How Liverpool united after car ploughed into crowd
On what was a day of jubilant celebrations, the news of a car hitting a crowd of onlookers during Liverpool's Premier League victory parade sent shockwaves across the country.
But, in the spirit of its famed kindness, the city quickly united as generous people offered to help with everything from messages of support to offers of lifts and accommodation.
From opening up their homes to those who were stranded to offering car rides and food to those caught up in the horror, Merseyside pulled together.
The overwhelming amount of generosity in the aftermath of incident on Monday evening has been praised by many.
John and Kerri Davies, owners of J&K Travel, said they did not have to think twice about offering free transport to those who found themselves stranded - as public transport was overwhelmed.
The couple – along with two of their colleagues – immediately headed to the scene in four minibuses to help.
"We just wanted to get people home safely as we knew there wouldn't be any transportation," said Mrs Davies.
"We called two members of staff and they didn't even question it.
"They just jumped in their vehicles and headed over."
Over the course of the evening, each minibus carried out four to five journeys back to Wirral.
She said the overwhelming response of kindness was typical of the people of Merseyside.
"We look after our own, everybody does everything to help everyone," she said.
"We just wanted to do everything we could to help."
Liverpool University student Oli Fountain, who lives five minutes for the scene, was among those who had also offered to help.
Posting on X, he said: "Anyone stuck in town who can't get home give me a dm, have 2 sofas people can crash on, can put the kettle on and get people warm at least."
Speaking to the BBC, he said this was a "normal response for the city".
"The city really came together in the aftermath of Southport stabbing and again last night," he said.
"It makes me proud to live here."
Charlotte Hennessy, who lives in Flint, said she was "so proud to be a Red yesterday" as the fans all came together.
Ms Hennessey, whose father James was among the 97 killed in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, was back at her home when the incident unfolded and was among those who offered to collect fans stuck in Liverpool.
She said it was the "Scouse way" to want to help others.
"It's just the way we are," she added.
"People were offering to help strangers - sharing hotel rooms, offering to pick them up and offering them money," she said.
Nisha Katona, who is the founder of Mowgli Street Food, also praised her team "who were incredible in their calm maturity, resourcefulness and quick kindness" when its restaurant in Liverpool became a medical centre.
"In the face of trauma their live for our beloved city and our Liverpool people was immediate and immense," she said.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch hailed people's "extraordinary compassion" after the incident.
She posted on X: "Those who target joyful celebrations and our happiest moments, who care not for the welfare of little children are beneath contempt.
"A stark contrast to the people of Liverpool who responded with extraordinary compassion, offering lifts, shelter, food, and more. Liverpool stood firm, displaying kindness and decency in the face of horror."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
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USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
They led the fight for marriage equality
They led the fight for marriage equality | The Excerpt On Sunday's episode of The Excerpt podcast: Jim Obergefell and his partner John Arthur's fight to have their marriage recognized by their home state of Ohio ultimately paved the way for nationwide marriage equality for the LGBTQ+ community. John, tragically, passed before the ruling, but the couple's story endures as a milestone for the LGBTQ+ community. Jim Obergefell joins The Excerpt to share more about his historic journey. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@ Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Officiant: John Montgomery Arthur, do you, continuing from this day, take James Robert Obergefell to be the love of your life, your eternal partner, your husband? John Montgomery Arthur: I do. Zach Wichter: Hello, and welcome to The Excerpt. I'm Zach Wichter, a reporter at USA TODAY. What you just heard was John Arthur's vows to Jim Obergefell during a wedding ceremony that changed the course of American history. Obergefell and Arthur's fight to get their marriage recognized by their home state of Ohio went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, ultimately paving the way for nationwide marriage equality for same-sex couples. John tragically passed before the ruling, but the couple's story endures as a milestone for the LGBTQ+ community and in American history. Jim Obergefell joins me now to share more about his story. Jim, thanks for joining me. Jim Obergefell: Absolutely, Zach. Great to be here. Zach Wichter: Did you ever think that marriage was a possibility? Was that on the horizon for you at all? Jim Obergefell: For me, growing up, marriage always was part of my future, but that was a straight marriage. All of my siblings were married and having kids, so that was always what I imagined. But when I came out, I felt like that dream, that image of my future was taken away from me because that wasn't a possibility. And in fact, when John and I became a couple, early on in our relationship, probably 1994 or '95, we talked about marriage and how we both wanted to get married. But we wanted marriage. We didn't want a symbolic ceremony, we didn't want a civil union, a domestic partnership. We wanted marriage. So, we just thought we're never going to have that option because there isn't anywhere in the United States we can do