told

BREAKING Bad star RJ Mitte told young people also living with cerebral palsy to “never give up” just months before his death aged 34.

The actor, best known for his role playing Walter White Jr. in the Emmy Award-winning show, died on Monday in Texas, reports said.

His cause of death was not immediately disclosed, however, TMZ reported that he died by suicide.

The star’s reps told Deadline: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.

“Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”

RJ became a leading voice for disability rights in film and TV following his rise to fame with Breaking Bad.

‘I’M HEARTBROKEN’

Aaron Paul pays tribute to RJ Mitte after Breaking Bad star dies aged 34

LAST SHOW

Final picture of RJ Mitte as star appeared at film premiere days before death

When he was born in Louisiana, he was not breathing and suffered permanent brain damage as a result.

He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy – a neurological condition that affects movement, muscle tone, and motor skills – when he was three years old.

Doctors put his legs in casts to try to strengthen his feet and later he was fitted with leg braces.

RJ spent most of his childhood using crutches, but improved his ability to walk over his teenage years through sports and exercise.

The actor previously opened up about his experiences undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy, which he also started when he was three.

He told Future of Personal Health late last year about routines he used for managing his disability.

The star said: “Stretching has been one of the most important tools for me.

“I also rely on hot showers and baths to relax my muscles, especially to help manage spasticity.

“With my travel schedule, I’m not always near a gym, so I’ve learned to build small, sustainable routines that keep my body in balance.

“Finding what works for you, and blending those therapies into your daily life, can truly change everything.”

Giving advice to young people with disabilities, he said: “My hope is to inspire a ‘never give up’ mentality.

“If there is something you want in life, pursue it no matter how hard it may be.

“Keep your dreams alive. Don’t lose sight of who you want to become.”

RJ, who got engaged last year to Kennedy Suarez, also credited his mum with his success in a 2009 interview.

Opening up about his early diagnosis, he told Ability Magazine: “They told me I was going to need a wheelchair because I couldn’t bend my legs.

“My mom stretched my legs and really pushed me to get to where I am today. Really, I owe my mom.”

He also said playing football helped him overcome his physical problems.

“What most helped me to get out of my braces was playing soccer,” he explained.

“I always wanted to play football… but because of my disability, my hand-eye coordination was off. I couldn’t do that. So I gradually started playing more and more soccer.”

RJ was a Screen Actors Guild spokesman for actors with disabilities, and a celebrity ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy.

In 2013, he received the SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award.

The TV star also featured in shows including “Switched at Birth”, and Netflix’s animated series “The Guardians of Justice”.

He starred in several films including the drama “Triumph” from 2021, which he also executive produced.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.

KATIE Price told social services she feared her then husband Kieran Hayler had groomed and sexually abused his alleged child rape victim, a court has heard.

The 39-year-old is accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the girl between June and October 2016, when she was 13.

Katie told a social worker in 2018 that Hayler, 39, had been grooming the girl since she was 13 in a list of agreed facts read in Lewes Crown Court yesterday.

She alleged that Hayler had been grabbing the teen’s bottom, trying to kiss her and said he was falling in love with the girl, jurors heard.

The social worker then informed Sussex Police about the allegations.

Authorities contacted the mother soon after but she told police her daughter did not want to talk about it or take the allegations any further.

SCHOOL SHOCK

Olivia Bowen’s son, 4, almost loses his eye after becoming impaled on stick

TRUE WARRIOR

Moment Celine Dion falls over live on stage – but doesn’t miss a beat

Defence barrister Arlette Piercy asked the mother if she had betrayed her daughter’s trust by going to Katie Price with her allegations in 2017 – nearly a year before she reported them to social services.

She asked: “You said you felt you had to tell Katie Price. “You went behind your daughter’s back?

The mum – who cannot be named for legal reasons – responded: “Yes, she probably didn’t want anyone to ever know.

“It probably did cause arguments. We did have a big fall out.”

Asked if the girl was “OK” about her telling Ms Price, the mum said: “No, she wasn’t OK about it.

