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Sir Keir Starmer has extended his well-wishes to Team GB’s 327 athletes after watching flag-bearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover lead out the British contingent at the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris. The Prime Minister – who unlike his neighbours opted out of a protective poncho – was amongst the dignitaries braving the downpour at the Trocadero, the end-point of a six-kilometre flotilla of athletes down the Seine marking the first time a summer Olympic curtain-raiser has ever taken place outside a stadium. Sixteen-year-old Megan Havers got the British contingent off to their competitive start on Thursday when she fired the first arrow at the archery preliminaries, while campaigns in men’s rugby sevens, women’s football and handball – all without British representation – also began earlier this week. The Games have now kicked into full gear with a Saturday programme featuring 14 medal events and a first look at three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty in his 100m breaststroke heat. The Prime Minister said: “The whole country is rooting for our excellent Team GB athletes and coaching staff who have made it to these Olympics after years of hard work and dedication. “Their incredible skill and talent will inspire a new generation to take up sport in their community, creating a real and lasting legacy from these games.” The Prime Minister will be joined by sports minister Stephanie Peacock in the French capital, where Team GB will be aiming to follow on from its 64-medal success at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a target of between 50 and 70 medals in Paris. The sports and athletes that make up Team GB and Paralympics GB have been backed by £385 million in Government and National Lottery funding through the Paris cycle. The funding programme has seen Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s performance improve significantly over the last 20 years, with Team GB achieving consecutive top-four finishes in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021, from 36th on the medal table at Atlanta in 1996. With 14 teenagers and 158 debutants part of the Team GB class of 2024, these Games are being viewed by some as a natural passing of the torch from London 2012 competitors to a new generation of rising British talent inspired by them. More than 100 athletes have also signed up to the National Lottery-funded ChangeMakers programme, which will see them supporting social impact projects in local communities across the UK in the days after they return from Paris. Ms. Peacock added: “This generation of amazing Team GB athletes have grown up inspired by the success of London 2012, and are ready to make the nation proud at the Paris 2024 Olympics as they take on the world’s best. “We are committed to giving our kids every possible chance to chase their dreams of becoming the next Helen Glover, Tom Daley or Dina Asher-Smith and the whole country will be right behind the team as they go for gold.” Published: 27/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

The families of four men killed after their car crashed into a tree in Gloucestershire have spoken of an “ocean of sadness” after their deaths. Police on patrol discovered a black Renault Clio that had left the road and collided with a tree on the A436 at Ullenwood, near Cheltenham, shortly before 2am on Sunday, killing all four friends. Gloucestershire Police have now been named as 18-year-old Andrei Tudorov, a Romanian national who was visiting Gloucestershire on holiday, along with Lyuben Gogov, Narcis Titianu and Ioan Toma, all aged 20, who were living in Gloucester. Mr Gogov was a Bulgarian national, while Mr Titianu and Mr Toma were Romanian nationals, the force said. Mr Tudorov’s mother, Iolanda, paid tribute to her “angel” son, saying: “He was going to take the Baccalaureate and go to Campina and wanted to become a policeman. “Andrei had been doing sports since he was four years old. “He was a warm and loving soul, a good brother, an angel who took flight much too soon, leaving behind an ocean of sadness, both in his family and among his friends”. Mr Titianu’s family paid tribute to the “boundless love and joy” he brought to those that knew him. They said: “As the youngest of three siblings, Narcis brought boundless love and joy into the lives of his family and friends.” “Words cannot fully capture the essence of Narcis, our handsome and intelligent brother. “Though he is no longer with us, we hold onto the hope that we will be reunited one day, when God will come. “Until then, his memory will live on in our hearts, an irreplaceable part of our lives,” they added. Mr Tomu’s family said he was a “beacon of light” in their lives and “the epitome of joy and warmth”. They said: “He was not just a brother – he was the epitome of joy and warmth. “Ioan’s constant smile and infectious laughter could light up the darkest room, and his presence brought happiness to all who knew him.” The parents of Mr Gogov paid tribute to their son’s “everlasting smile” and thanked him for “all the memories and joy” he had given them. They said: “Losing a son is one of the hardest losses to have to get through in life. “You’ll always remain in our thoughts. “Thanks for all the memories and joy you’ve given us. “May you everlasting smile always remain in our hearts.” Published: 27/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Celine Dion has given her first live public performance since revealing she is living with stiff person syndrome (SPS), with a spectacular rendition from the Eiffel Tower at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The superstar closed the ceremony from the first stage of the French landmark, singing Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne A L’Amour. The Canadian singer cancelled her