Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain Talavera de la Reina is mourning the loss of part of its most historic bridge after powerful currents from the Tajo River tore through the ancient structure overnight “It’s a sad day for Talavera,” said Mayor José Julián Gregorio as he confirmed that part of the city’s iconic ‘Roman’ bridge had collapsed In a message shared on social media during the early hours he described it as a ‘terrible blow’ to the city’s heritage The destruction followed hours of warnings from local officials who had been monitoring the river’s surging flow water levels had reached 1,000 cubic metres per second enough to put serious strain on the bridge’s ageing foundations authorities had already closed off access to the bridge earlier in the day “The situation could have been much worse,” said Gregorio Talavera’s residents woke up to the news with disbelief and sorrow as the bridge holds a special place in the hearts of many Messages of support poured in from across the region leader of Castilla-La Mancha’s People’s Party calling it ‘a painful loss’ for the city’s heritage Locals have also taken to social media to share memories of the bridge with many recalling childhood walks and family outings to the riverside Known locally as the ‘Roman’ bridge the Santa Catalina Bridge is the oldest in Talavera but much of what we see today was built during the late 15th century the bridge has been repaired and altered several times when its famous bend and pointed arches were added While parts of its Roman foundations still lie submerged beneath the river’s surface the collapse marks a painful chapter in the city’s story Find more news from Spain Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish Spanish AI firm Substrate AI plans to build a data center outside Toledo The company this week announced it aims to develop a 10MW facility on a 25,000 sqm (269,095 sq ft) site at the Torrehierro industrial estate in Talavera de la Reina that will host Nvidia GPU hardware Substrate will invest €100 million ($102.3m) in the project financed partly through a €19.4 million grant from the Junta de Castilla la Mancha and several international funds "This data center will be able to offer all the capacity needed to train and operate new AI models in Spain and therefore within the European Union,” said José Iván García CEO of Substrate AI “This will allow us to offer all the AI services that the great transformation of the economy needs we will be able to create new LLMs like the one we have created for compliance boosting the sovereignty of artificial intelligence and offering on-premise models for companies and governments a service that will explode in the near future.” Substrate AI is a Spanish AI company listed on BME Growth It said the data center will help develop large language models through its Serenity Star unit Meta is also developing a data center in Talavera de la Reina A version of this story appeared on our Spanish edition Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Unnamed 26-year-old fell while climbing 192-metre-high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge A 26-year-old British man has died after falling from a Spanish bridge while attempting to create social media content fell while climbing the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in the central city of Talavera de la Reina the local mayor’s office said in a statement on Sunday said the man was accompanied by a 24-year-old British national and the pair had travelled to the structure to “create content” for social media Muñoz added: “We have been able to find out they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome.” She said climbing the bridge was “totally prohibited” and “cannot be done under any circumstances” which the council had “reiterated on many occasions” A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.” the tallest cable-stayed bridge in Spain since its opening in 2011 The 192-metre-high (630ft) structure consists of a main concrete pylon with multiple cables coming from the centre in a triangular shape Oct 15, 2024 3:32 PM EDTA 26-year-old British man has died after falling from a famous bridge in central Spain during an attempt to make climbing-related social media content The man was ascending the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Talavera de la Reina, a small city about 75 miles from Madrid, when he fell to his death on Sunday morning at 7:14 a.m., according to an El Mundo report was said to be accompanied by a 24-year-old man who survived the incident is illegal—though it has drawn climbers various other social media-driven daredevils and even illegal racing activity since its construction The statement noted that the two men had arrived specifically to climb the bridge “to create content for social networks”—leading to an “unfortunate and sad outcome.” According to Metro.co.uk a local police spokesperson said the climber was “about 40 to 50 meters up around a quarter of the total height of the bridge when he fell.” The exact cause of the fall has yet to be determined According to another source in the same report neither of the two men were wearing protective harnesses Dubbed “the bridge to nowhere" by detractors the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge is a dramatic Golden Gate-style span with its pair of iconic leaning towers rising to 630 feet and over 20 miles of wiring built into its 1,043-foot length across the Tagus River.  By Jordan RaneJordan Rane is an award-winning journalist and former senior editor at Men's Journal specializing in travel and whatever veers in those directions.  “Holiness is always joyful… Have the smile that comes from the heart—not fake Pope Francis offered that reminder to women religious as he met on Thursday with the Augustinian Sisters of Talavera de la Reina to celebrate the 450th anniversary of their convent with a pilgrimage to Rome the Pope renewed his prayers for residents of Valencia who are “suffering greatly” from flooding that has killed over 200 people I feel very close to Spain because of the tragedy in Valencia,” he said Pope Francis invited the nuns to offer an example of the spiritual life by being “masters in the art of prayer.” among all the knowledge you pass on to children,” he said to feel His presence at every moment of life and to accept His inspirations with docility.” The Pope went on to invite all consecrated religious and priests never to lose their joy or sense of humor adding that they then assume a “sour” disposition that seems “like something preserved in vinegar.” which keeps us fresh in serving God,” he said “Let me repeat: a sad saint is a sad kind of saint.” He noted that religious can either have an exuberant humor or a more reserved kind of joy that comes with a smile should always keep in mind the needs of others and the relative security and comfort they enjoy as part of a religious community “When someone complains about having too much work let them think of those who have none,” he said “When one enters a convent or parish house they should remember that everything is provided for them.” they should remember that there are people who are sleeping rough outside under whatever they can find Pope Francis invited the Spanish Augustinian Sisters to recall the prayer of St and the necessary good humor to maintain it Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil but rather finds the means to put things back in their place because of that obstructing thing called “I.” Grant me Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy Thank you for reading our article. 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Just click here The man from England died while attempting to scale the Castilla-La Mancha bridge near Madrid The former MXGP track of Talavera de la Reina it´s set to host the opening round of the 2025 Spanish Motocross Championship Tomorrow will take place the time qualifying and the qualifying race which include points for the Top 5 finishers Jose Antonio Butron is the defending champ And some names such as Carlos Campano or Ander Valentin are expected to be at front two-time MX2 champion Gerard Congost will make his debut in this class Guillem Farres will make his Triumph Factory Debut algonside his new teammate Camden McLellan Another MX2 World Championship rider behind the gate will be Oriol Olvier Vocational Training and Sport organised this event for the second time on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science The Institute of Mathematical Sciences and 10 schools from different parts of Spain took part in this edition visited the 2nd Girls and Women in Science Fair in which a dozen educational centres from different regions of the country took part The president was able to see projects on DNA extraction interactive ecosystems and a seismograph built using recycled materials Over 120 girls and boys were able to visit the Fair held in the hall at the Ministry of Education Industrial Engineer and founder of the Kennis Project They talked about their experience as science communicators reviewing some of the experiments they carry out and explaining how technology can help us live our lives They also held a LED race in which some of the students present and the Minister for Education herself took part Then it was the turn of the sportswomen Carolina Marín and Irene Schiavon with whom Patricia Martínez talked about sport and science the inspiration of a future generation," she asserted "I have always felt that women have had fewer opportunities than men historically This is a reality; the first woman to go to university was just over 100 years ago I want to be a reference point in a small world; it is very important to pursue what we like doing," said Schiavon Group photo during the II Fair of Girls and Women in Science | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa The former international rugby player explained the science of rugby She gave a demonstration of this in the hall at the Ministry "It's all science; the more science you know the better." "I encourage boys and girls to play sport; it takes your mind off things you get some fresh air and you think better," she asserted Carolina Marín spoke of the difficulties involved in playing "a very minority and unknown sport in Spain" circumstances that "make things much more complicated" She has encouraged everyone to fight for what they want: "If you don't take risks Who would have thought that a girl from Huelva would break the Asian dominance in a sport that is so popular in other countries I have gained so much experience and values in my life that of which over 150 entities and institutions from all over the country are members This website uses its own and third-party cookies to maintain the session, offer a better user experience and obtain statistical data on user navigation. For more information see Cookies policy Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. The man was attempting to create content for social media when he fell from the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge near Talavera de la Reina on Sunday morning I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A British daredevil has fallen to his death while attempting to scale one of Spain’s highest bridges in a social media stunt. The unnamed 26-year-old English national fell from the 630ft-high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge over the Tagus River, near Talavera de la Reina, on Sunday morning. He was with a 24-year-old man when he fell, a local councillor said. Macarena Muñoz, the councillor for citizen security in Talavera de la Reina, said in a statement that the pair had “come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome”. She said that climbing the Castilla-La Mancha was “totally prohibited and which we have reiterated on many occasions cannot be done under any circumstances”. The body was removed and was taken to a funeral home by a coroner, a press release from the council confirmed. Police and firefighters arrived at the scene following the incident, according to Spanish outlet La Razon. The Independent has reached out to Spanish police regarding the identity of the deceased man. Local media state that the bridge has attracted several young people attempting to climb it in recent years, prompting warnings from officials. Many cover their faces while climbing the bridge so as to avoid punishment by police, El Tiempo reported. A year ago, two bloggers attempted to scale the bridge and shared a video on social media, the Spanish outlet reported. In 2016, two young people who climbed the structure were investigated by the Public Prosecutors office. The Castilla-La Mancha Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge which was opened in October 2011. It was the tallest such bridge in Spain when it was opened. Referred to by locals and the media as the “bridge to nowhere”, the €74 million bridge was widely considered a waste of money, carrying little traffic after a four-year project to build it. According to El Debate, the bridge has now become a popular spot for drinking alcohol and illegal car racing. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/in_news/in_world/image/gallery_mpu_sb","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"Puente_de_Castilla-La_Mancha copy.jpg","description":"Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Spain\r\nhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puente_de_Castilla-La_Mancha.jpg","caption":"The 630ft-high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge is one of the tallest in Spain The 630ft-high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge is one of the tallest in Spain govt and politics"},{"score":0.776128,"label":"/sports/climbing"},{"score":0.654067,"label":"/law A 26-year-old man from England died after falling from Spain’s tallest bridge while trying to climb one of its pylons to create content The man, who has not been identified, fell from the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge, about 70 miles southwest of Madrid, the Mayor's Office said in a news release Sunday Climbing the bridge which crosses the River Tagus outside the town of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain is "totally prohibited," the news release said and "cannot be done under any circumstances" which the council said it has "reiterated on many occasions." The deceased was accompanied by another 24-year-old British man and it was learned the two "had come to Talavera to go up to the bridge and create content for social networks which has resulted in this disastrous and sad outcome," local councilor Macarena Muñoz said World news: Lightning strikes Rome's ancient Constantine Arch, sending fragments to the ground A spokesman for National Police in Toledo, the province where Talavera de la Reina is located, told Spanish media outlet The Leader the man was "about 40 to 50 meters (approx The spokesman added it was not immediately clear how the man fell and the incident that occurred around 7:15 a.m Sunday morning will "be investigated by a local court." a source close to the investigation told The Leader the man and his companion "were climbing without any harnesses or any other protection." The body of the victim has been transferred to a funeral home A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign Office, in a statement to People said the office is "supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain The cable-stayed bridge, which opened in October 2011, is nearly 630 feet tall, with its main span measuring 1,043 feet, making the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge the tallest in Spain and one of the tallest in Europe Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7 A photographer plunged to his death after falling from Spain’s tallest bridge while trying to film a video British content creator and photographer Lewis Stevenson died after falling from Castilla La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina, Spain on October 13, according to the BBC. The 26-year-old fell to his death while filming a video as he was attempting to scale the 630-foot-tall Castilla-La Mancha Bridge Stevenson was filming content for his social media account Stevenson was accompanied by another 24-year-old British man as he attempted to climb the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in the early hours of the morning, according to a press release published by Macarena Muñoz Talavera de la Reina’s Councillor for Citizen Security Stevenson reportedly fell from the bridge at around 7:14 a.m Stevenson’s body was removed from the scene and taken to a nearby funeral home by a coroner which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome,” Muñoz says in a statement is the tallest in Spain and one of the tallest in Europe Muñoz says that climbing the bridge is strictly prohibited and city officials have reiterated on many occasions that it “cannot be done under any circumstances.” local media outlets report that the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge has long drawn content creators who scale it despite the ban Spanish media outlets have suggested that the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge was likely slippery following rain in the region but these reports have not been confirmed Stevenson’s mother paid tribute to her son She described him as a “thrill-seeker” who had a passion for photography — rather than a content creator “He was a thrill-seeker who loved to travel and have new experiences,” his mother Keilia Stevenson says “We as a whole family supported his adventures around the world which included amazing places he got to visit like Easter Island and Machu Picchu but unfortunately those adventures also included climbing great heights which we didn’t particularly agree with but understood this was what he loved to do “He knew his limits and never did anything beyond them He was a keen photographer and he did this all for passion   Image credits: Header photo via Facebook (left) and Wikimedia Commons (right) Become a PetaPixel Member and access our content ad-free An unidentified 26-year-old English content creator fell to his death while attempting to climb one of Spain's tallest bridges One content creator’s attempt at a major stunt ended in tragedy An unnamed 26-year-old from England was attempting to climb the Castilla-La Mancha bridge—one of Spain’s highest bridges in the city of Talavera de la Reina—while filming only to fall to his death Councilor for Citizen Security Macarena Muñoz confirmed the man’s death in an Oct stressing that climbing the 630-foot bridge is “totally prohibited.” “We have reiterated on many occasions that it cannot be done under any circumstances." The content creator was joined by another 24-year-old English man at the time of his death “We have been able to learn they had come to Talavera to go up to the bridge and create content for social networks,” Muñoz said “which has resulted in this disastrous and sad outcome.” The mayor’s office shared that the man’s body has been transferred to a funeral home in the wake of his death A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign Office said in a statement to People “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the National Police in Toledo further shared details about the incident in question, telling Metro.co.uk "He was about 40 to 50 meters [130 to 165 feet] up "The reason he fell is not clear and will be investigated by a local court.” The Castilla-La Mancha Bridge opened in 2011 and is a cable-stay bridge that has long drawn climbers and content creators despite the ban on scaling the structure News has reached out to the Talavera de la Reina police for comment and has not heard back The TimesThe family of a British social media influencer who died after falling from a bridge said they were always trying to talk him out of performing his high-risk climbs died on Sunday attempting to scale the 192m Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina Stevenson regularly featured in and captured photos on top of skyscrapers in cities including London in which people scale structures without permission from authorities and without a safety harness to capture panoramic images and video in perilous locations Climbing the Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina is prohibitedHERENCIAS/GETTY IMAGESSpeaking to MailOnline from his home in Derby confirmed his grandson had died in the incident Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Lewis Stevenson fell from the birdge while ‘creating content’ An English man who fell from a 192m-tall bridge in Spain while reportedly creating social media content died from head injuries died on October 13 after he fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge outside Talavera de la Reina in Spain Assistant coroner Sabyta Kaushal opened the inquest into his death at Derby Coroner’s Court on Tuesday and adjourned the hearing for further inquiries who attended the hearing: “I am opening the inquest into the death of Lewis Stevenson He died on October 13 at the Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Spain “The inquest will now be adjourned for further investigations to be concluded When it is concluded then the matter will be listed for a final hearing.” She added that the cause of Mr Stevenson’s death has been recorded as “blunt force head injuries” after an “uncontrolled descent from height” The graphics and print designer climbed the bridge to “create content for social networks” the city’s councillor for citizen security She described the fall as an “unfortunate and sad outcome” but added that climbing the bridge “is totally prohibited and which we have reiterated on many occasions cannot be done under any circumstances” The councillor said in the statement that Mr Stevenson had been accompanied by a 24-year-old English man at the time of the fall. The cable-stayed bridge, which is the tallest in Spain since it opened in 2011, crosses the Tagus River. After his death in October Mr Stevenson’s mother paid tribute. His family said he was “not a social media influencer”, but a “thrill-seeker” who had a passion for photography. “Lewis was my boy, my world and my biggest achievement. He continually made me so proud, he was happy and ambitious in life,” his mother Keilia said. “He was a thrill-seeker who loved to travel and have new experiences. “We as a whole family supported his adventures around the world, which included amazing places he got to visit like Easter island and Machu Picchu, but unfortunately those adventures also included climbing great heights which we didn’t particularly agree with but understood this was what he loved to do. “He knew his limits and never did anything beyond them. He was a keen photographer and he did this all for passion, not as an influencer. “There will forever be a hole in our hearts and life will not be the same again.” Lewis Stevenson fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge outside Talavera de la Reina in Spain govt and politics"},{"score":0.596895,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/homicide"},{"score":0.588739,"label":"/society/crime/property crime"},{"score":0.548862,"label":"/business and industrial/construction"},{"score":0.544365,"label":"/family and parenting/children"},{"score":0.539463,"label":"/law Join the news democracyWhere your votes decide the Top 100 Reasons for you to sign up to our newsletter here A British influencer has reportedly died after falling from a bridge in Spain which members of the public are banned from accessing The unnamed 26-year-old is said to have died after falling from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina which is located to the south west of Madrid The identity of the deceased has yet to be confirmed He is said to have been with a 24-year-old Brit at the time of the incident The incident reportedly took place at around 7.15am on Sunday (October 13) Accessing the bridge is reportedly ‘banned’ and local councillor Macarena Munoz said it is “not something that can be done in any circumstances” while confirming the death in a statement Talavera de la Reina Town Council confirmed in a statement [via The Daily Mail]: “The Councillor for Citizen Security has confirmed the death of a young man after he fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge “He was a 26-year-old Englishman who fell while climbing the aforementioned bridge something which the councillor has made clear is totally prohibited and that we have reiterated on numerous occasions cannot be done under any circumstances.' “The young man was accompanied by another 24-year-old Englishman According to what we have been able to establish they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social media which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome.' “The judge and the forensic doctor have