“But I said to (the girl) because the marriage situation (with Kieran) had broken down, it was only fair that I let Katie know.”

The child told her mum that Hayler had “done everything” to her during a conversation in 2017 – almost a year after his last alleged attack, jurors were told.

The woman then informed former glamour model and mum-of-five Ms Price, 48, weeks after she was told.

Speaking about when she told Ms Price, the woman said she told her: “I think Kieran has done something to (the girl).”

She told the court: “She was shocked and probably swore.”

The mum said she felt “like I have to” tell Ms Price, who was having marriage problems with Hayler at the time.

She added: “She was quite angry and I didn’t feel that she was particularly upset for (the girl).

“I just felt that she was angry and feeling revengeful towards Kieran for the situation they were in.

“And she said, ‘Well, you could get him into trouble if you told somebody’.”

The woman – who said her daughter did not want to tell authorities about the allegations – continued: “I said we have to respect her wishes, she doesn’t want anybody to know, we have to just look after (the girl).”

The girl – now aged in her 20s – denied making up the claims and became emotional, leaving the courtroom at one point as she faced questions from Hayler’s legal team.

The court was shown a video of her police interview from 2021 where she recalled the alleged abuse, sobbing as she said “I thought it was my fault for ages”.

Jurors previously heard Hayler allegedly begged the girl to not tell anyone and told her to “take it to the grave”.

The court also heard previously that before the first alleged rape, Hayler told the schoolgirl he really liked her and began speaking to her about sex – he is accused of raping the girl again on two further occasions.

The girl, who is not a member of Hayler or Katie’s family, contacted the NSPCC in December 2021 when she was aged 18, which prompted an investigation, it was said.

Former stripper Hayler denies all the allegations, which are said to have happened at an address in West Sussex.

The trial at Lewes Crown Court continues.

Sara Baeur, a chocolatier from Montana, USA, booked a place to stay in Northern Morocco for next year’s total solar eclipse, only to be contacted by the host who had an unwelcome message for her

A family was told they’d be locked out of a rental home if they turned up, despite paying £3,400 for the property.

Solar eclipse enthusiast Sara Bauer booked a place to stay in the Moroccan resort of Marwan for the first week of August 2027, desperate to see the astrological phenomenon from the best possible spot. The northern seaside town is a perfect place to catch the eclipse, which includes an incredible eight minutes of totality – about three times longer than this summer’s.

The Montana woman booked the beachfront property and started looking forward to what’s been dubbed ‘the eclipse of the century’. However, she claims she became alarmed after receiving a message from the host, demanding that she cancel the booking. If she didn’t, she was told her family would be locked out of the home, she alleges.

After Sara gave in and cancelled the booking, she saw the same property relisted for six times the price, she claims.

Do you have a story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

After she was first contacted by the host, the chocolatier, who runs Chocolate Eclipse, told the Mirror: “The host of my Airbnb in Morocco is demanding that I cancel my reservation. He says he will be penalised badly if he cancels it. He said he’s selling the place before next year and didn’t realise at first that I had booked so far out. He says he will be penalised if he does the cancellation, but will if I refuse to cancel.”

Sara added: “He had said I wouldn’t have access even if I didn’t cancel.”

Concerned that she’d fly all the way to Morocco to find a locked house, Sara “caved” and accepted the cancellation request. The host told her that the property was being removed from the rental market for renovations. However, Sara later found the same property listed for the same week for £20,400 – six times more than she paid.

After being contacted by the Mirror, Airbnb deactivated the listing and penalised the host. An Airbnb spokesperson said: “Issues of this nature are rare, and where we determine misuse of our cancellation policy, hosts not only lose the income from the booking, but face consequences we apply, including fees of up to 50% of the booking cost, a block on rebooking their listing for the same dates, impact on search ranking and where warranted, suspension or deactivation of the account. Our initial handling of this report fell short of the standards we expect, and feedback will be provided to the agents. We have deactivated the listing, and have applied the relevant penalties in line with our policies on host cancellation. The guest has been offered rebooking support and a coupon as a gesture of goodwill, which has been positively received.”

