News
Featured
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Social prescribing helping Bury patients rebuild their lives
Patients across Bury say social prescribing has played a vital role in improving their mental and physical health, as NHS leaders encourage more people to seek support through talking therapies and community based help.
Local News
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Councillors raise concerns over strike dispute at St Cuthbert’s High School in Rochdale
Two Rochdale councillors have written to a Catholic academy trust raising concerns about an ongoing strike at St Cuthbert’s High School. They say the dispute is affecting pupils, families and the wider community.
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Rochdale MP calls on Travelodge to strengthen hotel security after guest assaulted in room
Rochdale MP Paul Waugh has criticised the Travelodge hotel chain after a woman was assaulted in her room while she slept. He is among more than 100 MPs seeking answers from the company after the attacker was given a key card to her room.
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What is really happening at the former soap star’s home in Heywood
The former home of a Coronation Street legend has become the epicentre of a planning furore in Heywood.
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Green Party selects Tottington resident Chloe King as candidate for Bury by election
The Green Party has selected Tottington resident Chloe King to stand as its candidate in the upcoming Tottington ward by election in Bury.
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Bury pub The Blue Bell unveils £400,000 refurbishment with new fireplaces and expanded space
A well known Bury pub has reopened following a £400000 refurbishment that introduces three fireplaces, an upgraded kitchen and a redesigned indoor and outdoor layout.
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New McDonald’s drive-thru refused on health grounds
A new McDonald’s drive-thru for Rochdale has been rejected due to the potential impact on public health.
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Rochdale home buyers invited to explore new homes at Silver Hill Manor event
House hunters in Rochdale are being invited to attend a spring home buyers event at the Silver Hill Manor development on Saturday 14 March.
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Charity in Bury appeals for help after Henry Hoover stolen from community project
A charity in Bury has appealed for help after a Henry Hoover used in its community work was stolen from its premises.
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Candidates confirmed for Tottington by election
Five candidates have been confirmed for the Tottington by election which will take place on Thursday 2nd April.
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Reform UK selects George Martin as candidate for Tottington by election
Reform UK Bury has selected George Martin to stand in the Tottington ward by election next month. The party said he was chosen after reviewing several applicants.
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Prestwich Prep to close down
A private pre-school in Prestwich has announced its shock closure, leaving parents with just three weeks to find an alternative.
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New padel club approved for Rochdale
The padel craze will officially expand in Rochdale following approval of new courts. Rochdale Padel Club has been granted permission by the council to build six new padel courts on the grounds of the cricket club.
Local Sports
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Sheffield Eagles score eight tries to defeat Rochdale Hornets in Championship clash
Rochdale Hornets suffered a 44 to 20 defeat against Sheffield Eagles as the visitors maintained their unbeaten start to the Betfred Championship season. The South Yorkshire side ran in eight tries in an entertaining contest.
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Bury’s unbeaten run ends with 2–0 home defeat to Vauxhall Motors
Bury’s long unbeaten run came to a sudden and underwhelming end defeated 2-0 at home to playoff chasing Vauxhall Motors.
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Whitehaven score four first half tries to beat Rochdale Hornets 20 0
Rochdale Hornets were beaten 20 0 by Whitehaven in Cumbria after four first half tries secured the home side’s first win of the Betfred Championship season.
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Shakers maintain perfect run with emphatic win in top-of-the-table clash
In a Friday night top of the table clash Bury emerged victorious over Lower Breck. A storming second half saw the Shakers score three goal casting off their demons and beating the Merseyside club for the first time in Liverpool.
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Rochdale Hornets beaten by Hunslet as Faraimo scores five at Crown Oil Arena
Rochdale Hornets suffered their first league defeat of the 2026 Betfred Championship season as Hunslet ran in eight tries in a 42 to 6 win at the Crown Oil Arena.
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Rochdale extend unbeaten run with comfortable win over Woking
Rochdale remain top of the Enterprise National League after a 3 to 0 home victory against Woking on Saturday, extending their unbeaten start to 2026.
