Several people shot at Mormon church in Michigan

Multiple people were shot at a Mormon church in Michigan, and the shooter is “down,” police said.

The shooting broke out at the Church of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 65 miles north of Detroit, just after 11 a.m. local time Sunday, Grand Blanc police said.

“There’s has been an active shooter at the church of Latter Day Saints on McCandlish Rd. There are multiple victims and the shooter is down,” police said.

Authorities said that there was no ongoing threat to the public, but that the church was “actively on fire” following the shooting.

They urged people to stay away from the area.

A reunification center was set up near the church, which is located near residential areas and a Jehovah’s Witness church in Grand Blanc, a community of about 8,000 people just outside Flint.

This is a breaking news story, check back for updates…

Arsenal denied penalty in feisty start to Newcastle clash

Newcastle United host Arsenal in the Premier League today, with the Gunners hoping to put pressure on Liverpool after the league leaders suffered their first loss of the season at Crystal Palace yesterda.

Arsenal began the weekend five points behind the champions, and though it is early in the season the Gunners are already facing questions over their title credentials after last week’s draw to Manchester City.

Newcastle have had a mixed start to the season – with the Magpies sitting in 13th with just six points from five games so far – though they have not lost at home to Mikel Arteta’s side since May 2023.

And the performances against Liverpool and Barcelona show that Eddie Howe’s team has more than enough talent and discipline to hurt the continent’s best teams, as they did here twice last season against the Gunners.

Follow all the latest team news and updates from St James’ Park below:

Inside the celebrity fight against ‘ugly’ new London housing

Wandering around Blackheath Village on a sunny midweek morning, it is easy to forget that hectic central London is just down the road.

The charming, leafy area in the south of the capital is dotted with independent cafes and bookshops, while parents stroll past with babies in buggies up the hill towards the heath. It would be unsurprising if a famous face also walked by, since the area is known to attract celebrities.

Veer off the high street, and you find residential streets lined with well-preserved Georgian and Victorian buildings, protected because Blackheath is a conservation area – the first in London to be designated, in 1968.

It has been described as a “special place” by those who live there, with “real community spirit” and “true village character” – and it is not hard to see why.

But scratch beneath the surface, and a battle is brewing – which highlights the strength of community in the area. Stars such as former Strictly Come Dancing finalist Sarah Hadland and LBC presenter Nick Ferrari have waded in, as they join their fellow residents across Blackheath in taking a stand against a proposed residential development described as “ugly, modern and generic”.

Developer Acorn Property Group has submitted plans to build 20 houses and 25 flats – in three blocks, four and five storeys high – on the station car park, with a decision expected later this autumn.

A total of 660 comments were formally submitted to Lewisham Council as part of the application process, of which 638 were objections.

Hollywood star Jude Law, Ms Hadland, Mr Ferrari, as well as Dominic Cooper, Lucy Boynton, Katherine Parkinson and Kellie Shirley, are among the many signatories to an open letter urging the local council to reject the current plans.

Locals have told The Independent they will be forced to consider moving if the proposals are given the green light. They cite a myriad of potential issues facing the area – from a lack of parking and heightened congestion, fears for Blackheath’s heritage, the future of the thriving farmers’ market held in the car park on Sunday, as well as threats to privacy.

“I don’t think I’ve spoken to a single person who thinks it’s a good idea or that it will enhance Blackheath in any way,” said Ashley Campbell, 37, who, with her dog, had stopped for a chat with her neighbour Alison McArthur, 35, along Collins Street.

The road of two-storey terraced houses is believed to be among those set to be worst affected by the planned development, as the properties face the station car park.

The 37-year-old said her young family would definitely have to move if the plans get the go-ahead, while Ms McArthur said she would also reluctantly consider selling due to the “level of disruption”.

Ms McArthur, pushing her baby in a pram, added: “We’re very concerned, very opposed to it… It’s been quite a cynical proposal.”

Both are members of a WhatsApp group set up to organise against the proposals, which has drawn hundreds of members across Blackheath. Meanwhile, a campaign group called Reject Blackheath Station has been established over the plans it described as “an insult” to the area.

As Yasmin Khan, 44, said: “Everyone has lots of thoughts about [the proposed development, we’re] not happy about it. I don’t think it’ll bring anything new to the area.”

Residents stress that they understand the urgent need for more houses to be built, but argue that this should not be done in a way that goes against the interests of the community.

Nick Ferrari told The Independent: “This is NOT a case of Nimby-ism. The people here are, and always have been, supportive of appropriate development – but this [is] so far off the scale it’s as if it’s come from a different planet.