Las Vegas residency due to health concerns in 2021, before revealing her SPS diagnosis in December 2022 and cancelling her Courage World Tour. She has not performed in public since. She appeared in the final moments of the Olympics pageantry dressed in a beaded silver gown with a high neckline and appeared emotional as she came to the climax of the song. Dion’s rare condition which causes progressive muscular inflexibility. Her struggles are documented in her 2024 documentary I Am: Celine Dion, in which she spoke about her desire to return to performing. Earlier in the ceremony US singer Lady Gaga surprised viewers by singing in French during her performance of the classic Mon Truc En Plume. After her rendition she said it was her “supreme honour” to perform at the event. On X, formerly Twitter, she said: “I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year. “I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organising committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honour the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre. “This song was sung by Zizi Jeanmaire, born in Paris a French ballerina, she famously sang Mon Truc En Plumes in 1961. “The title means My Thing With Feathers. “And this is not the first time we’ve crossed paths. “Zizi starred in Cole Porter’s musical Anything Goes which was my first jazz release. “Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music. “I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth – Paris. “We rented pom poms from Le Lido archive – a real French cabaret theatre. “We collaborated with Dior to create custom costumes, using naturally moulted feathers. I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on a French classic. “I rehearsed tirelessly to study a joyful French dance, brushing up on some old skills – I bet you didn’t know I used to dance at a 60s French party on the lower east side when I was first starting out. “I hope you love this performance as much as I do. And to everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honour of you – it’s a gift I’ll never forget.” The singer congratulated the athletes who are competing and added that it was her “supreme honour” to sing for them. Opening her performance, Gaga emerged from a plume of pink feathers as she sang alongside a group of dancers while wearing a black bodice with a detachable black and pink ruffled skirt. The singer, real name Stefani Germanotta, performed next to the River Seine, near the Notre Dame cathedral, during the first opening ceremony to be staged outside a stadium. As the ceremony moved down the river, it paid tribute to the country’s culture and history including Les Miserables, the popular novel by Victor Hugo, which is also a smash hit musical. Following a sequence paying homage to the historical epic, French heavy metal band Gojira performed at the Conciergerie, a former courthouse and prison in the city. Among the other performers was French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who sang while dressed in a golden dress paired with gladiator boots and gold jewellery. The celebrations were met with heavy rain with performers, including pianist Alexandre Kantorow, braving heavy showers during their performances. A catwalk show of French fashions was also a rather soggy affair. Other performances included Sofiane Pamart and Juliette Armanet delivering a rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine. A total of 85 boats carried the team delegations on a four-mile journey through the centre of Paris, with more than 300,000 spectators lining the banks of the river. Great Britain flagbearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover waved to the crowds as the British delegation sailed down the river while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was among those watching from the main stadium in the Jardins du Trocadero. Celebrities including Wicked star Ariana Grande and and American singer Pharrell Williams appeared at a red carpet event prior to the ceremony. Published: 27/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Rachel Reeves is expected to approve above-inflation pay rises for millions of public sector workers next week, amid concerns over the cost of further industrial action if the Government refuses. The Chancellor is set to respond to the recommendations of independent pay review bodies on Monday, when she will also argue in Parliament that the Tories left Labour with a dire spending inheritance, including a £20 billion black hole. She could reportedly also announce delays to a string of major capital projects to plug the shortfall. Teachers and some 1.3 million NHS staff could be in line for a 5.5% pay boost, which could cost about £3.5 billion more than had been budgeted for. Economists believe this could rise to about £10 billion if other pay review bodies give similar advice on workforces such as police and prisons officers and doctors and dentists. Sir Keir Starmer has previously acknowledged there would be a cost if failing to follow the recommendations of the pay review bodies led to a fresh wave of industrial disputes in the public services. Labour did not deny reports that Ms Reeves could on Monday make the same argument as she signs off on the pay increases despite the shortfall in Government funding plans. The findings of a Treasury spending audit she will detail will reveal “the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances”, a Labour source said. An early assessment has reportedly found a nearly £20 billion annual gap between revenues and funding commitments. Public sector pay rises well above the 3% expected by the Treasury will put extra pressure on spending under Ms Reeves’ self-imposed fiscal rules, which include having debt falling as a share of gross domestic product in five years’ time. Extending the 5.5% pay boost – which is above inflation at 2% – to the entire