Copacabana singer Barry Manilow diagnosed with lung cancer

“Copacabana” singer Barry Manilow has revealed he has lung cancer and is set to undergo surgery.

The 82-year-old shared his diagnosis in a statement on Instagram, as he said it was “found early”.

“As many of you know I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” he wrote on Instagram.

“Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.

“The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that is was found so early. That’s the good news.”

However, the singer added he will have surgery to have the spot removed.

He said: “The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.”

Revealing his rescheduled tour dates, he said: “The only follow-up is a month to recover and that means we have to reschedule the January arena concerts. The new schedule is listed below.

“I’m very sorry that you have to change your plans.

“Just like you, we were all looking forward to the January shows and hate having to move everything around.”

He said he is “counting the days” until his return in Las Vegas for Valentine’s weekend concerts.

He added: “Something tells me that February weekend is going to be one big party!”

He finished his five-page statement by saying: “I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. And remember, if you have even the slightest symptom… get tested!

“I’ll see you at the Westgate Las Vegas for Valentine’s!”

More than 10 rescued after huge sinkhole opens in canal as ‘major incident’ declared

More than 10 people have been rescued after a huge sinkhole opened in a canal in Shropshire, leaving several narrow boats stranded in the hole or teetering on the edge of a drop.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident after the “significant breach” on the Shropshire Union Canal in Chemistry, Whitchurch, on Monday morning.

Three boats were caught up in the developing sinkhole, measuring 50m in length and width, according to the service, which said its officers rescued more than 10 people. Aerial images showed one boat partly hanging over the drop into the hole.

Crews were working in difficult conditions, dealing with unstable ground and fast‑moving water escaping into the surrounding land, said a spokesperson. Meanwhile, safety zones have been opened around the sinkhole, and people have been asked to avoid the area.

The fire service said it was working with West Mercia Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, the Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency at the site.

West Mercia Police said in a statement: “There are currently no reports of any casualties, and residents are being assisted by the fire service.”

The Canal and River Trust said it had dammed off the impacted section of the canal, and had closed off the area while an investigation was carried out into the cause of the breach. The trust said it was also providing support to boaters who had been impacted.

Andy Hall, a councillor in Whitchurch, told the BBC that people thought there had been an earthquake. He said: “We’ve got two boats at the bottom of the sinkhole that have fallen down, and we’ve got two boats that are teetering on the edge that could go in at any time.”

He added: “The most important thing is that the canal itself has been secured by fire and rescue. Their biggest worry was that the canal was going to burst even more and flood residents in the town.”

Jason, who works at the nearby Whitchurch Marina, told The Independent that efforts to pull the boats from the sinkhole could be tricky. He said: “The issue is going to be getting the equipment to the site [to remove the boats stranded]. Road access is tricky – a lot of sections of the canal are – so that might be a sticking point.”

The fire service said it first received reports of a canal bank collapse with large volumes of water escaping into the surrounding land.

It said: “Three boats had been caught in a developing sinkhole approximately 50m by 50m in size and crews helped more than 10 members of the public to safety.”

Fire service area manager Scott Hurford said: “We can confirm no persons are believed to be on board the affected canal boats, and no injuries have been reported. Approximately 12 residents from nearby moored boats are being supported and relocated to a welfare centre at the former Whitchurch Police Station.

“A major incident was declared at 5.17am – however, as of 8.30am, the situation was stable with water flow reduced, and there is no ongoing search and rescue activity. Multi-agency attendance remains in place to manage the environmental impact, protect nearby properties, and ensure public safety.”

According to the British Geological Survey, “sinkholes can appear in a variety of different shapes and settings depending on the composition of the rocks and different interacting processes”.

Heavy rain and flooding, as well as building works, changes in water levels and natural weathering processes can all trigger sinkholes.

