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Leader Live
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
UK band robbed at gunpoint in US say it is still ‘greatest country in the world'
The van was broken into by masked thieves, who pulled out a gun, when they had stopped for coffee at a Starbucks in Vallejo, California, late last year, with the group's singer saying tracks they recorded for their latest album, which was released last week, predicted the robbery. Indie rockers Sports Team, who released their Boys These Days LP last week, had personal items stolen but they did not lose any equipment. Singer Alex Rice told PA: 'It was almost like a pretty wild coincidence. 'We had a track, the album was all written and recorded, submitted well before we did that tour, but we did have this track, Bang Bang Bang on it, which we ended up putting out fairly soon after, which I guess was about this weird juxtaposition you always find in the US. 'It's got lines in it like Mickey Mouse and AR 15 kind of thing, it's side by side, the kind of bars that we were drinking in the US, and people will show you where their friends were shot, the kind of gun holes on the walls. 'So I think we've always found that element of gun culture in the US kind of a slightly odd element, like, I understand it, and when we go there I think America is the greatest country in the world still, but I think it just seems such a blind spot. 'And I think some of the politicisation around it just doesn't do anyone any favours.' The band initially tried to stop the burglars, after a Starbucks worker had noticed their van being broken into, in December 2024, before the gun was pointed at them. Rice said the robbery quickly became 'politicised'. He added: 'The interview requests come in, and we did a nice one with ABC, where it's like you talk about gun crime being awful, and you talk about charities involved and stuff. 'And then immediately you get a request from Fox News as well, who kind of want to politicise it, make it about (California governor) Gavin Newsom defunding the police kind of thing. 'It's how quickly kind of an event can be spun, (which) was quite interesting to us. 'So we were going to do the Fox interview and they were going to send the Fox mobile to this town we were staying in at the time, and they cancelled it as soon as we posted about an anti-gun charity.' Rice said he and the band have yet to hear back from the police, having been asked to fill out an online form when they called 911. He said: 'We haven't heard anything back since at all, I think there was probably a bit of scrutiny on the police department in Vallejo, which I know is a kind of particularly embattled police force. 'I'm sure these aren't people who are not wanting to solve gun crimes, but I think it probably speaks to problems with funding, and the kind of pressures the police force are in, in that part of the world. 'I mean, what would they deal with if they won't deal with an armed robbery, you know?' The band, made up of Rice, Rob Knaggs, Henry Young, Oli Dewdney, Al Greenwood, and Ben Mack, released their debut album, Deep Down Happy, in 2020, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize and went to number two in the UK charts. Their 2022 follow-up, Gulp!, was also well received and rose to number three in the charts. The group, who performed at Glastonbury in 2022, released their third album, Boys These Days, on May 23.
South Wales Guardian
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
UK band robbed at gunpoint in US say it is still ‘greatest country in the world'
The van was broken into by masked thieves, who pulled out a gun, when they had stopped for coffee at a Starbucks in Vallejo, California, late last year, with the group's singer saying tracks they recorded for their latest album, which was released last week, predicted the robbery. Indie rockers Sports Team, who released their Boys These Days LP last week, had personal items stolen but they did not lose any equipment. Singer Alex Rice told PA: 'It was almost like a pretty wild coincidence. 'We had a track, the album was all written and recorded, submitted well before we did that tour, but we did have this track, Bang Bang Bang on it, which we ended up putting out fairly soon after, which I guess was about this weird juxtaposition you always find in the US. 'It's got lines in it like Mickey Mouse and AR 15 kind of thing, it's side by side, the kind of bars that we were drinking in the US, and people will show you where their friends were shot, the kind of gun holes on the walls. 'So I think we've always found that element of gun culture in the US kind of a slightly odd element, like, I understand it, and when we go there I think America is the greatest country in the world still, but I think it just seems such a blind spot. 'And I think some of the politicisation around it just doesn't do anyone any favours.' The band initially tried to stop the burglars, after a Starbucks worker had noticed their van being broken into, in December 2024, before the gun was pointed at them. Rice said the robbery quickly became 'politicised'. He added: 'The interview requests come in, and we did a nice one with ABC, where it's like you talk about gun crime being awful, and you talk about charities involved and stuff. 'And then immediately you get a request from Fox News as well, who kind of want to politicise it, make it about (California governor) Gavin Newsom defunding the police kind of thing. 'It's how quickly kind of an event can be spun, (which) was quite interesting to us. 'So we were going to do the Fox interview and they were going to send the Fox mobile to this town we were staying in at the time, and they cancelled it as soon as we posted about an anti-gun charity.' Rice said he and the band have yet to hear back from the police, having been asked to fill out an online form when they called 911. He said: 'We haven't heard anything back since at all, I think there was probably a bit of scrutiny on the police department in Vallejo, which I know is a kind of particularly embattled police force. 'I'm sure these aren't people who are not wanting to solve gun crimes, but I think it probably speaks to problems with funding, and the kind of pressures the police force are in, in that part of the world. 'I mean, what would they deal with if they won't deal with an armed robbery, you know?' The band, made up of Rice, Rob Knaggs, Henry Young, Oli Dewdney, Al Greenwood, and Ben Mack, released their debut album, Deep Down Happy, in 2020, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize and went to number two in the UK charts. Their 2022 follow-up, Gulp!, was also well received and rose to number three in the charts. The group, who performed at Glastonbury in 2022, released their third album, Boys These Days, on May 23.