that. They led the fight for marriage equality Obergefell and Arthur's fight to have their marriage recognized by Ohio ultimately led to nationwide marriage equality. Zach Wichter: Can you tell me a little bit more about how you and John met and about your story together? Jim Obergefell: The first time I met John was shortly before I quit my teaching job and left for graduate school. I was still in the closet and I went out with a friend and we went to a bar near the University of Cincinnati where we had both graduated. We walked into this bar and my friend Kevin said, "Oh, there's one of my friends, John." That was the first time I met John. He scared the daylights out of me, because he was an out gay man comfortable in his own skin. And I thought for sure he was going to see right through me and say, "Come on, Jim. We know. You can come out." Then I was back in Cincinnati for a weekend, went out with that same friend. We went back to that same bar, and guess who was there again, but John. In that conversation, John said, "You'd never go out with someone like me, and I said, "How do you know? You haven't asked." And he didn't take the hint, so I thought, that's it, I've met him twice now, probably never going to see him again. But then Kevin became one of John's housemates, and Kevin invited me to John's house for a New Year's Eve party. I went to that party and never left. And seven weeks later, John gave me a diamond ring. Zach Wichter: How did you know? And you mentioned before that neither of you really saw marriage as a possibility. So, what did that diamond ring mean for you in that moment? Jim Obergefell: That diamond ring signified you're the person I choose. You're the person I want to spend my life with. And we don't have the ability to do anything legal, but at least you know that's how I feel, and that's what this ring signifies. We both felt that. We both felt that this is a relationship that will last. We just made our commitments to each other. Even though they weren't legal, they weren't binding in any way, but they were binding on us in our hearts. Zach Wichter: What was the path to that day or night that you got the ring up through your actual wedding ceremony? What were the steps along the way? Jim Obergefell: We just had fun. We traveled, we collected art, and just all of those things that any couple does as they build a life together. Like I say, we had talked about marriage, but realized that isn't on the table for us, it isn't an option. So, we just kept doing what we were doing. It wasn't until 2011 that things really took an unexpected turn. It was that year in May, or late or early June that John was diagnosed with ALS. That was really when instead of seeing a few decades more together, we knew our time together was limited to two to five years. ALS for John progressed fairly rapidly. And by April of 2013, he started at-home hospice care. We could have put him in a facility, but we had to think about things that other couples didn't have to think about. How would he be treated as an out gay man in a facility? How would I be treated as his partner of almost 21 years? We had nothing legal, no rights. We made the decision, let's do at-home hospice care because that meant I could keep him safe and comfortable. And it was my honor to do that, no matter how tiring or overwhelming it was. Zach Wichter: At what point did you really start to feel like you needed to fight for this? How did you go from not thinking of marriage as a possibility to feeling the need to have that recognized by the state? Jim Obergefell: I'm going to start back a little bit earlier, and actually back to the day John came home from his third neurologist appointment, when that neurologist concurred with two others that it was ALS. He said, "Jim, we're going to have to find somewhere new to live.", because the condo we had was two levels in an old factory. And he said, "It isn't going to work for me. But when we find a new place, Jim, don't put my name on the deed. I don't want you to have any issues when I'm gone." So, he was already thinking about me and wanting to make sure that I would be okay after he died. And that was just how he was throughout his entire time with ALS. In June 26th, 2013, I was standing next to his bed, holding his hand when news came out from the Supreme Court that with their decision in United States versus Windsor, they struck down the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. That was that law that had defined marriages between only one man and one woman. We hadn't talked about marriage again since the mid-90s, but as that news was sinking in, I realized, wait, we've always wanted to get married, here's our chance. We could get married and at least have the federal government see us, recognize us, treat us as a married couple. So, I spontaneously proposed and he said "yes". Zach Wichter: Once DOMA was turned over, how did you start to think about this fight for yourself, and how did you go from this discussion to eventually suing the state and ultimately winding up in the Supreme Court? Jim Obergefell: Suing the state of Ohio was never our plan, was never on the radar, was never something we had considered. And going to the Supreme Court certainly was even beyond that. That all happened unexpectedly. We decided to get married. And because we lived in Ohio, which had its own state level Defense and Marriage Act, we couldn't get a marriage license or get married at home. So, we figured out let's go to Maryland because it's the only state that doesn't require both of us to appear in person to apply for a marriage license. I loved that because my whole goal was I want to keep John as safe and as comfortable as possible. So, I could get the marriage license on my own, come back to Cincinnati, and then we could go to Maryland just for the ceremony. And that's what we did. Through the generosity of our family and