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Healthcare is free, there’s (almost) no chance of getting shot and bathroom light

admin — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:07:54 +0000

Brian Klaas has lived in the UK for 12 years – and has revealed what he thinks his adopted country’s strengths and ‘oddities’ are

I’m a statriotic Minnesotan but I’ve lived in the UK for 12 years and I’m going to become a dual citizen.

After living abroad for 12 years, I see America’s strengths and weaknesses more clearly, just as I see Britain’s strengths and weaknesses more clearly as an outsider.

Life here in Britain has its problems – the cost-of-living crisis and the general decline post-Brexit are real and serious – but here are some tremendous strengths – and endearing oddities, too.

STRENGTHS

There is interesting history everywhere. When I was a kid in Minnesota , we went on a field trip to one of the oldest grand houses in the state, which was built in 1891. Since moving to the UK, I’ve lived in a cottage that was built in the 16th century – 1578, to be precise. It had no closets. The floor was slanted. It was lovely.

Cities/towns are much more walkable than in the US and there are tens of thousands of miles of walking paths, fanning out in every direction. It really is extraordinary. Where I live, there are several long-distance paths where you can walk out of your door and continue on the same path for hundreds of miles. If baseball and apple pie are America’s national pastimes, having tea after a countryside walk on Sundays seems to be a fair nominee for one of Britain’s most cherished rituals.

Most villages are utterly charming. There are several bleak industrial towns and cities, but most British villages are picturesque, complete with at least one pub, a church (often a very old one), old terraced houses, and nice walking paths crisscrossing it, often near some body of water. (If there is no body of water nearby, you are, of course, welcome to swim in your own bin.)

Healthcare is a guaranteed right and it’s free at the point of service. The NHS has issues, but every experience I’ve had has been overwhelmingly positive.

British political humour is hilarious. (If you haven’t seen The Thick of It, watch it.) Whenever the prime minister is getting elected, they have to stand, flanked by crazy people and joke candidates, such Lord Buckethead and Count Binface.

Brian marvels at how the Eurostar can whisk you from the UK to Europe in around two hours

There is virtually zero risk of getting shot. (It’s also a myth that stabbings are more frequent in the UK compared to the US; there are more stabbings per capita in America.)

There is tremendous social capital and people are, for the most part, friendly, polite, and terrified of social awkwardness. (The mathematical definition of a limit approaching, but never reaching, zero is the final morsel of cheese at a British dinner party, which subdivides endlessly, until it is approximately one micron long and one micron wide, at which point it will be thrown away.)

You can travel most places in Europe in an hour or two, often for under $100 if you plan ahead. (I once took a morning Eurostar train from London to Brussels – it takes around two hours – gave a lunchtime talk at the European Union, had some Belgian beer and a little walk around, then returned home by 5pm.)

Pubs are wonderful institutions. Enough said.

The London Tube [subway] is fantastic. It’s clean, safe, and reliable. Most of the time, it’s so reliable that waiting anything beyond two or three minutes for a train in central London is deemed an annoyance.

Most places, there are very few annoying bugs (Scotland’s midges are a notable exception). You can just leave your doors and windows open without screens.

Almost everywhere is dog-friendly: bars, restaurants, bookstores, you name it.

THE ODDITIES

Brian writes: ‘Tiny country lanes that would be considered sidewalks in America are supposed to accommodate two normal-sized cars going at speed in opposite directions, often flanked by unforgiving hedges’

To turn the light on in many bathrooms, you need not find a light switch, but a little string hanging from the ceiling, which you pull. Nobody knows why.

To get warm in the winter, many people – yes, even in the 21st century – boil water and pour it into a red rubber bag, sometimes with a furry cover over it if you’re extra fancy. These ‘hot water bottles’ are staples of British homes.

Tiny country lanes that would be considered sidewalks in America are supposed to accommodate two normal-sized cars going at speed in opposite directions, often flanked by unforgiving hedges. When you encounter another car, one of you will reverse, sometimes a great distance, often over tree roots, into a tiny little ‘passing place’. (Both drivers are obligated, by British social law, to wave. The punishment for failing to comply is deep personal angst for days that they might have thought you were rude, which, to many British people, is worse than death).

‘To get warm in the winter, many people – yes, even in the 21st century – boil water and pour it into a red rubber bag, sometimes with a furry cover over it if you’re extra fancy,’ writes Brian. ‘These “hot water bottles” are staples of British homes’

Dr Brian Klaas’s book Corruptible: Who Gets Power And How It Changes Us is out now

What an American would called a kids’ size popcorn at a movie theatre (sorry, ‘cinema’) would be the largest size available in Britain.

The word ‘quite’ is often used to reduce intensity in British English rather than enhance it. In America, ‘quite’ always means ‘very’, whereas in Britain ‘quite nice’ often means ‘sort of nice’ instead of ‘extremely nice’. (I learned this the hard way three years into my time in the UK, when complimenting someone. I was told I had been inadvertently rude.)

In Britain, ‘middle class’ refers to well-off professionals such as doctors and lawyers, not the middle of the economic bell curve, as in America.

