Latest news with #Durham
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Jofra Archer ‘absolutely desperate' for England Test return, says Ben Stokes
England looked to have discovered a generational talent when the Barbados-born paceman burst on to the international scene in 2019, but he has been beset by a litany of injury problems and played the last of his 13 Tests in February 2021. It is hoped he will make his first-class return for Sussex against Durham on Sunday, part of a plan that could see him restored to Stokes' squad at some point during a five-match series which begins at Headingley on Friday. There has been an understandable sense of caution about Archer's latest rehabilitation, which was further delayed by a broken thumb, but the bowler himself has made his own intentions clear – at one stage floating a hurried return in last month's one-off game against Zimbabwe. 'He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Randomly, a couple of times, he would just send me a text saying, 'Zim?',' said Stokes. 'I was like, 'Let's just hold it there, all right. I know you're in a good spot right now, but let's not just rush into it'. 'He's obviously had a horrific time with injuries, but he's had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats. 'It's really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he's in a position now where we're able to have a plan in place and hopefully him get through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket.' Having Archer back in the pace armoury would be a massive boost for England in the midst of a seven-month period that sees them take on their two biggest rivals over 10 eagerly-anticipated games. Win against India in the coming weeks, then reclaim the Ashes Down Under and Stokes would go down as one of his country's greatest ever skippers, but he is not ready to think in those terms. 'There's always a different buzz coming up against India and Australia in particular, purely because of how big those series are,' he said. 'Away from the dressing room, we know what these series mean compared to other ones. We do understand that. Hard work in the Headingley heat 🥵 Watch as the boys get set and ready for the first Test in Leeds 📺 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 19, 2025 'But defining a career as England captain isn't something that I sit there and really think about, honestly. If that's what I'm really bothered about, in my opinion it's just completely and utterly selfish and that ain't me. 'I don't tend to worry myself generally about what other people are going to say or think about what I've done as a captain at the end of it. 'I'd like to think that since I've done this role I've done it wholeheartedly and thrown everything I possibly have into doing it.'
India Today
3 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Jofra Archer desperate for England Test return, says captain Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes has revealed that Jofra Archer is "absolutely desperate" to feature in England's upcoming Test series against India, as the fast bowler eyes a long-awaited return to the red-ball format after over four years on the who made a sensational entry into international cricket in 2019, has not played a Test since February 2021 due to a series of injury setbacks. The Sussex quick, born in Barbados, was instrumental in England's World Cup triumph and left an indelible mark during the dramatic Ashes that followed. However, his red-ball journey came to a halt with recurring elbow troubles and more recently, a broken is hoped Archer will take a significant step in his comeback this Sunday when he turns out for Sussex in a County Championship fixture against Durham - part of a carefully-managed plan aimed at reintroducing him to the Test set-up during the five-match India series, starting at Headingley. Stokes, who has remained in regular contact with the pacer, said Archer's desire to return has never waned."He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on," said the England captain. "Out of the blue, he'd sometimes text me saying, 'Zim?' - as in, 'Am I in for Zimbabwe?' I had to tell him, 'Let's just hold it there. I know you're feeling good, but we don't want to rush it.'"While England have adopted a cautious approach to Archer's rehabilitation, there is renewed optimism about his had a torrid run with injuries, but he's managed a fair bit of white-ball cricket recently," Stokes added. "It's encouraging not just for England, but more so for Jof. The fact that we can now put a structure in place for his red-ball return is a great sign."A fit Archer would be a significant asset for England as they gear up for a busy stretch - 10 Tests in seven months against India and Australia. A successful summer could see Stokes etch his name among the most revered England captains, but the all-rounder insists he isn't driven by personal legacy."There's always a different energy when India or Australia are in town - we're aware of how much these series mean," he said. "But I've never sat down thinking about how this could define my time as captain. That would be selfish, and that's just not who I am.""I'd like to believe that since taking on the role, I've given it everything. I don't spend time worrying about how people will assess me once it's all over - I just focus on leading this team with everything I've got."Must Watch
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bishop Auckland mother among 27 'poisoned' by fake Botox