already authorised the removal of the body which has been transferred to the funeral parlour.” The Castilla-La Mancha bridge is the highest in Spain Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the Indy100's free WhatsApp channel Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the Indy100 rankings The 26-year-old is said to have died while filming a social media stunt(Image: SOLARPIX.COM)A friend has been left "traumatised" after watching a British social media influencer plunge 630ft from Spain’s highest bridge to his death A daredevil 26-year digital creator fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge - which stands over the Tagus River 90 minutes southwest of Madrid - in Talavera de la on Sunday morning as he climbed to film the social media stunt. The unnamed Brit is said to have been with a 24-year-old companion when he plunged to his death. Both men, according to local sources, were climbing without any harnesses or other protection. A passing motorist was able to call for help as the pal was left "traumatised" and speechless after witnessing the horrific fall. The bridge is the highest in Spain(Image: SOLARPIX.COM)“A passing motorist raised the alarm,” a source said. “The other lad was in a state of shock initially and couldn’t even speak. He’s obviously still pretty traumatised but is not at the police station any longer.” National Police as well as local town-hall employed firefighters rushed to the scene with paramedics but there was nothing they could to save the Brit. Footage from the scene of the tragedy showed police cordoning off the area near to where he fell. Talavera de la Reina Town Council confirmed the death in a statement, saying local officials have long made clear that climbing the bridge is "totally banned" and "cannot be done under any circumstances". The statement read: “The Councillor for Citizen Security, Macarena Munoz, has confirmed the death of a young man after he fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge. He was a 26-year-old Englishman who fell while climbing the aforementioned bridge, something which the councillor has made clear is totally prohibited and that we have reiterated on numerous occasions cannot be done under any circumstances.” A spokesperson for a regional government-run emergency coordination centre confirmed: “We received the first call at 7.14am today, saying a young man had fallen while he was climbing the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge. The victim, who was aged 26, was pronounced dead at the scene. Local authorities said the man was with a companion when he fell from the bridge(Image: SOLARPIX.COM)‌“National Police, local police, firefighters from Talavera de la Reina and an emergency ambulance was sent to the scene but there was nothing any of the emergency responders could do to save him.” The statement continued: "The young man was accompanied by another 24-year-old Englishman. "According to what we have been able to establish they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social media, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome." "The judge and the forensic doctor have already authorised the removal of the body, which has been transferred to the funeral parlour." Ms Munoz added: “We have made it clear on several occasions that it’s not something that can be done in any circumstances.” A post-mortem is yet to take place. The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge featuring 152 wire ropes which was opened on October 17 2011 and cost nearly €74 million (£62 million) to build. After daredevil influencer Lewis Stevenson suffered a fatal fall while attempting to climb Spain's tallest bridge his girlfriend Savannah Parker revealed his final words to her Days after a British influencer died while attempting to film a stunt Lewis Stevenson’s girlfriend Savannah Parker shared a heartbreaking tribute to the late influencer after the 26-year-old fell to his death while illegally scaling the 630-foot high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Talavera de la Reina "It’s 5am and I haven’t eaten or slept. Someone tell me this is a nightmare," she wrote on Facebook Oct "I feel violently sick at the fact you’re not coming back "Thank you everyone for your messages and love If I’ve not replied know that I’ve seen it and appreciate it I can’t reply to everyone I'm too overwhelmed Anyone in a relationship PLEASE hug your person extra tight for me." She also revealed her boyfriend's final words to her which he made via text before climbing the bridge "We spoke at half eleven and the last thing he said to me was I love you,'" Savannah told MailOnline "Good morning" with three kisses I didn't see it until quarter to eight." Lewis, who has shared many photos of his climbing stunts all over the world on social media had begun his excursions at least five years ago I don't look into things because I worry enough as it is and I just let him do his thing and generally he just comes back," Savannah said Talavera de la Reina's Councillor for Citizen Security who did disclose the identity of the deceased beyond describing him as a British man confirmed he had been at the bridge with another British man "They had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks," the official said in a Spanish-language statement released by the mayor's office "which has resulted in this disastrous and sad outcome." She added that climbing the bridge is "totally prohibited and that we have reiterated on many occasions that it cannot be done under any circumstances." said that they tried to talk the influencer out of doing such stunts "We were always trying to talk him out of doing things but that was the way he was," he told MailOnline always went out there believing he'd be alright Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications InstagramXThreadsSnapchatTikTokYouTubeLAD Entertainment Home> News> World News Officials in Spain have said that a British influencer and daredevil has died after falling from the highest bridge in the country He was a 26-year-old British man who died yesterday (13 October) in Talavera de la Reina after he fell off the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge which is 192 metres high at the tallest point The bridge is located to the west of Madrid and when it was opened was criticised for being a waste of money that didn't have much traffic going across it earning it the disparaging nickname 'bridge to nowhere' the emergency services were called to the bridge yesterday morning with national and local police the fire department and paramedics attending A call for them was placed at 7:14am on the Sunday morning but all they could do was confirm that the man had died after falling off the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge The daredevil's body was recovered from the scene and taken to a funeral home said that climbing the bridge was 'totally prohibited and that we have reiterated on many occasions that it cannot be done under any circumstances' They added: "As we have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome." A spokesperson for Spain's National Police in Toledo told the Metro that the 26-year-old Brit was 'about 40 to 50 metres up' when he fell and that neither he nor a 24-year-old man who was with him were wearing safety gear such as harnesses They added that the initial call was made by 'a passing motorist' In their statement they said that the younger man was 'in a state of shock initially and couldn't even speak' when they arrived on the scene adding that he had since left the police station They said that the reason why the 26-year-old fell would be investigated and that they were not planning to charge the 24-year-old with anything A decision to sanction him for illegally climbing the bridge would be left up to the local town hall This is not the first time someone has attempted to climb the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge for social media clout The Mirror reports that a pair of bloggers previously climbed it without any protective gear and that something similar occurred in 2016 The bridge was opened in 2011 and climbing up it has always been prohibited Topics: World News, UK News, Social Media Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected] Tributes are being paid to Lewis Stevenson who died while scaling the 630ft (192m) high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Spain News | UK The girlfriend of a British influencer who fell to his death while climbing a bridge in central Spain for an Instagram video has shared the last words he said to her Lewis Stevenson, 26, died while illegally scaling the 630ft (192m) high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Talavera de la Reina early on Sunday morning He and a friend are understood to have been climbing the structure without a harness for a social media video She told MailOnline: “We spoke at half eleven and the last thing he said to me was “He messaged me at half five to say ‘Good morning’ with three kisses Mr Stevenson is understood to have fallen to his death around 7.15am on Sunday local time (6.15am in the UK) The dangerous practice of climbing buildings and structures without safety equipment is known as ‘free-solo climbing’ or ‘buildering’ Videos of the stunts are popular on social media where they also draw huge amounts of criticism Ms Parker said she does not believe Mr Stevenson - who travelled the world free-solo climbing - slipped He lost consciousness because he wasn't feeling well,” she told MailOnline “He told his friend he wasn't feeling well and he said and that's when he lost consciousness and slipped “I suspect that he hadn't eaten...But I don't know as long as I've known him he has never lost consciousness or passed out.” She added that he has been carrying out stunts like the bridge climb “for years” “We've known each other 10 years and he's been doing it for at least five of those years,” she told MailOnline “Every time he went away I would tell him to be careful I don't look into things because I worry enough as it is and I just let him do his thing and generally he just comes back Strictly’s Shirley Ballas ‘hardly slept’ to watch son judging on US version William tells new England manager Thomas Tuchel ‘We’re all behind you’ How to watch Spain vs Serbia FOR FREE: TV channel and live stream Take control of your wellbeing with these great products and services Mr Stevenson’s family also “tried to talk him out of” his dangerous hobby told MailOnline: “We all tried to talk him out of it We were always trying to talk him out of doing things but that was the way he was “He loved doing it - he always went out there believing he'd be alright posted an emotional message on social media saying she wished his death was “a nightmare” “It's 5am and I haven't eaten or slept,” she wrote I feel violently sick at the fact you're not coming back It is understood Mr Stevenson’s Instagram page has now been deactivated but friends and members of the free climbing community have shared tributes to him One friend wrote on Instagram: “Knowing you has been one of the greatest privileges of my life And losing you is the greatest sadness of my life No amount of words on a stupid Instagram post will ever describe how much I miss you most caring and funny person I’ve ever known Another friend and fellow daredevil shared a number of photos of Mr Stevenson climbing as he described his death as “like a bad dream” “In the past seven years you introduced me to a new understanding of freedom which changed my perspective on life massively giving me guidance on my own creative work always motivating me and inspiring me through your own creative consistency,” he wrote “I’m forever thankful for the opportunities you gave me and the people you introduced me to “You’ve been a prominent figure to me for awhile and your fearless mentality will stick with me for the rest of my life It was a pleasure to be considered one of your friends Mr Stevenson is the latest person to die as a result of social media stunts and filming gone wrong In July, 26-year-old Instagram influencer Aanvi Kamdar slipped and fell to her death in a 300-foot gorge in Maharashtra state in India It is understood she was trying to film a reel of the Kumbhe waterfall for her social media accounts Emergency services rushed to the Castilla-La Mancha bridge around 7.15am on Sunday following Mr Stevenson’s fall City councillor Macarena Munoz said the climber had been accompanied by another Brit and that the pair had visited the bridge to create social media content The Castilla-La Mancha bridge stands above the Tagus River, around 120km (75 miles) south west of Madrid it was known to be the tallest cable-stayed bridge in Spain The structure features 152 wire ropes which are attached to the main concrete towers creating a fan-like shape the local council is looking at making access to the bridge more difficult and at installing CCTV cameras to boost security Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.” Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints High water caused by heavy rainfall has led to severe flooding in parts of Spain In the town of Talavera de la Reina in the center of Spain an ancient Roman bridge was partially washed away on Sunday night Spain has been struggling with storms for weeks Ten of the 19 Spanish regions were on yellow and orange alert on Sunday due to heavy rain there was great dismay at the partial destruction of the historic bridge "This is a terrible day in the history of Talavera" The bridge over the River Tagus was built in the 15th century on a structure dating back to the time of Ancient Rome Photographs show that several bridge arches collapsed Talavera is located around 120 kilometers southwest of the Spanish capital Madrid According to the authorities in the province of Seville the couple's car was swept away by masses of water and was discovered empty on Tuesday morning Spanish cities are threatened with flooding as a result of the rainfall and the simultaneous melting of the snow several water reservoirs had to release water due to the risk of flooding According to the mayor Jesús Manuel Sánchez Cabrera a state of alert and emergency was declared in the city which is located around one hundred kilometers from the capital Madrid Televised images showed that several districts and agricultural areas around the city were flooded The flooding was caused by the Adaja River bursting its banks The authorities feared that the melting snow in the surrounding mountains would exacerbate the flooding A "large amount of snow has accumulated" on the peaks A social media influencer died Sunday after falling from Spain’s highest bridge during a publicity stunt A 26-year-old daredevil identified only as a British citizen was climbing the 630-foot Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina when he plunged to his death shortly after 7 a.m. The man reportedly attempted his climb without any safety equipment roughly 90 miles southwest of Madrid Law enforcement said the victim scaled “around a quarter of the total height of the bridge” before losing his footing He was accompanied by a second climber who was uninjured who was also attempting to scale Europe’s second-tallest bridge The second climber was initially too traumatized to speak after witnessing his climbing partner’s fatal fall The pair reportedly planned to document their ill-fated stunt on social media It’s not clear if the dead climber’s fall was caught on film “The reason he fell is not clear and will be investigated by a local court,” a law enforcement official reportedly said The bridge may have been wet due to an earlier rainfall The climbers are believed to have traveled to Spain to conquer the Castilla-La Mancha bridge Climbing the cable-stayed bridge that stretches over the Tagus River isn’t legal, but has been attempted by other attention seekers, according to English outlet the Daily Express. Locals reportedly dubbed the overpass “The Bridge to Nowhere” as a result of its underutilization since being opened in 2011 Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy The 2025 Spanish Motocross season kicked off on Sunday at the former MXGP track in Talavera de la Reina both the time qualifying and race qualifying sessions were canceled Yamaha Ausio´s Ander Valentin starts on top after winning both motos but race winner Jose Butron was docked five position for jumping on a waving yellow flag This gave to Valentin a perfect 50 points score to kick off the series Rookie Gerard Congost finished 2nd overall via 2-2 as Simeo Ubach rounded the podium with a 5-3 results The MX2 class saw a clash between MX2 World Championship riders Oriol Oliver from KTM Spain and Guillem Farres from Monster Energy Triumph Factory Racing Farres led almost the entire race but had a small crash in the final lap that allows Oliver to claim the win Farres teamamte Camden McLellan finished 3rd Second moto was a great battle between Oliver and Farres with the KTM Spain rider holding the pressure until the last lap en route to a perfect 1-1 Farres finished 2nd overall via 2-2 and Samuel Nilsson (Jezyk Triumph) claim 3rd overall via 4-3 McLellan had a terrible start making all his way from the lasts spots to 5th FULL RESULTS ROUND 1 | TALAVERA DE LA REINA A 26-year-old British man has died while filming content for his social media channels after falling from a bridge in the central Spanish province of Toledo The influencer was attempting to climb the Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina also known in Spanish as the Puente Atirantado which is the tallest bridge in Spain at 192 metres who was accompanied by a 24-year-old British man firefighters and paramedics rushed to the man's aid but he died at the scene the cable-stayed bridge has become a key location for "influencers" to film themselves climbing it before uploading the images on their social media two girls became famous online after uploading a video in which they could be seen at the top of the bridge "Climbing this bridge is totally forbidden and on many occasions we have reiterated that this cannot be done under any circumstances," said Talavera de la Reina councillor Macarena Muñoz the two young men had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content on social media something that has resulted in this sad and disastrous outcome," she added This famous bridge was built between 2007 and 2011 Promoted by the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha with the aim of creating a ring road for the traffic of Talavera de la Reina barely any vehicles travel across it as the ring road is still pending it has become the scene of illegal car races and risky challenges from influencers Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden The unidentified man was with another Briton when he plunged to his death on Sunday morning from the cable-stayed bridge in Talavera de la Reina 110 kilometres (70 miles) southwest of Madrid which has resulted in this disastrous and sad outcome," Talavera city councillor for public security Macarena Muñoz said Spanish media said it had rained heavily in Talavera before the accident which may have caused the bridge to be slippery With its 152 wire ropes and sweeping views of the surrounding countryside the bridge has long drawn daredevils and social media creators It is Spain's tallest bridge and the second highest in Europe "We have reiterated on many occasions that it cannot be done under any circumstances," said Muñoz Please log in here to leave a comment City of Talavera de la Reina welcomes the Facebook owner has announced plans for a €1 billion ($1.1bn) data center campus near Talavera de la Reina declaring it was a project of "regional interest" that would benefit the area The data center is planned to be built on the Torrehierro Polygon Industrial Estate at Talavera which is 115 km from Madrid in the central autonomous regoin of Castille La Mancha but is not expected to be fully operational for six years after that "It's not just any initiative," Garcia-Page told Spanish news service ABC saying the project had taken one year of intense quiet negotiation to set up working with a Facebook-owned company called Global Villacreces The proposal would buy two million square meters of land in the Polígono de Torrehierro currently owned by the public sector land management body and "in one fell swoop" make use of all the vacant industrial land in Talavera The project will provide 1,000 jobs during construction followed by 250 full-time posts in operation He announced the project would have a formal Declaration of Regional Interest today The Councilor for Urban Planning of Talavera de la Reina called the project "a colossal project for Spain and internationally." The announcement comes as Facebook's other European effort, a bid to build a 200MW campus in the village of Zeewolde, the Netherlands, is in limbo. Although the Zeewolde proposal is exempt from a nationwide ban on new hyperscale projects because the Dutch Senate has blocked the sale of some government land The campus would join Facebook's existing European data centers in Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland, said Carrillo, giving the region a privileged place on the communications map in Europe and throughout the world. The social media firm has also bought land in the Esbjer region of Denmark with a view to potentially build a facility According to the detailed plans lodged at Castilla La Mancha the campus would be located on a 191-hectare piece of land 12 km west of Talavera de la Reina next to the existing industrial development The land is classified as "unconsolidated urban land and suitable for industrial use" The city of Talavera aims to be a "technology city" Talavera became the Spanish headquarters of the Gaia-X European cloud initiative the proposed development could bring €82 million in contributions to Spanish GDP supporting 1,130 jobs in Spain and €37 million ($40.7m) in wages," according to an economic analysis put forward with the bid Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia He plunged to his death while climbing a 630ft bridge with another Brit A British man has died after falling off a bridge in central Spain while trying to create content for social media tried to scale the 630ft (192m) high Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in Talavera de la Reina when he plunged to his death The tragedy happened around 7.15am on Sunday Macarena Munoz, the city’s councillor for citizen security, said he had been joined on the climb by a 24-year-old Briton which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome,” said Ms Munoz in a statement She added attempting to climb the bridge “is totally prohibited and which we have reiterated on many occasions cannot be done under any circumstances” The man’s body has been taken to a funeral home by a coroner The Castilla-La Mancha bridge stands above the Tagus River, around 120km (75 miles) south west of Madrid There have reportedly been other previous instances involving people scaling the structure Following the British man’s death on Saturday The report on the implementation of the Convention, due by States Parties every 6 years, includes a section on the elements inscribed on the Representative List. Read more on periodic reports Mexico and Spain Inscribed in 2019 (14.