“The good folk of Blackheath have an enviable history of resistance – Wat Tyler in 1381, for instance. It might [be] time to take to the barricades again.”

Locals have raised fears “the battle of Blackheath” could soon be repeated around the UK, as the government has committed to delivering 40,000 homes over the next 10 years in residential developments around railway stations.

In the bid to unlock what it has called “untapped” land, housing minister Matthew Pennycook said he intends to fast-track building on previously developed urban land – and, if needs be, to intervene in the face of local opposition.

Miranda actor Ms Hadland described this attitude as “very worrying”. She told The Independent: “I fear this will be repeated up and down the country – local residents paying their council tax and abiding by strict conservation rules regarding their own homes and gardens, will watch as private developers and the council flout those same rules and make vast profit from communities.

“It will be the residents and local traders who will pay the true price and suffer with pollution, hazardous traffic and loss of amenities.”

George Marshall, who is the manager of Blackheath Butchers along the high street, said his independent shop is among those that are “definitely” concerned about the plans, due to the potential impact on the village’s atmosphere as well as on his store’s business. “I think it is going to destroy the village a bit,” he said, adding, “It’s going to squeeze the market out into such a small area, which will lead to losing the market, and then footfall.”

Residents are calling for the plans to be revised, as they claim they were not meaningfully consulted on the current proposals.

Wendy Rigg, 67, who has lived in Blackheath for three decades, said: “As proposed, the buildings are out of scale and character with the area, and there is only a token amount of social or so-called ‘affordable’ housing. We are the ones who will live with the consequences: increased air pollution and already overstretched infrastructure, but greedy developers just don’t care. Let’s face it, this is about maximum profit for developers and local authorities with a lack of funding, who are desperate to meet targets.”

Acorn Property Group who have brought forward the proposals, said: “The proposed development seeks to bring forward an opportunity to unlock the development potential of the existing site – under-utilised brownfield land, primarily functioning as a car park for Blackheath Station.

“Through sensitive heritage-led design and a highly sustainable redevelopment approach, the proposals are wholly in line with national, London and local planning policies that promote increased housing supply in response to the urgent need for new homes.

“The pre-application process was accompanied and informed by engagement (via in-person events, as well as online) with local residents, businesses and stakeholders.”

It said the “sustainable” proposed development will deliver “entirely social-rented” housing and “re-provision” of the farmer’s market, and will support residents and the natural environment.

It added that London Farmer’s Markets, which manages the Blackheath market, supports the proposals. The Independent has approached them for further comment.

Lewisham Council said it is unable to comment as the planning application is live.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it is unable to comment on individual cases due to the ministers’ quasi-judicial role in the planning system.

Selena Gomez marries Benny Blanco in intimate Santa Barbara ceremony

US pop star Selena Gomez has married music producer Benny Blanco in a ceremony in Santa Barbara, California.

The singer, 33, shared photos to Instagram that showed her wearing a white halter-neck gown with Blanco in a dark tuxedo, adding their wedding date – 9.27.25 – as the caption.

Blanco, 37, real name Benjamin Levin, commented on the post: “My wife in real life.”

According to Vogue magazine, the couple exchanged vows on Saturday (27 September) in front of around 170 guests, including her close friend and fellow pop star Taylor Swift, actor Paul Rudd, and Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building co-stars, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

Among the other attendees were Ed Sheeran, Paris Hilton and Ashley Park. Gomez previously told Drew Barrymore on The Drew Barrymore Show that Short was due to give a speech while Martin would “probably pull out his banjo”.

The weekend of celebrations reportedly kicked off with a rehearsal dinner on Friday at a mansion in the private community of Hope Ranch, while the ceremony itself took place at Sea Crest Nursery.

Gomez and Blanco announced their engagement in December 2024 after a year of dating. The pop star shared photos of her ring, featuring a marquise diamond set on a gold band accented with tiny diamonds.

The ring appeared to be a nod to Gomez’s 2015 hit song “Good For You,” in which she sings the lyrics “on her marquise diamonds”. She captioned the Instagram post: “Forever begins now.”

The couple had already known each other for some time before they began dating, with Blanco producing Gomez’s hits “Same Old Love” and “Kill ‘Em with Kindness” in 2015, and 2016’s “Trust Nobody”.

They were reunited for the 2019 track “I Can’t Get Enough” with J Balvin and Tainy; Blanco also produced Gomez’s song “Single Soon”. The couple released a collaborative album, I Said I Love You First, earlier this year.