In recent weeks, 28 people in the north-east of England have been left with potentially fatal botulism after having anti-wrinkle injections believed to have been fake. Such reactions are usually so rare hospitals stock very little anti-toxin and they were in danger of running out. On one night in June five people were in an accident and emergency department (A&E) in Durham suffering from serious adverse effects of anti-wrinkle injections - Nicola Fairley was one of days of having what she was told was a Botox jab, but which turned out to be an illegal copy, her throat began closing up, an eye swelled shut and one side of her face started to droop. She could not smile, struggled to eat and swallow, felt exhausted and was desperate to 37-year-old mother of four from Bishop Auckland in County Durham told staff she had been given injections and was unwell."They got the doctor to see me within five minutes and started some tests there and then," Mrs Fairley the 28 people, mostly in the Durham and Darlington areas, who have found themselves in a similar position, four others ended up in the same hospital on the same night as Mrs an average year, the University Hospital of North Durham usually sees no cases at all of botulism that require treatment. Only six were recorded in the whole of England in being approached by the BBC the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has set up an investigation. Botulinum toxin is widely used to reduce facial wrinkles and treat muscle conditions. While cosmetic practitioners do not need to be licensed, the drug does. Only seven brands are licensed in the UK, with Botox the most well used correctly the amounts are small and side effects are rare. But unregulated toxin, or larger quantities, can attack the nerves and cause botulism, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes paralysis. Mrs Fairley had anti-wrinkle injections before, paying £100 for three areas, but then won a round of treatment from the same provider in a competition. She was told it was a stronger type of the toxin and again had three areas says she had no idea this treatment was two hours her forehead was "frozen", although genuine cosmetic injections should take several days to start working with the full effect visible after two weeks. Of those in A&E at the same time, some had used the same practitioner as Mrs Fairley. They were all diagnosed with botulism and one doctor told the group they had never seen that many people with the condition at the same is so rare, hospitals do not typically keep large quantities of the anti-toxin - made from horse blood - that is used to stop the toxin spreading further. North Durham was already trying to source anti-toxin drugs from other hospitals as there had been a spate of cases in the days before Mrs Fairley and the others arrived in A& an internal communication seen by the BBC, a hospital leader said: "We've just about exhausted all stock of the antitoxin from local holders (Newcastle, Carlisle and Leeds) and have 10 more coming from London." They were "bracing" themselves for more MHRA told the BBC it was investigating allegations surrounding the illegal sale and supply of fake "Botox-type" products in the North East. Chief safety officer Dr Alison Cave said the body's criminal enforcement unit "works hard to identify those involved in the illegal trade in medicines".Buying anti-wrinkle injections and other medicines from illegal suppliers significantly increased the risk of getting a product which is either "falsified or not authorised" for use in the UK, she said. An aesthetic doctor based in Newcastle, Steven Land, believes anti-wrinkle injections in three areas for less than £150 is very cheap and this could suggest the supplier was using an illegal toxin. Dr Land, who has also worked in A&E, said he was contacted weekly by "fake pharmacies" offering to sell him the toxins for such small amounts he "knows they're illegal". Genuine injections were "very safe if done properly" but called for the industry to be regulated, he said. As things stand it is not regulated at all, with anyone able to provide cosmetic injections."Your provider should be able to show you the product they are using and be happy to answer any of your questions - and have the answers," he Land said he had been fearing a botulism outbreak for years, noticing more and more businesses in the region offering injections that were suspiciously cheap. An investigation into the cause of the recent cases of botulism is being led by the UK Health Security Agency with partners including Durham County Council's public health team. Director of public health Amanda Healy said they were urging anyone with symptoms to seek treatment. An incident management team had been set up to deal with the issue and they were working out if the cause of these incidents of botulism was the "type of toxin used or the way it was used", she said. Mrs Fairley says the business owner who gave her the injections has apologised. "I know she hasn't done this on purpose," Mrs Fairley says. "I just don't know where people get it from - it's scary. "There needs to be more rules and stricter guidelines on who can do it - not just anybody who can go and do a course and just do it. "There's that many people who do it - it's part of your beauty regime like getting your nails done or your hair." What happened, and the continuing side effects, has put Mrs Fairley off having cosmetic injections again. She urges anyone considering it to ask questions about the product and make sure it has been properly prescribed. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said people's lives were being put at risk by "inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector" and said this was why the government was looking into new regulations."We urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner," a spokesperson said. 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Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Jofra Archer ‘absolutely desperate' for England Test return, says Ben Stokes
