Podcasts about County Durham

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Fiona Hill is one of the most authoritative voices on the forces reshaping global politics today. Born in County Durham, from 2017 to 2019 she was a senior adviser on European and Russian Affairs at the White House and in October 2019 she was a key witness in President Trump's first impeachment inquiry. In 2024 and 2025 she co-led the British Government's Strategic Defence Review, which sets out how the UK should scale up its response to risks from an emboldened Russia and a less predictable United States.  Hill cautions that we are not in a second Cold War, but in a more volatile era of asymmetric threats. She warns that Trump's engagement with autocratic leaders such as Putin and Xi is strengthening authoritarian regimes and eroding long‑standing alliances, and highlights sabotage and disinformation – the kind of threats seen in recent incidents such as the Russian spy‑ship Yantar encroaching on UK waters and the rail explosion in Poland.  Hill came to the Intelligence Squared stage in February 2026 where, in conversation with journalist Jon Sopel, she set out the practical steps she believes the West must take to bolster its resilience and safeguard security and stability. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fiona Hill is one of the most authoritative voices on the forces reshaping global politics today. Born in County Durham, from 2017 to 2019 she was a senior adviser on European and Russian Affairs at the White House and in October 2019 she was a key witness in President Trump's first impeachment inquiry. In 2024 and 2025 she co-led the British Government's Strategic Defence Review, which sets out how the UK should scale up its response to risks from an emboldened Russia and a less predictable United States.  Hill cautions that we are not in a second Cold War, but in a more volatile era of asymmetric threats. She warns that Trump's engagement with autocratic leaders such as Putin and Xi is strengthening authoritarian regimes and eroding long‑standing alliances, and highlights sabotage and disinformation – the kind of threats seen in recent incidents such as the Russian spy‑ship Yantar encroaching on UK waters and the rail explosion in Poland.  Hill came to the Intelligence Squared stage in February 2026 where, in conversation with journalist Jon Sopel, she set out the practical steps she believes the West must take to bolster its resilience and safeguard security and stability. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TESTO DELL'ARTICOLO ➜ https://www.bastabugie.it/8462LE INFERMIERE CHE NON SI SONO PIEGATE AI DIKTAT LGBT di Luca Marcolivio Una delle implicazioni più ricorrenti nella limitazione della libertà di espressione ad opera dell'ideologia gender sono i licenziamenti ed i demansionamenti sul lavoro. Ciò avviene in vari ambiti, anche in quello sanitario. E, nonostante alla fine - quasi sempre - la verità vinca, le odissee lavorative e giudiziarie colpiscono, non poco, chi non si allinea ai diktat Lgbt, come in due casi particolari di cui abbiamo notizia dal mondo anglosassone.LE RIPERCUSSIONI UMANE E PROFESSIONALIUna disavventura ai limiti del paradossale è quella capitata a Jennifer Melle, 40enne infermiera londinese di origine ugandese, vittima di un'aggressione da parte di un detenuto transgender, furibondo per essersi sentito appellato come «Mr.» (signore), essendo effettivamente un uomo sul piano biologico.Nel maggio 2024, la donna era andata a prestare cure durante un ricovero in ospedale, concessogli dal carcere dove era in quel momento detenuto con l'accusa di aver adescato dei ragazzi sui social, fingendosi adolescente. La signora Melle era stata pesantemente insultata per il pronome utilizzato, subendo peraltro ingiurie razziali. Al danno, si è aggiunta la beffa: invece di ricevere la solidarietà della propria categoria, l'infermiera è stata redarguita e messa all'angolo. Il Nursing and Midwifery Council (Nmc) ha definito Melle un «potenziale rischio» per non aver utilizzato l'identità di genere scelta dal detenuto transgender al centro della controversia. Al contempo, gli avvocati del Servizio Sanitario Nazionale britannico hanno etichettato le convinzioni religiose dell'infermiera sulle questioni di genere «non degne di rispetto in una società democratica». Poco meno di un anno fa, quando la vicenda è finita sui media britannici, Jennifer Melle si dichiarò «vittima di abusi, molestie, bullismo e discriminazione razziale da parte delle istituzioni. Da quando ho espresso le mie convinzioni cristiane sotto forti pressioni - confidò l'infermiera lo scorso marzo, - sono stata una donna marchiata. Non mi sento supportata dai miei colleghi, né dal Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, a seguito degli abusi razziali e delle minacce di violenza fisica che ho ricevuto dal paziente».Effettivamente, le ripercussioni sulla vita professionale di Melle sono state devastanti. Dopo aver ribadito davanti ai dirigenti della sua azienda ospedaliera che, in base alle sue convinzioni religiose, Dio ha creato gli esseri umani come maschio e femmina, per tutta risposta i superiori hanno demansionato l'infermiera, cancellando il suo nome dal sistema interno, impedendole di fare straordinari, con conseguenti ripercussioni sulla retribuzione. I responsabili sanitari l'hanno inoltre accusata di «non aver rispettato l'identità preferita del paziente», affermando che le sue azioni e il suo comportamento erano «in contrasto con il valore del rispetto del trust». Soltanto dopo molti mesi e molti disagi e danni, l'odissea giudiziaria di Jennifer Melle si è conclusa felicemente proprio pochi giorni fa, con la piena reintegrazione da parte degli ospedali universitari di St Helier ed Epsom, che hanno archiviato la causa per «violazione dei dati» contro l'infermiera. OTTO INFERMIERE CONTRO L'ABUSO DELLO SPOGLIATOIO FEMMINILELieto fine anche per otto infermiere del Darlington Memorial Hospital. Le donne hanno vinto la causa dopo la penalizzazione riservata loro dai dirigenti sanitari per essersi opposte all'utilizzo dello spogliatoio femminile da parte di "Rose" Henderson, un uomo che si identifica come donna. Secondo il tribunale di Newcastle, i dirigenti dell'ospedale hanno violato la dignità delle otto dipendenti. È stato quindi riconosciuto l'«ambiente ostile» determinato dalla dirigenza durante il contenzioso. Il caso iniziò nel 2019, anno in cui Henderson aveva utilizzato lo spogliatoio femminile. La politica aziendale del County Durham and Darlington Nhs Foundation Trust sulla transizione di genere sul posto di lavoro, tuttavia, consentiva a una persona di utilizzare lo spazio riservato a un solo sesso, conforme alla propria identità di genere, e chiunque di quel sesso si opponesse poteva cambiarsi altrove. Ben 26 infermiere firmarono una lettera in cui lamentavano l'uso e la condotta di Rose Henderson all'interno dello spogliatoio. Henderson tuttavia dichiarò al tribunale che le accuse, tra cui quella di fissare le donne che si spogliavano, erano «false». Alla fine, nella sentenza di 134 pagine, la Corte ha affermato che l'ospedale avrebbe molestato e discriminato le infermiere chiedendo loro di condividere lo spogliatoio con una «donna transgender biologicamente maschile», oltretutto non prendendo sul serio le loro preoccupazioni.L'esito della causa intentata dalle infermiere del Darlington Memorial Hospital ha suscitato l'approvazione anche da parte della scrittrice J. K. Rowling. «Le donne hanno il diritto di non spogliarsi davanti agli uomini sul posto di lavoro. Vent'anni fa, questa frase sarebbe stata un'affermazione così ovvia che la gente vi avrebbe riso in faccia per averla pronunciata ad alta voce. Ora è motivo di festa. Congratulazioni, eroine», ha scritto l'autrice di Harry Potter su X.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Inside Horden, the County Durham town failed by politics Double decker hits south London theatre in two bus crash Third Briton dies in French Alps avalanches in one week Prince William shares personal message on mental health and male suicide John Swinney was told of Peter Murrell charges weeks before they became public Under pressure from Trump, Venezuelas new president has aces up her sleeve Plan to increase youth minimum wage could be delayed I invested 12,000 in Brewdog I think Ive lost it all Climber on trial for leaving girlfriend to die on Austrias highest mountain Lower food and fuel prices drive inflation down to 3