Congress ‘frustrated’ over DOJ releasing only a portion of Epstein files by deadline

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged abuse have aired their frustrations over the Department of Justice releasing only a portion of its files on the late convicted sex offender by it’s December 19 deadline.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said on X earlier Monday that the DOJ would be releasing another batch of materials from the Epstein files by the afternoon. But the agency has yet to share anything new as of 5 p.m. ET.

Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who both sponsored legislation to release the files, have engaged in a pressure campaign against the DOJ for not yet sharing the full extent of the documents. Some lawmakers have accused officials of covering up for high-profile individuals affiliated with Epstein.

Nearly two dozen Epstein survivors have also spoken out against the DOJ for it’s incomplete and heavily redacted files dump.

“At the same time, numerous victim identities were left unredacted, causing real and immediate harm,” the survivors wrote in a statement.

The survivors said it was “alarming” that the DOJ “has violated the law, both by withholding massive quantities of documents, and by failing to redact survivor identities.”

Liam Gallagher and David Beckham attend Stone Roses bassist Mani’s funeral

The Stone Roses singer Ian Brown hailed his bandmate Gary “Mani” Mounfield as “a brother to me” and a “beautiful human being” as he arrived for the bass player’s funeral.

Mounfield died last month at 63.

Manchester Cathedral hosted the service on Monday, attended by 90s music luminaries including Liam Gallagher, Paul Weller, Bobby Gillespie, and Bez.

Former Manchester United players Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville also joined hundreds of mourners.

Hundreds more fans gathered outside the cathedral and applauded as the cortege arrived, preceded by a guard of scooter riders as The Stone Roses track “I Wanna Be Adored” played on speakers.

Mounfield was part of The Stone Roses’ classic lineup alongside singer Brown, guitarist John Squire and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren.

He went on to join Primal Scream.

Pausing briefly as he went into church, Brown said he was there to celebrate “what a beautiful human being that he was”.

Asked what Mounfield meant to him, the singer said: “Everything. He’s a brother to me.”

Mounfield’s coffin – which was decorated with the classic artwork from The Stone Roses’ first album – was carried into the cathedral as family and friends followed, with more applause from the crowd.

Non-crime hate incidents ‘to be scrapped’ in favour of ‘common sense’

Police chiefs will reportedly seek to scrap non-crime hate incidents in plans they will present to the Home Secretary next month.

NCHIs are no longer “fit for purpose”, police leaders have decided, after warnings that recording them undermines freedom of speech and diverts officers away from fighting crime.

A new “common sense” system is being proposed, as reported by The Telegraph, where only a fraction of such incidents would be recorded under the most serious category of anti-social behaviour.

It comes after Graham Linehan, the Father Ted co-creator, was arrested for a series of posts on X as he stepped off a plane Heathrow airport in September.

Plans to scrap the concept will be published next month by the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and are expected to be backed by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, the newspaper reported.

Lord Herbert, the chairman of the College of Policing, told The Telegraph: “NCHIs will go as a concept. That system will be scrapped and replaced with a completely different system.

“There will be no recording of anything like it on crime databases. Instead, only the most serious category of what will be treated as anti-social behaviour will be recorded. It’s a sea change.”

Their exclusion from crime databases means any incidents will no longer have to be declared as part of checks in job applications. Police forces would be instructed not to log “hate” incidents on crime databases, instead treating them as “intelligence” reports.

Instead, officers would be issued with a “common sense” checklist to go through before they take any action, to prevent police from intervening in online spats or offensive comments.

The Metropolitan Police announced in October it would stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” following the decision to take no further action against Mr Linehan, whose arrest sparked controversy.

Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley is expected to support the changes after he stated following the Mr Linehan controversy that officers were in an “impossible position” when dealing with statements made online.

A spokesperson for the police force said at the time: “We understand the concern around this case.

“The commissioner has been clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position.

“As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents. We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.”

The Independent has contacted the Home Office for comment.