Hosts who cancel Airbnb stays without a legitimate reason face a 50% fee on the reservation cost, calendar blocks that prevent them from accepting reservations during the affected dates, and potential consequences for their Superhost status and listing search ranking. Airbnb says cancellation rates have dropped 30% year over year since more deterrents were introduced in July 2023.

The huge demand for places to stay along the path of totality during next year’s solar eclipse has driven prices up sharply. Some property owners have resorted to canceling reservations in a bid to make hay while the sun shines.

KATIE Price told her ex-husband Kieran Hayler’s alleged child rape victim she would “make her a little star”, a court heard today.

The former glamour model, 48, made the comment in a message while quizzing the girl about whether she had kissed Hayler, jurors were told.

The message exchange happened in May 2017 – eight months after the last alleged attack by Hayler, it was said.

The former stripper is accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the girl between June and October 2016 – when she was 13 and Hayler and Katie were married.

In the May 2017 exchange, mother-of-five Katie asked the girl if she and Hayler, 39, had kissed.

Katie wrote: “I WON’T say anything and I PROMISE I’ll protect you!

FIRST WORDS

Christa Pike has ‘no memory’ of botched execution as she speaks from hospital

GRIM LIE

Moment Dexter killer who knifed woman in ‘kill room’ blames ‘dog’ for bloody hands

“I’m only asking as this is a serious allegation to say.”

The girl, who was 14 at the time of the message exchange, replied: “It was just a flirt thing and he knew it was wrong. Nothing happened.”

Katie said: “Was it just a flirt and what did he do to realise it was wrong? Did he try (to) kiss you?

“I won’t bring (it) up anymore (I) just want (the) truth! I will make you a little star.

“Please help and tell me… as long as I know the truth, I won’t say. I PROMISE.”

The girl replied: “I never wanted to have this conversation with you and this was over eight months ago… maybe longer. I’m really sorry.”

Katie then queried if Hayler ever said he “liked or fancied you”, to which the girl responded: “Yes, but I took it as a joke.

“Please don’t get angry at him because of me.”

Asked by defence barrister Arlette Piercy what she took the “little star” message to mean, she said: “I think I just ignored it.”

Ms Piercy asked if she had said it before, to which she replied: “No.”

The girl, now 23, reported her allegations to the NSPCC children’s charity in 2021.

The charity then referred it to police and she was interviewed by cops in December 2021, with Hayler questioned the following month.

The alleged attacks are said to have happened at a West Sussex address.

She claims Hayler described sex as “special” to her before the first alleged rape, and says the third alleged attack happened in a bathroom.

She says that after the third alleged rape, Hayler sent her a text saying: “I love you. Good night”, to which she responded: “I love you too.”

Ms Piercy suggested the messages were never sent but the alleged victim claimed Hayler asked her to delete them.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, she said: “They’ve long gone, some years ago.

“I don’t have them anymore, it was ten years ago.”

She added: “Mr Hayler was asking me to delete my messages.”

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is not a member of Hayler nor Katie’s family.

Hayler, wearing a white shirt and blue suit jacket in court today split from Katie in 2018.

He denies all of the allegations.

The Lewes Crown Court trial continues.

Rising energy costs are already affecting households across Northern Ireland.

The impact of the US-Israel war with Iran is one of the factors behind the increase.

The letter from the EA to head teachers said that “recent geopolitical events are expected to have a substantial impact on energy costs across the Education Authority (EA) during the 2026/27 financial year”.

It said that total school gas bills were expected to go up by 60% from £10.7m to £17m by March 2027.

Meanwhile, total school electricity bills are expected to rise by 5% from £23.8m to £25.1m by March 2027.

“Given the scale of the anticipated cost increases, we are asking all schools to review their energy usage and identify opportunities to reduce consumption wherever possible,” the EA said.