You can learn much more about a person by their accent. Accents can change even in the span of a few dozen miles. (When I first moved to the UK, I once went cycling in Wales, encountered someone on the top of a big mountain climb, and couldn’t understand a word he said. I told him I didn’t speak Welsh. It turns out he was speaking English, albeit with a Welsh valley accent. I’m sure he still tells that story about the American idiot he once met.) There is even a special accent associated with Eton, a school for posh boys. Whereas when I talk, I sound like a generic suburban Midwesterner and could conceivably be from an area with a 1,000-1,500-mile radius.

This article was originally published on Brian’s blog site – The Garden of Forking Paths.

Dr Brian Klaas is Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London. For more from Brian visit brianpklaas.com. His book Corruptible: Who Gets Power And How It Changes Us is out now, available from Amazon.

Wine o’clock could be DEADLY: Liver disease rates have shot up five-fold since the 70s –

admin — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:06:54 +0000

By Kate Pickles Health Editor For The Daily Mail

Published: 19:00 EDT, 21 September 2023 | Updated: 02:03 EDT, 22 September 2023

For many, it’s a reward for getting through another stressful day.

But Britain’s ‘wine o’clock’ culture is part of an alarming trend which has seen deaths from chronic liver disease rocket five-fold since the 1970s.

New research has found that more than a third of people who are diagnosed after an emergency hospital admission died within a year.

The data reveals the ‘alarming’ extent of late diagnosis – with thousands of people only learning they have it when it’s already too late.

Experts said the findings should serve as a ‘wakeup call’ to change lifestyle factors associated with the disease – namely alcohol and obesity – and called for more liver ultrasounds for early detection.

Experts fear Britain’s ‘wine o’clock’ culture is part of an alarming trend which has seen deaths from chronic liver disease rocket five-fold since the 1970s (stock image)

Researchers used anonymised hospital records to identify people for whom an emergency hospital admission was the first sign that they had chronic liver disease.

The researchers found that of 30,000 emergency admissions caused by chronic liver disease a year in England, 13,000 were patients who were diagnosed for the first time.

One in six patients (17 per cent) died in hospital and 37 per cent had died within a year of the emergency admission.

Of those who left hospital, 34 per cent were readmitted within a month, according to the findings presented at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) conference in Brighton.

Dr Jessica King, assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: ‘Our analysis of all hospital records from across England allows us to measure the full scale of this problem for the first time.

‘The initial results are stark: the numbers of patients diagnosed in an emergency is increasing, but survival has improved very little.

‘So far, we’ve only looked at the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the picture may look even worse with the disruption to health services and increased alcohol use during that time.’

Chronic liver disease kills more than 10,000 people a year in the UK and is one of the leading causes of death in under-65s.

Unlike many other diseases, rates are increasing with alcohol consumption and obesity both leading causes.

Vanessa Hebditch, director of policy at the British Liver Trust, said people wrongly believe they are not at risk.

She said: ‘People have got this sort of misconception that you need to be an alcoholic to have liver disease. But actually you can have many of us are drinking at levels that can really cause harm.

‘If you’re drinking half a bottle of wine every night, which is easy to do with a glass while you’re cooking, another with dinner and maybe a third while watching tv, then you’re drinking at a potentially harmful rate.

‘It really is ingrained in our culture now – that you can go and have prosecco for breakfast.

‘The other key driver is fatty liver disease and the big risk factors for that are being overweight and also having type two diabetes and we know how the prevalence of that has gone up.’

She said better early detection is needed through such things as enabling GPs to carry out more fibroscans, a type of ultrasound which measures liver stiffness and changes to the liver.

Professor William Bernal of the Institute of Liver Studies, Kings College Hospital, who led the study said: ‘These new findings confirm the understanding of clinicians treating people with liver disease. ‘Many present with advanced disease for the first time, and outcomes can be very poor.

‘There is a clear need for early detection, and prevention, of chronic liver disease, as well as better inpatient care. The next steps for our team are to work out what sort of care is linked to the best survival.’

DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT REVEAL YOUR RISK

One screening tool used widely by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests). Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, the 10-question test is considered to be the gold standard in helping to determine if someone has alcohol abuse problems.

The test has been reproduced here with permission from the WHO.

To complete it, answer each question and note down the corresponding score.

YOUR SCORE:

0-7: You are within the sensible drinking range and have a low risk of alcohol-related problems.

Over 8: Indicate harmful or hazardous drinking.

8-15: Medium level of risk. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and life in general, such as work and relationships. Consider cutting down (see below for tips).

16-19: Higher risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting back on your own may be difficult at this level, as you may be dependent, so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.

20 and over: Possible dependence. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you could very well be dependent. You should definitely consider stopping gradually or at least reduce your drinking. You should seek professional help to ascertain the level of your dependence and the safest way to withdraw from alcohol.

Severe dependence may need medically assisted withdrawal, or detox, in a hospital or a specialist clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the first 48 hours needing specialist treatment.

Get ready for Covid vaccine PILLS! Researchers develop oral shot that kills virus BEFORE

admin — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 06:19:31 +0000

Researchers in Japan have developed a Covid vaccine in pill form
When given to monkeys, it saw them develop the necessary antibodies
READ MORE: FDA approves new Covid booster vaccines for every American

By Caitlin Tilley, Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 00:05 EDT, 13 September 2023 | Updated: 00:05 EDT, 13 September 2023

You might soon be able to take a pill instead of a vaccine to protect against Covid.

