A fairground ride which broke mid-air sent a young woman plunging to the ground before she was caught by a man below.

At an Easter fair in Ometepec, Mexico, where the ‘The Hammer’ ride was set up, videos caught the attraction rotating above the ground despite signs that something had gone wrong.

Footage showed the ride swinging at speed before a loud metallic jolt prompted several people nearby to run towards it.

A piece of metal was seen lying on the ground beneath the ride, while several onlookers gathered, pointing upwards, when the young woman slipped from the moving ride and dropped to the ground.

Luckily, she was caught mid-fall by a man standing beneath her, who helped steady her and get her away from the still-spinning ride.

Witnesses could be heard shouting with some begging riders to hold on as others rushed in to help.

Authorities later confirmed that four people were injured in the incident, with two of the injured being driven to receive medical care by relatives, while two more were transported by ambulance to the hospital.

Officials from the State Secretariat for Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection said the accident was caused by a mechanical fault in the ride.

The failure reportedly caused a sudden loss of stability, sending riders tumbling from their seats while the machine was still in motion.

But early reports on social media suggested human error may also have played a role.

Witnesses claimed a child approached and interfered with the ride’s controls without supervision, triggering erratic and dangerous movements.

Officials have since launched an investigation and are carrying out safety checks on other rides at the fair.

The condition of those injured has not yet been officially confirmed.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Прем’єр­міністр Юлія Свириденко обговорила з керівниками комітетів Верховної Ради внесення до порядку денного термінових законопроєктів.

«Для забезпечення стабільного міжнародного фінансування Україна зокрема в межах Ukraine Facility та програми МВФ має виконати свою домашню роботу для продовження реформ. Провідна роль у цьому спільна — парламенту й уряду, — зазначила Юлія Свириденко. — Обговорили з народними депутатами основні норми, необхідні для продовження реформ, виконання наших зобов’язань перед партнерами та подальшого просування євроінтеграційного курсу».

Прем’єр­міністр подякувала народним депутатам «за діалог і готовність до спільної роботи над важливими для держави рішеннями. Домовилися, що до порядку денного буде внесено термінові законопроєкти, щодо яких є порозуміння. Також продовжимо консультації щодо інших документів, які викликають дискусії», — зауважила Юлія Свириденко, повідомляє Департамент інформації та комунікацій з громадськістю Секретаріату КМУ.

An Epstein survivor has said she is prepared to wait outside the White House to meet with King Charles during his state visit.

Rina Oh is willing to hold a mock tea party with other Epstein victims at the White House gates, with an empty chair reserved for the Monarch to sit down and talk with them.

The campaigner, who was groomed and sexually assaulted by Epstein from the age of 21, wants the Royals to prove they care about survivors by funding their therapy costs.

Her calls for the King to donate to mental health care for Epstein’s victims have been supported by the US’s leading anti-trafficking organisation, World Without Exploitation.

Charles will visit the US with Queen Camilla at the end of April to mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence, where he will meet President Trump and address Congress.

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who spearheaded the release of the Epstein Files, wrote to the King last week asking him to meet the sex offender’s victims.

However, it is understood that Charles will not be able to meet survivors during the trip.

Oh, who lives in New Jersey, said that would not stop her from visiting Washington DC to see the Monarch.

She told Metro: ‘If the King and Queen really do support the victims, then it would be a nice gesture to meet with some of them. It would show that he cared.

‘I don’t mind gathering a group and going to Washington. We’ll just sit in and have afternoon tea in front of the White House gates.

‘I’ll just sit outside and wait for him.’

She added that they’ll set up a guest chair, with a sign reading ‘reserved for King Charles’.

Metro understands the King and Queen’s position is that they will not be able to meet with survivors due to ongoing UK police investigations into matters related to Epstein.

The King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by Thames Valley Police in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

There are fears any Royal meeting with victims would risk prejudicing these investigations into Andrew.

Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexual abuse, which he denies.