It’s about experience: Further Education teachers share what it takes

In the modern world, many of us are working longer than ever. Research based on ONS Labour Market data found that there are almost one million more workers aged 65 and above since the millennium and the state pension is set to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by the late 2030s. Subsequently, having multiple careers is becoming increasingly popular. And after decades working in a specific industry, sharing the work-based knowledge you have gained via teaching in further education is one of the most rewarding career shifts you can make.

Further Education teaching (defined as any education for people aged 16 and over who aren’t studying for a degree) allows you to switch up your working days and harness the skills and experience you have developed, all while helping shape the next generation of workers in your field.

To find out more about the role, from what it takes to the best parts of the job, we spoke to Further Education teachers who have switched from doing their day job to teaching it…

John Ryan, 51, from Weston Super Mare, worked for more than a decade on site in the construction industry, mainly in bricklaying and supervising roles, before an opportunity to become a Further Education assessor changed his path in his thirties. Travelling nationally to assess the work of new bricklayers in order to sign off their NVQs (National Vocational Qualification), the college John was associated with then started offering him some teaching work.

With no prior teaching qualifications, John completed these alongside his assessing and teaching roles with the fees picked up by the teaching college. “I liked the idea of passing on my knowledge and giving young people the skills and confidence to progress in a trade,” he says. “Teaching in Further Education felt like a natural next step because it would allow me to combine my practical background with coaching and mentoring.” There were practical draws too. “On site in the construction industry you are self-employed so you do not get holidays or sick pay. The stability of income and regular paid holidays was a big draw of Further Education teaching,” he adds.

Since his first assessing role 18 years ago, John has worked between assessing, teaching and jobs back on the construction site and now, he currently teaches bricklaying and groundwork full-time at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

John’s extensive site and supervisory experience has proved to be hugely valuable when it comes to teaching his students there. “I can explain not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind industry standards,” he explains. “Learners often respond well to hearing about real jobs, site challenges, and the professional behaviours that employers expect. It makes the lessons more relatable and credible,” he shares.

“For example, I can share stories of accidents when teaching site safety, or explain how a mistake of a few millimetres on a construction site can cost you time to rectify, which in turn will cost you money,” he says. “These hands-on, real world experiences make the theory relatable and show learners the real value of getting it right.”

Coral Aspinall, 52, who became a full-time Further Education teacher 12 years ago, agrees. “My experience allows me to put my teaching into context,” she says. Coral started out her engineering career at 16 as an apprentice in a local engineering company. Following a BSc in Engineering and Business Management, she worked for many years in the engineering industry before enrolling on a part-time PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) course for teaching. She’s now the Engineering Programme Leader at the Stockport campus of the Trafford and Stockport College Group. Here, they offer qualifications such as Level 2 Performing Engineering Operations as well as engineering-focused Level 3 T Levels and Level 3 Btec Awards. They also offer Level 3 apprenticeships across engineering including Technical Support, Engineering Fitter and Maintenance Management.

“Because I’ve been an engineering apprentice myself, I understand what the student needs to be successful in terms of skills, knowledge and behaviour,” she explains. “I also have contacts in the wider engineering community and understand what an employer is looking for in an apprentice, and can also share insights in terms of how the sector is shifting and evolving to help support their progress.”

Working for an extensive period of time in a field before passing on that knowledge gives teachers maturity and empathy which can be hugely helpful for students, especially those facing complex life situations.

Beyond the practical techniques, a big part of John’s role is helping learners build confidence, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers look for. “Many of my learners have different challenges, so they value teachers who are approachable, who believe in them, and who prepare them for real opportunities in work or further study,” he says. For John, his previous work experience has allowed him to do this. “On site, I worked with people facing all sorts of pressures, from work to life issues, which taught me to be patient and supportive,” he explains.

Coral has had a similar experience. “I see my role as more than imparting knowledge; it is about preparing the young person for the next stage of their journey. The students trust me to have their best interests at heart; they come to me for advice on their next steps and how they can achieve their aspirations, and I’ll support them with both practical advice and words of encouragement.”