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity The processes of making the artisanal talavera of Puebla and Tlaxcala (Mexico) and ceramics of Talavera de la Reina and El Puente del Arzobispo (Spain) are identified with two communities in both Mexico and Spain Despite changes over time and the developments ceramics have undergone in both countries – including due to the use of electric potter’s wheels nowadays – the artisanal making processes retain the same pattern as in the sixteenth century Related knowledge and skills include preparing the clay making the earthenware using a potter’s wheel or cast preparing enamels and pigments and managing the kiln Some ceramists carry out the whole process Related knowledge – including raw material extraction decoration and firing techniques – is mostly borne by master earthenware artisans and ceramists who have developed their skills over time and transmit them to the next generations through oral transmission in their artisanal workshops or in the family setting and the production of ceramics remains a key identity symbol in both countries Password forgotten? The 26-year-old had been climbing the Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina with a 24-year-old companion when he fell the local mayor's office said yesterday in a statement "We have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome," councillor for citizen safety Macarena Muñoz told Sky News Climbing the structure is "totally prohibited" and "cannot be done under any circumstances" "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain, and are in contact with the local authorities," a UK Foreign Office spokesperson told the Guardian. The 192m-high bridge overlooking the Tagus River opened in 2011 The Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina A British man has died after falling from a bridge while attempting to create content for social media in central Spain "We have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome," councillor for citizen safety Macarena Muñoz told Sky News "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain, and are in contact with the local authorities," a UK Foreign Office spokesperson told the Guardian. The 192m-high bridge overlooking the Tagus River opened in 2011. Ten dead after tourist boats capsize in sudden storm in China More than 80 people fell into the Wu River during strong winds in the scenic area of Guizhou province on Sunday afternoon World Britain's VE Day parade draws thousands celebrating 80th anniversary A 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran accepted the thanks of a nation as Britain paused to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe during WWII Kidnappers target crypto entrepreneurs for ransom in France French police rescued the father of a wealthy cryptocurrency entrepreneur in a nighttime raid after he was taken hostage for ransom UK police arrest Iranian men over alleged attack plot head of the force's Counter Terrorism Command said police are still working to establish a motive "as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public" Crime and Justice Alligators snakes: Small plane crash survivors recall 36-hour ordeal The five of them survived by eating ground cassava flour that one of the women had brought as a snack Russia and Ukraine clash over ceasefire proposals as fighting rages Moscow accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of threatening the safety of dignitaries attending Victory Day celebrations National introduces members' bill to ban social media for under 16s 45 mins ago Three in hospital after Christchurch house fire 9:29am US states push for speed-limiting devices on the cars of dangerous drivers 9:20am Ten dead after tourist boats capsize in sudden storm in China 9:07am Qantas confirms new Auckland-Perth flights 8:52am Britain's VE Day parade draws thousands celebrating 80th anniversary 3 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway The 'Trump slump' boosts the left in Canada and Oz – but what about NZ? Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters Erin Patterson shared love of mushrooms in online group Aziz Al Sa’afin: Australian Labor's comeback a wake-up call for Luxon Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansCries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Lorde releases new single after weeks of cryptic teasesThu, Apr 24 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon Four boats capsized in a sudden storm at a tourist spot in southwestern China More than 80 people fell into a river when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province late Sunday afternoon The boats capsized after a sudden rain and hail storm on the upper reaches of the Wu River a man could be seen performing CPR on another person while one of the vessels drifted upside down Initial reports said two tourist boats had capsized but state media said on Monday that four boats were involved and the seven crew members were able to save themselves Guizhou's mountains and rivers are a major tourism draw and many Chinese were travelling during a five-day national holiday that ended Monday Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to find the missing and care for the injured the official Xinhua News Agency said on Sunday Xi underscored the importance of strengthening safety at tourist attractions large public venues and residential communities as well as for the rush of people returning at the end of major holidays CCTV said the capsized boats had a maximum capacity of about 40 people each and were not overloaded An eyewitness told state-owned Beijing News the waters were deep but that some people had managed to swim to safety the storm had come suddenly and a thick mist obscured the surface of the river A 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran accepted the thanks of a nation as Britain paused to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and honour the men and women who fought to save the country during World War II The day featured a procession by 1300 members of the British armed forces accompanied by troops from Ukraine and the UK’s NATO allies The parade didn't begin until Alan Kennett accepted the salute from Garrison Sgt Major Andrew Stokes in front of an audience that included King Charles III “Thank you and your generation for securing our freedom 80 years ago,” Stokes wearing a navy blue blazer with his medals pinned on the left breast This year’s V-E Day events have taken on increased significance because they are likely to be the last major observance to include significant numbers of World War II veterans actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8 Britain started its V-E Day ceremonies three days early because Monday is a public holiday in the UK “I think we’ve been very lucky that we’ve had 80 years of peace … and we’ve got to think about all those that have (made) the ultimate sacrifice and there’s very few of them left now because they’re all over 100,″ said Michael Burn who wore a suit patterned after Britain’s red “This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.” Then it was time for the parade from the Houses of Parliament through Trafalgar Square and down the Mall to Buckingham Palace won a huge round of applause as their flag swept past the royal viewing platform The event ended with a flyover by British military aircraft including a wartime Lancaster bomber and the RAF’s Red Arrows aerobatic team the Princess of Wales chatted amiably with Bernard Morgan a veteran who worked as a code breaker during the conflict Their place in the front row was a reminder of the gulf between those who fought in World War II and the present generation With even the youngest of those men and women nearing their 100th birthdays and their ranks dwindling rapidly many have said they feel a special imperative to tell their stories and attend events that honour their fallen comrades a mechanic who landed in Normandy to set up an airfield said he was proud to represent the veterans “I just remember those that didn’t come back,” he said the latest alleged criminal effort in France to extort people involved in the management of digital assets The man was kidnapped Thursday morning in Paris (local time) “The victim turned out to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies and the incident was accompanied by a ransom demand,” its statement said without giving their names or other specifics about their identities Police investigators located the hostage in a house in the Essonne region south of Paris from which he was rescued on Saturday night (local time) It said he was treated for injuries but gave no details French media reported that the alleged hostage-takers cut off one of the man's fingers Police detained five people — four were in or close to the house where the man was held captive while the fifth was at the wheel of a vehicle thought to have been used for the alleged abduction It said the police investigation is looking at an array of possible criminal charges including kidnapping “with torture or a barbaric act.” police said a co-founder of French crypto-wallet firm Ledger was also kidnapped with his wife from their home in the region of Cher of central France Police said they made 10 arrests and that the alleged kidnappers demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency from another of Ledger's co-founders A raid by France's elite National Gendarmerie Intervention Group unit that specialises in hostage situations freed Balland the next day followed the day after that by the liberation British counterterrorism officers arrested four Iranian men over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target and three others over a national security threat The government called them the biggest "counter state threat and counterterrorism" operations for years The Metropolitan Police force said five men aged between 29 and 46 were detained Saturday in various parts of England under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of preparing "a terrorist act" Four are Iranian citizens and the nationality of the fifth was still being established Police said the attack plot targeted a single location that was not being named "for operational reasons" It said the premises was being given "advice and support" All the suspects were being questioned at police stations and have not been charged Police said they are searching several properties in London the Manchester area of northwest England and Swindon in western England Forensic officers in blue overalls were photographed at a house in Rochdale Three of the counterterror arrests took place in the Greater Manchester area Rochdale resident Kyle Warren told Sky News he "heard a massive bang" and saw "20 or 30 police with guns" drag a man from a neighbouring house "We've seen a man getting pulled out from the back basically got dragged down the side entry and thrown into all the bushes and then handcuffed," he said head of the force's Counter Terrorism Command were arrested in London on suspicion of a national security offence as part of an unrelated investigation Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said "these were two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counterterrorism operations that we have seen in recent years" Britain's domestic intelligence service has warned of a growing threat from attackers linked to Tehran Cooper said "the ongoing investigation is immensely important" to determine whether the arrests were connected to the Iranian state She said "this reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security that we continue to face." the head of the MI5 domestic security service said his agents and police have tackled 20 "potentially lethal" plots backed by Iran since 2022 most aimed at Iranians in the UK who oppose the country's authorities He said at the time there was the risk "of an increase in a presenter at a Farsi-language television station critical of the Iranian government was stabbed in the leg outside his home in London Two men were later arrested in Romania and charged over the attack The UK's official terror threat level stands at "substantial," the middle of a five-point scale It was after their tiny plane crashed into the Bolivian jungle earlier this week that their ordeal really began the aircraft flipped over into a lagoon infested with anacondas and alligators plunging the pilot and four passengers — including a 6-year-old boy — into a harrowing 36 hours spent clinging to the plane’s wreckage before being rescued yesterday in the northeast of this Andean nation The doctor who treated the five survivors told The Associated Press today all were conscious and in stable condition with only the young boy's 37-year-old aunt still hospitalised for an infected gash to her head The rest were discharged and recovering from dehydration bruises and insect bites all over their bodies that they weren't attacked and left for dead,” Dr Luis Soruco director of the hospital where the survivors were delivered in Bolivia’s tropical Beni province said by phone after sending the pilot and two of the women home with a strong course of antibiotics emerged yesterday to tell the story that has transfixed many Bolivians — a rare piece of uplifting news for a nation badly in need of it after years of a spiralling economic and political crisis “The mosquitoes wouldn’t let us sleep," Velarde told reporters from his hospital cot in the provincial capital of Trinidad where Dr Soruco said he was in surprisingly good health and spirits “The alligators and snakes watched us all night a species of the alligator family native to Central and South America Velarde speculated it was the stench of jet fuel spilling from the wreckage that had kept the predatory reptiles at bay although there's no scientific proof that's an effective alligator repellent Velarde said that the five of them survived by eating ground cassava flour that one of the women had brought as a snack They had nothing