The King and Queen said in a statement in October that ‘their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.’

Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Survivor Teresa Helm told Metro last week she was disappointed the King will not be able to meet survivors, saying a gathering would help police investigations.

Oh has one clear request of the King if she met him: fund therapy for survivors.

‘We want action’

The mum-of-two, who was lured into Epstein’s orbit with promises of an art scholarship before he began abusing her, said: ‘We don’t need any apologies. We want action.

‘If he were really sorry, he would support the victims by making sure they get proper mental health treatment.

‘I know the royal family is very big into mental health care.

‘Some victims are a complete mess. There are lots of non-functional survivors.’

The US Virgin Islands is currently running a $10 million mental health fund for some Epstein survivors, financed by a settlement from JPMorgan Chase Bank over their alleged links to Epstein’s trafficking.

However, only a limited number of survivors- Oh estimates around 200 – who were involved in past Epstein-related lawsuits are eligible, and the fund is due to expire in 2028.

The FBI and Department of Justice estimate that Jeffrey Epstein had more than 1,000 victims.

Oh says that the Royal Family should begin funding therapy for survivors not covered by the Virgin Islands programme and replace that fund when it expires in 2028.

She said: ‘New victims are coming forward every day. The more we speak out, the more people come forward.

‘I know a decent number of women have not joined these lawsuits and are not getting therapy.

‘Victims need continuing mental health care. If they have to stop and go cold Turkey in 2028, it may actually cause them to regress.

‘If you really feel sorry, you will help the victims rehabilitate.

‘It would not be an admission of wrongdoing, but it would mean that the King’s words are not in vain when he said that he supports the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. We would probably respect him.’

Anti-trafficking organisation World Without Exploitation, one of the lead groups supporting Epstein survivors, said they ‘absolutely support’ Oh’s demand.

Their national director, Lauren Hersh, said: ‘For decades, many survivors have carried the weight of unimaginable trauma without acknowledgment or compensation.

‘Providing comprehensive mental health support is not only necessary—it is a moral obligation. If the royal family were to fund these services, it would send a powerful and long-overdue message: that survivors are heard, their suffering is recognized, and accountability matters.’

Oh also pointed to the Royal Family’s long history of supporting mental health causes as a reason why they would want to help Epstein’s survivors.

The King is patron of Combat Stress, where he has taken an active interest in their work to provide specialist mental health treatment to former service personnel with military-related trauma. 

He is also the ‘highlight[s] the importance of mental health’ as patron of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are particular advocates for mental health support.

Their Royal Foundation is contributing £1m to develop a National Suicide Prevention Network, and they launched a ‘Heads Together’ campaign to end stigma around mental health in 2016.

Oh also said the Royal Family could set up a scholarship fund for vocational training and higher education for survivors.

She added: ‘Before they met Jeffrey Epstein, a lot of these girls had career aspirations and dreams, and he crushed them. That is what he did with me.

‘A lot of victims never graduated from high school or went to college or had a career.’

The mum says she knows the importance of finding this purpose as she is due to begin a Master’s in Fine Arts in June.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Australia’s most decorated soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested and is due to be charged with five alleged war crimes. 

The Victoria Cross recipient was taken into custody at Sydney Domestic Airport after arriving on a flight from Brisbane on Tuesday morning, reportedly in front of his teenage twin daughters. 

Footage captured Roberts-Smith being escorted by Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers on the tarmac who were waiting at the arrivals gate as the plane touched down.

Roberts-Smith is expected to be charged on Tuesday with five counts of war crime – murder following a joint investigation between the Office of Special Investigator (OSI) and the AFP.

The charges relate to: 

• The war crime of murder, in that he intentionally caused the death of a person, on or about 12 April, 2009, at Kakarak, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;

• The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 12 April, 2009, at Kakarak, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;

• The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 11 September, 2012, at Darwan, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;

• The war crime of murder, with another person, in that they intentionally caused the death of a person, on or about 20 October, 2012, in Syahchow, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan; and,

• The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 20 October, 2012, at Syahchow, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

The maximum penalty for the offence of war crime – murder is life imprisonment.

