Wearside stories you might have missed
A prison unit emptied, bus fare changes and a little boy's dream coming true are just some of the things to have made the news this week.
Here are some Wearside stories you might have missed from the past seven days.
Last week the news broke about counter-terrorism police investigating an attack on three prison officers by Hashem Abedi, one of the men responsible for the Manchester Arena bombing.
Three officers were taken to hospital after the attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham, with the Prison Officers' Association (POA) saying the life-threatening injuries included burns and stab wounds.
Earlier this week, in an update, the BBC was told all prisoners held in the terrorism prison unit had been moved.
There were seven prisoners in the HMP Frankland separation centre at the time of Abedi's attack, including the extremist preacher Anjem Choudary.
Read more about the attack on the prison officers and the move of the prisoners in light of it
The body of a decapitated deer was discovered lying in Mere Knolls Cemetery in Sunderland.
Northumbria Police said the discovery of the animal, which appeared to have sustained injuries, was made last week.
Sunderland City Council said it had removed "the head and skin of an apparently butchered deer".
Read more about this story
Stagecoach is set to increase some of its fares from Easter Sunday because of rising costs.
Weekly fares are going up by between £1.50 and £2.00 in Newcastle, Sunderland and Teesside, though single fares and ticket prices for passengers under 21 will remain the same.
North East Public Transport Users Group (NEPTUG) said it was disappointed and warned any increase might deter passengers from travelling.
Some passengers told the BBC they were likely to be "hugely" affected by the increase, but others said bus travel remained good value despite the rise.
Read more about the changes to the fares
There was also the heart-warming story of a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a sports journalist, who had a chance to meet the BBC's Sunderland commentator.
Ben Cullen, from Wynyard in County Durham, hopes to start a YouTube channel to interview supporters after Sunderland matches.
His football coach got in touch with BBC Newcastle for the aspiring commentator to chat to Nick Barnes.
Watch the video of their meeting here
A Sunderland children's charity which has seen volunteers more than double in a year has been formally presented with the UK's highest voluntary award.
Love, Amelia officially received the King's Award for Voluntary Service for its work across the city and County Durham.
Steph Capewell, who founded the charity in memory of her daughter, said the award was "such an honour".
The charity was founded in 2019 in memory of Ms Capewell's daughter Amelia who died in January 2018, just 12 minutes after she was born.
It offers support to families experiencing hardship and poverty, giving donated items to those in need.
Read more about the charity's award
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Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Turkish authorities arrest prominent journalist for allegedly threatening Erdogan
ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities formally arrested a prominent journalist on Sunday for allegedly threatening President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to state media. The arrest of Fatih Altayli, whose daily commentaries on YouTube attract hundreds of thousands of viewers, comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition. State-run Anadolu Agency said Altayli was questioned after his detention late Saturday over a comment he made following a recent poll that showed more than 70% of the public opposed a lifetime presidency for Erdogan, who has been in power for more than two decades. On his YouTube channel, Altayli said Friday he wasn't surprised by the result of the survey and that the Turkish people preferred checks on authority. 'Look at the history of this nation. ... This is a nation which strangled its sultan when they didn't like him or want him. There are quite a few Ottoman sultans who were assassinated, strangled, or whose deaths were made to look like suicide.' An investigation was immediately launched by the Istanbul Public Prosecutors' Office. During questioning, Altayli denied threatening the president, according to Halk TV's website. Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition Republican People's Party have faced waves of arrests this year, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was detained in March over allegations of corruption. Many consider the cases to be politically motivated, although Erdogan's government contends that the courts are impartial and free of political involvement.
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
Shilo Sanders clowns brother Shedeur over speeding ticket drama
Shilo did Shedeur dirty. The middle Sanders son poked fun at his older brother in a new video — part of his 'Tampa Food Tour' YouTube series — when he made a joke about Shedeur's recent issues with speeding in Ohio. In the clip, Shilo is crossing a street in Tampa when he takes the jab at the Browns rookie quarterback. Advertisement Getty Images 'We out here in Tampa. We gotta be careful crossing the street, especially if Shedeur is out here,' Shilo said in the clip before making himself laugh. Shilo was, of course, referencing Shedeur's recent issues with speeding tickets, which made headlines last week. Advertisement Shedeur was stopped and cited for going 101 mph, 41 miles over the posted speed limit, on June 17 in a Cleveland suburb and had been stopped two weeks before that in another stop, where he was cited for 91 mph in a 75 mph zone. A spokesperson for the Browns told that Shedeur was 'taking care of the tickets' and that the team had addressed the citations with him. Shilo Sanders Shilo Sanders/YouTube Advertisement In body cam footage during the June 17 stop, police officers commented that he had been 'cool' with them during the interaction and that they were giving a break to the woman who was also stopped with him. During the stop, Shedeur didn't initially think he was going as fast as police said he was. 'I'm like, you were 100 percent going that fast, it's all on camera, man,' one officer could be heard telling another as he sat in the police cruiser. Advertisement Shedeur, a fifth round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, purportedly addressed the situation in a video posted on social media this week, which showed a conversation between him and teammate David Njoku's charity. 'I've made some wrong choices personally, and I can own up to them,' Shedeur said. 'I made some, you know, not great choices. … I learned.'
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Are Latin American travelers still coming to the US for vacations?
