A sudden cluster of meningitis cases in a small area of Kent has left health officials searching for answers.Around 20 people fell ill over a single weekend, an unusually rapid spike for a disease that normally appears as isolated cases.Meningitis in the UK is rare and usually scattered. Past notable outbreaks, such as a 1980s MenB episode in Gloucestershire, unfolded over years rather than...

Jerry Leach, a 32-year-old country musician, has died after being trapped beneath a vehicle outside his New Jersey home.According to authorities, Leach was found on March 10 pinned under the rear tire of the car.Police and nearby residents attempted to lift the vehicle to free him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Leach's band announced his death on Instagram, sharing photos and a...

A small commune in north-central France has unexpectedly become an online talking point because its incumbent mayor shares a striking surname with history's most notorious dictator.Charles Hittler, the mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube (population about 2,785), is seeking re-election in Sunday's municipal run-off and narrowly led after the first round.The retired laboratory chief says the surge of social...

Garden expert Alan Titchmarsh is urging gardeners to use March to get ahead of the season, calling it one of the most important months for outdoor work.In a recent video he outlined five practical tasks to prepare gardens for spring and secure an early harvest.At the top of his list is planting early potatoes — a job he says rewards gardeners quickly. Planted now, those early tubers can...

Labour has been plunged into fresh internal conflict after senior figures clashed over a proposed overhaul of settlement rules for migrants.Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner publicly attacked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plans, arguing it would be unfair to change the conditions for people who have already built lives in Britain.More than 100 Labour MPs have privately warned Mahmood that...

Stacey Solomon has moved to quash talk that she and husband Joe Swash have quietly split after fans noticed she’d been photographed without her wedding ring.The 36-year-old appeared on This Morning to discuss her role on Britain’s Got Talent when presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley steered the conversation towards her personal life.Stacey admitted she hadn’t even seen Joe’s recent...

Prosecutors have asked a Norwegian court to hand Marius Borg Høiby a prison term of seven years and seven months, saying he should be convicted on 39 of 40 charges brought against him.Høiby, 29, faces four counts of rape and a charge of serious assault among a wider slate of accusations.He denies the most serious allegations, saying sexual encounters with the four women were consensual. The...

A Norwegian prosecutor has asked a court in Oslo to sentence Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, to seven years and seven months in prison.Høiby faces 40 counts including the alleged sexual assault of four women, domestic violence and other offences.Investigators say some of the alleged incidents happened while the women were asleep or unconscious. He has denied the four...

A leaked recording that reportedly shows US special envoy Steve Witkoff advising a Russian official on how to appeal to President Trump has stirred controversy in Washington.President Trump told reporters he had not listened to the audio but defended Witkoff, saying the envoy was doing what a dealmaker does to promote a peace plan.Bloomberg published a transcript of a call dated 14 October in...

President Emmanuel Macron will this week set out plans for a revamped national service intended to swell the ranks of France’s armed forces.The outline remains limited, but French media report the scheme would be voluntary, last about ten months and include pay of roughly €900–€1,000 per month for participants.Macron has been careful to stress that the program is not about sending young...