friends, they covered the cost of a chartered medical jet and we flew from Cincinnati to Baltimore, Washington International Airport on July 11th, 2013. We stayed in that medical jet and I got to take his hand and we got to say, "I do". That was all we wanted. We just wanted to get married. Because of a story that was written about us that came out in the Cincinnati Inquirer online two days after we got married, a local civil rights attorney, Al Gerhardstein, he'd been fighting for civil rights for women, for trans people, for prisoners, for the queer community for decades in Cincinnati, he came to hear about us. He read that story and he reached out through mutual friends to say, "Hey, I would like to come talk to you because you have a problem you probably haven't thought about." Five days after we got married, Al Gerhardstein came to our home and he pulled out a blank Ohio death certificate, said, "Do you guys get it? When John dies, this document, his last record as a person, will be wrong. Because here where it says, 'marital status at time of death', Ohio will fill this out and say that John was unmarried. In the space for surviving spouse name, Jim, your name won't be there." So when he said, "Do you want to do something about it?", he tells me, we talked about it for less than a minute, and said, "Yes." That was Tuesday, five days after we got married. On Friday, eight days after we got married, we filed a lawsuit in federal district court suing the governor of Ohio, John Kasich and the Attorney General Mike DeWine. And because of John's health, the federal judge it was assigned to, Judge Timothy Black, had to clear his docket and he heard arguments on the case on Monday, 11 days after we got married. And that very day he ruled in our favor. And then John died three months later to the day, but he died a married man. Zach Wichter: The fight didn't stop there, obviously. The judge ruled in your favor, but it went on in appeal, it got overturned. How did you decide at that point, once the record was correct in your paperwork, that you were going to keep on with the fight? Jim Obergefell: Once Ohio appealed and we lost to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, when Al said, "Do you want to keep fighting?", my immediate answer was, "Of course I do." If I don't, I'm not living up to my promises to John. I promise to love, honor and protect him. And if I don't keep fighting this to make sure our marriage can't be erased, then I'm failing in my promises. In April, 2015, I was in the Supreme Court for oral arguments. And then I was there again on June 26th, 2015 when the decision came down. Zach Wichter: What was that experience like being in the court for oral arguments in a case that bore your name? Jim Obergefell: I don't think you could ever prepare yourself to go to the Supreme Court as a plaintiff, let alone as the name plaintiff, when there's more than 30 other plaintiffs in the case. It would be overwhelming enough just being one of those 30 plaintiffs, but to have your name and your story and your face be what everyone sees, what everyone hears, what everyone knows, it's overwhelming. And I had to be in that courtroom. I had to be there to hear what the justices said, to hear what the states argued. But to be fair, I went into the courtroom feeling optimistic. I refused to think that the highest court in the land could possibly rule against us. And I was positive, I was optimistic, and that didn't change after oral arguments. And I was happy that I knew I had at most two months to wait for a decision. Zach Wichter: I've seen in other interviews you've said that you never really considered yourself an activist. So, how did you go from Jim from Ohio to suing the state of Ohio and becoming a gay rights figurehead? Jim Obergefell: I think it just happened. And honestly, it's because of John, because we loved each other and we wanted to exist. Learning that our right to call each other husband and to have it mean something wasn't going to be reflected on his death certificate... I mean, it did, it broke our hearts. But I think the more important thing is it really made us angry, the injustice of it, the harm that it was doing to us. So, I think it was that. It was that I loved John, he loved me back. We finally had the chance to say I do. But then understanding how our home state, the state where I was born and raised, would completely disregard us, made me angry, made us both angry. So, not something I ever thought would happen, but it's amazing what'll happen when you love someone enough, when you're willing to fight for what you know is right, and when you're angry. Zach Wichter: And you mentioned before you were also in DC the day the decision came down. What was that experience like, and what were you thinking about, and what would you have said to John if he was there with you? Jim Obergefell: I'm just holding the hands of friends sitting on either side of me thinking, all right, here it comes, here it comes. And of course I'm thinking, John, I wish you were here, I wish you could experience this, I wish it was your hand I was holding. All I wanted in that moment was to hug and kiss John and say, "Our marriage can never be erased." He wasn't there. I didn't have that joy of sharing that moment with him. I thought about so many people who I had met over the course of the case, the people who were coming up to me and sharing photos and telling me stories and talking about what this potential decision meant to them and what it meant to the person they loved, their child, was thinking about them. And then just the unexpected realization that for the first time in my life as an out gay man, I actually felt like an equal American. I wasn't expecting to feel that. And that was a really beautiful realization. I feel equal. It's about queer kids having a future, knowing that in the words of a mom and dad who stopped me on the