He is expected to appear before a NSW court later today. 

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed a 47-year-old had been charged with five counts of war crime – murder during a press conference outside the AFP Sydney Headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

However the Commissioner refused to refer to Roberts-Smith by name under the AFP’s usual practice.

‘It will be alleged the man was a member of the ADF when he was involved in the deaths of Afghan nationals between 2009 and 2012, in circumstances that constitute war crimes under the Commonwealth criminal code,’ Commissioner Barrett said.

‘It will be alleged the victims were detained, unarmed, and were under the control of the ADF members when they were killed.

‘It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused.’

Commissioner Barrett added that police will allege the victims ‘were not taking part in hostilities at the time of their alleged murder’.

The joint investigation between the AFP and the OSI, which began in 2021, has, in total, commenced 53 investigations involving allegations of war crimes by Australian Defence Force members in Afghanistan.

39 of these matters are no longer under active investigation, subject to any new evidence emerging. A further 10 investigations are ongoing.

The OSI and AFP are investigating allegations of criminal offences under Australian law related to breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict by Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. 

One other investigation has resulted in a former Australian Special Forces soldier being charged with one count of war crime – murder. This matter has been listed for trial in February 2027 in the NSW Supreme Court.

When asked why the investigations into alleged war crimes by ADF members in Afghanistan have taken ‘too long’, OSI Director Investigations Ross Barnett explained the investigations are ‘incredibly complex’.

‘Unlike a conventional investigation that’s conducted in Australia, the OSI has been tasked with investigating literally dozens of murders alleged to have been committed in the middle of a warzone, in a country 9,000km from Australia that we can no longer access,’ Mr Barnett said at the press conference.

‘So, the challenge for investigators is – because we can’t go to that country – we don’t have access to the crime scene, so we don’t have photographs, site plans, measurements, the recovery of projectiles, blood-spatter analysis, all of those things we’d normally get at a crime scene.

‘We don’t have access to the deceased – there’s no post-mortem, therefore there’s no official cause of death, there’s no recovery of projectiles to link to weapons that might have been carried by members of the ADF.’

Roberts-Smith sued Nine newspapers and journalists Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters for defamation over their reports in 2018, which claimed he had committed war crimes.

But in 2023, Justice Anthony Besanko found the claims that Roberts-Smith was responsible for the murder of four unarmed male civilians when deployed in Afghanistan were substantially true. 

The Age’s McKenzie and Masters were first to report details of Roberts-Smith’s arrest on Tuesday morning.

Roberts-Smith had appealed his 2023 Federal Court loss, disputing Justice Besanko’s findings, arguing that was not backed up by sufficient evidence for such serious claims. Last year, Australia’s highest court refused the former soldier’s application to appeal the Federal Court findings.

It came on the same day the recipient of Australia’s highest two military honours – the Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry – was ordered to pay a lump sum of Nine’s legal costs for the unsuccessful Federal Court appeal. 

The costs of the 110-day trial and the 10-day appeal are estimated to exceed $30million. 

Roberts-Smith’s High Court bid had claimed the Full Court of the Federal Court made an error in assuming he had accepted some allegations which were not re-contested during the appeal.

The articles, published in 2018, included claims Roberts-Smith kicked a handcuffed man off a cliff and ordered his execution, and machine-gunned another prisoner, taking his prosthetic leg home as a souvenir drinking vessel.

Roberts-Smith has maintained his innocence.

More to come.

According to Anne-Marie Lurie, chief economist for the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), a spate of new construction and development in Calgary is leading to lower prices for apartments and condos in the city.

“We’re seeing a lot of rental construction happen across the city,” Lurie said. “You know, a lot (of) new developments.”

With 1,774 units available in March, according to CREB’s latest stats on housing starts, the inventory is just shy of the record high reported during the financial crisis of 2008.