For Coral, teaching later in life allows her to draw from a mature perspective, and teach her students positive workplace behaviours alongside skills and knowledge. “Students thrive when they have clear unambiguous boundaries, so I’m firm around expectations in terms of timekeeping, attendance and attitude. This is particularly important to succeeding in the workplace as employers value these behaviours as much as, or even more than having specific expertise or know-how (which can generally be developed).”

If you’re looking for a fresh career option, and keen to share your skills with the next generation, Further Education teaching could be a really enriching new phase. Further Education covers a huge range of career sectors including construction, law, engineering, digital, hospitality, tourism, beauty and more. This includes BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council qualifications), T Levels, NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) or City & Guilds Qualifications.

Teaching in a mixture of colleges (often General Further Education Colleges or Sixth Form Colleges) and Adult and Community Learning Centres as well as workplace and apprenticeship settings, further education teachers share their years of real world industry skills with a diverse mix of people from those straight out of school aged sixteen to those making career switches later in life.

You don’t always need an academic degree or prior teaching qualifications to start teaching in further education. You can undertake teacher training on the job, often funded by your employer, so you can start earning straight away.. Furthermore, it doesn’t mean you have to stop working in your chosen field. Further education offers hybrid opportunities – so you could teach part time alongside your other commitments. This means you could have the best of both worlds, where you are still working in your chosen industry and teaching alongside it at a time that suits your schedule. Find out if it’s the right move for you here.

If, like John and Coral, you see the appeal in sharing the knowledge and skills you’ve developed with the next generation, exploring the option of becoming a Further Education teacher can be a great next step. As John shares, the reward is always worth it: “It never gets old passing on my knowledge to people starting on their journey, knowing I have made a difference and getting a smile and thanks in return!”

Looking for a new role that’s rewarding, flexible and draws on your current career? Why not consider sharing your experience where it matters most – helping inspire the next generation of workers in the field you love? Visit Further Education to find out more

Post Office and Fujitsu had deal years ago to fix Horizon mistakes

The Post Office made a confidential deal with Fujitsu 19 years ago to fix errors in subpostmasters’ accounts, a document has revealed.

The 2006 agreement suggests both companies were aware of bugs in the Horizon IT system, with Fujitsu liable for a £100-£150 “liquidated damages” penalty per faulty transaction.

The document indicates the Post Office and Fujitsu had authorisation to alter accounts, despite claims it was not possible to do so remotely and that there were no bugs in the system.

Around 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of Horizon, which mistakenly showed shortfalls in accounts.

It led to a significant number of subpostmasters contemplating self-harm and some taking their own lives.

The long-running battle for justice accelerated dramatically after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which highlighted the scandal.

The 26-page contract, marked “commercial in confidence”, was first revealed by Channel 4 News on Monday, after being posted on the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s website.

The contract said: “If the reconciliation service identifies that transaction data held on the ‘central database’ located at the data centre is found to be inconsistent when compared to the records of the transaction that was completed at the branch, eg a receipt, a transaction log or a branch accounting discrepancy, the reconciliation service shall obtain authorisation from Post Office prior to amending the centrally held transaction data.”

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Lee Castleton, who was wrongly accused of false accounting, said: “It just makes me feel physically sick. Really, you’ve got a group of people in two companies that wrote a contract for something that they’ve said repeatedly was never required.

“And it’s just sickening for all the distress and victimisation of the group, of all of our group. They’ve had this document in their possession that they’ve never revealed.”

Mr Castleton said disclosure of the document “absolutely” would have made a difference to his case.

He said: “This makes it a completely different question. We’re now talking about accounts that can be adjusted remotely, but also a contract in place for how that should be done.”

“You know, 13 people potentially have taken their lives because of the treatment at the hands of these companies.

