Author: Dave Carter

Bus services in England have halved since 2008 outside of London, leaving people on lower incomes and without cars struggling to get around. Whilst bus use decreased during the pandemic, lower demand has been an ongoing concern for areas outside the capital. However, the Berkshire town of Reading has seen steady bus use, being one… Continue reading What happens when councils take control of buses?

The UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, has confirmed that more planes will be found for the mass parachute drop planned for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, despite issues arising over the availability of planes. One plane has been made available, however, four are required for the event. The Atlas A400 planes – those intended for… Continue reading More D-Day remembrance planes will be found, says Grant Shapps

The front pages of UK newspapers are dominated by two stories: the impending release of the findings of the infected blood inquiry and Manchester City’s latest Premier League win. The Daily Express predicts an “official apology” from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the infected blood scandal, which is the worst treatment disaster ever to occur… Continue reading Newspaper headlines: 'Blood on their hands' and 'Fantastic 4'

The UK’s largest water companies have been accused of withdrawing tens of billions of pounds in investment and failing to invest, with plans to increase household bills in order to fund future spending. According to research by the University of Greenwich, since the privatisation of water and sewage firms in England and Wales over thirty… Continue reading Water industry investors have withdrawn billions, claims research

The chairman of the public inquiry into the infected blood scandal, dubbed the most significant treatment disaster in NHS history, is set to release its conclusions. Factor VIII and Factor IX, the blood-clotting therapies created in the 1970s for people with haemophilia, among those with rare genetic disorders, were contaminated with lethal viruses that caused… Continue reading Infected blood scandal: Inquiry into NHS disaster to publish findings

Val White still carries the weight of guilt about her son Martin. When Martin was seven years old, Val gave him blood clotting injections that had later been contaminated with HIV. Martin, who had haemophilia, had no idea that the treatment his mother was administering would eventually lead to his death. Now, over two decades… Continue reading Infected blood scandal: Mum's guilt over son's HIV death

Passengers on board the P&O Cruises vessel Ventura have reported problems with a stomach bug, with some passengers claiming the illness has been present during cruises throughout May. The ship left Southampton on 11 May for a two-week cruise to the Canary Islands. On Saturday, the company confirmed that “enhanced” sanitation protocols had been put… Continue reading P&O Cruises ship stomach bug issue not new, passengers say

An elderly man has passed away after a car went into the water at Buncrana pier in County Donegal. Gardaí, or Irish police, were informed of the incident early on Sunday morning. The car was later recovered from the water following a search and recovery effort, and technical examinations of the scene are now being… Continue reading Buncrana Pier: Man in his 80s dies after car enters water

Celebrations after Celtic won the premiership led to damage and injuries in Glasgow. Police reported that 19 people were arrested and four officers sustained injuries from an estimated 25,000 fans who gathered in the city centre over the weekend. Fans gathered at Trongate, climbed lamp posts and let off flares and damaged bus stops and… Continue reading Football celebration damage 'unacceptable' – council

Over 1,000 brown trout have died due to slurry in the Four Mile Burn, a river tributary in County Antrim. The incident happened near Doagh and is believed to be related to farming. The fish kill was reported to the Antrim and District Angling Association by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). NIEA contacted the… Continue reading County Antrim: Hundreds of fish die in river pollution incident