While the supply is up, the cost of purchasing a condo is down according to the latest numbers from the Calgary Real Estate Board.

The average price of $300,300 in March is about nine per cent less than the same month last year.

“In terms of how the market is shifting is we’re really seeing additional supply choice, relative to the demand,” said Lurie. “So softer conditions for sure for that apartment condo style product. That’s something that we’ve been seeing for several months (and it’s) just really persisting into spring.”

The increased supply and lower prices also mean its a good time to buy a condo, according to Calgary realtor Ariel Buenaventura of ReMax First.

“One hundred per cent. It’s definitely a buyer’s market for condos. I’d say a pretty solid strategy would be to sit and watch the market as it declines in prices, but there comes a point where the property’s price is so attractive that another person’s going to see that and snap it up,” said Buenaventura

“So there’s kind of this balancing act that you have to say, OK, this is probably the bottom. We got to buy this thing or else somebody else will.”

Buenaventura estimates many condos that were on the market for 30 days or less last year are on the market for double or triple that this year before being sold.

The lower cost of purchasing a condo, claims Buenaventura, is also turning many prospective buyers into renters.

“Rental rates right now are falling because there’s so much inventory coming online. There’s a lot of purpose-built rentals,” said Buenaventura.

“Almost every single crane that you see downtown, those are building rentals, there’s office conversions happening, and because of that you’ve got a more affordable rent.”

While overall the supply of condos is up and prices are down in Calgary, CREB claims some areas of the city are also more affected than others.

“City Center hasn’t seen as much of an adjustment as opposed to the northeast,” or the southeast, said Lurie.

“Higher levels of price adjustment is either because there’s a lot of supply in those areas where there’s lots of new construction and a lot of new developments happening — so in the northeast all the way down into that southeast — as opposed to other areas (where) we’re just seeing some modest adjustments, like the northwest, city center and to a lesser extent some of the south” added Lurie.

The buyers market for condos is forecast to continue for the rest of this year and into 2027.

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President Donald Trump has sparked disbelief and mockery after an extraordinary White House briefing on Monday that critics claimed was more reminiscent of an SNL skit.

Trump took the White House podium to detail the ‘breathtaking’ rescue of two US pilots shot down over Iran, showing the scope and resolve of the American fighting force.

YouTube personality and comedian Jimmy Dore led the charge, calling the administration’s narrative a ‘clown show’ after Trump claimed total military dominance despite the recent downing of a US fighter jet.

‘Pretending that getting a fighter jet shot down by a military that Trump said was ‘Completely Decimated’ as a victory is pure clown show,’ Dore wrote on X. ‘Iran is humiliated? Everything they say is projection and a confession.’

Other high–traffic financial accounts on X echoed the sentiment, with one viral post stating: ‘That was one of the craziest press conferences Trump has ever given. Absolute comedy.’

The comments come as Trump signals a frantic, optimistic push for a peace deal with what he calls a ‘decapitated’ Iranian regime – while simultaneously authorizing the most ‘ferocious’ wave of American strikes to date.

And he wouldn’t disclose whether he’ll be winding down the bombing campaign. 

‘I don’t know. I can’t tell. It depends what they do,’ Trump said, further sparking confusion. 

Trump also used the briefing to issue a terrifying final warning to Tehran, setting a hard deadline for Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.

‘The entire country could be taken out in one night – and that night might be tomorrow night,’ Trump said. He warned that if a deal isn’t reached, he will order the total demolition of Iran’s civilian infrastructure, vowing to leave the nation in the ‘Stone Age.’

‘Every bridge in Iran will be decimated by tomorrow night… every power plant will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again,’ Trump warned, adding that it would take the Iranian people ‘100 years to rebuild’ without American help.

Army Vet Clay Harmon called it ‘absolute madness’ on X. 

‘Trump just told Iran to open the strait or face bombing Tuesday. No lawyers. No press conference. straight from the president. When did we last have a president like this?’ Harmon reacted.