Researchers in Japan have developed a Covid vaccine in pill form which, when given to monkeys, saw them produce the necessary antibodies to protect against the virus without producing any visible side effects.

Just like a vaccine, the pill contains a small inactive part of the Covid virus, but the antibodies are released in the mucus, instead of the blood, so they are closer to the real virus and can destroy it more quickly.

The FDA approved a new Covid booster vaccine on Tuesday, hoping to rev up protection ahead of winter as cases rise across the country, but appetite for yet another shot is dwindling and a pill form of immunization could counter falling vaccination rates.

Researchers in Japan have developed a Covid vaccine in pill form which, when given to monkeys, saw them produce the necessary antibodies to protect against Covid without any visible side effects

The most effective way to stop viruses is before they enter human cells and researchers believe it is important for antibodies to be produced in the mucus so they are closer to where the virus lives on the external surface of epithelial cells, which generate mucus.

A specific category of antibodies, called Immunoglobulin A, function in mucus and can neutralize viruses, but production of specific immunoglobulins or antibodies for a virus, like those to protect against Covid, has to be induced by a vaccination.

In this study, researchers found an oral Covid vaccine induced production of immunoglobulin A when take orally, under the tongue, by monkeys. And the vaccine did not produce notable side effects, unlike some traditional vaccines that have been used.

The oral immunization is a type of protein-based vaccine, like the one used for HPV or hepatitis B.

It works by containing a piece of the virus, which triggers an immune response and generates antibodies. Those are then able to be reproduced by the body if it comes into contact with the virus in the future.

The scientists said it could mean that with further research, clinics might soon be able to give out oral vaccines for Covid, which may be more popular than shots and more protective against the virus.

Oral vaccines are not a new type of immunization. Other diseases that are vaccinated against orally include polio, adenovirus and typhoid.

The research was published Wednesday in the journal Biology Methods and Protocols.

The awe-inspiring winners of a prestigious nature photo contest, from a shot of a

admin — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 05:03:34 +0000

Dramatic cloud formations over a Chilean mountainscape, a crocodile devouring a wildebeest and a polar bear cub prancing over an ice shelf.

These are some of the scenes captured by the winners of All About Photo (AAP) magazine’s nature photography contest, a prestigious awards that celebrates photographers who ‘beautifully capture the essence of nature, highlighting the magnificence of landscapes, wildlife, and flora and fauna’.

It’s the first nature-themed contest organised by AAP, a monthly online magazine that endeavours to educate and inspire in all things photography-related by providing a platform to ‘exceptional’ work from around the world.

Twenty-five photographers from 11 countries worldwide have been presented with awards. The grand prize winner is Thomas Vijayan, an Indian wildlife photographer whose subjects include Bornean orangutans and Vietnam’s critically endangered golden-headed langur monkeys.

A statement from AAP Magazine says: ‘Nature photography is a captivating genre that explores and captures the breathtaking beauty of the natural world.’ It adds that this style of photography ‘not only celebrates the earth’s majesty but also serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of conservation and our responsibility to protect our planet for future generations’.

Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel’s pick of the winners – with images from Vijayan’s gold-medal-winning portfolio at the very bottom…

With a tuft of its hair blowing in the wind, this young lion can be seen staring into the distance in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It was captured by Italian photographer Paolo Ameli, who bags a ‘Merit’ award

This green-hued shot shows the red-eyed tree frog in a jungle in Costa Rica’s La Fortuna region. Photographer Pablo Trilles Farrington – the recipient of a ‘Merit’ award – describes the creature as ‘hypnotic’, noting that its distinctive features are its red eyes and the blue stripe that colours its sides. He notes that though these frogs are typically nocturnal, ‘this photograph was taken during the day when the frog was looking for a better place to rest’

In this breathtaking shot, a caravan of camels moves through a storm near the town of Merzouga, which lies in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Photographer Olivier Unia, the recipient of a ‘Merit’ award, describes the scene as a ‘gift from nature’

This magnificent image shows a group of gelada monkeys – also known as the bleeding-heart monkey – in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains. Photographer Turgay Uzer, a ‘Merit’ award-winner, says: ‘To protect themselves from leopards, they spend the night on tiny ledges on the impossibly steep cliffs of the mountains and climb back on the plateau at daybreak to graze’

This magical shot of silhouetted gelada monkeys in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains is the work of Turgay Uzer

A young polar bear cub walks with a spring in its step in this captivating photograph by Turgay Uzer, which is titled: ‘I’ve Got Things To Do And People To See.’ It was captured in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago

Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park was the setting for this mesmerising shot, which shows a ‘young leopard checking on its hoisted kill’ – which means the kill was tugged onto a tree to keep it out of reach of other carnivores. It’s the handiwork of Turgay Uzer

A lion in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park is the subject of this beautifully composed picture by ‘Merit’ award-winner Turgay Uzer

This transfixing shot of a night monkey in Panama’s Parque Nacional Soberania was captured by Turgay Uzer. Describing the creature, he says: ‘It weighs less than one kilogram, has some of the biggest eyes in nature and those long pianists’ fingers!’ Uzer adds: ‘Sadly, the [night monkey] is endangered in Panama because of deforestation, capture for the pet trade and poaching’