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Bury cruise past Sporting Khalsa as Stepans and Touray record fifth straight win
First half goals from Rustam Stepans and Mo Touray were enough to complete a comfortable victory for Bury over Sporting Khalsa at Gigg Lane.
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Managing director Andy Duff to step down at end of 2025 to 2026 season
Rochdale AFC has confirmed that managing director Andy Duff will leave his role at the end of the current 2025 to 2026 campaign.
Lifestyle
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OMD to play first ever Rochdale show at Town Hall Square this summer
Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.
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Prestwich Library to relocate to Phoenix Centre during regeneration works
Prestwich Library will temporarily move to the Phoenix Centre while demolition work begins at the Longfield Centre as part of the wider regeneration of Prestwich Village.
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Bowlee car boot sale returns for the 2026 season
Bowlee Car Boot Sale and Market will return to Bowlee Community Park on Sunday 5 April for the start of its 2026 season.
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Littleborough Brass Band secures second place at North West regional championships
Littleborough Brass Band has finished second in the Third Section at the North West Regional Brass Band Championships in Blackpool.
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Inside the major refurbishment transforming Tenpin Rochdale
Tenpin Rochdale has a brand new look following the major refurbishment due completion on 13 March 2026, bringing new attractions and upgraded facilities to the town.
Greater Manchester
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Oldham manufacturer accelerates shift to automated production with regional support
An Oldham manufacturer is expanding its use of robotics and digital systems as part of a major transformation aimed at boosting productivity and opening new markets.
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Greater Manchester businesses invited to join June trade mission to Shenzhen and Hong Kong
Businesses across Greater Manchester are being invited to join an official trade mission to Shenzhen and Hong Kong this summer aimed at building new international partnerships.
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Bernard Manning’s World Famous Embassy Club set to be demolished for health centre
The World Famous Embassy Club in Harpurhey is set to close down this month and be demolished, Manchester council says.
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Civil war erupts as Labour activists in Gorton and Denton say party is ‘not willing to change’
Civil war has erupted within Labour as activists in Gorton and Denton accused the party of ‘not being willing to change’ during its by-election campaign. It comes as Labour suffered a bruising defeat in the race which saw it lose the seat to the Green Party despite having a 13,000-vote majority in the 2024 general election.
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Greater Manchester Police prepare for Brit Awards debut in Manchester
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed a comprehensive policing operation is in place as the Brit Awards take place in Manchester for the first time. The ceremony will be held tonight at the Co Op Live arena.
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Hannah Spencer elected new MP for Gorton and Denton
Hannah Spencer has been elected the new Green MP for the constituency of Gorton and Denton. Spencer succeeds former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who resigned on health grounds earlier this year.
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Lucy Powell appears to concede defeat in Gorton and Denton by-election
Labour’s Deputy leader Lucy Powell has appeared to concede defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
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🟥 LIVE: Updates from the Gorton and Denton by election count
Voters in Gorton and Denton will decide their next Member of Parliament tonight, with the result expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Local Entertainment
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OMD to play first ever Rochdale show at Town Hall Square this summer
Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.
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Inside the major refurbishment transforming Tenpin Rochdale
Tenpin Rochdale has a brand new look following the major refurbishment due completion on 13 March 2026, bringing new attractions and upgraded facilities to the town.
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Local performers to take centre stage at BBS on Tour 2.0 in Bury
An evening of live music and performance will bring together visually impaired performers, volunteers and students in Bury this month. BBS on Tour 2.0 takes place at The Met on Market Street on 12 March at 7.30pm.
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REVIEW: Sequins, sass and survival as Priscilla struts into Manchester
The 30th anniversary tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, bringing disco anthems, striking costumes and a story rooted in love and resilience to the city until 28 February 2026.
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Review: Operation Mincemeat turns wartime deception into a five star musical
Just as the real Operation Mincemeat was a plan that shouldn’t have worked, the idea of turning it into a musical feels equally improbable.
