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Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Ryan Tubridy: 'Sarah tells her story with extraordinary dignity and insight'
I migrated to Times Radio last Monday for a three-hour juggernaut of a show that covered everything from Ukraine to UK Labour Party tax U-turns and on to more feature-based stories, including an interview with Thomas Harding, author of a fascinating book called The Einstein Vendetta. Towards the end of the show, an 18-year-old Irish woman joined me in the studio to talk about her desperately sad story. I first met her when she was just nine years old, and again when she was 13. So, here we were, five years later, in a London radio studio, but this time to talk about her book and her involvement in a much-talked-about Netflix documentary. Sarah Corbett Lynch has had a very unfair run at life since she was a baby. Her birth mother, Mags, died when Sarah was just 12 weeks old, leaving her father, Jason, to look after baby Sarah and her brother Jack. Sarah Corbett Lynch. Pic: Tom Honan Most of you will know the story, but as a brief reminder, Molly Martens arrived on the scene as an au pair. She and Jason fell in love, got married and moved to America to set up home. On the face of it, all was well until August 2, 2015, when Jason was beaten to death by Molly and her father, Tom Martens. What followed were endless court cases and appearances until the eventual conviction and subsequent release of Molly and Tom Martens. I won't get into the details here, as this is a reflection on Sarah herself. I was keen to have her on my Times Radio show on Monday because she is an exceptional person with a terrible story to tell, and yet she does it with extraordinary dignity and insight. Ryan Tubridy and Sarah Corbett Lynch. Pic: Supplied Her book, A Time For Truth, is a personal and difficult account of her life so far. She takes us through every detail of a story that fascinated the nation for so many years, offering intimate and thoughtful commentary along the way. She also participated in a recently released Netflix documentary, A Deadly American Marriage, which is not an easy watch but yet reinforces the image of Sarah and her family's dogged persistence for the truth and a need for justice on behalf of Jason Corbett. It was so good to reconnect with Sarah and with her aunt Tracey and uncle David, who were with her in London. Their bond is clearly unbreakable and, in their hands, the story of what happened will continue to be told for as long as they feel the world should know. Shobsy. Pic: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos In the last couple of years I spent hosting the Late Late Show, we enjoyed introducing lots of new Irish singers to the country. One of my absolute favourites was Shobsy, a charismatic and pitch-perfect performer whose appearances were always utterly compelling and whose voice drifted from smooth bass to heavenly falsetto. I'll never forget his version of Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy, which he sang for us after a week that saw fatal attacks on two gay men in Ireland. It always stayed with me as the lyrics were so relevant and the performance so compassionate. I was delighted to watch Shobsy command a crowd in London last weekend, reminding me of everyone from Roy Orbison to Elton John, as well as being very much his own man. It was a joy to watch him own the stage and bring the punters to their feet. Here's hoping he'll break the London music scene and then keep going to the very top. I was very fortunate to be invited to a small but intriguing lunch at The French House in Soho last weekend. The invitation came courtesy of Ewan Venters, who is currently looking after one of my all-time favourite designers, Paul Smith. I was a little late, as my radio show ends at 1 pm, so I had to jump on a city bike (the quickest way to navigate this city) and make it before 1:30 pm. There were only two tables, so I swiftly sought out my name place (complete with RT-monogrammed Paul Smith card wallet – a touch of class!) and before I knew it, I realised I was beside the incomparable actor and foodie, Stanley Tucci, and across from the always amiable comedian, John Bishop. We covered everything from Conclave to US politics and the state of British comedy. Paul himself joined the chat, as did Stephen Fry and Vernon Kay, among others, in this small but fascinating crew. By 4 pm, I was back on the bike and homeward bound to meet my brother, who was in town for the weekend, which was tremendous fun, but that's for another day!