Gomez celebrated her engagement during a bachelorette trip with friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, while Blanco reportedly enjoyed a party in Las Vegas.

Blanco has also worked with artists including Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Halsey, Rihanna and Camila Cabello.

Meanwhile, Gomez has released a number of successful solo albums while also achieving acclaim as an actor in films including 2012’s Spring Breakers and 2016’s The Fundamentals of Caring.

Last year, she starred in the Oscar-nominated Spanish-language musical crime film, Emilia Pérez, and in the Disney Channel sequel Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

She also has a number of business ventures, including the cosmetics brand Rare Beauty that, in September last year, was credited for making Gomez one of the world’s youngest self-made billionaires, according to Bloomberg.

E.ON Next/Independent EV Index: Prices down 7.7 per cent

Electric car prices are dropping fast, according to the first publication of the E.ON Next/The Independent EV Price Index.

The energy giant and media company have combined to produce the UK’s first-ever electric car price index that measures real-world prices (including available discounts) on every EV on sale in the UK.

The first E.ON Next/The Independent EV Price Index has revealed that over the past twelve months the median price of an EV has fallen by 7.7 per cent, a figure of £3,750.

Month-on-month, there’s been a sizeable drop of £1,228 or 2.7 per cent, thanks to the introduction of the government’s electric car grant and the additional discounts car makers introduced while waiting for the grant to be implemented.

The biggest year-on-year drop has been in the competitive small electric SUV segment – including cars like the Citroen e-C4, Mercedes EQA, Peugeot 2008 and BMW iX1 – where a drop of £5,827 or 13 per cent has been seen. Larger medium-sized electric SUVs – like the Audi Q4 e-Tron, Ford Explorer, Nissan Ariya and Skoda Enyaq – show a similarly-large year-on-year drop of £4,666 or 9.8 per cent.

The data for the E.ON Next/The Independent EV Price Index has been compiled by auto industry market insight and pricing data specialists Insider Car Deals. The prices quoted are median prices sourced from Insider Car Deal’s mystery shopping and market research analysis and are based on real-world discounts offered, including any incentives given as part of finance packages.

As well as analysing prices, the E.ON Next/The Independent EV Price Index has also revealed an increase of 25 per cent in the number of electric cars available in the UK over the past year. At the time of research there were 111 electric vehicle models available in the UK, with that number increasing all the time.

When various trim levels and different battery options are taken into account across all available models, there is a choice of 1,029 different electric car choices for UK car buyers – up 32 per cent year-on-year.

The research has also shown that median PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) monthly payments for electric cars have dropped by £55 a month, or 10.8 per cent compared with a year ago. Again, the biggest drop is in the small electric SUV segment, were median monthly payments are down £76 or 16.6 per cent per month.

The quoted PCP terms are based on discounted transaction prices, manufacturer’s APR and GFV and standardised at four years, 8,000-10,000 miles per year and a 15 per cent customer deposit (plus any manufacturer deposit contribution). Where a manufacturer imposes a maximum term of 42 or 36 months, that shorter term is used instead.

One standout deal uncovered by the E.ON Next/The Independent EV Price Index research was for a Vauxhall Mokka 115kW Ultimate 54kWh, with total discount and finance savings of 36.4 per cent (£13,524). That brings the price down to just £24,580, or a possible £292 a month on Vauxhall’s PCP finance plan.

The research also highlighted the difference in average PCP APR finance rates available on electric cars versus hybrid and internal combustion engine (ICE) models. Buyers of EVs will, on average, benefit from PCP APRs that are 3.1 per cent lower than they are for ICE models and 2.2 per cent for hybrids. The average PCP APR for an electric car currently sits at 3.5 per cent.

At the time of research, nine car makers were offering zero per cent finance – the same number as this time last year, although the brands have changed. The scale of finance deposit contributions on electric vehicles has also been revealed with the highest seen being £7,750.

Why are Britain’s schools turning into ‘prison camps’

The return to school after the summer holidays can be hard. But this year, for many, it was harder – and not just for the pupils.

Take this example from a parent’s social media post:

“My daughter tried to leave via the normal exit but was stopped, yelled at, and told she was going the wrong way.” “My daughter Bella* got behaviour points for wearing Nike socks – she’s worn them since Year 7. Apparently, if you walk down the stairs the wrong way, you now get behaviour points.” “In *Tom’s school, if a boy’s hair isn’t at least three inches long, they have to face a brick wall for an hour.” “My daughter had to sit in her wool blazer while it was 25 degrees outside. The teachers were in short sleeves. The rules are so strict that she hates school now. I’m thinking of homeschooling.”