public sector could cost some £10 billion a year, according to the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). As this cost has not been fully budgeted for in current plans, the cash would have to be raised through existing fiscal headroom, tweaking fiscal rules or tax increases. Any tax hikes to meet those costs would not be expected before the autumn budget, the date of which Ms Reeves is also set to announce on Monday. Labour has ruled out lifting income tax, VAT, national insurance and corporation tax, potentially leaving changes to pensions relief and capital gains and inheritance levies on the table. Ms Reeves could also delay a string of key hospital and road schemes she will argue are “unfunded with unfeasible timelines”, according to the Financial Times. Road projects whose cost estimates have been driven up by inflation and the Tories’ pledge to build or expand 40 hospitals could be postponed, the newspaper reported. The Labour Government will not “duck difficult decisions” in its budget, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Friday. He told Times Radio: “What I think we have found shocking is the state of the public finances in the year that we’ve inherited and that means tough choices … as the Chancellor, (Ms Reeves) will continue to show iron discipline and she will have the full support of the entire Cabinet. “Because these aren’t just tough choices for the Chancellor, these are tough choices for all of us and we’re determined to meet that challenge, to be honest with people, to not duck the difficult decisions and to make sure that we make the right choices now that set Britain up for the longer-term success that we need.” Rishi Sunak’s Tory government was plagued by strike action protesting years of declining wages for public sector workers. Most of the unions eventually struck pay deals with ministers, but Mr Streeting is currently negotiating with junior doctors in a bid to resolve their long-running pay dispute. The Labour source said: “On Monday, the British public are finally going to see the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances. “They spent taxpayers’ money like no tomorrow because they knew someone else would have to pick up the bill. “It now falls to Labour to fix the foundations of our economy and that work has already begun.” Ms Reeves could point to the soaring spending forecasted to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels, which – at around £10 billion a year – is more than three times previously thought, The Telegraph reported. IFS director Paul Johnson said Labour “knew to a large degree how bad things are in terms of the public finances” before going into government. “We and many others have made it very clear that it was going to be very hard to avoid cuts over the next few years given the proposals made by the previous government… “I’ve no doubt they have discovered some specific issues, and particularly about how tough things are this year or immediately, which wouldn’t have been quite so evident from the public pronouncements. So my guess is that that’s what they’re going to focus on on Monday.” Published: 27/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Paris welcomed the Olympic Games with an opening ceremony like no other as athletes sailed down the River Seine to the sound of Lady Gaga and more, but relentless rain put a dampener on the party. Zinedine Zidane starred in a video to tee up the arrival of the Olympic flame before flares set off from the Austerlitz Bridge formed a tricolore. A total of 85 boats then began carrying the team delegations on a six-kilometre journey through the centre of Paris, with more than 300,000 spectators lining the banks of the river. But as the night went on unabating rain grew steadily heavier, it was not so much a ceremony on the water as one in it, with athletes left sodden as they waved their flags. As they did so, performers kept the script to deliver an array of performances that sought to convey the story of Paris and of France. Lady Gaga was the first to steal the show, bursting forth from behind a pair of out-sized pink pom-poms to deliver a burlesque take on the French classic ‘Mon truc en plume’. The performances came in all shapes and sizes, with Gojira adding a dramatic twist of heavy metal. British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer was among those watching from the main stadium in the Jardins du Trocadero, donned in a Team GB rain jacket while others were decked out in ponchos. Other famous faces within the stadium – aside from IOC president Thomas Bach and French president Emmanuel Macron included Ariana Grande, Serena Williams and John Legend. With the rain getting increasingly heavy, one of the big screens in the stadium relaying pictures of the parade to the watching dignitaries temporarily failed a little over an hour in. That came just before the Great Britain team hit the screens, with Andy Murray among those accompanying flagbearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover. Once at the Trocadero, athletes – having long since abandoned any hope of keeping dry – began to gather by the long stage down the centre of the temporary stadium, which staff were busily trying to keep free of standing water with mops. The biggest boat of all was reserved for hosts France, who rounded off the flotilla on a packed vessel that looked more like a ferry as dance music cranked up the atmosphere. The rain finally began to ease off – but not stop – as a performance of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ was accompanied by a call for peace. Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