The President claimed he had already ‘road–tested’ this strategy, boasting that he recently ordered the destruction of Iran’s largest bridge in just 10 minutes to ‘force compliance’ when negotiations stalled.

Trump also floated a plan for the US to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz and charge global shipping ‘tolls’ for passage.

‘Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner,’ Trump reasoned, comparing the strategy to his administration’s handling of Venezuelan oil. ‘They are militarily defeated. The only thing they have is the psychology of, oh, we’re gonna drop a couple of mines in the water.’

Still while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stood at the same podium Monday claiming that US strikes are ramping up to record–breaking volumes every single day, the Pentagon’s own data suggests otherwise.

‘Per the President’s direction, today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one… Tomorrow, even more than today,’ Hegseth told reporters.

However, figures from US Central Command show that the pace of operations has actually fluctuated over the last three weeks, maintaining a steady average of roughly 250 strikes per day rather than the exponential daily increase claimed by the administration.

In one of the briefing’s most notable moments, Trump said that Iranian civilians are actually ‘begging’ the US to continue the bombardment.

‘We’ve had numerous intercepts. Please keep bombing,’ Trump claimed, asserting that civilians living near blast zones would rather suffer through the strikes than live under the current regime. 

He contrasted the ‘precision’ of US forces, bragging that he sees ‘better with goggles at night’ than in daylight, with the ‘brutality’ of regime snipers who he claimed shot female protesters ‘right between the eyes.’

Trump didn’t reserve his vitriol for Iran alone, turning his sights on ‘disappointing’ European allies. He mocked the United Kingdom’s offer of ‘two old, broken aircraft carriers’ and slammed NATO for sitting on the sidelines.

‘I think it’s a mark on NATO that will never disappear,’ Trump said, before boasting that American technology is so superior it recently intercepted 101 out of 101 missiles fired at the USS Abraham Lincoln.

As the 8pm ET Tuesday deadline looms, the world watches to see if Trump’s ‘instincts’ lead to a historic peace deal or the ‘obliteration’ he so vividly described.

The boss of Wireless Festival has defended booking Kanye West as a headliner, asking for the public to ‘forgive’ the controversial rapper for his ‘abhorrent’ anti-semitic comments.

Melvin Benn, the managing director at Festival Republic, which organises Wireless, encouraged people to give West a ‘second chance’ after the star’s scheduled appearance in July sparked a furious backlash.

West, now known as Ye, apologised in January after a period of spewing racist hate, and even released a song called Heil Hitler and sold swastika T-shirts. He blamed his outbursts on his bipolar disorder. 

Following the announcement that West would be headlining all three nights of Wireless in London this summer, brands including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, PayPal and Diageo pulled out as sponsors of the event. 

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also described the prospect of West headlining as ‘deeply concerning’ and ministers are reviewing if the rapper should be allowed to enter the UK.

But Mr Benn has refused to back down – explaining he overcame initial feelings of ‘disgust’ at the idea of West performing and that others should do the same.

In a lengthy statement released on Monday evening, he said: ‘Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world.’

Mr Benn added: ‘I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.’

Mr Benn’s intervention appears to be an attempt to divert disaster, though incredibly he has not bowed to the pressure to remove West from the lineup.

Addressing the rapper’s recent history of vile anti-semitic rants and lyrics, Mr Benn said: ‘What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister and others that have commented and – taking him at his word – to Ye now also.’

He insisted he is ‘pro Jew and the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state’, and cited his experience living on a kibbutz for some months in the 1970s.

The director also said that in his personal life he has seen how mental illness can cause bouts of ‘despicable behaviour’, but that he has had to ‘forgive and move on’.

Mr Benn continued: ‘Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. 

‘He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.’

West has drawn widespread criticism in recent years after he began voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler and made a series of anti-Semitic remarks.

He is set to top the bill for all three nights of Wireless Festival in London’s Finsbury Park in July.