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Rochdale Culture Awards finalists revealed ahead of Town Hall ceremony
Nineteen individuals, creatives and organisations have been shortlisted for this year’s Rochdale Culture Awards, with winners set to be announced at Rochdale Town Hall on Friday 27 March.
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Heywood 1940s Day is at risk without urgent call for volunteers
Organisers of Heywood 1940s Day have warned the popular event may not go ahead this year unless more volunteers come forward within the next five days.
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Cancer choir calls for new members as rehearsals resume in Bolton
A Bolton choir for people affected by cancer is inviting new singers to join as it begins rehearsals for the new year.
Elections
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Green Party selects Tottington resident Chloe King as candidate for Bury by election
The Green Party has selected Tottington resident Chloe King to stand as its candidate in the upcoming Tottington ward by election in Bury.
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Conservatives select Emma Lee as candidate for Tottington by election
The Conservative Party has selected Walshaw resident and business owner Emma Lee as its candidate for the Tottington by election on Thursday 2nd April. The party said protecting the local Green Belt and strengthening community representation would be central to her campaign.
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Civil war erupts as Labour activists in Gorton and Denton say party is ‘not willing to change’
Civil war has erupted within Labour as activists in Gorton and Denton accused the party of ‘not being willing to change’ during its by-election campaign. It comes as Labour suffered a bruising defeat in the race which saw it lose the seat to the Green Party despite having a 13,000-vote majority in the 2024 general election.
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Together for Bury selects Greg Keeley as Tottington by election candidate
Together for Bury has confirmed that former councillor Greg Keeley will stand for the party in the forthcoming Tottington by election.
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Hannah Spencer elected new MP for Gorton and Denton
Hannah Spencer has been elected the new Green MP for the constituency of Gorton and Denton. Spencer succeeds former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who resigned on health grounds earlier this year.
UK
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No smoking gun but eyewatering sums of money: The first drop of the Mandelson files
In the end, the first drop of the Mandelson files contained neither a smoking gun nor bombshell revelation.
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Judges uphold decision to drop terrorism case against Kneecap member
Kneecap rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh will not face a new terror trial after judges at the High Court rejected a Crown Prosecution Service appeal against the decision to throw out the case.
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Teenage girl stabbed and school put into lockdown
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after a teenage girl was stabbed at a school near Norwich, putting classes into lockdown.
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British couple drown at popular Australian beach
A British married couple have drowned at a popular beach on the New South Wales coast in Australia.
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Woman who falsely accused 10 men of raping her jailed
A woman has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after falsely accusing 10 men of raping her.
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Psychologist missing for a week may have taken boat from boatyard, say police
A Brazilian academic who went missing about a week ago while visiting the UK may have taken a boat from an Essex boatyard, police have said.
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Man accused of murdering Soham killer Ian Huntley appears in court
A man charged with murdering Soham child killer Ian Huntley has appeared in court.
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Army officers deny charges over soldier who took her own life after sexual assault
Two senior Army officers have denied charges brought following the death of a young soldier who took her own life after a sexual assault by a superior.
Entertainment
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Judges uphold decision to drop terrorism case against Kneecap member
Kneecap rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh will not face a new terror trial after judges at the High Court rejected a Crown Prosecution Service appeal against the decision to throw out the case.
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British theatre is beating Broadway - but still has one massive problem
Theatre is enjoying a renaissance across the UK, welcoming more people to live events than ever before, but over a third of organisations say they still expect to operate at a deficit this year.
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Woman charged with attempted murder of Rihanna
A woman has been charged with the attempted murder of Rihanna.
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BBC 'profoundly regrets' BAFTAs incident, says director general Tim Davie
The BBC regrets its "serious mistake" during the BAFTAs broadcast, the corporation's outgoing director general Tim Davie has said.
