as ‘weapons’

Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital)

RUSSIA is using abducted and brainwashed children as “weapons”, one of Zelensky’s staff battling to rescue Ukraine’s kidnapped kids warned.

Daria Zarivna told The Sun earlier this year that no peace deal will be brokered until Moscow agrees to return thousands of kidnapped youngsters home.

She warned Vladimir Putin‘s thugs are indoctrinating these youngsters and those living in Ukrainian territory under Russian control.

Bring Kids Back Ukraine operations director Daria said Moscow will push them into joining Russia’s army to use them as a “weapon” against Europe in the future.

Since Putin illegally invaded Ukraine three years ago, tens of thousands of children have been kidnapped and taken into Russia.

Kremlin stooges then disturbingly try to rid the youngsters of their Ukrainian heritage and brainwash them into becoming Russian citizens.

Sinister camps have been set up in Russia where children are sent before having their official documents altered and being placed in Russian families. 

Often the children are told that their loved ones have abandoned them and that they are now part of the Russian Federation. 

Mariana Betsa, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, told The Sun how some children have been abused and suffered sexual violence.

She said: “It’s not just a statistic, 20,000. It’s a life behind every person behind every statistic.

“We have so many families who were separated. We have so many children who were abducted.

“We need to return every single child.”

Presidential advisor Daria meanwhile warned Russia will use the children as a “weapon” against not only Ukraine, but the rest of Europe.

She said: “We are working on keeping this matter in the spotlight and we think that it is extremely important that it be a part of these talks because the Ukrainian children which Russia keeps under its control

“It’s a threat to global security, to Ukraine’s security.

“There are 1.6 million Ukrainian children currently staying in the temporarily occupied territories under the control of Russia.

“They’ve been indoctrinated, they’ve been militarised.”

READ MORE HERE

“Under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, Ukraine has built a reintegration system that provides each child with a tailored protection and recovery plan.

“Based on children’s needs, they receive medical care, psychological support, legal aid, safe housing, and access to education.”

The Sun previously spoke to one teenager who fell victim to Putin’s evil scheme.

Nastya, then 15, was abducted from Kherson Oblast when it was seized by Putin’s fighters at the beginning of the war in March 2022.

The terrified teenager was placed with a woman who also had ten other children in her care.

She told how she was abused and beat her until she was sent back to the police station where she had originally been held.

Nastya was then enrolled in a college, where she said she was routinely humiliated by soldiers who told her: “You are nothing.”

Eventually, Nastya was able to find a phone and make a call to her mother, who tracked down volunteers in Ukraine to help get her home.

In March 2023, arrest warrants for Putin and his twisted children’s commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova were issued by the International Criminal Court.

Russia attempted to denounce the warrants as “outrageous and unacceptable”.

Lvova-Belova has attempted to portray the forced deportation of Ukrainian children as a Russian rescue mission since being appointed Putin’s children’s commissioner in 2021.

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UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram explains the desperate conditions families find themselves in while being forcibly displaced from Gaza City by Israeli evacuation orders.

Ever since a massive immigration raid on a Hyundai manufacturing site swept up nearly 500 workers in southeast Georgia this month, Rosie Harrison said her organization’s phones have been ringing nonstop with panicked families in need of help.

“We have individuals returning calls every day, but the list doesn’t end,” Harrison said. She runs a nonprofit called Grow Initiative that connects low-income families — immigrant and nonimmigrant alike — with food, housing and educational resources.

Since the raid, Harrison said, “families are experiencing a new level of crisis.”

A majority of the 475 people who were detained in the workplace raid — which U.S. officials have called the largest in two decades — were Korean and have returned to South Korea. But lawyers and social workers say many of the non-Korean immigrants ensnared in the crackdown remain in legal limbo or are otherwise unaccounted for.

As the raid began the morning of Sept. 4, workers almost immediately started calling Migrant Equity Southeast, a local nonprofit that connects immigrants with legal and financial resources. The small organization of approximately 15 employees fielded calls regarding people from Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Venezuela, spokesperson Vanessa Contreras said.

Throughout the day, people described federal agents taking cellphones from workers and putting them in long lines, Contreras said. Some workers hid for hours to avoid capture in air ducts or remote areas of the sprawling property. The Department of Justice said some hid in a nearby sewage pond.

People off-site called the organization frantically seeking the whereabouts of loved ones who worked at the plant and were suddenly unreachable.

Like many of the Koreans who were working there, advocates and lawyers representing the non-Korean workers caught up in the raid say that some who were detained had legal authorization to work in the United States.

Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to emailed requests for comment Friday. It is not clear how many people detained during the raid remain in custody.

Atlanta-based attorney Charles Kuck, who represents both Korean and non-Korean workers who were detained, said two of his clients were legally working under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which was created under President Obama. One had been released and “should have never been arrested,” he said, while the other was still being held because he was recently charged with driving under the influence.

Another of Kuck’s clients was in the process of seeking asylum, he said, and had the same documents and job as her husband, who was not arrested.

Some even had valid Georgia driver’s licenses, which aren’t available to people in the country illegally, said Rosario Palacios, who has been assisting Migrant Equity Southeast. Some families who called the organization were left without access to transportation because the person who had been detained was the only one who could drive.

“It’s hard to say how they chose who they were going to release and who they were going to take into custody,” Palacios said, adding that some who were arrested didn’t have a so-called alien identification number and were still unaccounted for.

Kuck said the raid is an indication of how far reaching the Trump administration crackdown is, which officials claim is targeting only criminals.

“The redefinition of the word ‘criminal’ to include everybody who is not a citizen, and even some that are, is the problem here,” Kuck said.

Many of the families who called Harrison’s initiative said their detained relatives were the sole breadwinners in the household, leaving them desperate for basics like baby formula and food.

The financial impact of the raid at the construction site for a battery factory that will be operated by HL-GA Battery Co. was compounded by the fact that another large employer in the area — International Paper Co. — is closing at the end of the month, laying off 800 more workers, Harrison said.

Growth Initiative doesn’t check immigration status, Harrison said, but almost all families who have reached out to her have said that their detained loved ones had legal authorization to work in the United States, leaving many confused about why their relative was taken into custody.

“The worst phone calls are the ones where you have children crying, screaming, ‘Where is my mom?’” Harrison said.

Riddle writes for the Associated Press. R

Sky-high air fares and peak holiday cost increases have left families cutting back to make trips abroad a reality, research has revealed.

A survey of 1,000 parents with children up to the age of 16 who holiday abroad revealed that 66% believe price hikes have made it more challenging to get away. This has led to 69% having to be inventive with their finances to make overseas trips feasible due to rising air fares.

Top tips for stretching budgets included booking flights and accommodation well in advance, packing snacks and essentials instead of buying them upon arrival, and using comparison sites to hunt for the best deals.

Research commissioned by travel insurance provider Staysure showed that families have had to slash their holiday budgets by an average of £941 in recent years, with the cost of a holiday now just over £2,800. As a result, 44% are now more likely to opt for a staycation than a trip abroad.

However, with the average family having spent nearly £300 to keep kids entertained during school holidays, even UK day trips can still put a real strain on budgets, with 57% looking for discounted tickets for theme parks and attractions.

It’s not just young families that are struggling to afford a trip abroad as 60% of over 65s also say a staycation is on the cards due to increased prices. While 75 % of this age group also look for discounted day trip and attraction tickets when entertaining the grandchildren.

A spokesperson for Staysure, which has launched a rewards scheme offering customers access to 1.4 million worldwide hotel discounts and reduced entry fees to major UK attractions for 12 months when they purchase a policy, said: “Families long for holidays abroad, and need to entertain the kids with days out but rising costs are just squeezing what’s affordable for all generations.

“With children now back in school, thoughts will naturally turn to the October half term – and how families will once again afford to keep the kids busy often relying on grandparents to help out.

“Whether it’s a trip away or days out in the UK, the desire for cost savings will only increase as people look for more creative ways to maximise budgets – it’s a tricky juggling act.”

With getaway expenses rocketing, it merely compounds the frustration of having to fork out extra to guarantee seats that keep relatives and youngsters together on aircraft, with those surveyed expressing irritation (41%) and exasperation (32%).

Meanwhile, 44% of over 65s went as far as to say they feel livid. And 40% believe it’s unjust that a youngster’s spot on a plane can cost nearly as much as an adult fare.

Of the 66% who have been forced to slash holiday expenses, it has meant compromising on dining out (32%), slashing their total spending allowance (31%), and forgoing accommodation improvements or additional perks (28%). A further 28% have also had to reduce spending on souvenirs and shopping whilst abroad to maintain strict budgets.

Of all respondents surveyed, 71% have previously enjoyed an all-inclusive break, but 75% are now more inclined to choose self-catering options due to unaffordable price increases during busy periods.

Nearly a third (30%) have removed their child from school to secure cheaper holidays, with 29% of those doing so regularly, for an average of five days each time.

And 55% believe they could be taking breaks exclusively within the UK moving forward due to rising expenses according to the OnePoll.com research.