The three children who died in an east London house fire are “loved beyond words and missed beyond measure”, their parents said, as they were named for the first time. The blaze broke out in the family home in Napier Road, East Ham, just after 8.32am on July 13. They children have been named as 13-year-old boy Nakash Malik, 11-year-old girl Aayat Malik and seven-year-old boy Muhammad Hanan Malik. Their parents, Khurram Malik and Naumana Gul Khan, said: “Your lives were a blessing, your memory a treasure. “You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. “May you rest in peace in God’s heaven.” Metropolitan Police officers continue to investigate the cause of the fire alongside London Fire Brigade colleagues. The force said at this stage there is no evidence to indicate suspicious circumstances. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to the blaze, which damaged the ground floor and half of the first floor of the terraced house. Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

BBC racing commentator John Hunt has told friends that every message of support “feels like a hug” following the deaths of his wife and two daughters in a crossbow attack, a colleague has said. Matt Chapman, an ITV commentator, said Mr Hunt was “very thankful that people are thinking about” him and his third daughter, Amy, following the attack in their Hertfordshire home earlier this month. His wife Carol Hunt, 61, and two of their daughters, Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were found fatally injured at the house in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, on July 9. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Chapman said Mr Hunt had told him that “every message that’s been sent, every one of those messages feels like a hug”. “As far as what’s happened, it’s still beyond belief that this could happen to anyone, a family in the world,” Mr Chapman said. “The message from all of us is when you need us [John], we are here.” A GoFundMe page set up to support Mr Hunt and Amy has passed its target of £100,000, which Mr Chapman said “shows from the horror of this event, we have seen the other side of human nature – it just reminds us there’s goodness out there in the world”. Kyle Clifford, 26, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of murder after he was found with injuries in the Hilly Fields area of Enfield, north London, on July 11. Hertfordshire Police said he remains in hospital under arrest and continues to receive treatment, but that officers have not yet been able to interview him due to his condition. In a previous statement, Mr Hunt and Amy said: “The devastation that we are experiencing cannot be put into words. “We would like to thank people for their kind messages and for the support we have received in recent days. These have provided great comfort to us for which we are very grateful. “As you can imagine, this is an extremely difficult time for us, and we need time and space to come to terms with what has happened and start the grieving process.” Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

A police constable is under criminal investigation after a video emerged showing an officer kick and stamp on the head of a man as he lay on the floor at Manchester Airport. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Friday the Greater Manchester Police officer had been advised he was under criminal investigation for assault. The officer was also served with a disciplinary notice to inform him he was being investigated for potential gross misconduct for a number of alleged breaches of police professional standards, including his use of force, a spokesman said. It comes after two nights of protests in Rochdale and Manchester city centre following the video, shared on social media and filmed at terminal two of the airport on Tuesday, which showed an officer kick and stamp on the head of a man who was lying face down on the floor, with a woman kneeling beside him. The video also appeared to show the officer strike a second man. IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said: “We can confirm we are conducting a criminal investigation into the use of force during events which took place on July 23 at Manchester Airport. We are arranging to interview a police constable under criminal caution as soon as possible. “I have today met one of the men who was involved and his family members to outline our investigation and we will continue to update them and Greater Manchester Police as our inquiries progress. We will be speaking to the man involved in the second incident as soon as we can. “The family has asked me to reiterate their call for peace and wish to stress that they do not condone any acts of violence as a result of this incident. “We are meeting with a number of community leaders in Rochdale this afternoon to listen to their concerns and explain our role.” Following the IOPC investigation, decisions will be made on whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings, the spokesman said. A number of politicians have called for calm following demonstrations held after the video emerged. On Wednesday night, crowds gathered outside Rochdale police station in protest and videos from Thursday night showed a handful of demonstrators throwing eggs at the building. Roads and tram lines were blocked in Manchester city centre during a Stand Up To Racism demonstration which started outside Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s office on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Mr Burnham said he had met about 40 community partners in Rochdale. He said: “What people here don’t want – and I heard this very clearly in the room this morning – is politicians without possession of the facts exploiting the situation for their own political agenda with zero regard for the effect on the ground in communities in Greater Manchester. “I want to finish by repeating the call for calm, particularly over the coming weekend. “Things are now moving forward, the right steps are being taken and people’s voices are being heard. “It is in everyone’s interests that from here we proceed with