to drink — the lagoon water was filled with gasoline The small plane had set off Thursday from the Bolivian village of Baures bound for the bigger town of Trinidad farther south where Patricia Coria Guary had a medical check-up scheduled for her 6-year-old nephew at the paediatric hospital Such flights are a common form of transportation in this remote Amazonian region carved with rivers Heavy rains wash away unpaved roads this time of year But just 27 minutes — almost halfway — into the flight Velarde said he reported their imminent crash over a portable radio to a colleague He recalled in interviews with local media that he scanned the vast emerald green canopy below him and aimed for a clearing near a lagoon “There was no ranch or road along the route,” he said Instead of skidding across the shore as planned the plane smashed into the ground and flipped upside down — injuring everyone on board and leaving Coria Guary with an especially deep cut to her forehead — before splashing into the water “The landing was very rough,” Velarde said the five of them managed to clamber on top of the fuselage where they stayed for two terrifying nights surrounded by caimans and anacondas and attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and other insects They waved shirts and sheets to no avail and screamed each time they heard the thud of propellers or revving of a boat engine “we started shining our cell phone flashlights and shouting” They called the authorities and delivered them to an army helicopter some hours later “We couldn’t have handled it one more night," Velarde said Ukraine and Russia are at odds over competing ceasefire proposals as Moscow accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of threatening the safety of dignitaries attending Victory Day celebrations after he dismissed Russia's unilateral 72-hour ceasefire Zelensky instead renewed calls for a more substantial 30-day pause in hostilities He said the proposed ceasefire could start anytime as a meaningful step toward ending the three-year war “Let’s be honest — you can’t agree on anything serious in three Zelensky said that Moscow’s announcement of a 72-hour ceasefire next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II is merely an attempt to create a “soft atmosphere” ahead of Russia’s annual celebrations “so that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s guests on Red Square feel comfortable and safe.” He said that Ukraine cannot provide security assurances to foreign officials planning to visit Russia around May 9 warning that Moscow could stage provocations and later attempt to blame Ukraine Zelensky said that some governments had approached Kyiv seeking safety reassurance while their delegations are in Russia “Our position is very simple: we cannot take responsibility for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said “They are the ones providing your security and we will not be offering any guarantees.” Zelensky said he had instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to advise against visiting Russia during this period “We must tell those who approach us: we do not recommend visiting the Russian Federation from a security standpoint don’t ask us — it’s your personal decision.” The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv’s military actions will remain “mirror-like,” responding to Russia’s moves He acknowledged that implementing a complete front-line ceasefire without robust international monitoring remains nearly impossible but emphasised that the 30-day window offers a credible start He confirmed ongoing efforts to convene the next round of negotiations with the US He also expressed hope that it could happen in Ukraine saying it was a “positive sign” that such a gathering is under discussion despite recent personnel changes in Washington Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that he had “unequivocally threatened the world leaders who are planning to arrive in Moscow on May 9” deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council said Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv’s safety if Ukraine attacked Moscow celebrations on May 9 “In the event of a real provocation on Victory Day no one will guarantee that May 10 will come in Kyiv,” he wrote on Telegram Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia expects Kyiv to take steps to de-escalate before Victory Day actions aimed at de-escalating the conflict during the holidays,” Peskov told journalists were meant to “test Kyiv’s readiness to find ways for long-term sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine.” and prompted another appeal from Zelensky for more decisive support from the country’s allies Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said drones hit 12 locations across the city late Friday The Kharkiv Prosecutor’s Office said that Russian forces used drones with thermobaric warheads it said thermobaric weapons create a powerful blast wave and a hot cloud of smoke The prosecutor said its use may indicate a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law nearly every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare "Strong and real decisions are needed from our partners — the United States all our partners who seek peace,” Zelensky wrote on X Russia fired a total of 183 exploding drones and decoys overnight Russia also launched two ballistic missiles Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 170 Ukrainian drones overnight The ministry said eight cruise missiles and three guided missiles were also intercepted were injured in a drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk overnight The latest wave of attacks comes after the US and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources It finalises a deal months in the making that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia The National Party has introduced a new members' bill to ban social media for those aged under 16 Christopher Luxon announced the bill alongside National Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd this morning Wedd said the My Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill "puts the onus on social media companies to verify that someone is over the age of 16 before they access social media platforms" Key aspects of the Bill would include obligations for the social media platforms defence for providers to rely on reasonable verification measures regulatory oversight and a review after three years there are no legally enforceable age verification measures for social media platforms in New Zealand Members' bills are introduced by members who are not Ministers Luxon said he was hopeful of gaining bipartisan support He had spoken with coalition partners ACT and NZ First about it but would let them speak about their position He said this was an issue he had been passionate about since 2018 and as a dad he felt the party needed to do more to keep young people safe from online harm We want to protect our kids from the harms of social media. That’s why today National has introduced a members bill to ban social media for kids under 16 years old. pic.twitter.com/TiQJs87DhQ "It's time that New Zealand acknowledged that for all the good things that come from social media it's not always a safe place for our young people to be and we need to do something about it." He said teachers and parents had raised issues with him including cyber bullying exposure to inappropriate content and exploitation and social media addiction "Social media should not be exempt from social responsibility and it is time we put the onus on these platforms," he said Wedd said social media was "an extraordinary resource" “As a mother of four children I feel very strongly that families and parents should be better supported when it comes to overseeing their children's online exposure The bill closely mirrors the approach taken in Australia which passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill in December 2024 At the end of last year, a 1News Verian Poll found more than two-thirds of New Zealand voters supported restricting social media access for under-16s The poll results showed that 68% backed introducing similar legislation in New Zealand as in Australia and 10% were undecided or preferred not to say National Party supporters and women showed the strongest support for the proposed restrictions while opposition was highest among 18-34-year-olds and men Wedd said "other jurisdictions are also taking action" "Texas recently passed legislation which bans under 18s from social media use and the UK the EU and Canada all have similar work in train," she said "This bill builds on National’s successful and successful cell phone ban in schools and reinforces the Government's commitment to setting our children up for success." A teenager who admitted being "addicted to speed" behind the wheel had totalled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 180km/h in a Seattle suburb killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit Virginia this year became the first state to agree to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road already is using it and similar measures await governors' signatures in Washington state and Georgia New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths "It's a horror no one should have to experience," said Amy Cohen who founded the victims' advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year-old son was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light was building a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson's home in Renton were Boyd "Buster" Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson Hudson's two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived "You always hear of these horrific accidents Smith knew Washington state Representative Mari Leavitt who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 80km/h over the speed limit according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission "I guess I don't understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast," Leavitt said "But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter It's going to stop them in their tracks." which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster didn't receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes he likely wouldn't have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect the judge's requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation's capital have been trying it out for years But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly "We've got a lot more satellites in the sky now," said Ken Denton a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer the devices would prevent cars from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set An override button allows speeding in emergencies but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast is required for new cars in the European Union California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion Before Delegate Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature he tried out the device in Nannini's car which was calibrated to not go more than 14km/h over the speed limit "That was my first question: Is it safe?" Hope said Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children the price could be hefty: US$4 (NZ$6.70) per day and a US$100 (NZz$167.50) installation fee The fee would be less for low-income offenders which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment the road's speed limit had been lowered "When you are going a few miles slower it's much less likely to be deadly." Qantas has announced that direct flights between Perth and Auckland will take off later this year Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December The airline also added flights between Perth and Johannesburg and Sundays with an approximate flight time of 8 hours Perth to Auckland flights would operate as QF111 on Monday The approximate flight time was around six hours and 45 minutes Both flights would use Qantas A330 aircraft with 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats The new flights would allow a one-stop route to London via Perth It would also allow for connections via Perth from Auckland to airports across South Africa the new flight to Auckland would also allow a one-stop connection to New York on the airline's QF3 service “We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network," Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said “By connecting Perth directly with Auckland and Johannesburg we’re supporting the local economy by opening valuable inbound tourism opportunities for Western Australia as well as generating new jobs for the state These routes also enable further growth throughout Australia with connections across our domestic network." Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning The single vehicle crash was reported to police shortly before 5am the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene," a police spokesperson said "Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted and police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear "We appreciate motorists' understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work." Police said the serious crash unit examined the scene this morning and an investigation was underway into this morning's crash on behalf of the Coroner This is in addition to an earlier crash on Auckland's northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency services responded to a two-truck collision on the northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge shortly after 5am New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said all lanes south on State Highway 1 were open again following this earlier crash with five lanes available on the Harbour Bridge "Allow extra time for delays on the Northern Motorway to slowly ease this morning three lanes going south were now open again between Onewa Rd and the Harbour Bridge," NZTA said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's landslide win at the weekend following Canadian Prime Minister's Mark Carney's victory less than a week before should indicate to our politicians that the New Zealand "Trump trend" of 2024 may have peaked Trying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump now that his policies are having real-world effects is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders Australian voters have delivered a landslide win for the incumbent Labor Party returning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a second term with a clear majority of seats When he said in his victory speech that Australians had “voted for Australian values” an unspoken message was that they’d firmly rejected Trumpian values opposition and Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton had such a bad election he lost his own seat While not the only reason for his electoral demise Dutton’s adoption of themes associated with Trump backfired Opinion polls were projecting Dutton’s Coalition to win and exceeded expectations in the election itself the Liberals were “reduced to a right-wing populist party that is all but exiled from the biggest cities” Commentators identified a number of reasons including his “culture wars” and being depicted by Labor as “Trump-lite” Following a Trumpian pathway turned out to be a strategic blunder And Dutton’s downfall mirrors Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s defeat in Canada’s election on April 28 Canada’s incumbent centre-left Liberals were heading for defeat to the Conservatives But there were two gamechangers: the Liberals switched leaders from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney and Trump caused a national uproar with his aggressive tariffs and his call for Canada to become the 51st US state Pre-election opinion polls then did a dramatic flip in favour of the Liberals who went on to win their fourth election in a row Poilievre’s campaign had adopted elements of the Trump style such as attacking “wokeness” and using derogatory nicknames for opponents His strategy failed as soon as Trump rolled out “America First” policies contrary to Canadians’ economic interests and national pride The takeaway for serious right-wing leaders in liberal democracies is clear: let Trump do Trump; his brand is toxic Trump’s actions are harming America’s allies affirmative action and climate change have seen voters outside the US react with self-protective patriotism A perceived association with Trump’s brand has now upended the electoral fortunes of (so far) two centre-right parties that had been in line to win and had been banking on the 2024 MAGA success somehow rubbing off on them what has been dubbed the “Trump slump” isn’t a universal trend the centre-left Social Democratic-led government was ousted in February in spite of Trump ally Elon Musk’s unhelpful support for the far-right anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party the populist Reform UK party has risen above 25% while Labour has fallen from 34% in last year’s election to the low 20s in recent polls But other governing centre-left parties are seeing an upside of the Trump effect In early January it looked like the incumbent Labour Party would be trounced by the Conservatives and the right-wing Progress Party Opinion polls dramatically flipped in early February boosting Labour from below 20% back into the lead Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will get another term in office Denmark’s governing Social Democrats have enjoyed a small polling boost since Trump declared he’d like to take Greenland off their hands The common denominator underlying these shifts to the left seems to be the Trump effect Voters in countries normally closely allied with the US are turning away from Trump-adjacent politicians people are rallying patriotically around centre-left Trump is harming leaders who could have been his allies the man himself seemed proud of the impact he had in Canada polls in mid-2024 showed support for Trump was growing – heading well above 20% Australia’s election suggests that trend may now be past its peak with debate over ACT’s contentious Treaty Principles Bill behind it and despite NZ First leader Winston Peters’ overt culture-war rhetoric (which may appeal to his 6% support base) the right-wing coalition government’s polling shows it could be on track for a second term – for the time being While the Trump effect may have benefited centre-left parties in Australia and Canada polling for New Zealand’s Labour opposition is softer than at the start of the year While “America First” policies continue to damage the global economy centre-right leaders who learn the lesson will quietly distance themselves from the Trump brand while maintaining cordial relations with the White House could do worse than follow Anthony Albanese’s example of not getting distracted by “Trump-lite” and instead promoting his own country’s values of fairness and mutual respect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUGWB5HTRVGGNP5PFWDLBH7SXM","content":"Grant Duncan is a teaching fellow in Politics and International Relations This story is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMPLRKQ2NRDPZOPKHPADSUD4UE","content":" Erin Patterson had shared with true crime fans her love of mushrooms excitement over buying a food dehydrator and plans to cook beef Wellington The 50-year-old mother of two has pleaded not guilty to all counts against her including three murder charges for killing her estranged husband's family after feeding them lunch at her Leongatha home Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson all died in hospital from death cap mushroom poisoning after eating a beef Wellington Patterson had prepared for them on July 2023 Patterson claims it was "a terrible accident" Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial in Morwell The group was created to go over the case of convicted baby killer Keli Lane she was a really good researcher," group member Christine Hunt said about Patterson's online reputation said in 2023 Patterson had shared photos of a black dehydrator with mushrooms inside "She was a bit excited that she'd purchased a food dehydrator," Barkley said via video link Screenshots of Patterson's messages to the group were also shown to the jury "I've been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything the kids had no idea," she wrote in one post said Patterson "seemed to really like mushrooms" In the weeks before the deadly mushroom meal Patterson asked the group if anyone had cooked a beef Wellington and if they had advice Erin said she was making beef Wellington," Hay said "I think she was at the supermarket and she messaged us something about the beef that she was buying." She said Patterson had told them the mushrooms came from an Asian grocer Hay said Patterson asked her for tips on how to make sure the beef Wellington pastry did not go "soggy" as it was one of Hay's favourite dishes said she joked: "I'd make a tofu Wellington" so we had a good laugh about that," she said Patterson's estranged husband Simon finished his evidence to the jury after almost three days in the witness box Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC put it to Simon that he had asked Erin - two days after the lunch - "is that what you used to poison them?" "I did not say that to Erin," Simon responded The jury of 15 people were shown messages from a family group Signal chat between Simon his former wife and his parents - in December 2022 - after he last week claimed she had sent "extremely aggressive" messages to his mother and father which he said were from a few months later having a crack at me and accusing me of some things in response to what I'd messaged her about," he said After his parents tried to help Erin and Simon resolve a dispute over his child support payments his mother Gail took a step back and stopped reading messages from Erin in the group chat "Mum really struggled with anxiety," he said The trial before Justice Christopher Beale will continue today It was the comeback no one saw coming at the beginning of this year didn’t just hold on to power in Australia’s federal election,­­ they surged ahead — snatching seats off the Greens routing the Liberals and securing a majority stronger than any seen in nearly two decades It marked the first time since federation in 1901 that a Labor prime minister has increased their majority at re-election Because this wasn't a win powered by fear or division And if New Zealand’s major parties — both in government and opposition — aren’t paying attention they could be walking towards their own political reckoning Albanese and his senior ministers made one thing clear: Australia doesn’t want to go the way of Donald Trump Penny Wong said it plain and clear in her speech where I was on election night: "We choose our future Albanese was trailing now-former opposition leader Peter Dutton in the polls But the tone of the campaign changed as Dutton faced growing criticism over a series of policy backflips and cultural positions that drew comparisons to the US president — despite his campaign pushing back on the label Dutton proposed cutting back public service jobs and made controversial comments about women — moves that voters and analysts said echoed Trump-era politics He tried to present himself as strong on international affairs even claiming he was better positioned than Albanese to stand up to Donald Trump over new tariffs Trump replied: "I don’t even know who the other guy is." the exchange highlighted Dutton’s limited influence Little wonder some voters were questioning whether the Liberal Party had drifted too far from the political centre he was even introduced on stage with the phrase "we’ll make Australia great again" capped by the unprecedented defeat of Dutton in his own electorate He was hoping to make history as the first opposition leader to unseat a first-term government in 100 years he became the first opposition leader to lose his seat at a federal election Winston Peters has fuelled a so-called "gender debate" that inflamed division was seen by some as a direct challenge to Māori rights and the status of Te Tiriti Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and National voted against it at first reading while distancing themselves from the bill — but only after allowing it to progress as part of the coalition agreement Political analysts agreed allowing the bill to be introduced came at a cost While Luxon may not have backed the bill himself his alignment with the parties pushing it drew inevitable criticism Kiwis I have spoken to — not just in New Zealand but here in Australia — said it sent a message (intentional or not) that extreme views still had a seat at the table And that's the real lesson from Australia: When you amplify voices that divide As voters across the ditch and recently in Canada have