Rhyl Journal
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
UK band robbed at gunpoint in US say it is still ‘greatest country in the world'
The van was broken into by masked thieves, who pulled out a gun, when they had stopped for coffee at a Starbucks in Vallejo, California, late last year, with the group's singer saying tracks they recorded for their latest album, which was released last week, predicted the robbery. Indie rockers Sports Team, who released their Boys These Days LP last week, had personal items stolen but they did not lose any equipment. Singer Alex Rice told PA: 'It was almost like a pretty wild coincidence. 'We had a track, the album was all written and recorded, submitted well before we did that tour, but we did have this track, Bang Bang Bang on it, which we ended up putting out fairly soon after, which I guess was about this weird juxtaposition you always find in the US. 'It's got lines in it like Mickey Mouse and AR 15 kind of thing, it's side by side, the kind of bars that we were drinking in the US, and people will show you where their friends were shot, the kind of gun holes on the walls. 'So I think we've always found that element of gun culture in the US kind of a slightly odd element, like, I understand it, and when we go there I think America is the greatest country in the world still, but I think it just seems such a blind spot. 'And I think some of the politicisation around it just doesn't do anyone any favours.' The band initially tried to stop the burglars, after a Starbucks worker had noticed their van being broken into, in December 2024, before the gun was pointed at them. Rice said the robbery quickly became 'politicised'. He added: 'The interview requests come in, and we did a nice one with ABC, where it's like you talk about gun crime being awful, and you talk about charities involved and stuff. 'And then immediately you get a request from Fox News as well, who kind of want to politicise it, make it about (California governor) Gavin Newsom defunding the police kind of thing. 'It's how quickly kind of an event can be spun, (which) was quite interesting to us. 'So we were going to do the Fox interview and they were going to send the Fox mobile to this town we were staying in at the time, and they cancelled it as soon as we posted about an anti-gun charity.' Rice said he and the band have yet to hear back from the police, having been asked to fill out an online form when they called 911. He said: 'We haven't heard anything back since at all, I think there was probably a bit of scrutiny on the police department in Vallejo, which I know is a kind of particularly embattled police force. 'I'm sure these aren't people who are not wanting to solve gun crimes, but I think it probably speaks to problems with funding, and the kind of pressures the police force are in, in that part of the world. 'I mean, what would they deal with if they won't deal with an armed robbery, you know?' The band, made up of Rice, Rob Knaggs, Henry Young, Oli Dewdney, Al Greenwood, and Ben Mack, released their debut album, Deep Down Happy, in 2020, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize and went to number two in the UK charts. Their 2022 follow-up, Gulp!, was also well received and rose to number three in the charts. The group, who performed at Glastonbury in 2022, released their third album, Boys These Days, on May 23.
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Win a Mercedes-AMG E63 S for 6p
The AMG E63S has an incredible exhaust note | BOTB This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. This fire-breathing Mercedes-AMG E63 S could be yours for less than the price of a Freddo – and there's a big cash alternative too. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... With its satin black paintwork, racing stripes, and a monstrous V8 burble from the four tailpipes, this has to be one of the most aggressive saloon cars on the road - and someone will win it for just 6p. It's a Mercedes-AMG E63 S Edition 1 and it's the latest prize being given away to one lucky winner in BOTB's weekly competitions. The 2017 Merc has only covered 38,000, so it's worth a cool £59,000 - and, yes, tickets really are just six pence each. Alcantara touches are a signature of AMGs | BOTB If you were to enter the draw by buying just one ticket - or even a bundle - you could be waking up the neighbours with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine delivering 612bhp. The car is capable of the 0-60 sprint in 3.4 seconds. And if you did strike it lucky and you were handed the keys to the car, you don't actually need to accept it. You could also choose to take a £42,000 cash alternative instead. Click here to find out how to enter the competition, or click here to see the other prizes on offer - including a £700,000 house for just 99p. Selling your car? Here's the fastest way to get cash – and how it compares to rivals Thinking of selling your car this summer? It all starts with a valuation – and you can get one in under a minute with WeBuyAnyCar. With over 500 branches across the UK and same-day payment available, it's one of the quickest ways to find out what your vehicle is worth and get the cash if you're ready to sell. Used car prices have stayed surprisingly strong, especially for economical hatchbacks and SUVs. Whether you're upgrading for road trips or switching to a hybrid, a fast online quote can give you a solid starting point – even if you're still weighing up your options. To see how WeBuyAnyCar stacks up against other top car-selling platforms like Motorway, Carwow and Auto Trader, read our full article comparing the UK's most popular car sales sites here.
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Consumer court rejects complaint over denial of entry to transgender person in UAE
Observing that an Embassy does not fall under the Consumer Protection Act, the district consumer disputes redressal commission dismissed a complaint by a transgender person who was not permitted entry into United Arab Emirates. The commission said that while visa service includes fees, it is a sovereign process and cannot be considered a deficiency in service. The commission said that therefore such a complaint cannot be maintained under the Consumer Protection Act. The complainant was part of the Kinnar Ma organisation and had planned to go to UAE in February 2024. They were given a visa and made other arrangements like travel insurance, air tickets to travel. On February 1, 2024, they reached UAE and were standing at the immigration. They were then approached by authorities who told them that transgender persons are not permitted in the country. They had to take a return flight and come back to India. They approached the consumer commission with a complaint against the Consulate General of United Arab Emirates and Merc travel agency, seeking compensation and refund for their losses, including in travel costs and return flight tickets. They submitted that despite such a rule, they were given a visa and the travel agency also failed to inform them about the rule and hence said that it was a deficiency in service. The commission also said that a prior consent is required from the government to file a complaint, which is rarely given. The order was given last month and made available on Monday.