Turgay Uzer captured this stunning shot of an elephant feeding on the leaves of acacia trees in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park

Though it looks like they’re enemies, the jaguars in this powerful shot are actually mating, photographer Turgay Uzer reveals. He explains: ‘Big cat mating starts with courting, continues with purring and ends with snarls and violence. And can go on like that for days.’ The picture was captured in Brazil’s Parque Estadual Encontro das Aguas

A crocodile feasts on an unfortunate wildebeest in the Mara River in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve in this jarring shot by Turgay Uzer, titled ‘Dinner Time’

This picture of a leopard cub feeding on an impala kill in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is the work of Turgay Uzer. He says: ‘We could have been the first humans this cub had seen. The mother left after dragging a heavy impala kill into the thicket. It was aware of us and yet kept on feeding’

U.S photographer Jo Fields captured this striking shot of a non-venomous rat snake on a branch. ‘Many people walking by shuddered with fear and kept walking by,’ Fields says, adding that the snake had just come out of hibernation. Fields snaps up a ‘Merit’ award

This stunning shot shows lenticular clouds over Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia region. Photographer Carmen Villar, who gets a ‘Merit’ award, remarks: ‘Before the sun came up, the colour of the clouds was simply impressive’

This image was captured by overall winner Thomas Vijayan. It shows an inquisitive-looking golden-headed langur, a critically endangered species of monkey endemic to Vietnam’s Cat Ba Island. There are less than 70 golden-headed langurs remaining, the photographer reveals, adding that the species was almost extinct two decades ago, due to poaching for medicine and hunting for sport. Their average body length is 20 inches (50cm) and then their tails extend another three feet (one metre), he says

Behold another spectacular shot captured by overall winner Vijayan, this time showing an orangutan in Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo

I’m a Wrexham local – here are the top things to do in the Welsh hotspot, which has shot

admin — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 01:16:13 +0000

Local man Robin Proctor (above) has shared his tips for the best things to do in Wrexham

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has firmly put Wrexham on the map.

The Deadpool actor, 46, took over Wrexham AFC with his friend, sitcom star Rob McElhenney, in 2021.

The team’s fortunes have been transformed under the celebrity duo’s leadership, with the Red Dragons getting promoted to League Two in April, ending their 15-year exile from the Football League.

And it’s game on for Wrexham’s tourism industry too, with the allure of the A-listers leading to a surge in holidaymakers in the city. There’s been a 44 per cent rise in the number of visitors arriving by rail since April, according to Trainline, and Airbnb has recorded a boom in Wrexham getaways over the past couple of years. Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism, said that Reynolds and McElhenney have given the region a ‘£1billion boost’ since acquiring Wrexham AFC.

In light of Wrexham’s newfound fame, local Robin Proctor – who has lived there for 25 years and rents out his home on the house swap site HomeExchange – has shared his tips for the best things to do in Wrexham and the surrounding Wrexham County Borough, from restaurants to dine at to historic sites to visit…

TOP SPOTS FOR FOOD AND DRINK

Ryan Reynolds (right) appears to have put Wrexham on the map for tourism after purchasing Wrexham AFC with sitcom star Rob McElhenney (left)

Wrexham (above) has seen a 44 per cent rise in the number of visitors arriving by rail since April, when Wrexham AFC was promoted to League Two, ending their 15-year exile from the Football League

Robin says The Fat Boar bar and restaurant, which lies on Yorke Street, is the ‘perfect’ city centre spot, whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, a drink in a beer garden or a romantic meal for two.

Dishes include servings of steak and fish and chips, while drinks range from ‘real ales’ to a ‘huge list of gins’ , the bar’s website reveals.

If you’re up for a short drive, Robin – who runs a property development business – recommends heading to The Boat at Erbistock, a riverside pub that’s set along the river Dee in the nearby village of Erbistock.

The 17th-century pub is worth the trip, he says, praising the ‘great’ food and location.

Robin says The Fat Boar bar and restaurant, above, is the ‘perfect’ city centre spot, whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, a drink in a beer garden or a romantic meal for two

Robin recommends heading to The Boat at Erbistock (the two images above), which is set along the river Dee in the nearby village of Erbistock

One of the desserts served at The Boat at Erbistock, where menus revolve around local produce

‘We aim to use as much fresh local produce as possible,’ the pub’s website notes. It adds that beer drinkers are in luck, as the venue is ‘blessed with a number of extremely good breweries within just a few miles’.

Another historic restaurant recommended by Robin is The Corn Mill, a 14th-century watermill and pub that overlooks the rapids of the river Dee in the ‘beautiful’ nearby town of Llangollen.

There, you might dine on wild boar pie for main course followed by marmalade and white chocolate cheesecake for dessert.

TOP THINGS TO DO

Watch a Wrexham match at the Racecourse Ground (pictured) during your visit

Saint Giles parish church, built in 1506, is said to be ‘one of the seven wonders of Wales’

Watching Wrexham AFC – the Red Dragons – play a match at The Racecourse Ground, the city’s football stadium, is the most obvious form of entertainment when visiting Wrexham, Robin says.

The stadium is the world’s oldest international football ground still in use – Guinness World Records reveals that ‘the first international match was played at the Racecourse on March 5, 1877, when Scotland visited Wales’.