Among the measures the authority has suggested to schools are cutting heating use by an hour a day and switching off classroom lights to use natural daylight instead.

Staff and pupils have also been advised to “wear more clothes” rather than turn the heating thermostat up if it is cold.

But principals have told BBC News NI that it is not straightforward for schools to cut heating costs.

The principal of Tullygally Primary School in Craigavon, Kirsty Logan-Hall, said that the school was “committed to promoting responsible energy consumption and regularly reinforce good practice with staff and pupils”.

“However, our ability to achieve significant reductions in energy usage is constrained by the nature of our estate,” she said.

“The school operates from an older building which presents inherent energy efficiency challenges.

“In addition, our site is particularly spread out due to the accommodation and operational requirements associated with our specialist provision.

“This necessitates the heating, lighting and ongoing use of multiple areas across the site throughout the school day to ensure appropriate learning environments, accessibility and pupil welfare.

“It is important to recognise that there is limited scope for reducing energy consumption without adversely impacting the quality of provision, staff working conditions or the wellbeing of pupils, including those with additional needs.”

Emma Quinn from Rathcoole Primary told BBC Good Morning Ulster that the “lack of maintenance” has an impact on schools, adding that pupils have a right to come into a warm school after being outside.

“Putting this pressure onto us at the minute is ridiculous, when we are eco schools, we are doing all of these, we are turning off lights, but yet this lands in on our doorstep and we’re suddenly expected to jump and to fix a problem that is so systemic, it’s just not good enough.”

Advice has also been given on other changes

Brits are being urged to check their passports before travelling, with a new rule now in effect.

Experts said the changes highlighted the risk of simple travel document mistakes. They have explained the rule change and given advice on wider passport checks to make before travelling.

From September 28, passengers travelling on Irish Ferries’ Dublin-Holyhead and Rosslare-Pembroke routes, in both directions, are required to present a valid passport or Irish passport card before boarding. But new research from Saga Travel Insurance suggests many Brits could still be caught out by basic passport and travel document rules.

It said 16% admitted they didn’t know when their passport expires, with a 8% currently holding an expired passport. Further, 10% had less than a year remaining on their passport and one in 14 (7%) had previously been denied entry to a country because they didn’t have enough time left on their passport.

Saga said there was also widespread confusion around post-Brexit travel rules, with half (50%) of holidaymakers saying they were not confident they understood the visa and travel requirements for visiting Europe.

Michelle Cooper, director of Travel Insurance at Saga, said: “Nobody should have their holidays ruined because of a simple passport error. A few quick checks can help people avoid unnecessary stress, unexpected costs and disruption at the airport.”

The travel insurance provider surveyed 500 people in the UK and found that Brits could be at risk of avoidable disruption when travelling overseas due to simple oversights.

The passport rules catching Brits out after Brexit

Half (50%) of holidaymakers are still not confident they understand the visa and travel requirements for visiting Europe after Brexit, the survey found.

Michelle said: “If you’re travelling to Europe for an extended period, you may now be required to apply for a new visa type. Travellers can spend up to 90 days in the Schengen area within any rolling 180‐day period, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.

“The 180 days are counted backwards from each day you’re in the EU or a Schengen country, so every trip adds up. That means even frequent short breaks can push you over the limit without realising.

“If you go beyond 90 days, you could face fines or even a ban from re-entering. Anyone planning to stay longer will need to apply for the new Schengen Visa.”

What is the Schengen area?

The Schengen area is a group of 29 European countries where travellers can move between countries without routine passport checks. It includes popular holiday destinations such as France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal.

Confusion around the ‘10-year passport rule’ is the most widely discussed passport concern online, according to the analysis from Saga Travel Insurance, with Reddit discussions on the issue amassing 35,417 upvotes.

Michelle explained: “EU and Schengen countries require passports to be less than 10 years old on the day of entry. While all new passports last exactly ten years, passports issued before 2018 remain valid for 10 years and nine months. If you have an older passport, make sure you check both the issue date and expiry date before travelling to avoid problems at the border.”