NDTV
28-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Explained: How Xenon Gas Helped UK Veterans Climb Everest In Just 3 Days
A team of four British ex-special forces veterans, including UK Labour Party minister Alistair Carns, summited Mount Everest on Wednesday morning. The group attempted a high-risk, high-speed challenge to fly from London, scaled the world's highest peak, and returned home - all in seven days. Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, was joined by fellow ex-special forces veterans Garth Miller, Kevin Godlington, and Anthony Stazicker. The expedition aimed to raise 1 million pounds for charities supporting military families. Such a rapid ascent is almost unheard of in mountaineering, where most climbers spend up to two months battling altitude sickness, unpredictable weather, and physical exhaustion. But this team's approach had a controversial edge - the use of xenon gas, an odourless anaesthetic. What Is Xenon Gas? Xenon is a rare, colourless, odourless, and tasteless noble gas found in trace amounts in Earth's atmosphere, according to the National Institute of Health. These gases are very stable because their outermost layer of electrons is full, which means they don't easily react or combine with other substances. Xenon is found only in tiny amounts in the air around us, much less than the oxygen or nitrogen we breathe. Because it doesn't react with much, xenon stays in its pure form and doesn't change easily. Even though it is a gas at room temperature, xenon is much heavier than air. It has some unique uses because of its properties, like in special lights, medical treatments, and even in space rockets. Xenon gas isn't new to science. It has long been used as an anaesthetic in medicine and, more recently, studied for its effects on helping the body adapt to low oxygen. How Xenon Gas Helps Mountaineers Some researchers say that inhaling xenon gas activates a molecule called hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which the body naturally triggers when adjusting to high altitudes, as reported by The NY Times. When activated, HIF increases the production of red blood cells and improves oxygen delivery throughout the body, helping it adapt to environments with less oxygen. Mountaineers typically spend weeks slowly ascending and resting at Everest Base Camp and higher camps to allow their bodies to adjust. But the British team skipped that step. Two weeks before the climb, they reportedly inhaled carefully administered doses of xenon gas in Germany, combined with weeks of sleeping in hypoxic tents, devices that simulate high-altitude conditions. The result? They reached Everest Base Camp and climbed to the summit in only three days, one of the fastest attempts ever for climbers without traditional on-site acclimatisation. Is This The Future Of Everest Expeditions? Expedition organiser Lukas Furtenbach believes so. He called this climb a "provocation" to traditional mountaineering but insisted it proves that fast, commercially guided trips to Everest are possible. He plans to offer two-week Everest packages using xenon gas by 2026, claiming shorter climbs mean fewer accidents, less exposure to avalanches, and less environmental waste. Alistair Carns defended the expedition, saying many didn't have the luxury of spending six to eight weeks away from work or family. "The reality is if I had six to eight weeks to climb Everest, I would, but I'm a government minister and I don't have time," he said. "What we have done is we have proven that you can reduce the timeline safely." But critics warn this could commercialise Everest even further and diminish the emotional and physical journey that has made summiting the peak one of humanity's most iconic challenges. As Professor Hugh Montgomery, a mountaineer and intensive care doctor, says, "Maybe just bagging every hill at speed means you miss out on the joy you could have had." Why This Has Sparked A Storm The Nepalese government has opened an investigation into the climb. Officials, including Himal Gautam from the Tourism Department, have called the use of xenon gas "against climbing ethics." The worry isn't only about safety, but also about what Everest represents. Mountaineering purists argue that using such performance-enhancing techniques undermines the spirit of climbing. Traditionally, Everest isn't just a peak to be "bagged", it is a test of endurance, patience, and respect for nature. The idea of turning it into a seven-day adventure trip unsettled many in the community. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation warned that xenon had no proven benefits for mountaineers and could pose health risks. Xenon has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2014, but Everest climbing isn't considered a competitive sport.