street in Philadelphia with their child in a stroller, they said, "Thanks to you and those other plaintiffs, Jim, we know our kid can one day marry the person they love, no matter whom that person is." That's what I think about. So, I don't get too hung up in the "you're a historic figure" because that just, I don't know, feels weird to me. I focus more on the difference the fight I was part of has made for millions of people. Hundreds of thousands of couples have gotten married since June 26th, 2015. And that's something we should celebrate. I'm really, really grateful that I got to be part of that. And it's simply because John and I loved each other and we wanted to exist. Zach Wichter: Jim, thanks for coming on The Excerpt. Jim Obergefell: Thanks for having me. It was great. Zach Wichter: Thanks to our senior producers, Shannon Rae Green and Kaely Monahan for their production assistance. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@ Thanks for listening. I'm Zach Wichter. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow morning with another episode of The Excerpt.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Two Chinese Aircraft Carriers Are Operating Beyond The First Island Chain For The First Time
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has released photos showing two of its aircraft carriers operating simultaneously for the first time beyond the so-called First Island Chain in the western Pacific. The latest development showcases China's growing carrier power as well as its ambition to challenge U.S. strategies of maritime containment in the Indo-Pacific region. Photos of the aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong, as well as their J-15 Flanker fighters, were posted on the social media platform X by the official PLAN account. They were accompanied by a statement attributed to PLAN spokesperson Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, who confirmed that the two carriers and their task groups had been 'training in the waters of the western Pacific to test their capabilities in far-seas protection and joint operations.' The Chinese PLA Navy spokesperson Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng stated that recently the PLANS Liaoning and Shandong task groups conducted training in the waters of the Western Pacific to test their capabilities in far seas protection and joint operations. The routine training is… — ChinaNavy (@China_Navy) June 10, 2025 The statement continued: 'The routine training is organized in accordance with the annual plan, aiming at continuously enhancing the PLA Navy's capabilities of fulfilling the missions. It is in compliance with relevant international laws and practices and is not directed against any specific country or target.' It should be noted that, although they are not thought to have been previously published, the photos in question could have originated on a different occasion and may not necessarily have been taken in the western Pacific. Interestingly, the fighters seen arranged on the deck of the Liaoning in one of the photos reveal that all are the more modern J-15T versions. The J-15T is primarily distinguished from the original J-15 in being equipped for catapult takeoff but assisted recovery (CATOBAR) operations, rather than short takeoff but assisted recovery (STOBAR) operations. Neither the Liaoning nor the Shandong have CATOBAR equipment, but this will feature on the PLAN's forthcoming carriers. Otherwise, the J-15T is fitted with domestically produced WS-10 turbofans in place of the Russian-made AL-31F engines previously found on production J-15s. It has more modern avionics, likely including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and is compatible with new weapons. However, the examples seen on the Liaoning are armed with the older PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missiles, rather than the more advanced PL-15 that they are also able to carry. Regardless, it's notable that the PLAN is reporting the dual-carrier operations in these highly strategic waters so publicly. The First Island Chain is a boundary defined by archipelagos opposite mainland East Asia, extending from the southern end of the Japanese home islands all the way to the South China Sea. Extending further out into the western Pacific is the Second Island Chain, which links Japan to New Guinea and includes Guam and other U.S. island territories in the Marianas. 'Chinese naval vessels' activities in those waters are fully consistent with international law and international practices,' Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference today, in reference to carrier operations beyond the First Island Chain. 'Our national defense policy is defensive in nature.' Confirmation that the Liaoning was sailing in waters beyond the First Island Chain emerged on Saturday, when its presence there was reported by the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The Liaoning has been underway since at least late May. It had been operating in the East China Sea before passing through the Miyako Strait and toward the Philippine Sea. The same day, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said that the Shandong, together with four other PLAN vessels, was being tracked in the Philippine Sea, around 340 miles southeast of Miyako Island, southwest of Japan. To get there, the Shandong and its task group likely passed through the Luzon Strait, between Taiwan and the Philippines. ６／７、中国海軍クズネツォフ級空母「山東」を含む複数隻の中国海軍艦艇が、太平洋の海域において航行していることを確認しました。また６／９、艦載戦闘機等の発着艦を確認しました。#防衛省・自衛隊 は、引き続き #警戒監視・情報収集 を実施します。 — 防衛省統合幕僚監部 (@jointstaffpa) June 9, 2025 Included in the task group with Shandong were the Type 055 'super-destroyer' Zunyi, the two Type 054A frigates Yuncheng and Hengshui, as well as a Type 905 replenishment oiler, according to photos and pennant numbers published by the Japanese Ministry of Defense. As of today, the Japanese Ministry of Defense reported the Shandong task group moving northeast, reaching a point north of the island of Okinotorishima, Japan's southernmost territory. In the process, the Shandong has been conducting flight operations, including flying J-15s and helicopters within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the island. The EEZ extends to a distance of 230 miles around Okinotorishima. Naval operations within another country's EEZ are permitted under international law, as part of freedom of navigation and overflight. Similarly, the PLAN is entirely within its right to operate in and around and beyond the various island chains. However, the significance of carrier operations here, especially involving two task groups, is something that Beijing will be keenly aware of. After all, the island chains were created by the United States as tools of foreign policy, serving above all as strategic lines of defense to keep China's naval forces in check. By projecting its expanding naval power beyond these lines, Beijing demonstrates how it could, in a conflict scenario, contest the ability of the U.S. military and its allies to access these critical areas and the broader Pacific. Meanwhile, the PLAN's fast-growing carrier force is a very visible and increasingly important tool as China, more generally, extends its reach further out into international waters, including beyond the Pacific. While the Chinese Foreign Ministry may stress the 'defensive' nature of the PLAN vessels' activities, in wartime, they would very much be on the offensive, with carrier power at the forefront, to challenge for control of vast areas of the Pacific. With that in mind, the PLAN's current dual-carrier deployment in the western Pacific is in keeping with ambitions to build a credible blue-water navy that is large and capable enough to challenge even the U.S. Navy. Before too long, PLAN carrier task groups are also likely to be prowling around Guam, and venturing farther east, toward Wake, Midway, and eventually Hawaii. This is also in line with PLAN operations increasingly outside of its traditional areas of activity, including a growing focus on deployments around Alaska and in the High North. It should be noted that the Liaoning and Shandong already conducted a joint operation last October, but didn't on that occasion venture beyond the South China Sea. Even so, dual-carrier operations in these tense waters also constitute a powerful symbol of Beijing's military and territorial ambitions. With China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, now conducting pre-commissioning trials, it's only a matter of time before three PLAN flattops are able to conduct joint operations out into the western Pacific — and beyond. A useful comparison of the Chinese aircraft carriers (CV-16), (CV-17), and (CV-18): CV-16 vs CV-17 vs CV-18 — 彩云香江 (@louischeung_hk) June 16, 2022 With such a lot of hardware under construction, the PLAN will have the ability to project that much more capacity in the future. The growing size of the PLAN blue-water fleet means that Chinese naval power becomes an even harder problem to deal with, with the potential for Chinese warships, including carriers, to be in a lot of places at once. Clearly, China's carrier power is still far more limited than that of the United States, but with at least another carrier under construction, together with big-deck amphibious assault ships, Beijing's efforts to counter the U.S. Navy and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region show no sign of slowing. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pictured: Wife who died after car plunged 300ft off cliff
The wife of a bus driver who died with her husband when their car plummeted 300ft off a cliff at a beauty spot has been pictured. John and Lynn King died alongside their two Dachshund dogs after driving off a cliff at Alum Bay, close to the Needles on the Isle of Wight, on Friday. Mr King, 66, and 67-year-old Mrs King were found after their Ford Mondeo plunged into the water on the western side of the island. Photographs showed the wreckage of the vehicle in the sea at the foot of the cliff. Mr King had been a network driver for Southern Vectis, the island's bus operator, for two and a half years before his departure from the firm earlier this year. Paying tribute, Richard Tyldsley, its general manager, said: 'We are saddened to learn of this tragic event, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.' Lee Bridle, a fellow bus driver who worked with Mr King in Hampshire, said: 'Such sad news announced today that former work colleague John and his wife Lynn King tragically passed away. May you now both be at rest together, with deepest condolences to your family, friends and work colleagues. R.I.P.' George Gibson, another bus driver, added: 'He was a true friend to me during my low times. I'll miss them both.' Police, fire crews, ambulances and coastguard teams were all deployed to the crash site at around 7.20pm. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the vehicle had been driving on the road that leads to The Needles, one of Britain's best-known coastal landmarks. As part of the police investigation into the incident, the force said an address in Cowes had been searched by officers. A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'Formal identification procedures are ongoing, but next of kin have been notified. A post-mortem examination will take place on Tuesday June 10. 'As part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, which has been referred to the coroner, officers have been carrying out inquiries at an address on Arctic Road, Cowes, to help them to establish what happened.' A one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight, named The Round the Island Race, still went ahead on Monday, with the boats passing Alum Bay. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