Also in Wrexham is ‘one of the seven wonders of Wales’ – Saint Giles parish church, which was built in 1506.

Robin notes that thrill-seekers can go mountain biking in Llandegla Forest, which lies near the city, with adventure company OnePlanetAdventure.

The Wrexham local also recommends a trip to Erddig Hall, an 18th-century manor surrounded by 1,200 acres (486 hectares) of parkland south of the city.

He notes that it might appeal to Downton Abbey fans, as it has been described as ‘the most evocative Upstairs Downstairs house in Britain’ due to the insight it offers into the lives of both the staff and well-heeled residents that formerly inhabited the property.

Robin says that Erddig Hall has been described as ‘the most evocative Upstairs Downstairs house in Britain’. Above is the property’s kitchen

One place to visit, Robin advises, is the ‘beautiful’ 19th-century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (above), Wrexham County’s World Heritage Site

Eryri National Park, pictured, is just an hour’s drive from the centre of Wrexham

Robin suggests that you hop on a train at Wrexham General Station and ride along the coast. One enticing destination is the Victorian seaside town of Llandudno (above)

Another place to visit, Robin advises, is the ‘beautiful’ 19th-century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wrexham County’s World Heritage Site. He says that you can walk or cycle along it, or even choose to glide along the top in a canal boat.

Eryri National Park, formerly known as Snowdonia, is just an hour’s drive from the city centre. Although it’s not in Wrexham County, Robin says it’s a great day trip if you are staying in or around Wrexham. He suggests climbing the national park’s mountains or visiting its breathtaking beaches.

Don’t have a car? Robin suggests that you hop on a train at Wrexham General Station and travel along the Cardiff to Holyhead line, stopping off along the way at Chirk Castle or the neighbouring walled city of Chester.

He says that the train also runs along the North Wales coast, with stops that include the historical town of Conwy, seaside resort Colwyn Bay and, via a change of train, the Victorian seaside town of Llandudno.

WHERE TO STAY

Visitors to Wrexham can stay in Robin’s riverside home, a converted watermill with five bedrooms, if they’re members of the house swap site HomeExchange

The Hand at Llanarmon (above two images) is an ‘ancient hostelry’ that lies around a 40-minute drive away from the city

WELSH PHRASES FOR WREXHAM VISITORS

Bore da – Good morning

Prynhawn da – Good afternoon

Helo – Hello

Sut dach chi? – How are you?

Diolch – Thanks

Nos da – Good night

Os gwelwch yn dda ga I goffi? – Please may I have a coffee?

Pa ffordd yw’r maes pêl-droed? – Which way is the football ground

Source: HomeExchange

Wrexham has several attractive properties available for visitors to rent via HomeExchange, Robin highlights.

The website, which operates in the UK as well as France, Croatia and the U.S, allows travellers to swap homes with fellow members of the site.

Robin, who has five exchanges planned this year via the house swap site, says: ‘For just £180 a year membership, you can stay in Wrexham for every single football game of the season if you please.’

If you stay in Robin’s riverside home, a converted watermill with five bedrooms, you’ll be based just a 10-minute drive from the Wrexham AFC football ground.

There are plenty of Airbnb options to choose from too. Airbnb has seen a significant upturn in visitors to Wrexham since Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the football club, with nights stayed in the Welsh town ‘hitting an ‘all-time high’ in 2022, the booking platform told MailOnline Travel.

Amanda Cupples, general manager of the UK and Northern Europe at Airbnb, said: ‘The rise of the Red Dragons is drawing guests to Wrexham and putting money in the pockets of local families who host on Airbnb.

‘As the cost of living continues to rise, this will help more locals boost their income and help make ends meet.’

Just outside of the city, you’ll find Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa, a four-star hotel with ‘beautifully modern bedrooms’ and ‘opulent’ spa and leisure facilities.

Another option is The Hand at Llanarmon, an ‘ancient hostelry’ that lies around a 40-minute drive away from the city. The Mail checked in and found that it ‘offers a rare mix – fine cuisine amid authentic muddy countryside’.

Panama soccer player Gilberto Hernandez shot dead at age of 26 after gunmen opened fire

admin — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 19:16:11 +0000

Panama soccer player Gilberto Hernandez shot dead at age of 26 after gunmen opened fire in the city of Colon, injuring seven others

Seven others were injured in the attack that killed Gilberto Hernandez at 26
He played twice for Panama and one game was against Lionel Messi’s Argentina
DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

By Jack Bezants For Dailymail.Com

Updated: 15:13 EDT, 4 September 2023

Panama international defender Gilberto Hernandez has been shot dead at the age of 26.

The Panama football league confirmed the news in a statement. The incident happened in the city of Colon but it is unclear if Hernandez was the target of the attack.

Seven others were injured in the incident.

Hernandez played twice for his country and one appearance came in the 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Lionel Messi scored, in March of this year. It was Argentina’s first game in front of home fans since winning the World Cup in Qatar last year.

The player’s stricken father has urged the youth of Colon ‘to stop the violence’ and called on the authorities to ‘launch projects to save the youth from this violence’.

Panama international defender Gilberto Hernandez has been shot dead at age 26

He was also quoted by the BBC as urging his son’s killers to hand themselves in. According to The Guardian, there has been one arrest so far by police.