shown they’re tired of leaders who amplify anger instead of offering answers to everyday struggles such as the cost of living I spotted a familiar face in the crowd at Albanese HQ and made my way over Watching Australian Labor's victory up close was none other than Kieran McAnulty He wasn’t just there to cheer; he was there to learn "You’ve got to give people something to vote for not just something to vote against," he told me summing up what he sees as one of the Australian Labor Party’s key strengths "That was one of the big lessons here they were clear about what they stood for." McAnulty has also spent time in the UK observing how centre-left movements rebuild after defeat shoulder-to-shoulder with the architects of Labor’s success and offering voters a story they can be part of "People want to feel like they're included in a bigger plan they gave people a reason to hope again." New Zealand Labour has its own major challenges to overcome Former prime minister Chris Hipkins struggled to inspire voters during the last election campaign and the party’s support among Māori and younger voters was deeply dented "We’re not pretending we’ve got it all figured out But if there’s one thing we’ve taken from here We’ve got to earn that trust back," McAnulty told me That principle applied to every party in New Zealand The reality is that when politics becomes a game of blame We’ve seen that in New Zealand’s lower voter turnout at the last election where voting was not compulsory — unlike Australia there has also been a general move towards Australia’s independents including the so-called "teal" candidates Their appeal lay in offering an alternative to the binary red-versus-blue approach And that’s something both Labour and National in New Zealand would be wise to reflect on Our next general election is expected in October 2026 Especially when it comes to resetting the tone The National-led coalition could risk looking like Dutton’s and less like Luxon’s original pitch of getting New Zealand "Back On Track" with a steady hand on the economy that was also a slogan used by the now-ousted Liberal leader it’s often said that comebacks happen when leaders offer hope Australia reminded us that when parties reconnect with people’s values and focus on the issues that are front and centre — the cost of living housing affordability and universal healthcare — voters respond at the ballot box Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Lorde has dropped her new single What Was That after weeks of cryptic posts and teases that set fans buzzing It's the lead single from her upcoming fourth album and her first original solo release since 2021's Solar Power which is three minutes and 28 seconds in length Some fans had been lucky enough to hear the track in full earlier this week. On Wednesday, Lorde posted a picture of Washington Square Park yesterday with the caption "tonight 7pm". Fans flooded the park an hour before she was supposed to appear, with photos shared of eager fans scaling trees to catch a glimpse of the singer. Shortly before she was to perform, the Royals singer took to social media to tell fans police had shut the event down. "Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down," the message read. "I am truly amazed by how many of you showed !!! "But they’re telling me you gotta disperse ... I’m so sorry." However, the pop-up event ended up going ahead after all, with fans who stayed getting their first full airing of Lorde's new single. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) Lorde, real name Ella Yelich O'Connor, announced the single last week sharing a headshot-style photo of her wearing a red shirt with a dripping wet face Earlier this month, she dropped a 15-second snippet of the unreleased song Lorde was seen wearing a white shirt and jeans while walking through New York City I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream What was that?” she sings over a synth beat It was the first sign of a follow up to Lorde's previous album A 26-year-old British man fell to his death on Sunday near the Spanish town of Talavera de la Reina while attempting to get a social media photo ‘As far as we have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera specifically to climb the bridge and create content for social networks which has resulted in this disastrous and tragic outcome,’ said the Councillor for Citizen Security of Talavera which crosses the Tagus River and was built in 2011 required the tallest crane in Spain for its construction It is the bridge with the longest unsupported cantilever span in the country The deceased young man had fallen onto the road below at according to officers of the National Police His body was moved to the mortuary by the order of a judge shortly after the police arrived Emergency services had been alerted by the man’s younger companion No details have been released about the identity of either A clinical study team at the research and teaching hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo province in central Spain) has discovered the world's first adult case of ROHHAD syndrome a very rare disease that until now was only known to occur in children with just 200 cases reported worldwide The syndrome causes rapidly progressive extreme obesity central hypoventilation syndrome (also known as Ondine's curse the body's failure to detect changes in CO2 levels while asleep) hypothalamic dysfunction (hence the weight gain among other issues coming from the hypothalamus part of the brain) alteration of the autonomic nervous system (affecting blood pressure bladder function and more) and behavioural changes which has been published in the scientific journals of the European Respiratory Society and the American Academy of Neurology was detected in 2019 when a 57-year-old patient was admitted to this hospital "after an episode of severe respiratory failure with very unusual progression and symptoms such as hypothalamic alteration hyperphagia [insatiable hunger] and striking somnolence [excessive sleepiness]" This syndrome has so far only been known to occur in children and forces sufferers to require prolonged mechanical ventilation to assist their breathing there is no effective treatment and the mechanisms that trigger it are not known This discovery of ROHHAD syndrome in an adult has been joined by another finding for this syndrome A new antibody has been found to be present in this syndrome by Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Neuronal Disorders a group led by Dr Josep Dalmau at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona This antibody marker is shared by a high percentage of patients with ROHHAD in the cerebrospinal fluid the case of Talavera de la Reina hospital being the only known confirmed case in an adult patient "the publication of this scientific study opens up the possibility for clinicians from all over the world to find compatible cases in other adults that will allow us to know the true extent of this syndrome to redefine its diagnostic criteria and to increase the possibility of finding an effective treatment for a very disabling disease." Pope Francis urges all nuns and priests to appreciate the many graces they enjoy as part of religious communities as he meets with the Augustinian Sisters of Talavera de la Reina in Spain With thanks to Vatican News and Devin Watkins, where this article originally appeared EdmontonNewsWild weather: Fires, flooding and hail By Josh ClassenPublished: March 27, 2025 at 10:41AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved 23 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Rayo Majadahonda won 1–0 over CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun This is 28 of the Segunda Federacion - Group 5 Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are CF Talavera de la Reina 3 win(s) CF Talavera de la Reina and Rayo Majadahonda have not drawn any of their last 4 matches against each other Have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't scored in their last 2 matches Who won between CF Talavera de la Reina and Rayo Majadahonda on Sun 23 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT?Rayo Majadahonda won 1–0 over CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun 23 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 11 goals in their last 5 matches CF Talavera de la Reina is playing home against Rayo Majadahonda on Sun 16 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Cacereno vs CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun This is 23 of the Segunda Federacion - Group 5 The current head to head record for the teams are Cacereno 2 win(s) Have scored 11 goals in their last 5 matches Who won between Cacereno and CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun 16 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT?Cacereno vs CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun 16 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT ended in a 1–1 tie.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Cacereno is playing home against CF Talavera de la Reina on Sun 12 Apr 2025 16:30:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}CD Coria vs CF Talavera de la Reina on Sat This is 31 of the Segunda Federacion - Group 5 The current head to head record for the teams are CD Coria 0 win(s) Who won between CD Coria and CF Talavera de la Reina on Sat 12 Apr 2025 16:30:00 GMT?CD Coria vs CF Talavera de la Reina on Sat 12 Apr 2025 16:30:00 GMT ended in a 1–1 tie.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches CD Coria is playing home against CF Talavera de la Reina on Sat 16 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Cacereno won 2–1 over Real Madrid C on Sun This is 27 of the Segunda Federacion - Group 5 The current head to head record for the teams are Real Madrid C 0 win(s) Have scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Who won between Real Madrid C and Cacereno on Sun 16 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT?Cacereno won 2–1 over Real Madrid C on Sun 16 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Real Madrid C is playing home against Cacereno on Sun 08 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}CF Talavera de la Reina vs Real Madrid C on Sat This is 26 of the Segunda Federacion - Group 5 The current head to head record for the teams are CF Talavera de la Reina 0 win(s) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches Who won between CF Talavera de la Reina and Real Madrid C on Sat 08 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT?CF Talavera de la Reina vs Real Madrid C on Sat 08 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT ended in a 0–0 tie.InsightsHave scored 11 goals in their last 5 matches CF Talavera de la Reina is playing home against Real Madrid C on Sat The Castilla-La Mancha Bridge stands at 192m tall in Talavera de la Reina A British man plunged to his death from a bridge in Spain while creating social media content in a deadly incident that underscores the potential perils of the live-action era of the internet was scaling the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in central Spain when he fell had come to the Talavera de la Reina area to climb the bridge to “create content for social networks” Climbing the roughly 192m cable-stayed bridge is strictly prohibited, Munoz said, and officials have reiterated on many occasions that it “cannot be done under any circumstances”. The local official described the incident in a Sunday statement as “unfortunate” Britain’s Foreign Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment A recent survey by YouTube found 65% of younger internet users consider themselves to be video content creators, a shift from previous generations that were more likely to view than create their own online content, The Washington Post reported previously With that shift comes new risks, public safety experts say as some internet influencers go to extreme lengths to create unique videos A 2021 study published in the Journal of Travel Medicine found 379 people died while taking selfie images at precarious spots around the world – including bridges and railway tracks – between 2008 and 2021 Falls from heights were the most common cause of death and the risks were especially high among young men Another study in 2018 analysed news reports and found 259 selfie-related deaths from October 2011 to November 2017 Kiwis can book seats on the newly announced flights from today