Brits warned over new ETIAS travel checks for Europe

From late 2026, British travellers visiting most European countries will need to apply for a new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) before travelling. The new system is similar to the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme and will apply to visa-exempt travellers visiting 30 European countries for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Michelle said: “Travellers may not realise that visiting Europe will soon involve an additional pre-travel authorisation step. From late 2026, British holidaymakers will need to apply for ETIAS approval before travelling to many popular European destinations.

“The authorisation will be linked directly to your passport, meaning travellers could be denied boarding if their ETIAS details don’t match their travel document or if the authorisation has expired. Most ETIAS applications are expected to be processed within minutes, but it could take longer if additional checks are required. Holidaymakers should apply well in advance of departure to avoid last-minute disruptions.

“Similar systems already exist elsewhere. For example, UK travellers visiting the United States must apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) before departure. These systems are becoming more common globally, so it’s important to check requirements for each destination well ahead of travel.

“As with passport validity rules, people are responsible for making sure they have the correct travel authorisation before they leave the country. If someone is unable to travel because they failed to obtain valid ETIAS or ESTA approval, travel insurance is unlikely to cover costs associated with denied boarding or cancelled trips.”

Many of us own one of these common colours for a suitcase but it is worth following simple advice that will stop any problems from arising

Ryanair continues to grow, with the airline carrying a record 208.4 million passengers in its latest full financial year – a four per cent increase on the previous year. However, the budget airline has also been cutting back at some European airports, with Ryanair withdrawing or reducing flights in certain locations.

The airline has pointed to factors including aviation taxes and airport charges. Despite this, the UK remains a key part of Ryanair’s expansion plans.

Its winter 2026 schedule includes 435 routes, with three new services from London Stansted and a new route between London Luton and Venice. A further 18 new routes have also been added from other UK airports.

As Brits gear up to the October half term holidays and winter, Ryanair has issued a warning to passengers who typically fly with black, navy or grey suitcases, urging them to ‘change’ their luggage to avoid any confusion when they land.

The budget carrier advised travellers to make their checked-in bags more distinctive on the carousel given the prevalence of these colours.

What Ryanair says

As reports the Express, Ryanair said: “Make it easier to spot your checked-in luggage on the carousel, especially if your luggage is black, navy or grey (like 99.9 percent of the population). Add a colourful luggage tag or ribbon to the handle so that there’s no confusion on arrival.”

Ryanair also recommends passengers create copies of their passport, driving licence, and/or ID card and email them to themselves.

It’s also suggested to photograph these documents and store them on your phone for offline access at your destination,

The well-known budget carrier transports an impressive 52 million passengers to and from the UK annually with its fleet of 107 UK-based aircraft.

In June, Ryanair experienced a spike in passenger numbers with 19.3 million people opting to fly with them across one of their 106,000 flights. This marked the first occasion the airline transported more than 19 million travellers and an 11 per cent rise compared to June 2023.

The airline also pulled out all the stops for England fans during the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 run, laying on over 1,500 extra seats to and from Berlin for the cup final.

On a separate note, if you’re on the hunt for stylish cabin bags and suitcases, Antler is well worth a look. Their Iconic Stripe Case, retailing at £175, is available in seven gorgeous colours, including mist blue.

THE under fire boss of air traffic control has been told he “must quit” after a number of UK airports were hit with delays following another technical glitch.

Thousands of passengers saw their flights disrupted after an issue with the National Air Traffic Services [Nats] affected airspace in the north of England and in Scotland.

Holidaymakers are facing lengthy delays after the issue which began at Nats’ Prestwick centre in Scotland.

Airports in Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester were registering delayed flights and urged passengers to check with their airlines while Luton Airport said domestic flights had been disrupted.

Nats has stressed that the issue was unrelated to a massive outage that saw hundreds of flights cancelled just two weeks ago.

In a statement on the most recent air traffic control outage, a Nats spokesperson confirmed the issue was now fixed – but disruption is still on the cards for many holidaymakers.