“It’s disgusting to think that even now, two decades on, we’re finding new documents, new documents that are intrinsic to what was going on. You know, it’s absolutely abhorrent. It’s disgusting.”

Paul Marshall, a senior barrister for subpostmasters, told the BBC the document shows that in 2006 there was “a very big, recognised problem with Horizon maintaining data integrity”.

He said: “The Post Office, for 20 years, was saying the only explanation for shortfalls in branch accounts was postmaster incompetence or dishonesty.

“But the maintenance of data integrity was fundamental to the Post Office-Fujitsu contract – Fujitsu were unable to provide or assure this.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We apologise unequivocally for the hurt and suffering which the Post Office caused to so many people during the Horizon IT Scandal.

“Today, our organisation is focused on working transparently with the ongoing public inquiry, paying full and fair financial redress to those impacted, and establishing a meaningful restorative justice programme, all of which are important elements of the ongoing transformation of the Post Office.”

A Fujitsu spokesperson said: “These matters are the subject of forensic investigation by the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry and it’s not appropriate for us to comment while that process is ongoing.”

Palestine Action hunger strikers begin legal action against government

Palestine Action hunger strikers have initiated legal proceedings against the government as they accuse it of abandoning its own prison safety policy framework.

A legal firm representing the activists has submitted a pre-action letter to Justice Secretary David Lammy as several imprisoned members, including one who has refused food for 51 days, have been hospitalised due to rapidly deteriorating health.

The letter, dispatched on Monday, outlines the group’s intention to pursue legal action, citing the government’s alleged abandonment of its own prison safety policy framework.

Strikers claim they have sent multiple letters to Mr Lammy, who also serves as deputy prime minister, but have received no response.

Seen by the Press Association, the urgent communication demands a response within 24 hours, stressing that the issue is a “matter of urgency” as “our clients’ health continues to deteriorate, such that the risk of their dying increases every day.”

It further requests “an urgent meeting with the proposed defendant to discuss the deterioration of our clients’ health and to discuss attempts to resolve the situation.”

Since the hunger strike commenced on 2 November, seven prisoners have been admitted to hospital. Among them are Amu Gib, 30, held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, and Kamran Ahmed, 28, from Pentonville Prison in London.

Two people have had to end their hunger strikes due to health conditions. Jon Cink, 25, ended his on day 41, while Umer Khalid, 22, ended theirs on day 13.

Gib, now on day 51 of their strike, was hospitalised on Saturday and reportedly requires a wheelchair due to their rapidly declining condition. Ahmed is currently on day 43 of his strike.

Last Thursday, emergency physician Dr James Smith warned journalists that some of the activists “are dying” and require specialist medical intervention.

Sending a letter with the signatures of over 800 doctors, Dr Smith warned the strikers were at “very high risk of serious complications, including organ failure, irreversible neurological damage, cardiac arrhythmias, and death.”

The prisoners face charges related to alleged break-ins or criminal damage carried out on behalf of Palestine Action, prior to the group being banned under terrorism legislation.

Gib is accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painting two RAF Voyager planes. Ahmed faces charges of causing £1 million of damage with sledgehammers at the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm near Patchway, Bristol, in August 2024.

The strikers’ demands include the de-proscription of ‘Palestine Action’ as a terrorist group and for the ban to be lifted and the shutting down of defence firms linked to Israel. They also called for the immediate bail for their prisoners, the right to a fair trial, and for the protection of freedom of expression while in prison as the allege letters have gone missing and phone calls have been blocked.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We strongly refute these claims. We want these prisoners to accept support and get better, and we will not create perverse incentives that would encourage more people to put themselves at risk through hunger strikes.”

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer previously affirmed that “rules and procedures” are being followed, while Prisons minister Lord Timpson has maintained that the service is “very experienced” in handling hunger strikes, possessing “robust and working” systems.

Lord Timpson added that the Prison Service “will not be meeting” any prisoners or their representatives.