These parents are responding to stricter rules that have been newly introduced at their children’s schools, part of a growing trend happening across the UK. A typical school rulebook will often include: pupils must move between lessons in silence, often in single file; no stopping to look over balconies; no going to the lavatory between lessons; no gathering in large groups; and no walking on the “wrong” side of a corridor.

There are often punishments for behaviours deemed unacceptable, including “tutting,” rolling eyes, or hesitating before following an instruction. Strict uniform and appearance codes require shirts to be tucked in, ties straight, and no underclothing (thermals or vests) visible. Internal isolation regimes, punishment blocks and exclusion orders are par for the course. It has left many wondering how the language of “prisons” and the atmosphere of military academies have slowly crept into our mainstream education system.

These schools are often dubbed “no-excuses” schools, where strict policies are introduced under the guise of “raising standards”. Their headteachers are frequently invited to write newspaper columns or appear on Question Time and Good Morning Britain, where they proudly embrace titles like “Britain’s Strictest Headteacher”.

The growing trend towards uncompromising rules is said to be grounded in academic merit. Michaela School’s Progress 8 scores place it among the best in the country for non-selective schools. A-level students in its selective sixth form, where applicants must meet minimum entry requirements, leave with results that rival some of the best private schools.

Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh’s ferocious commitment to accountability and success has created a model many schools now seek to emulate. But it is also becoming a cause of increasing concern. Critics argue that super-strict approaches stifle independence and creativity, and can exclude pupils who don’t fit a narrow model of success. Others question whether such rigidity isn’t discriminating against less academic pupils, or those with additional needs. Some are asking whether these rules are even appropriate in a new era of AI, when creativity and critical, independent thinking and the confidence to challenge, are going to become more valuable than ever.

The Mossbourne Academy schools in East London have come under fire recently for their hard-line approach and are currently subject to an independent safeguarding review after hundreds of upset parents reported children distressed by harsh discipline regimes, raising real anxiety about going to school.

While Mossbourne Community Academy and Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy have strong academic records, both consistently ranking in the top 1 per cent of schools, parents are saying this has come at a terrible price for some children and spoken out about “systemic” and “lasting” emotional harm stretching back two decades at the Hackney schools.

A dossier of allegations shared with The Observer and sent to the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, included claims that Mossbourne teachers were trained in fostering “healthy fear” and sometimes screamed “centimetres apart” from children’s faces. Reports include children fainting in line-ups while being shouted at, and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) being unfairly punished or pushed out. Some former students said they suffered long-term mental health issues caused by being afraid at school.

Another review has been commissioned by the Mossbourne Federation itself, alongside the ongoing safeguarding review, with the stated aim to examine what can be done to improve processes at Mossbourne schools and to increase public confidence in the management of complaints and safeguarding concerns.

The row has provoked a passionate debate about what we want our schools to be. Supporters of the tough approach argue that while stress and anxiety are undeniable, this discipline-oriented system teaches discipline, resilience, and offers a ticket to a better future. Strong results, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, can unlock opportunities otherwise closed to them.

Detractors argue that good results mask a wider issue: children in the UK are failing to thrive. School refusal rates are now the highest in Europe. In the autumn term 2024/25, the persistent absence rate was 18.7 per cent, and the severe absence rate was 2.04 per cent.

Critics also argue that extreme “no-excuses” rules underestimate the harm inflicted on the wellbeing and creativity of children who don’t respond well to tightly controlled environments. They say these schools prioritise league-table performance over the needs of children. And many parents and students I spoke to worry that this national trend towards disciplinarian schools disadvantages – and even discriminates against – sensitive children, creative children, those who struggle academically, or those with SEND.

One mother of two, with children at Mossbourne Community Academy and Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy – both rated outstanding in all areas – explained: “My eldest son responded well to the really strict approach and got good A-Level results, but my daughter is less academic and miserable. She’s so stressed it’s affecting her attendance. There are tears every day before school.”

Her point is that children shouldn’t feel bad simply because they are not seen as clever. “That’s how my daughter feels. She’s disengaged. Many other parents say the same – and it’s even worse for children with SEND.”

With school budgets slashed and classes increasingly diverse, teaching is already challenging. But some parents say draconian rules exacerbate rather than alleviate these challenges. A daily grind of sanctions for children who aren’t wilfully disobedient is backfiring on pupils and schools alike.