The Panama federation also issued a statement, saying it ‘regrets the sad passing of Gilberto Hernandez.

‘[We] extend condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to the entire CAI and Panamanian football family.’

Hernandez played for Panamanian team Independiente at the time of his death.

In April 2017, another Panama player – Amilcar Henriquez – was shot and killed in Colon.

Henriquez had played 85 times for his country and was an active part of the team trying to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Horrifying moment pregnant Ta’Kiya Young, 21, is shot dead by Ohio cop after she drove in

admin — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 02:03:04 +0000

Shocking bodycam footage reveals the moment a pregnant black woman was shot dead by police after she drove into an officer in a Kroger parking lot.

Ta’Kiya Young, 21, has two young children and was pregnant with a third when she was shot inside her car in Blendon Township, Ohio last Thursday after rolling her car into a police officer. The unborn child also lost its life.

Local police officers approached Young in her car after a Kroger store employee accused her of stealing. An accusation that the family’s lawyer denies.

Sean Walton, an attorney representing Young’s family, said the video clearly shows that the shooting was unjustified and has called for the officer to be fired and charged immediately.

‘The video did nothing but confirm their fears that Ta’Kiya was murdered unjustifiably…and it was just heartbreaking for them to see Ta’Kiya having her life taken away under such ridiculous circumstances,’ Walton told AP. ‘Ta’Kiya’s family is heartbroken.’

Local police officers approached Young in her car after a Kroger store employee accused her of stealing

Footage shows one officer interacting with the victim at her window, while another stands in front of the bonnet of her car

Police released yesterday the bodycam footage and an investigation led by Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation remains ongoing.

Footage shows one officer interacting with the victim at her window, while another stands in front of the bonnet of her car.

Young is seen rolling down her car window and asking police why she is being stopped before turning the steering wheel and rolling her car forward into the second officer.

Shortly before the shot is fired, Young can be heard asking, ‘are you going to shoot me?’

The second officer then fires a single shot through the windscreen, ultimately resulting in her death.

Young’s vehicle continues to drift forward until it hits the brick wall of the grocery store to the right.

The officer’s pursue the moving vehicle and break the driver’s side window.

Blendon Township Chief John Belford said in a statement on Friday that within 10 seconds of getting Young out of her vehicle, officers called for paramedics and within 90 seconds, an emergency room doctor, who was in the parking lot at the time, began helping police treat her.

Ta’Kiya Young, 21, has two young children and was pregnant with a third when she was shot inside her car in Blendon Township

‘Her tragic passing has left a void that words can’t describe, especially for her two young sons, who must now grow up without the love and guidance of their mother’ a family statement read

Friends comfort each other at a private candlelight vigil on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, in Columbus

Blendon Township has not yet released the identities of either officer, citing Marsy’s Law which aims to protect the victims of crime

Blendon Township Chief John Belford said in a statement on Friday that within 10 seconds of getting Young out of her vehicle, officers called for paramedics

‘Ta’Kiya was a beacon of love, strength and energy to all who knew her,’ her family said

A statement released on behalf of Young’s family after viewing the footage called Young’s death ‘avoidable,’ and a ‘hateful act.’

‘Ta’Kiya was a beacon of love, strength and energy to all who knew her,’ the statement read.

‘Her tragic passing has left a void that words can’t describe, especially for her two young sons, who must now grow up without the love and guidance of their mother, and while coming to understand the circumstances that led to her homicide.’

The statement also said Young’s family wants a ‘swift indictment’ of the officer who fired the shot.

Blendon Township has not yet released the identities of either officer, citing Marsy’s Law which aims to protect the victims of crime.

However, Young’s family have identified the officer as Connor Grubb, who has been with Blendon Township since 2019, according to Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission records, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

The department said the first officer, who did not fire his weapon, had his arm and hand inside the driver’s window when Young accelerated, making him a victim of misdemeanor assault.

The second officer, who fired his weapon, was hit by the vehicle and a victim of attempted vehicular assault, the statement said.

Brian Steel, Fraternal Order of Police Captial City Lodge No. 9 executive vice president, said the footage was hard to watch but ‘based on my training experience, from what I saw in that video, I understand why it could be justified but again, I don’t make that decision. Ultimately, a grand jury is going to make that decision.’

‘The fact is Miss Young was not shot for stealing alcohol. She was shot because following an aggravated robbery, she tried to run down a fellow human being’ he added.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the incident.

Upon the investigation’s conclusion the Franklin County Prosecutor’s office will present the case to a grand jury for review.

Young’s death follows a troubling series of fatal shootings of black adults and children by Ohio police and numerous occurrences of police brutality against black people across the nation in recent years, events that have prompted widespread protests and demands for police reform.

Mystery wolf slayer who leaves the dead animals displayed in Tuscan villages has shot

admin — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:23:51 +0000

Mystery wolf slayer who leaves the dead animals displayed in Tuscan villages has shot seven of them and STRANGLED one in bizarre vendetta

Eight endangered wolves found dead since the beginning of November
Killers left carcasses in village piazzas and on the steps of a theatre
Sheep farmers thought to be behind the slaughters
Decimated sheep flocks have ruined many farmers in the area
Since being reintroduced, Tuscany’s wolf population has grown to 230
Deaths have sparked a row between conservation groups and local farmers

By Hannah Roberts

Published: 12:21 EDT, 3 January 2014 | Updated: 12:31 EDT, 3 January 2014

Repopulation: Wolves were reintroduced to Tuscany from the mountains of the Abruzzo in the 1990s, using EU funding

Its medieval hilltowns, scorched valleys and free-flowing Chianti have made Tuscany a hit with British expats and tourists. But in recent weeks the peaceful vales have been rocked by a predatory serial killer.