things in a measured and a peaceful way.” Rochdale Labour MP Paul Waugh, who has met the family involved, told the PA news agency: “Extremists of all kinds are going to try and exploit this and hijack it for their own ends and that is the last thing this town needs. “So, it’s my job to make sure that that family, who have been quite dignified in their response to this, get their wishes, which is to see calm prevail, but also for justice to prevail.” Police said when responding to reports of an altercation at the airport, three of their officers were assaulted – including a female police constable who suffered a broken nose – and four men were arrested. On Friday evening, GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “It is a source of profound regret that this week’s incident at Manchester Airport has caused shock and upset in some of our communities. “Throughout this week, senior officers have been meeting with community representatives to ensure their voices are heard and this will continue – we are at one with the best instincts of those engaged in appealing for calm. “Whilst we are constrained in publicly releasing further information or footage about the incident due to the conduct and criminal investigations, we are committed to providing the fullest practical assistance to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.” Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

A Britain’s Got Talent contestant who sued the show’s producers for more than £40 million has had his claim thrown out at the High Court. Robert Aslanyan filed legal action against Fremantle Media Limited in October last year, claiming it acted negligently by failing to notify him that an audition during the Covid pandemic had been cancelled. He also claimed it breached a contract with him by failing to decide his application. Fremantle opposed the claim and applied to the court for it to be dismissed, with Judge Mark Gidden ruling in a hearing on Friday that Mr Aslanyan’s case was “hopeless” and “completely without merit”. The judge said: “The defendant maintains that this claim is unwinnable, it is right to be struck out, in fact, it is something of a mercy to end the claim now, and I agree.” He added that the claim was “flawed” and “has already gone on long enough”, instead ordering that Mr Aslanyan pay £48,188.50 in legal costs within 28 days. Judge Gidden said that Mr Aslanyan planned to perform a song named Our Mother Queen for series 15 of the programme, which he dedicated to the then-monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The judge continued that performing the song was Mr Aslanyan’s “great aspiration” and that he anticipated “it would yield a very life-changing commercial success”, the value of which he placed at “just over £43 million”. Mr Aslanyan had represented himself in the claim and did not attend Friday’s online hearing. Mark Winden, for Fremantle Media, told the court that Mr Aslanyan applied six times for “at least the last four” series of Britain’s Got Talent, the 17th of which concluded earlier this year, but never got through to an audition before the celebrity judging panel. After applying for series 15 in 2020, Mr Aslanyan was later mistakenly invited to attend an in-person audition in December 2021, but no physical auditions were taking place due to the Covid pandemic. Mr Winden said that Mr Aslanyan travelled to Cardiff with several family members for the audition, despite being sent an email by the producers confirming that the original invite was sent “in error”. The lawyer added that a “basic sense check” would have told Mr Aslanyan that the invitation was false and that he “should have understood” that it was a mistake. Mr Winden continued that Mr Aslanyan’s claim argued that the company was “contractually obliged” to inform him of its decision related to his application, and to make its decision “strictly based on artistic performance”. But the court was told that producers had not breached the show’s rules nor been negligent towards Mr Aslanyan, with Mr Winden claiming the producers had “unfettered discretion” over applications for the competition. The barrister said that the claim “set out no basis” for how Mr Aslanyan had lost the money he was asking for, adding that it was “unwinnable” and “should not have been brought in the first place”. He said: “He has had many auditions for his acts. The issue was that none of them were before the celebrity judges.” He continued: “This claim does not disclose any legally recognisable claim against the defendant and so it is a claim suitable for strike out.” Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Ted Baker could disappear from British high streets as the struggling fashion chain plans to shut all its stores within weeks. The business behind the fashion brand’s UK shops, No Ordinary Designer Label Limited (NODL), fell into administration in March. It has since shut 15 shops in the UK, resulting in about 245 staff being made redundant. Staff working at the remaining stores have been told that they will lose their jobs when the shops are shut within three weeks, as first reported in the Sun newspaper. It is understood that the plans have not yet been finalised despite the message to employees. Ted Baker had 46 UK stores and employed around 975 people prior to the insolvency. Authentic Brands, the US-based firm behind Juicy Couture and Reebok, is still the owner of Ted Baker’s intellectual property. It was hoping to find a new partner to run the Ted Baker retail and online business in the UK and Europe. The collapse of the UK stores could mark the end of its position on high streets, after being founded in 1988 by Ray Kelvin and recognised for its patterned and floral clothing. However, the brand is currently still sold through department stores and retailers such as John Lewis and House of Fraser. Published: 26/07/2024 by Radio NewsHub