Latest news with #HotSeat
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A1 dualling ignored, council leader warns
Northumberland has been forgotten, its council leader has warned, with government funding of £1.85bn for transport schemes in the North East unlikely to revive the dualling of the A1. About half the money will be used to build a Metro line linking Washington with Sunderland and Newcastle, while other schemes include introducing integrated contactless payments across bus and rail services. The dualling of 13 miles (21km) of the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham was scrapped when Labour came to power last year amid suggestions it would cost £500m. In all, the government is to award £15.6bn to areas across the UK in a move it claims will "make all parts of the country better off". As well as silence on plans for the A1 following Chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech on Wednesday, Councillor Glen Sanderson, the Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council, said he was concerned by the failure to mention other schemes in the area such as the Blyth Relief Road. "It is woefully disappointing that our A1 – now so busy it grinds to a halt regularly – is ignored. "This announcement will not help Northumberland grow its economy. "It also ignores the vital improvements needed for Moor Farm roundabout, which is an essential job that has to be done if the government want to keep up with the county council's ambition and incredible growth that the council has attracted. "The Blyth Relief Road is also ignored." The outline business case for the relief road was submitted to the Department for Transport for approval in January. Current forecasts estimate completion in 2027 with the scheme expected to cost just under £60m. It would provide a direct dual carriageway connection between the A192 Three Horseshoes roundabout and the A193 South Beach in Blyth in a bid to reduce congestion, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Responding to Sanderson's comments, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, of Labour, said there would be a "huge amount" of money for "local projects in Northumberland" with the newly announced funding "just the start" for the region. She added: "This is money for local projects which the county council supports and which mean we can push ahead with our ambitious plans to build a fully-integrated transport network the North East can be proud of connecting people to real jobs and new opportunities." Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle's Hot Seat, McGuinness said she lives on the single lane section of the A1 and knows "exactly how bad it can be". She said she did "not like" her party's decision not to go ahead with dualling the road and would "keep plugging away at getting national infrastructure money from the Treasury to do that section". In the meantime, work would continue in improving both safety and the flow of traffic on that stretch, she said. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. New Metro line to be built as part of £1.85bn deal 'Our homes were taken for a road that was never built' A1 dualling cancelled over £500m cost Northumberland County Council HM Treasury
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Swift action' needed to stop child exploitation
Police, politicians and those who work with young people are asking what can be learnt from a case in Jersey where children were used to deliver drugs. Five adults involved in hiding drugs inside toys and posting them were sentenced on Wednesday and during the court case it was revealed more than 40 children in the island were involved. Constable Richard Vibert, Jersey's Minister for Children and Families, said the case should encourage people to speak out, while the Chief of Police Robin Smith said "if it's a shock to people, that's a good thing". Children's charities said everyone has a role to play in spotting the signs of exploitation and "taking swift action". The Royal Court heard children as young as 12 were threatened and manipulated to help distribute drugs across Jersey. The court was told the children were part of a network that sent £1.8m worth of drugs hidden inside teddies and other toys in the post. Vibert said the case highlighted "the degree to which we have exploitation of young people in our island. "I would hope that it would encourage children to have the confidence if they've been exploited or are still being exploited, to speak to someone that they can trust." Appearing on the Hot Seat on BBC Radio Jersey, Mr Smith praised the action of the community. He said: "It is about prevention, and informing parents like you and me about the signs to look out for. "You should feel worried, but you should be reassured. "What I find that gives me real reassurance is that when things happen, people come together, people mobilise." Young people's charity The Children's Society described such exploitation as "hugely traumatic" and capable of having "a devastating impact on the child's life". The charity's national programme manager, James Simmonds-Read, said: "Everyone has a role to play in spotting the signs of exploitation and taking swift action to get help, even if they're unsure. "From shop workers to taxi drivers, hotel receptionists and daily commuters, taking action could protect children and young people from abuse and lifelong trauma." Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to Drugs hidden inside teddies sent to child mules Government of Jersey The Children's Society
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Channel Nine DENIES claims that Tipping Point is rigged - after game show was accused of using magnets to move the counters
Channel Nine has hit back after viewers posted to social media to claim the Channel Nine game show Tipping Point is 'rigged' wheb they noticed a counter mysteriously move across the board. The footage was taken from a recent episode in which a counter was dropped down the shelf and landed on the board, directly in line to move several discs off the shelf - setting the contestant up for a large payout. However, the disc then appeared to move several inches by itself to the right of the floor, where it was not in a position to knock over any discs, increasing the chances of the contestant losing. The contestant in question, Graham, did not win any money during the episode and was the second player eliminated on the night. 'Tipping Point is not rigged, they say. Watch this... Using magnets, what the hell,' the viewer sniped over the footage. However, in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a Channel Nine spokesperson denied any suggestions the show was rigged. 'Nine refutes the claim that the game is rigged and that magnets were used to manipulate the counter,' the network told Daily Mail Australia. 'There are absolutely no magnets involved.' Fans were divided over the clip and took to the comment section to share their thoughts. However, some said the footage did not prove the show was rigged and said there might be a more simple solution. 'It's the push force on the disc,' one person suggested. 'They're actually wooden discs. Not metal like they sound like,' another wrote. They added there was a logical explanation for the counter appearing to move by itself in the clip. 'The machine's counters, wall, and shelves are all constructed from perspex' they said. The contestant in question, Graham, did not win any money during the episode. 'Nine refutes the claim that the game is rigged and that magnets were used to manipulate the counter,' Nine told Daily Mail Australia. 'There are absolutely no magnets involved' 'The movement observed in the clip is a result of natural suction that can occur between two flat, clean perspex surfaces when they are in close contact. This suction can create friction, affecting the smoothness of the counter's movement.' Tipping Point sees three players battle against a machine with prizes and a jackpot up for grabs. In August 2023, Channel Nine announced Aussie tennis star Todd Woodbridge would appear on a game show to replace the long-running show Millionaire Hot Seat. According to TV Blackbox, a local version of hit British game show Tipping Point would take over Hot Seat's time slot after the final episode aired. Series host Todd is one of the most successful doubles players in history and has won at Wimbledon various times. While Tipping Point has been well-received by viewers since its premiere, there is one high-profile person who is not a fan of the series - acid tongued critic Margaret Pomeranz. In June, Pomeranz launched a scathing attack on the show. The veteran presenter, 80, appeared on the ABC comedy show The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and slammed the series. 'One show dares to elevate the genre, tempting fate and fortune amid the spectacle of a bigger than normal arcade game,' she sniped.
BBC News
05-02-2025
- BBC News
Surrey Police chief to speak on crime on BBC radio breakfast show
BBC Radio Surrey listeners will be given the chance to ask Chief Constable Tim De Meyer about issues in their community when he appears on the station's Hot Seat Police Chief Constable De Meyer will be talking to Radio Surrey's James Cannon on the Breakfast programme on Wednesday to reflect on the state of policing in the De Meyer said he was "very pleased to have the opportunity" to talk about the force's progress in fighting Berry, audio executive editor for BBC Radio Surrey, said the station was delighted to have him on the show. Mr De Meyer, who began his policing career with the Metropolitan Police in 1997, said when he joined Surrey Police in 2023 that he hoped to improve rates of detection for crimes such as violence against women and burglary.