One mother of three boys, whose son attends another good-rated school with a newly uncompromising regime, told me:

“My son has ADHD and often struggles to remember rules – not out of naughtiness, but because it’s genuinely difficult for him. While the SENDCO team tries to make reasonable adjustments like shorter detentions, these often don’t happen. The behaviour management policy discriminates against children with additional needs.

“Many of my son’s detentions are for not tucking his shirt in or forgetting equipment. He’s in detention nearly every day – it’s demoralising and pointless. If they get more than 10 points in a week, they’re placed in a reintegration room for a whole day. More than 120 points in a year means being sent to a different school for up to 10 days – incredibly unsettling, especially for children with additional needs.”

The suspicion that strict schools encourage “inconvenient” pupils to self-select out is widely held. With homeschooling and absenteeism rising, the “don’t like it, go elsewhere” stance leaves many students and parents adrift, unable to fit into these schools but with few alternatives.

Another parent, whose daughter attends an academy chain in the Midlands (rated as Good in all areas), feels the strict uniform policy – skirt-length checks for girls, a ban on leggings in PE (but oddly, cycling shorts are allowed) – shows the school prioritises Ofsted data over children’s wellbeing.

“They told me to bring my daughter in when she was unwell, but said it was fine to take her home again afterwards. That makes me feel like attendance matters more to them than her being OK.”

Vic Goddard, former headteacher and current executive principal of Passmores Academy in Harlow, Essex, became known as the compassionate leader in Channel 4’s Educating Essex. His six schools, including two secondaries, serve their local community with an ethos of inclusion and empathy. Passmores educates more than 100 pupils with EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans).

He explains that some schools practise “selection by compliance”, signalling to parents that they don’t cater for SEND pupils, especially those with behavioural challenges. “The net result,” he says, “is that surrounding schools take the overspill, while no-excuses schools become beacons of ‘miraculous’ academic success.”

He acknowledges the costs of inclusivity: “We’ve got young people from dysregulated homes. Some don’t have the tools to regulate. We could yell at them about buttons and lateness – they’d tell us to f*** off and leave. Instead, we have a regulation space – fully staffed – where they learn to breathe, manage emotions, and regulate. I choose not to exclude them. But that choice costs me £500,000 a year in staff.”*

Does this harm academic results? Not necessarily. Vic says: “We took on a struggling school last year. It’s now in the top 10 for most improved in the country, serving a predominantly white working-class demographic. We added three-quarters of a grade to every pupil’s score last year.”

In a climate where inclusivity and academic excellence are often seen as mutually exclusive, perhaps it is time to rethink how high expectations and a child-centred approach can still coexist.

Until then, no talking at the back.

* denotes where the name has been changed

Tommy Robinson accused of ‘theft’ after using anti-apartheid anthem

Singer-songwriter Labi Siffre has told far-right activist Tommy Robinson to stop using his hit song (Something Inside) So Strong and accused him of theft.

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Steven Yaxley-Lennon, used the anti-apartheid anthem during his recent Unite the Kingdom rally in central London, when a former X-factor contestant singing the song to the over 100,000 people at the march.

Robinson has also reportedly incorporated the song into his social media posts, and posted quotes of the lyrics in August ahead of the rally.

Now 80-year-old Siffre has told The Guardian that he has sent a cease and desist order to Robinson. He told the publication: “Anyone who knows me and knows my work since 1970 will know the joke of them using the work of a positive atheist, homosexual black artist as apparently representative of their movement.”

He added: “They’re breaking all sorts of copyrights. Even in an era when theft is easier than it ever was, it’s still theft.”

Siffre’s hit singles in the 70s included It Must Be Love, Crying Laughing Loving Lying and Watch Me. He came back from a sabbatical from music in 1984 after being inspired by a documentary about apartheid in South Africa. In response, he wrote (Something Inside) So Strong and the song reached number four in the UK charts. It was said to be Nelson Mandela’s favourite song.

A cover of the song was sung by former X-factor contestant Charlie Heaney at the Unite the Kingdom rally in September. The demonstration saw between 110,000 and 150,000 people march through London.

The rally saw tech billionaire Elon Musk attend via video link and address the crowds. Mr Musk claimed that a “dissolution of parliament” was needed and said “massive uncontrolled migration” was contributing to the “destruction of Britain”.

While the demonstration was one of the largest far-right protests in recent memory, singer Siffre told The Guardian that it was not unprecedented.

He said: “It’s just same old, same old. I wish the media would stop talking about this as an unprecedented movement. There’s nothing unprecedented about it. Anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of 20th-century history should know that.”

Tommy Robinson has been contacted for comment.