North East beauty queen Bethany Hughes heads to Kent grand final
Bethany Louise Hughes, from Hetton-le-Hole, holds the title of Mrs Glamour North East 2025/26 and will compete in the Miss Glamour UK grand final in Kent on May 23 and 24, backed by sponsor NJDunn Photography. The 31-year-old is a mother of two, with sons Riley and Brodie, and works in hospitality while juggling freelance…
Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI make their final case in a trial that could shape AI’s future
OAKLAND, Calif. ā Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI made their final arguments Thursday in the landmark trial whose outcome could shape the future of artificial intelligence. Musk, the world’s richest man, was a co-founder of OpenAI, which started in 2015 and went on to create ChatGPT. His lawsuit filed in 2024 accuses OpenAI CEO…
US agents arrest tourist after video shows a rock hurled at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal’s head
SEATTLE ā A tourist from Washington state is facing federal charges after a witness recorded what prosecutors say was a video of him hurling a coconut-sized rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal just off a Maui beach last week. Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, made arrangements to surrender in the Seattle area on Wednesday as…
Pregnant captain CJ Bott watches Wellington Phoenix women chase history from stands
CJ Bott has had to get used to watching from the sidelines this season after stepping away from playing duties in January. Photo: Cam McIntosh/Photomac * This story has been updated to correct this is CJ Bott’s first season with the Phoenix For the first time in her career, CJ Bott has had to learn…
Early exits for Kiwi hopefuls at New Zealand Pro surf champs in Raglan
Billy Stairmand of New Zealand in a practice session before the start of the New Zealand Pro in Raglan. Photo: Rambo Estrada/WSL All three local hopes have been knocked out of the New Zealand Pro surf championship at Raglan in the first round. The World Surf League arrived at Manu Bay on Friday, marking the…
The Cheese and Wine Shop in Darlington shortlisted for Echo award
Caroline Elliot, who runs The Cheese and Wine Shop with her husband Dean, said being recognised in the awards means “the world” to the couple who took over the business at the end of 2024. The couple saved the shop from closure when they took it over 16 months ago and recently moved from Clark’s…
Pickle and Ginger bistro to open in Bishop Auckland next month
Pickle and Ginger will open its doors on Monday June 1, run by husband and wife duo Tom and Laura Kilty. The couple will run the venue at 17 South Church Road themselves, with occasional help from daughter Izzy, who attends Bishop College. Originally from South West London, they moved to Bishop Auckland with their…
Wes Streeting quits as minister in huge blow to Keir Starmer
Rumours have been circulating that Streeting covets the top job and, following his resignation, will likely mount a leadership challenge. It comes after Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart called the Labour Party leadership struggle a “pig’s breakfastā. pic.twitter.com/9qI2Bj35ZK ā Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) May 14, 2026 Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Burghart says such instability is “very…
Echo Comment on day of drama as Streeting stands down
It has been a day of great drama, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting walking out of the cabinet and saying to Prime Minister Keir Starmer: āWhere we need vision, we have a vacuum.ā But he seems not to have got the necessary number of supporters to stand against Mr Starmer, and so it appears he…