PayPal and Rockstar Energy Drinks on Monday announced they were parting ways with the festival over West’s involvement, following the lead of Pepsi and drinks giant Diageo on Sunday.

This plunged the festival deeper into chaos, leaving it without a flagship sponsor and the prospect of a raft of other companies withdrawing their backing.

The rapper also wanted to perform at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium during his tour of the UK but the club rejected his request.

Sadiq Khan also blocked him from a show at West Ham’s London Stadium amid community concerns and fears it would cause reputational risk for London.

The PM himself joined criticism of Wireless saying it is ‘deeply concerning’ that West is due to perform ‘despite his previous anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of Nazism’.

Sir Keir is now under growing pressure to take legal steps to ensure West can’t enter the UK ahead of his summer gigs.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has powers to ‘exclude’ someone from Britain if they are not considered conducive to the public good.

This can include those who have ‘engaged in extremism or other unacceptable behaviour’, or someone who ‘if admitted to the UK the person is likely to incite public disorder’.

A person does not need to have a criminal conviction to be refused admission on non-conducive grounds, according to Home Office guidance.

Senior Tory MP Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, wrote to Ms Mahmood on Monday to use her powers to block West from entering the UK.

He wrote: ‘Given his repeated anti-Semitic remarks, including statements expressing sympathy for Nazi ideology, his return to the UK is deeply concerning.

‘This is not a one-off lapse, but a pattern of behaviour that has caused real offence and distress to Jewish communities.

‘His partial apologies have been retracted in the past and do not atone for what he has said.’

Mr Philp added: ‘At a time when anti-Semitism is rising in the UK, allowing someone with this track record to headline a major public event sends entirely the wrong message.’

In a post on X, the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said last week: ‘The PM is right to be deeply concerned that Wireless Festival wants to headline someone whose anti-Jewish bigotry has gone as far as recording a track titled ‘Heil Hitler’ less than a year ago.

‘But the PM is not a bystander. The Government can ban anyone from entering the UK who is not a citizen and whose presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good’. Surely this is a clear case.’

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also called on the Government to ban West from the UK. ‘We need to get tougher on anti-Semitism,’ he said.

Lord Austin of Dudley described the possibility of the rapper being ‘cheered by thousands of kids’ on a UK stage a ‘complete disgrace’.

The ex-Labour MP, who is the UK’s trade envoy to Israel, told The Telegraph: ‘The organisers should cancel his invitation and if not, the council should not allow the festival to go ahead.

‘But either way the Government should prevent him from coming to the UK.’

Nimco Ali, a former Government adviser, called on Wireless to reverse its decision to book West ‘immediately’.

She said: ‘Allowing Kanye West entry into the country risks giving him a platform to amplify hate on British soil.’

Ms Ali added that ‘accountability is not persecution’, and that racism should be condemned ‘in all its forms’.

She also said, if Britain is serious about protecting its Jewish community, then it must be clear that there ‘is no place for this kind of hatred’ on British soil.

West has not performed in the UK since he headlined Glastonbury in 2015.

Last year, he released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.

He has been barred from social media site X over anti-Semitism on multiple occasions.

West is said, as of last week, to have not yet made a visa application for his trip to the UK.

On the eighth anniversary of the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash, the junior hockey team’s home city says work continues on a proper memorial.

A rookie driver of a semi-truck went through a stop sign at an intersection in rural Saskatchewan and into the path of the team’s bus on April 6, 2018.

Sixteen people died and 13 more were injured, sparking an outpouring of grief and tributes from around the world.

The Humboldt Broncos Memorial Committee says asphalt work for a parking lot and pathways at the site of the crash, near the town of Tisdale, is scheduled for this year.

It says the next phase of the memorial project will focus on building a monument to honour the lives lost.

The City of Humboldt says it’s also continuing work with a second committee on a future recreation centre to honour the team.

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“Eight years later, we continue to carry the memory of the 2017-18 Humboldt Broncos with us in everything we do,” Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench said in a news release Monday.