CRUISE CONTROL

Cruise experts reveal tips for boosting your holiday – and mistakes to avoid

PLANT IT

Very grand garden centre with country’s best afternoon tea has huge makeover plans

But calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign have intensified after the latest debacle.

The 51-year-old senior executive of National Air Traffic Services was paid £1.5 million, including £871,000 in bonuses, last year and has already faced questions over his future.

The executive has previously been accused of overseeing a “litany of failures” during his time as CEO of the UK’s air traffic control services.

At least 200 flights departing or arriving into the UK have been cancelled so far today, aviation analytics company Cirium has said.

Ryanair has said more than 25,000 of its passengers are expected to be disrupted after the latest air traffic control incident and called for Rolfe to resign.

Chief operations officer Neal McMahon said: “Just three days after Nats assured airlines and passengers that it had introduced robust ‘mitigation plans’, its flight data processing system has failed again.

“More than 25,000 Ryanair passengers have already suffered disruption, with over 140 Ryanair flights delayed, yet Nats still cannot tell passengers when this disruption will end.

He added: “Rolfe has presided over repeated system failures, repeated passenger disruption and repeated failures to deliver an effective back-up system.

“Enough is enough. Martin Rolfe should resign today.”

Easyjet said in a statement: “A NATS Air Traffic Control system failure in its Prestwick Centre is causing delays to flights with some unable to operate.

“This, once again, calls into question the resilience of NATS’ systems and demonstrates the need for firm actions to prevent these repeated failures.

“We will do all we can minimise the impact of this for our customers and advise anyone due to fly today to check our flight tracker for the latest information.”

The airline said the latest disruption “calls into question the resilience of Nats’ systems.”

The firm said earlier this morning that engineers were working to resolve the issue but that regulations had been imposed to “maintain safety.”

And, British Airways said it is “disappointing” that some customers may experience disruption after “yet another technical fault with Nats”.

A spokesperson for the airline said: “Yet another technical fault with Nats means some of our customers are likely to experience disruption to their travel plans today.

“This is disappointing and whilst it is an issue that is entirely out of our control, we’re doing everything we can to limit the impact on customers and are keeping them updated.”

A Nats statement this afternoon read: “The issue in our Prestwick centre is now fixed. We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations as quickly as we can to minimise any further disruption.

“Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline.

“We apologise for the disruption.”

Passengers tpoday are being advised to check with their airline for information on their flights.

Holidaymakers at Glasgow airport were reportedly been left waiting on the tarmac for hours amid the delays.

Meanwhile, Luton Airport said domestic flights had been disrupted by the air traffic control issue.

And several flights at Manchester Airport have been delayed with passengers warned to expect further disruption.

However, most airports south of Manchester are broadly unaffected by the issue but flights travelling north may be subject to some delays, Nats said.

British Airways and Easyjet have issued messages to passengers hoping to travel today, warning them that some delays are expected.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited has said flights are being disrupted across all of the airports it operates.

Meanwhile, Belfast International Airport said it is experiencing some delays amid the air traffic control issue.

Passengers and airlines “deserve better”, an aviation industry body has said after the second air traffic control issue within two weeks.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “The UK’s ATC (air traffic control) system is critical national infrastructure and it must be resilient enough to keep people moving.

“Passengers and airlines deserve better and the independent CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) report, together with the forthcoming Civil Aviation Bill, must address the underlying weaknesses in the system so that these failures stop happening.”

The previous Nats failure affected thousands of passengers with many stuck abroad amid the chaos.

Nats announced that a “technical issue” with its “flight processing system” had caused the widespread travel chaos just two weeks ago.

A majority of the UK’s biggest airports were brought to a standstill by the failure, which is understood to have been caused by a software error.

It led to calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign with furious airline executives blaming him for the failure.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander previously demanded Rolfe launch a rapid review into the chaos last week and said that she did not believe the most recent air traffic control issue was “unavoidable.”