Eight endangered native wolves have been found dead since the beginning of November, with three fresh corpses emerging in the last week alone.

In an apparently political gesture, the vigilante killer, or killers, have displayed the carcasses where they will be widely seen, in village piazzas, and, in one case, on the steps of a theatre.

All but one of the protected animals was shot, while the others were strangled. The slaughters are thought to be the work of an exasperated sheep farmer carrying out a personal vendetta after attacks on his flock.

Vet Marco Aloisi, director of a local wildlife recovery centre, said that placing the wolves’ bodies on public display appeared to be ‘a protest’.

Wolves were reintroduced to Tuscany from the mountains of the Abruzzo in the 1990s, using EU funding.

MFI furniture millionaire Paul Lister has similar plans to reintroduce wolves to his estate in Alladale, Scotland, despite the fact that they became extinct in the UK in the 17th century.

Wolves in Italy have been growing in numbers, as illegal hunting by farmers has become less common, and there are now an estimated 230 in Tuscany.

The packs usually live high in the Apennine mountains, but are driven down to farmland by cold weather or when they are unable to find enough prey.

In the past two years they have ventured lower than ever before. Wolves were responsible for 1000 attacks on sheep, cattle and horses in 2012, according to official figures.

Since then, a surge in the marauding attacks has decimated flocks in the coastal Maremma district.

Growing problem: Wolves in Italy have been growing in numbers, as illegal hunting by farmers has become less common, and there are now an estimated 230 in Tuscany

Activism: Conservation groups have organised protests, calling for swift justice for those behind the killings

In some areas production has halved, bringing farmers to the brink of ruin.

Regional projects to limit damage caused by wolves, including traps and specially trained dogs have largely failed.

Many sympathise with the farmers’ frustration.

Local MP Luca Sani, chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the Lower House of Parliament, said: ‘Killing wolves is a matter of great concern. However, it would be irresponsible to put our heads in the sand and not recognise that this action is a worrying sign of the exasperation felt by our farmers.’

Conservation groups have organised protests, calling for swift justice. James Bottinelli, spokesman for the A law Against Vivisection group in Grosseto, said: ‘Anyone who kills an animal is a criminal and must be stopped, but particularly in a case like this, where we are dealing with a serial killer.’

Businessman Paul Lister has plans similar to those rolled out in Tuscany, and wants to reintroduce wolves into the Scottish wilds, on his Alladale estate

Bodybuilder Nermin Sulejmanovic livestreams ex-wife’s murder on Instagram: Victim is shot

admin — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 00:50:16 +0000

Bodybuilder Nermin Sulejmanovic livestreams ex-wife’s murder on Instagram: Victim is shot in the head in front of their baby daughter before killer slays two more victims then takes his own life in Bosnia

Nermin Sulejmanovic streamed a disturbing video on Instagram Friday morning
He is believed to have shot his wife before going on a rampage, killing two more

By David Averre and Ap

Published: 10:18 EDT, 11 August 2023 | Updated: 11:59 EDT, 11 August 2023

A man in Bosnia live-streamed the murder of his ex-wife on Instagram today before going on a shooting rampage, killing two others and then himself.

The man, identified by Bosnian media as Nermin Sulejmanovic from the northeastern Bosnian town of Gradacac, first posted an extremely disturbing video on Instagram on Friday morning, telling viewers that they would see a murder live.

The video then shows him taking a gun and firing a bullet into the forehead of a woman. The distressed cries of the couple’s baby daughter can also be heard in the video.

Sulejmanovic, 35, confirmed he had left the infant alive.

The alleged killer later said: ‘I warned everyone that it would come to this. She has been hiding my child for eight days.

‘I’m waiting to load my weapon and move on.’

Nermin Sulejmanovic poses in undated photo. He killed his wife in Gradacac, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nermin Sulejmanovic poses with wife and child in undated photo

According to local media, Sulejmanovic worked as a fitness coach but was also a gang member and had several convictions for acts of violence, fights, and his involvement in drug trafficking.

As police began searching for him in the wake of the broadcasted murder, the suspect later published another video on Instagram, claiming to have shot at least two other people while on the run.

A police statement in the northeastern Bosnian town of Tuzla said that apart from the three killed, three other people were wounded before the killer ‘committed suicide after being located and before being apprehended’.

Police did not immediately offer any more details, but added that people who wrote supportive messages while clicking on the man’s Instagram posts Friday will be questioned and could possibly face legal repercussions.

‘I have no words to describe what happened today in Gradacac,’ said Nermin Niksic, the Prime Minister of the Bosnian Federation.

‘The murderer took his own life in the end, but no one can bring back the lives of the victims.’

Authorities did not immediately offer any more details or possible motives for the shootings.