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“These projects are about more than remembrance; they are about creating spaces where families, residents and visitors can reflect, heal and feel connected.”

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League said it sends its deepest thoughts and prayers to the victims’ families and friends.

“Today and every day, the victims and survivors of that awful event are in the hearts of all of us,” it said in a statement.

5:17
Humboldt Broncos survivor Ryan Straschnitzki, 8 years later

Donald Trump has hailed the relentless bombing of Iran alongside a giant Easter Bunny as hundreds of children descended on the White House for the annual Egg Roll.

The President was joined by Melania on the balcony facing the South Lawn as he addressed attendees about the ongoing conflict, including a daring rescue mission over the weekend to save an airman lost behind enemy lines.

‘What about the rescue that took place yesterday, that’s something that you rarely see,’ Trump told the crowd on Monday, adding that it had been pulled off despite a ‘very strong’ enemy.

‘Not so strong like they were about a month ago,’ Trump said, referring to the devastating US-Israel strikes that have decimated Iran’s leadership since they were launched on February 28. 

The President also told reporters at the event he tried to get guns to the people of Iran so they could help him enact regime change in the country, but the plan went sideways after the weapons were stolen by an intermediary. 

‘You know we sent some guns … they were supposed to go to the people so they could fight back against these thugs … but the people that they sent them to kept them.’

‘I am very upset with a certain group of people and they will pay a big price for that,’ he added. 

Reports earlier this year indicated that the CIA was intent on arming the Kurds in northern Iran by the Iraq border as a part of the war. During the event, Trump reiterated: ‘We’ve had total regime change.’ 

The President also took aim at his former rival Joe Biden. 

Speaking with a child at a drawing table, the President detailed to the youth how Biden at times would sign executive actions and legislation. 

‘Biden was unable to sign his name, so they followed him around with this big machine,’ he explained to the child. 

Trump also autographed some drawings the children presented to him.

‘I could sign autographs for you guys, and then tonight, you could sell them for $25,000 on eBay,’ he told the youngsters. 

The President was also spotted carrying around a printed out rendering of an arch that he wants to build by the Arlington National Cemetery. 

Dubbed Independence Arch, the white structure – which looks similar to Paris’ Arc de Triomphe – was first proposed by Trump in 2025. He was spotted showing off the ne rendering to friends before handing it off to a White House aide.  

Families draped in pastel suits and bright sundresses flooded the White House’s South Lawn for the annual Egg Roll on Monday as military bands blared through blue skies.   

Those in attendance were fortunate enough to score sought-after tickets, which were dispersed to Trump administration employees, friends and those lucky enough to win a ticket lottery. 

Some of the President’s grandchildren were also in attendance as Eric and Lara Trump brought their kids, Luke and Carolina, while Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, were spotted with their son, Alexander.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and his wife, Katie, were also seen alongside their youngsters; while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was spotted with her son Niko. FBI Director Kash Patel, his country music singer girlfriend Alexis Wilkins and other top officials were there. 

The roll on the White House lawn began in 1878 under President Rutherford B Hayes after grouchy lawmakers in Congress banned children and their families from hurling eggs down Capitol Hill, citing concerns over the little feet damaging the landscaping. 

These days, the event draws tens of thousands of people to the White House, where children get to embark on a hunt for real eggs while their parents socialize and a Trump administration official hops around the grounds dressed as the Easter Bunny.  

The main event is the Easter Egg Roll – a traditional game where decorated, hard-boiled eggs are rolled across the White House lawn using just a spoon. The custom historically symbolizes the rolling away of the stone from Christ’s tomb.

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday this summer, the White House wanted the Easter event to drip with patriotic pageantry. 

The eggs for the roll have all been dyed red, white and blue.

Less patriotic, however, possibly more American, are the many corporate sponsors that flocked to the event: Meta hosted a booth on AI, YouTube gave out swag bags, The New York Stock Exchange sponsored a challenge coin creation station, and of course, Coca-Cola provided drinks, including Trump’s favorite – Diet Coke. 