Arab News
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Why Labour's path to power is relevant internationally
The UK Labour Party last week celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding, following last year's 100th anniversary of the first Labour government. While sometimes written off as a political force in the past, the party's landslide victory in 2024 may now offer insights for other centrist and center-left parties seeking to win back power. To be sure, Labour's election record is not nearly as good as that of its chief rival, the Conservative Party, which is sometimes called the most successful democratic political party in the world. Nonetheless, from humble origins, Labour has put its stamp on UK politics in the 20th and 21st centuries. It was on Feb. 27, 1900, that trade unions and socialist groups came together to form the UK Labour Representation Committee. This was the first step toward the party's formation. What started with a motion from railway workers in Doncaster led to a meeting in London, where delegates united behind a call for a Labour voice in Parliament. The party won just two seats in the 1900 election, but it gradually built a movement that would win power multiple times. The party has tended to do best when it has offered a clear, bold and optimistic vision for the future of the country. Thus, Prime Minister Clement Attlee in 1945 developed a historic reform program that included the creation of the National Health Service, helping him win reelection in 1950. This was followed by the modernizing missions of Harold Wilson, who won four general elections (in 1964, 1966 and two in a single year, 1974) and Tony Blair, who won three successive election victories in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Given the electoral success of the Conservatives, Labour's victories have often followed significant periods in the political wilderness. The party was shut out of power between 1951 and 1964, 1979 and 1997 and 2010 and 2024, for instance. At times during these periods, Labour was written off as a political force. Yet, so far at least, the party has always bounced back. Prime Minister Keir Starmer today finds himself with relatively few left-of-center and centrist allies across the world. This was reinforced by this month's German election, which saw Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz turfed out of power. Meanwhile, in the US, the Democrats last November lost control of not only the presidency, but also the Senate. This means that Republicans now control all three federal institutions, the so-called trifecta of power, including the House of Representatives. As much of the political center and left around the world licks the wounds of defeat, there may be insights from Labour's last half-decade that are of relevance for a fightback. Labour suffered a significant setback in the 2019 election, winning just 202 seats — its lowest total since the 1935 general election. The party's pathway since may be particularly relevant for the Democrats ahead of the 2026 congressional elections and 2028 presidential ballot, when President Donald Trump will be constitutionally barred from standing for reelection. It remains highly uncertain whether the political appeal that surrounds Trump today can be transferred to any single successor, even someone in his family. Instead, like Boris Johnson, whose Conservatives won in 2019 in an election shaped by Brexit, much of the president's Make America Great Again appeal may be tied to just one individual with unusual political strengths and weaknesses. Like Labour, the Democrats have proven themselves able to rejuvenate after major setbacks, including three straight presidential election defeats in the 1980s. The reason why the Democrats may now benefit from insights from Labour is that the nature of the Republican victory in 2024 had such parallels with the UK's Conservatives in 2019. What delivered Trump's win was his demolition of the Democrats' so-called blue wall, including in Michigan and Wisconsin. He also dented Democratic majorities in several northeastern states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Meanwhile, Sun Belt states in the South held strong for Republicans. This pattern has significant similarities with Johnson's victory in 2019. Then, he knocked down the 'red wall' in the English North and Midlands, while retaining political predominance in Southern England. From humble origins, Labour has put its stamp on UK politics in the 20th and 21st centuries. Andrew Hammond Both Trump and Johnson effectively tapped into the anti-establishment mood that has shaped the Western political landscape since at least the international financial crisis that began in 2008. They both brought together powerful coalitions defined by cultural conservatism, including on immigration, with promises to support economically challenged regions. These insurgent coalitions were very unusual compared to those led by other Conservatives and Republicans in recent decades. For Johnson, a key focus was winning over voters in the areas Labour tended to regard as its historical political heartland. This saw him espousing what he called a 'leveling-up' agenda, with an ambition of seeking to spread economic and social opportunity more equally across the country. However, Johnson was forced out of office in 2022 after a series of scandals, despite some predictions in 2019 that he could remain in power for a decade. So, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he got no big, sustained traction on his important agenda and Labour won back a critical mass of the red wall in 2024. While Trump's coalition won him power again last November, it may also fragment sooner rather than later, especially if the Democrats can respond as quickly to their defeat as Labour did after 2019. The US electorate, like that of the UK, remains febrile and will punish the Republicans if the party is perceived as not delivering in the coming years.