A spokesperson from Staysure, which is providing a 20% discount on policies in September, said: “With costs creeping up at every turn it’s no wonder parents are feeling the pinch and making cutbacks to afford a family holiday.

“Many will already be counting the cost of having spent plenty of cash keeping their kids entertained over the past six weeks.

“With expensive day trips, cinema outings, excursions, and visits to theme parks all mounting up, these are areas where parents could make savings.”

TOP 10 WAYS PARENTS LOOK TO MAKE THEIR BUDGET GO FURTHER FOR HOLIDAYS ABROAD.

1. Book flights and accommodation well in advance.
2. Pack snacks and essentials to avoid buying on the go.
3. Use comparison sites for best deals.
4. Plan free or low-cost activities.
5. Use cashback and reward schemes.
6. Set a daily spending limit
7. Whip up your own meals rather than dining out.
8. Value experiences over keepsakes.
9. Jet off during quieter seasons.
10. Take advantage of loyalty points or travel vouchers.

A HUGE blaze has erupted at the old BBC Television Centre.

Around 100 firefighters are at the scene on Wood Lane in White City, west London, with families evacuated from their homes.

The cause of the fire is unknown, according to the London Fire Brigade.

Emergency calls were made at around 3.08am on Saturday.

In a statement, LFB said: “The building is nine storeys and the fire is currently affecting floors towards the top of the building.

“A restaurant, external decking and ducting is currently alight. An unknown number of flats have also potentially been affected by the fire.”

It added: “A rest centre is being set up for residents who have been evacuated from their homes.”

Wood Lane is currently closed to traffic and pedestrians.

Do you know more? Email [email protected]

1

When the Channel 4 show returns tomorrow night for series 26 there will be a lot of fresh faces lighting up the screen – but what does it mean for the regulars?

Gogglebox is to be given a major overhaul with five new families joining the regulars for the new series from their sofas – after just one pair were axed.

Earlier this summer, it emerged that Scottish couple Roisin Kelly and Joe Kyle were leaving the show after producers decided not to invite them back for the 26th run, which starts on Channel 4 tomorrow.

Now two new Scottish duos are among the incoming groups of telly watchers – pals Jake, 27, and Calum, 31, from Glasgow plus sisters Rosie, 68, and Susie, 70, from Edinburgh.

READ MORE: Stacey Dooley lifts lid on murky world of social media health tips as NHS waiting lists grow

The show is also to get its oldest contributor in the form of 87-year-old Sara from Yorkshire, who will watch the box alongside her daughter-in-law Lara, 58.

The other two families are the Gordons from Surrey, comprising parents Andre, 49, and Sarah, 47, alongside their daughter Chee, 25 plus married couple Andrew, 62, and Alfie, 32, from the Cotswolds.

One insider said the changes were to “inject a bit of freshness” into the long-running show, which remains one of Channel 4’s best-loved titles after 13 years on air.

But the injection of new faces could cause stress for some of the Gogglebox regulars, who may feel they are now in danger of being pushed out in the coming months if the new arrivals prove popular.

The series will showcase the new groupings on screen from tonight at 9pm. Mike Cotton, creative director for production company Studio Lambert, said it was “a delight” to welcome the fresh households into the Gogglebox family, adding: “Along with our much-loved returning cast, we can’t wait to join them in their living rooms and hear their candid thoughts on this weeks most talked about TV.”

They will join regular Goggleboxers pals Jenny and Lee, the Siddiqui family, the Malone family, married couple Giles and Mary, sisters Ellie and Izzi, Welsh married couple David and Shirley, the Plummer brothers, sisters Amira and Amani, the Worthington family, siblings Pete and Sophie, friends Abbie and Georgia, married couple Sue and Steve, siblings Simon and Jane, married couple Ronnie and Annie, pals Danielle and Daniella, married couple Teresa and Anita and parents Michael & Sally, who appear with their teen twins Jake and Harry.

Joe and Roisin took to social media in July to tell fans that they were not returning for the show’s next series. They wrote: “After three and a half years of sitting on the sofa Channel 4 have decided it’s time for Joe and I to stretch our legs and have not asked us back for season 26. Therefore, we are leaving the Gogglebox family.”

Thanking the producers, they added: “The experience has actually been so mad and we will miss watching TV with you all on Friday nights! It’s been an honour to represent Scotland as some of the first Scottish people on the show and prove we don’t actually need subtitles.”

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said they wished the pair all the best for the future, adding: “We thank Joe and Roisin for their contributions to Gogglebox over the years.”

– Gogglebox, Channel 4, Friday, 9pm

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