Music was provided by the US Marine Band, Army Band, Navy Band, Air Force Band and the Revolutionary War recreating Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps. 

An illegally-built six-bedroom mansion still has not been demolished despite the homeowner being ordered twice to remove it because it is ‘unneighbourly and overbearing’. 

Neighbours have complained the ‘eyesore’ property in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, blocks all the light from their gardens and is out of keeping with the rest of the area. 

The row centres on a two-storey extension at the back of the house which comes out further than what was approved in the original plans. 

An enforcement notice was issued against homeowner Yasmin Akhtar last year telling her to either demolish the whole property or scale back the extension. 

She appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in November but this too was dismissed on the basis her property ’causes harm’ to the living conditions of her neighbours.

The enforcement notice is yet to be complied with and this week building work was still underway at the mansion, with the windows boarded up and a van parked outside. 

Furious locals said it appears to be a case of people ‘thinking they can do what they want’ and hoping that the ‘council won’t notice’. 

They also suggested the homeowner may have got into ‘competition’ with an even bigger home that was approved by the council and built on the road.

Planning agent Parry Virdee previously told the Daily Mail that the extension at the back of the newbuild six-bed property was due to a builder ‘misreading the plans’.

However, one neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘They are basically just trying to take the p***, thinking they can do what they want.

‘They must’ve thought the council wouldn’t notice. 

‘I am not the immediate neighbour so it doesn’t really bother me but I do sympathise with the neighbours that have been affected. 

‘The extension is clearly blocking their light and it has not been approved.’

Another man said: ‘It is an eyesore. It has been like that for a year or so now. It is not in keeping with the rest of the street.’ 

His wife added: ‘When we did our extension the planners were really strict. 

‘When they see that one person can just do what they like it becomes a free for all.’ 

Documents on Buckinghamshire Council’s website show that permission was granted in 2024 for a six-bed home with three parking spaces to be built on the site.

But upon closer inspection the newbuild property was deemed to be bigger than what was initially agreed in the plans, with an extension coming out further at the back.   

An appeal was lodged by Ms Akhtar with the Planning Inspectorate last year but this was also dismissed. 

In the decision notice, the Planning Inspector said: ‘I have found that the proposal results in harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of a neighbouring property.’

Ms Akhtar also applied for Buckinghamshire Council to pay her costs associated with the appeal on the basis they had ‘behaved unreasonably’. This too was rejected. 

Buckinghamshire Council has now said it will make ‘full use’ of its enforcement powers after the deadline to comply with the enforcement notice expired on April 1.

Peter Strachan, Cabinet Member for Planning, said: ‘The property constructed on this site was not built in accordance with the planning permission granted. 

‘The owner sought to retain the building as built but this was refused planning permission and a subsequent appeal has been dismissed. 

‘As such Buckinghamshire Council issued an enforcement notice on the property which the owners are legally required to comply with. 

‘The notice is due to be complied with by April 1, 2026. In the meantime, the owner submitted a second planning application seeking to retain the dwelling with amendments. That second application was also refused permission.

‘If the notice is not complied with the council will assess the best next steps to resolve breach of planning control occurring, making full use of our enforcement powers as necessary.’

However, some locals questioned why the owner should be ordered to demolish their home, when an even bigger property was allowed to be built nearby.

Aerial photos show the difference in the size of the two new houses compared to the others already on the road.

One neighbour said of the property that was given planning permission: ‘I just do not know how they got permission. 

‘It just does not make sense. It is much bigger than the other one.

‘Of course the owners should’ve followed the rules but it seems like there is one rule for some and other rule for others.

‘How is it that this one was allowed and the other one wasn’t.’ 

Another added: ‘There have been loads of substantial builds around here. When I look at it I just think oh it’s another house.’

Ms Akhtar has been approached for comment.