England looked to have discovered a generational talent when the Barbados-born paceman burst on to the international scene in 2019, but he has been beset by a litany of injury problems and played the last of his 13 Tests in February 2021. It is hoped he will make his first-class return for Sussex against Durham on Sunday, part of a plan that could see him restored to Stokes' squad at some point during a five-match series which begins at Headingley on Friday. There has been an understandable sense of caution about Archer's latest rehabilitation, which was further delayed by a broken thumb, but the bowler himself has made his own intentions clear – at one stage floating a hurried return in last month's one-off game against Zimbabwe. 'He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Randomly, a couple of times, he would just send me a text saying, 'Zim?',' said Stokes. 'I was like, 'Let's just hold it there, all right. I know you're in a good spot right now, but let's not just rush into it'. 'He's obviously had a horrific time with injuries, but he's had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats. 'It's really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he's in a position now where we're able to have a plan in place and hopefully him get through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket.' Having Archer back in the pace armoury would be a massive boost for England in the midst of a seven-month period that sees them take on their two biggest rivals over 10 eagerly-anticipated games. Win against India in the coming weeks, then reclaim the Ashes Down Under and Stokes would go down as one of his country's greatest ever skippers, but he is not ready to think in those terms. 'There's always a different buzz coming up against India and Australia in particular, purely because of how big those series are,' he said. 'Away from the dressing room, we know what these series mean compared to other ones. We do understand that. Hard work in the Headingley heat 🥵 Watch as the boys get set and ready for the first Test in Leeds 📺 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 19, 2025 'But defining a career as England captain isn't something that I sit there and really think about, honestly. If that's what I'm really bothered about, in my opinion it's just completely and utterly selfish and that ain't me. 'I don't tend to worry myself generally about what other people are going to say or think about what I've done as a captain at the end of it. 'I'd like to think that since I've done this role I've done it wholeheartedly and thrown everything I possibly have into doing it.'
CBS News
8 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
LGBTQ+ seniors find safety and joy in North Carolina retirement village
Durham, North Carolina — There's more than just wine and cheese on the menu at happy hour at Village Hearth in Durham, North Carolina. The retirement village serves up a safe space for people 55 and older who identify as LGBTQ+. It's one of the nation's first co-housing developments created specifically for an aging, queer population — like 73-year-old Barb Chase. "I lived my life pretty much in the closet, and I was ready for an experience that was super affirming," Chase said. The 28 single-story pastel-colored cottages are individually owned, but connected physically by walking paths and ideologically by acceptance. "As we age, community is one of the most important things to ensure our continued health," Chase said. Over seven million LGBTQ Americans will be over age 50 by 2030, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Fewer than half of states have laws prohibiting housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity — and there is no federal law. That's why Margaret Roesch and her wife created Village Hearth more than five years ago when they couldn't find somewhere to retire. "I know if we ever ended up in assisted living or in a nursing home that we would have had to go back in the closet, potentially," Roesch said. Patricia Stressler and Tami Ike moved to Village Hearth from about an hour away in Greensboro, where they lived hiding their relationship. "We're still in that generation where we don't want to make people feel uncomfortable," Ike said. Like many gay and lesbian seniors, the couple doesn't have the traditional safety net of adult children for connection and care. With this community comes built-in support from each other. "I think there is a small percentage of people who are very close-minded, and I think just for day-to-day living, wanting to be comfortable every day, not having to be on guard for anything or anyone," Stressler said. "I feel like we're going backwards, and so I think this type of community is needed more," Ike said. For these seniors — trailblazing for decades — it's a chapter with fewer struggles and more happy hours.