He previously faced turbulence in 2023 when he oversaw his first failure in air traffic control, which affected more than 250,000 passengers.

The August bank holiday failure was sparked when a small piece of incorrect data set off a mass system failure lasting just a few hours.

Kieron: Kilmarnock could have won by three or four and it wouldn’t of flattered them. Hibs were so poor tonight. David Gray’s position is hanging by a thread.

Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.

Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.

Chris: Question the tactics. Thought for long time long ball is desperate and lacks ambition. Pressure indeed on David Gray.

Lee: If we end the game two points off bottom spot then it’s surely time up for the Hibs manager. It’s not a run and recovery from a bad position needed, it’s deliver and results from the get go the support demands for a club of our size.

Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as David Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.

Paul: Long balls to no-one as usual from Hibs and as usual our keeper is a weak link. Gray has to go even if we win as this is awful football. Bring in Neil Lennon or Steve Clarke asap before our season drifts to nothing as usual.

Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.

Brian: Worst backline in Scotland, midfielders trot about like headless chickens, feel sorry for strikers. Gray clueless. No plan. No tactics. Blah, blah, blah after game as usual but won’t resign. Board have to act.

SMcDhfc: David Gray has lost the team, it was obvious tonight. As an attacking force, we were shocking, lots of huffing and puffing but not one real effort on target. The players should be embarrassed after that display, but they will get the result they are after, Gray sacked.

Craig: I like Gray but believe it’s time he goes. He has one formation. It’s just not good enough. But, if he goes, Malky MacKay [director of football] should go too. His signings have been terrible.

WASHINGTON: Jason Eaton insisted he was acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad when he shot three Palestinian college students who were walking past his home a few days after Thanksgiving. He said the US and Israeli intelligence agencies transmitted the messages to him via FM radio and that God was commanding him to protect his Jewish neighbors.

Eaton’s claims were at the heart of his insanity defens e as he went on trial Monday on attempted murder charges in a case that shook Burlington, Vermont, and reverberated in the West Bank, where the three wounded men grew up and became friends as schoolmates in Ramallah before moving to the US for college.

The November 2023 shooting, weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, spawned calls for a hate crime investigation. But no hate crime charges were filed as questions persisted about whether anti-Palestinian animus, an altered mental state or something else had compelled Eaton to open fire on Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid, who were all 20 at the time.

The men testified one after another as Eaton, now 51, watched stoically from the defense table in a Burlington courtroom. He has pleaded not guilty but doesn’t dispute that he was the shooter. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could be ordered to undergo mental health treatment.

Defense lawyer Joshua O’Hara, previewing testimony from a defense psychiatrist, told jurors in an opening statement that Eaton was suffering from a delusional, psychotic disorder after losing his job at a credit union two weeks before the shooting.

While listening to a local NPR affiliate, Eaton believed he was hearing messages that he attributed to the CIA, O’Hara said. At first, the messages were encouraging and validating, the lawyer said, but subsequent messages turned dark, insisting that Eaton “has to go out and shoot somebody.”

Prosecutor Sally Adams told jurors that a state psychiatrist who is slated to testify concluded that Eaton did not have a mental disease or defect. Evidence will show he intended to kill the men, was not legally justified in shooting them, and does not meet the test of legal insanity, Adams said.

Authorities found three shotguns in Eaton’s apartment and a Ruger .380-caliber handgun that crime lab testing concluded was the gun used in the shooting, Adams said. Eaton had purchased the gun seven months earlier from a Vermont gun store.

“If the defense tries to focus on the story that Mr. Eaton tells about why he intended to kill these three young men, that story is only part of the whole picture,” said Adams, the chief administrative deputy at the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Awartani, Aliahmad and Abdalhamid, all of whom are now 23, told jurors of their holiday weekend visit to Awartani’s grandmother’s house, a trip to a bowling alley to celebrate his twin cousins’ birthday, and the walk they took near the University of Vermont campus after dusk that ended in bloodshed.