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Britney Spears seen driving 'erratically' before arrest, say police
Britney Spears was spotted driving "erratically" before her arrest on suspicion of operating her vehicle under the influence, police say.
Strange
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Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during German football match
A masked fan unplugged a VAR monitor during a German second division football match.
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Elon Gust and Dame Judi Drench among storm names sent to Met Office
Elon Gust and Dame Judi Drench are among the names that have been submitted to the Met Office for UK storms.
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Police officer sacked and banned from profession for using WFH trick
A police sergeant has been sacked for using a picture frame to weigh down her laptop keys and give the false impression she was working from home.
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The energy habits that cause the most family arguments
On a day when energy bills are making headlines, we thought we'd share new research on the energy habits that lead to the most household arguments.
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Obama says aliens 'are real' - but he hasn't seen any
Barack Obama has said aliens are "real" in an interview, before later taking to social media to clarify his comments.
Videos
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BBC 'profoundly regrets' BAFTAs incident, says director general Tim Davie
The BBC regrets its "serious mistake" during the BAFTAs broadcast, the corporation's outgoing director general Tim Davie has said.
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Rethink plans for jury trials, thousands of lawyers tell Starmer
More than 3,200 lawyers have written to the prime minister urging him to "rethink" plans to restrict jury trials for all but the most serious cases.
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Biggest ever release of oil reserves to ease war supply disruption
A record release of strategic oil reserves has been agreed in a bid to help offset supply disruption since the Middle East conflict began.
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Under-13s to be allowed on WhatsApp with parental consent
WhatsApp, the messaging service run by Meta, is going to allow under-13s on its platform, as long as they have parental consent.
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How AI can identify breast cancer 'better' than a doctor but there's a catch
Google's AI can identify breast cancer better than a human doctor, and potentially save the stretched NHS a huge amount of time and effort, a new study shows.
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Britney Spears seen driving 'erratically' before arrest, say police
Britney Spears was spotted driving "erratically" before her arrest on suspicion of operating her vehicle under the influence, police say.
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Starmer was warned Mandelson was 'particularly close' with Epstein before ambassador appointment
Sir Keir Starmer was warned Peter Mandelson was "particularly close" with Jeffrey Epstein and there was a "general reputational risk" before he appointed him as ambassador to the US.
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Iranian footballer changes mind on asylum in Australia
One member of the Iranian women's football team has decided to leave Australia, taking the number seeking asylum to six, amid fears they could be in danger after they did not sing Iran's national anthem before a game.
Politics
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Starmer was warned Mandelson was 'particularly close' with Epstein before ambassador appointment
Sir Keir Starmer was warned Peter Mandelson was "particularly close" with Jeffrey Epstein and there was a "general reputational risk" before he appointed him as ambassador to the US.
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Abstentions spell trouble ahead on juries
Majorities of over 100 sound pretty healthy. But those numbers do not tell the whole story.
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Labour MP says her rape case took 1,088 days to reach court
Labour MP Charlotte Nichols has told the House of Commons that it took 1,088 days after she was raped for her case to reach court.
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Rethink plans for jury trials, thousands of lawyers tell Starmer
More than 3,200 lawyers have written to the prime minister urging him to "rethink" plans to restrict jury trials for all but the most serious cases.
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MPs vote down social media ban for under-16s
MPs have voted against a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media.
Technology
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Under-13s to be allowed on WhatsApp with parental consent
WhatsApp, the messaging service run by Meta, is going to allow under-13s on its platform, as long as they have parental consent.
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How AI can identify breast cancer 'better' than a doctor but there's a catch
Google's AI can identify breast cancer better than a human doctor, and potentially save the stretched NHS a huge amount of time and effort, a new study shows.
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PlayStation gamers could receive £2bn compensation if lawsuit succeeds
PlayStation gamers could be owed £2bn in compensation, according to a lawsuit launched on Tuesday.
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MPs vote down social media ban for under-16s
MPs have voted against a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media.