A police statement in the northeastern Bosnian town of Tuzla said that apart from the three killed, three other people were wounded before the killer ‘committed suicide’

Witness describes horrific scenes after finding murdered British doctor who was shot dead

admin — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 06:43:16 +0000

A witness has described the scene of terror after discovering a British doctor shot dead in his car while on a family holiday in South Africa, leaving his horrified wife and young child cowering and covered in blood.

Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was shot from close range after taking a wrong turn into the rioting town of Nyanga as he drove from Cape Town airport with his wife and two-year-old son last week.

Mr Teoh, who was born in Singapore but had British nationality, was one of five who died in violence during a taxi drivers’ strike, which spiralled out of control after local authorities began impounding rioters’ cars.

Community worker Dumisani Qwebe told The Sun how he stumbled upon the horror to discover Mr Teoh lying inside his hire car, a bullet lodged in his skull.

‘The doors were wide open so I could see inside. Both the windscreen and driver’s window were shattered by gunshots and the driver was slumped over on to the front passenger seat.

‘Multiple shots had been fired and it looked like one had hit him in the head.’

He went on to claim he saw Mr Teoh’s family cowering nearby, frozen by the trauma of seeing him gunned down in front of them.

Mr Kar Teoh, 40, was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire

The surgeon was a leading specialist, shot dead after taking a wrong turn in South Africa

The death comes amid violence across Cape Town in response to police impounding illegal vehicles during a taxi drivers’ strike. Pictured: A resident of Masiphumelele using a board as a shield during clashes

Mr Qwebe said: ‘I could see they were all very traumatised.

‘They were still shaking and the police were trying to calm them down. They didn’t look injured but there were spots of blood on their clothes.’

The victim, who lived in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, and was based at the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, was awarded a number of international fellowships for his work as a trauma and orthopaedic consultant.

Two years ago, Mr Teoh won the Presidential Prize at the European Foot and Ankle Society conference in Lyon for his research into the treatment of ankle fractures.

He also worked privately for MSK Doctors, and close friend and colleague Professor Paul Lee shared a moving tribute online.

Professor Lee said: ‘It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague and dear friend, Mr Kar Teoh, a respected trauma and orthopaedic consultant who left us too soon on August 3, 2023.

‘Mr Teoh was more than a triple board certified specialist in trauma and foot and ankle surgery. He was a guiding light in our professional community, a devoted friend, and a cornerstone of many significant projects.

‘Kar’s commitment to medical excellence was recognised in several prestigious international travelling Fellowships (BOA, BOFAS, AO, SICOT, EFORT, IBRA), and he was an ardent proponent of research, and undergraduate and postgraduate education.

‘Yet, his professional accolades only paint part of the picture. For those of us privileged to call him a friend and colleague, Kar was a trustworthy and steadfast presence.

‘He was instrumental in the establishment and success of WelshBone in 2007, MSK Doctors in 2017, and the MSK Regen conference in 2023.

‘In each of these initiatives, Kar offered his unwavering support and played a critical role in their success. The loss of Mr Kar Teoh leaves a void in our hearts and our community.

‘His professional dedication was unparalleled, but it was his personal warmth, his commitment to friendship, and his unwavering support that we will remember most fondly.

‘Our deepest condolences extend to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.’

Professor Lee added an email address had also been created for people to share memories, saying it was important for ‘future generations’ and ‘for Kar’s two-year-old son, ensuring he grows up with a vivid picture of the incredible person his father was’.

A Just Giving page set up in memory of Mr Teoh with a target of £50,000 has already raised more than £25,000.

His cousin Sancy Low, wrote on Facebook: ‘He had a great sense of humour and would have wanted things to be light and fuss-free.’

A police spokesman confirmed the British doctor had died after entering into a violent scene amid ongoing taxi strikes.

‘From the airport he apparently took a wrong turn-off and headed towards Nyanga.

‘In Ntlangano Crescent a number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet.’

A protester blocks the streets with stones and rubble during an ongoing strike by taxi operators against traffic authorities

A law enforcement officer fires rubber bullets during clashes with protesters in Masiphumelele amid an ongoing strike by taxi operators

Since last week, furious campaigners connected to the influential private taxi industry in South Africa have launched stones at cars and buses and and set some alight.

It came after a new municipal law gave local authorities power to impound vehicles for driving without a licence or registration plates, and not wearing a seatbelt.

The national taxi union has said its members aren’t instigating the violence and others are using the strike as an excuse to launch their own protests, while tourists bosses fear the angry confrontations are discouraging holidaymakers from visiting the country.

The South African national taxi council called for action after it failed to reach an agreement with local government over the law.

A Foreign Office official in London confirmed they were supporting the family of a British man who had died in South Africa and advised Britons to be alert in the country.

Nyanga is one of the most dangerous places in South Africa, with 74 people murdered there every day.

Western Cape province, which includes Cape Town, has taken a tough stance on the unregulated minibus taxi industry known for bad driving and dangerous vehicles.

Millions of workers and schoolchildren have been forced to stay at home. Deliveries of food have been interrupted.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town’s mayor, said he would stand firm against the sector.

‘In Cape Town, violence will never be tolerated as a negotiating tactic. We reiterate our call on SANTACO [the taxi union] to return peacefully to the negotiation table,’ he said.