Awartani, who was studying at Brown University in Rhode Island at the time, said they were smoking cigarettes and speaking a mix of English and Arabic. Two of them said they were wearing traditional Palestinian scarves known as keffiyehs. Awartani said he first noticed Eaton standing on a porch as they approached the apartment house where he lived.

Within seconds, Awartani said, Eaton was off the porch and walking toward them. His face was expressionless and he didn’t say anything. As Eaton got to about five to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 meters) away, “he pulled out a handgun and started shooting at us,” said Awartani, who was paralyzed from the waist down in the shooting and now uses a wheelchair.

Jacob Pyne, who lived in a different apartment in the same house as Eaton, testified that he heard four to six gunshots, followed by footsteps going up the stairs of the apartment house. He said he ran outside and heard two men speaking, one of whom was more vocal and yelling, “I’ve been shot, help me.” He then brought the men blankets and called 911.

Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College near Philadelphia, said he fled and hid behind another home after seeing Aliahmad fall to the ground. He said he only realized later when he sat down that he had also been wounded. Awartani was shot in the chest and the bullet ricocheted off his scapula, causing paraplegia in his spinal cord. Aliahmad, who was a student at Trinity College in Connecticut, was struck in the collarbone, and Abdalhamid was shot in the right buttock.

O’Hara, the supervising attorney at the Chittenden County Public Defender Office, told jurors that Eaton was confused by the messages he said he was receiving, and became convinced that the CIA and Mossad were enlisting him into “overwatch duty” to protect a Jewish family living across the street.

“These were delusions,” O’Hara said. “He believed in the moment that he was doing something that was right. He had been commanded to do this. And that he did not have the ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct in the moment because he believed he’d been instructed to do this by a government agency or God.”

Avril, 77, was recently reunited with her daughter Eleanor after 60 years on Long Lost Family after being told she’d never find her child

A Long Lost Family star has made an emotional admission after being told for years that she would never find her daughter.

Avril, now 77, was only 15-years-old when she became pregnant, her mum then shipped her off to a mother and baby home in Carlisle, where she gave birth to a baby girl she called Michelle.

At only eight-weeks-old, Avril gave Michelle up for adoption and she was renamed Eleanor. Avril sought the help of Long Lost Family’s Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, who travelled to Newcastle, to find her daughter, where she was emotionally reunited after 60 years apart on the ITV show.

However, this wasn’t Avril’s, who also has daughter Sharon, first attempt to reconnect with her first child, having previously contacted a rival programme to assist her in finding her long-lost daughter.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Avril admitted that The Trisha Goddard Show rejected her because they believed they would never locate her. She explained: “I was listed on a couple of adoption agencies. I tried The Trisha Goddard Show, and she used to help people find their family.”

The ITV programme, which broadcast on Channel 5 from 2004 to 2012, regularly featured emotional family reunions, deep-rooted family secrets or disputes concerning adopted children.

But after reviewing Avril’s case, Channel 5 bosses conceded that even with the programme’s resources, they wouldn’t be able to trace her daughter, reports the Express.

She recalled: “Basically, I was told that I would never be able to find her because she had been issued a new birth certificate.

“So that led me to believe that there wouldn’t be an original birth certificate, and I was told that by two or three different professional people. But after 30 years, you just think, ‘Well, there’s not much else I can do. Hopefully, she might be able to find me’, but you just don’t know.”

The TV star went on to share that her other daughter, Sharon, proved to be her greatest supporter when she considered approaching another television programme for assistance. She said: “I have another daughter, Sharon, and I told her about Michelle.

“She was the one who said, ‘Yes, you should do it’. So that’s what I did. I wrote to Long Lost Family, and it went from there.”

The mother and daughter were eventually reunited on Eleanor’s birthday, with Avril telling her: “There aren’t any words to tell you, Eleanor. That I’ve always loved you and that you’re still mine. You’re my child.”

It comes as the reunited mother and daughter recently appeared on This Morning, where Avril said of meeting for the first time and if they had an instant bond: “Yeah, she was back in my arms where she belongs.”