Latest from BBC News
BBC News
34 minutes ago
- General
- BBC News
Rescued bears 'making good progress' ahead of enclosure move
Two bear brothers are making good progress after being resceued by a wildlife sanctuary, staff have and Balu were rescued from a cage near a restaurant in Azerbaijan and brought to the Isle of pair arrived at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Sandown on 4 June, after the site fundraised almost £218,000 to rehome the say the bears were looking "quite thin" when they arrived, but are now doing well. About two years ago, the brothers were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan from a restaurant, where they had been kept to attract customers, to a temporary Animal Sanctuary started fundraising to rehome the bears, having become aware of their situation in May 2024, and now a brand new playground beckons for the Bates, chief executive officer at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, said: "Their diet hadn't been great where they were at. They provided them with what they could to be fair, but that wasn't a varied diet."So the bears were quite thin, by our standards. You could see their hips, you could see some of their spine." The bears are set to be released from their holding pen into a new 3,500 sq m (3,7673 sq ft) enclosure on they have settled, head of bear section Lucie Francis said the team would work on increasing their diet."We're working on a very seasonal diet, so it will fluctuate through the year with the natural season and the availability that they would have in the wild," she said."Come towards the end of the summer, we will be introducing things like fish and we will be increasing that quantity of food as well." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
34 minutes ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Latest HS2 delay 'extends the agony' says Northants villages
People living near the route of the HS2 rail project said the latest delay to the scheme "extends the agony" for Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, told MPs on Wednesday that there was "no route" to meeting the 2033 deadline, although she did not suggest a new said there had been a "litany of failure" around the work has been taking place in villages in south Northamptonshire since 2019. The only remaining section of the HS2 project, between London and Birmingham, was originally due to be up and running by 2026, but the deadline got pushed back to 2031 and then to latest announcement means villagers on the route in south Northamptonshire now know they will be facing disruption from the work for at least another nine years. The village of Thorpe Mandeville has been living with disruption caused by work on an access road, a site compound and a viaduct for some time Brown from the Thorpe Mandeville Parish Council said there were more headaches to come with HS2 waiting permission to close a route into the village that is currently controlled by traffic said: "It would make it a peaceful village, but for village commuting, it would make getting north damn near impossible." As a former parish councillor in Lower Boddington, Peter Deeley has had dealings with HS2 since the idea first surfaced. He said: "We've had nothing else but problems in regards to noise pollution, we've had inability to get access, we have the situation of air pollution - I cleaned my car yesterday, it now looks as if half the Sahara's desert is on it." Not far down the road is Greatworth Hall, where Stephen Adkins' family have been tending the land since construction of HS2 is taking place just yards from his said: "The delays are unbelievable and, personally, it just extends the agony."He said that, if anyone asked him for advice on living near a national infrastructure project, his "advice now would be just get out if you can because it has been miserable". The Conservative MP for south Northamptonshire, Sarah Bool, said: "I fully understand the frustrations many feel. "I continue to work closely with affected communities in Radstone, Greatworth and across south Northamptonshire to hold HS2 Ltd to account — pushing for better mitigation, timely communication and proper treatment of those whose lives and land have been upended."The BBC has contacted HS2 for a statement. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Shinnie signs on for another year at Livi
Andrew Shinnie has signed on for another season at 35-year-old has scored 13 goals in 158 Livi appearances since joining in helped David Martindale's side secure promotion to the Scottish Premiership via the play-offs in season former Rangers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Birmingham City, Luton Town and Charlton Athletic attacker was capped once by Scotland in 2012 and has 504 club appearances in total.
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Maresca yet to speak to Mudryk after anti-doping charge
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he has yet to speak to Mykhailo Mudryk since the forward was charged with violating the Football Association's anti-doping rules but insists the player retains the club's support. Ukraine international Mudryk, 24, was provisionally suspended by the FA in December after an "adverse finding in a routine urine test" and now faces a potential four-year who at the time of his suspension said he was in "complete shock" and had "never knowingly used any banned substances", last played for Chelsea in November but attended the Blues' Uefa Conference League final win in Poland last month in a private capacity."Mischa is a Chelsea player and - as a Chelsea player - I trust all the Chelsea players," said Maresca. "I spoke with Mischa at the Conference League final in Poland but I haven't spoken to him since. "When I spoke to him he was quite good, I didn't see him worried or not good, he was good and okay but I haven't spoken to him since that day so I don't know how he is now."Chelsea signed Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 in a deal worth up to £89m, and he is under contract at the club until June who cannot currently train with the club, has scored 10 goals in 73 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Palmer wanted number 10 shirt to emulate Messi Star attacker Cole Palmer has taken Mudryk's number 10 shirt and wore it for the first time in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC at the Club World Cup. Speaking on Thursday at the club's training base at Subaru Park, home to MLS side Philadelphia Union, Palmer said he had not yet spoken to his team-mate but "will when the time is right".Asked why he had wanted to wear the number 10 shirt, 23-year-old Palmer said it was to emulate his footballing idols."I wore number 10 all my life growing up and I just like the number," he said. "It is an iconic number, which makes me think of Messi and Rooney."When in Manchester City's academy, Palmer sent a private message to Belgium winger Eden Hazard, a former wearer of the number 10 shirt at Chelsea, but did not receive a response. Palmer said Hazard still hasn't replied to his message but added: "I have met him a few times at the training ground. He asked me for one of his shirts from his sons." Meanwhile, Maresca said he will rotate "three, four or five players in every game", with his team next facing Brazilian giants Flamengo at Lincoln Financial added that he expects winger Noni Madueke to remain at the club despite links to Arsenal.
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Elections cancelled due to lack of candidates
A dozen parish councils are unable to function due to a lack of candidates, stoking fears about the future of local near Lyneham in Wiltshire, is one of the areas affected, with Thursday's election cancelled because it failed to meet the minimum number of people councils represent the most local tier of government, with responsibilities for open spaces, street lighting and certain public amenities. Other areas affected in Wiltshire include Burbage, Ashton Keynes, and Vines, Dauntsey parish clerk, said it is a struggle to keep functioning. He added: "I'm holding the fort trying to make decisions on the council's behalf." Mr Vines added the parish is charged for each failed election and this was creating a financial a parish election to take place, the law states there must be at least three people standing. When asked, residents were divided on whether they would put their names council chair Ellen Blacker said that she was "really surprised that nobody ended up going for nomination".She added that if the situation continued she would probably nominate herself again, because she does not want to "see the village let down".Lucy Townsend, Wiltshire Council's returning officer, said that it was disappointing "there aren't more people that recognise what value they could add to their local communities"."We have to have town and parish councils that are able to function," she in Dauntsey are due to open again shortly, ahead of next month's election, as the community tries to elect a parish council for the third time in as many months. Uncontested parish council elections that were due to take place on Thursday are listed below: Ashton KeynesBurbageDauntseyGraftonHeywoodLattonLittle BedwynLydiard TregozeOakseyRedlynchStocktonWinterbourne Stoke