Even though Karen Aguayo lives in central Mexico – a short flight away from the United States – she has yet to visit, and has no plans to. The 35-year-old Mexican national was hoping to make her first trip to the U.S. this year to visit her uncle, and even has a visa to visit the country. However, given the political climate, it feels like too much of a gamble for her safety. She went to Italy instead. Under President Donald Trump's flurry of executive orders signed in January, the goal was to "strengthen national security," including cracking down on immigration, increasing scrutiny at our borders, and imposing a travel ban on numerous countries. Earlier this year, the president also ignited a trade war between the U.S. and China, Mexico, Europe and Canada when he announced a skyrocket in tariffs – a move that upset nationals. 'Don't know how we should behave': Is the US South LGBTQ friendly? Aguayo said she's worried about being denied entry at the airport, along with how she may be treated while in the U.S., such as possible anti-Mexican sentiment. "It's not only me, I believe that many people think the same. They'd rather feel welcome in other countries," said Aguayo, who posts videos about travel in Mexico on her YouTube channel La Karencita. "Now I'm in Europe because I feel that people are more open to make you feel welcome and safe; nothing happens here." Since Trump's inauguration it feels like conflict and policies within the U.S. have been constantly changing, Aguayo said. "Maybe this is not the time to go." A recent example that deters her from visiting is the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that swept through the greater Los Angeles area in response to Trump's vow of 1 million annual deportations of undocumented immigrants. Subsequent days-long protests against ICE escalated into violence between law enforcement and demonstrators, resulting in the president deploying the U.S. National Guard. While some Latin Americans are moving forward with their trips to the U.S., others are holding back due to safety concerns, a potentially hostile atmosphere or disagreement over the volatile political landscape under the Trump administration. A slowdown from this group of travelers could have a lasting impact on the U.S. economy. The U.S. has long been a popular destination for Latin Americans, with Mexico standing out as the second-largest demographic of visitor arrivals after Canada and contributing to an estimated $21 billion toward the American economy in 2018, according to the U.S. Travel Association. These travelers pausing their U.S. visits aren't swearing off the U.S. forever, but their hesitation shows the country's current political actions aren't going unnoticed. Latin American travelers conflicted over US travel Although some Latin American travelers are reconsidering visiting the U.S., many continue with their travel plans, especially Mexican nationals. Arrival and Departure Information System (ADIS) data between March 2024 and 2025 for Mexican arrivals to the U.S. showed a growth of 14.9% – comprising 26.7% of international visitors to the country, just slightly under Canadians. According to Expedia, many of the top U.S. destinations are still popular with Mexican travelers. For travel between May and June 30, lodging searches by Mexican nationals focused on cities like New York, Las Vegas, San Diego, Anaheim and Orlando. Emerging destinations showing increased interest include Charlotte, San Jose, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Worth. For the same travel period, airfare to the U.S. from Mexico is averaging below $575, with fluctuations depending on the arrival state. In some parts of Latin America, travel to the U.S. is on the decline. Although data from the National Travel and Tourism Office's International Visitor Arrivals Program (ADIS) shows U.S. travel demand for 2025 remains strong in countries like Brazil and Argentina, overall visitor numbers from South and Central America have dropped. From this past March to last, South American arrivals decreased by around 6% and over 35% for the Central Americans. 'We are seeing varying trends in demand for US travel across Latin America," the online booking platform Skyscanner said in a statement. "What we do know is that since the pandemic travelers are more engaged with travel warnings and advisories and these will likely influence demand." 'Everything is changing so fast' Alan Estrada, a 44-year-old Mexican travel content creator who shares his journeys under Alan Around the World, frequently travels to the U.S. for work. He recently attended the opening of the new theme park Epic Universe in Orlando and was also in Washington, D.C., earlier this month for the World Pride Music Festival. In July, the Mexico City-based traveler will visit New York for an event with one of his sponsors. Most of Estrada's U.S. visits are for work reasons, and he said he doesn't have any upcoming leisure trips planned. This is not only due to tensions like the ICE riots, but also the potential for other U.S. issues to escalate, like involvement in the war between Israel and Iran. "I'm not saying I won't do it," he said about going to the U.S. for pleasure. It's just that now is not the right time, he said. Although he's never had any issues with immigration, border control or hostility from Americans, the U.S. political landscape is on Estrada's radar. "Everything is changing so fast and can escalate from one day to another really, really quickly," said Estrada. "So, we have to be informed and aware all the time." About half of Estrada's audience is Mexican and most others live throughout Latin America. Lately, he's noticed a majority of comments on his social media channels and website – where people can call or email for travel advice – are about visiting the U.S. "There are some people in the comments saying like, 'is it safe to go to the U.S.' or 'please don't go to the U.S.,' depending on the political views of my followers," he said. "I can feel the people kind of worry a little bit about what's happening right now." Estrada believes the rise in concern comes from a mix of being more "cautious," disagreeing with American politics, and not finding the high price of travel to the U.S. to be worth it. As many situations remain unresolved, these travelers' decision to visit the U.S. is in the air. "The thing that I would need to see is not seeing people protesting because I think that's one sign that everything is getting uncomfortable, and not seeing the president talking about immigrants, about changing the rules," Aguayo, of La Karencita, said. Although Aguayo has never been to the U.S., it's not a priority for her either. In the meantime, she's content traveling the rest of the world.