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The planet just got incredibly close to breaching landmark global warming target
Earth experienced its fifth-warmest February on record last month - with temperatures at 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, scientists have said.
World
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Biggest ever release of oil reserves to ease war supply disruption
A record release of strategic oil reserves has been agreed in a bid to help offset supply disruption since the Middle East conflict began.
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Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei injured in strikes which killed his father
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the US-Israeli airstrikes which killed his father.
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How the Iran conflict is becoming a global crisis
?Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app?
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Extraordinary IEA announcement not enough to bring down oil price
The International Energy Agency (IEA), the developed nation body founded in the 1970s to deal with oil crises precisely like the one we're now facing, has announced something extraordinary.
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Iran won't play in World Cup, minister says
"Under no circumstances" can Iran compete in this year's World Cup, the country's sports minister has said.
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Van driven into barricade near White House, police say
A van has been driven into a barricade near the White House, officials have said.
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British couple drown at popular Australian beach
A British married couple have drowned at a popular beach on the New South Wales coast in Australia.
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Iranian footballer changes her mind on asylum in Australia
One member of the Iranian women's football team has decided to leave Australia, taking the number seeking asylum to six, amid fears they could be in danger after they did not sing Iran's national anthem before a game.
Business
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Extraordinary IEA announcement not enough to bring down oil price
The International Energy Agency (IEA), the developed nation body founded in the 1970s to deal with oil crises precisely like the one we're now facing, has announced something extraordinary.
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Biggest ever release of oil reserves to ease war supply disruption
A record release of strategic oil reserves has been agreed in a bid to help offset supply disruption since the Middle East conflict began.
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Fuel retailers 'losing money' on diesel as prices spike
Some fuel retailers are "losing money" on diesel sales following the spike in wholesale prices witnessed since the start of the Middle East conflict, according to the industry.
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Frozen proceeds of Roman Abramovich's Chelsea FC sale 'investigated in Jersey'
The frozen proceeds of Roman Abramovich's sale of Chelsea are being investigated in Jersey over whether they "amount to the proceeds of crime", according to accounts published by the company through which the Russian owned the football club.
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Dark ships and shadow fleets – what is crossing 'closed' Strait of Hormuz?
Iran's move to shut the Strait of Hormuz has brought shipping through the 24-mile stretch of water close to a standstill.
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British theatre is beating Broadway - but still has one massive problem
Theatre is enjoying a renaissance across the UK, welcoming more people to live events than ever before, but over a third of organisations say they still expect to operate at a deficit this year.
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Sneaky tactics, pointless 8K and the brands experts have at home: Don't buy a TV without reading this
Did you know spring is one of the cheapest times of the year to buy a new TV?
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Iran war: The outlook for your finances - whether hostilities end or not
Donald Trump has raised hopes that the US-Israel military strikes on Iran may soon be over.
Rochdale Council Leaders Column
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Council leader’s column: Why Middleton’s regeneration and this year’s budget matter for our borough
When I became leader of the council in 2021, I set out my vision for the borough, key priorities and the services local residents want and expect the council to deliver.
Coming up next On Air
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The Graveyard Shift10:00pm - Midnight
with Gemma Johnson, as she explores the strange, unusual and down right spooky. Featuring a midnight ghost story from the darkest depths of the graveyard.
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After HoursMidnight - 2:00am
For the night owls, night workers and everyone still going while the rest of the town sleeps. Music, chat and company after dark.
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Wide Awake Club2:00am - 5:00am
For those who find themselves awake at 3am more often than they’d like. Calm music, understanding voices and quiet company.
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Up Before the Alarm5:00am - 7:00am
for early starters, commuters and anyone already on their second brew. Livelier music and new voices warming things up before breakfast.
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Thursday Breakfast7:00am - 10:00am
getting you out of bed and to work and school with great music and headlines.
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Stubbsy in the Morning10:00am - Noon
Steve Stubbs brings you a mix of great music and irreverant chat each day of the week.