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Inside Horden, the County Durham town failed by politics Lower food and fuel prices drive inflation down to 3 Third Briton dies in French Alps avalanches in one week Under pressure from Trump, Venezuelas new president has aces up her sleeve John Swinney was told of Peter Murrell charges weeks before they became public Climber on trial for leaving girlfriend to die on Austrias highest mountain Prince William shares personal message on mental health and male suicide Plan to increase youth minimum wage could be delayed I invested 12,000 in Brewdog I think Ive lost it all Double decker hits south London theatre in two bus crash

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv I invested 12,000 in Brewdog I think Ive lost it all Lower food and fuel prices drive inflation down to 3 John Swinney was told of Peter Murrell charges weeks before they became public Third Briton dies in French Alps avalanches in one week Prince William shares personal message on mental health and male suicide Inside Horden, the County Durham town failed by politics Plan to increase youth minimum wage could be delayed Climber on trial for leaving girlfriend to die on Austrias highest mountain Under pressure from Trump, Venezuelas new president has aces up her sleeve Double decker hits south London theatre in two bus crash

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Third Briton dies in French Alps avalanches in one week Prince William shares personal message on mental health and male suicide Inside Horden, the County Durham town failed by politics Double decker hits south London theatre in two bus crash Plan to increase youth minimum wage could be delayed Climber on trial for leaving girlfriend to die on Austrias highest mountain John Swinney was told of Peter Murrell charges weeks before they became public Under pressure from Trump, Venezuelas new president has aces up her sleeve Lower food and fuel prices drive inflation down to 3 I invested 12,000 in Brewdog I think Ive lost it all

Howard Linskey chats to Paul about is new novel Muse Of Fire, love of Shakespeare, Heydrich, the SOE, the Globe, London - population 200,000! Picking up a theatre and moving it across the river. Muse of Fire: William Shakespeare is moving up in the world, his name respected both at court and the theatre. Accepted by Queen Elizabeth, he is trusted to write plays for her, so long as she likes them...When one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting is found dead, almost everyone suspects murder. But who stood to gain? And are the rumours that she was with child true?Sir Robert Cecil, Elizabeth's spymaster, senses an opportunity to finally rid himself of his bitter rival, the Earl of Essex, who was seen with the girl before she died, and tasks Will to uncover the truth.But Shakespeare knows that the Earl of Southampton, his patron, is allied to the Earl of Essex. Will is caught between powerful foes. But this time, he must choose a side if he is to survive.The Bard turns sleuth once more in this fascinating second instalment in the investigations of William Shakespeare.Howard Linskey is a former journalist whose works include crime series and standalones set in the north-east, including the DC Ian Bradshaw series published by Penguin, and two espionage novels. He also writes historical fiction and non-fiction. His books have been published in nine countries. Originally from County Durham, he lives in Herts with his wife and daughter.Recommended: Stan Barstow. Trevor Wood,, Mari Hannah, Robert Scragg, The Chrysalids John Wymdham.Paul Burke is the editor of Crime Time FM and Aspects of Crime, his first book Eyes Only: Spy Films from Silent to Streaming will be published in September, 2026.Produced by Junkyard DogCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023 & 2025CrimeFest 2023CWA Daggers 2023 & 2024 & National Crime Reading Month& Newcastle Noir 2023 and 20242024 Slaughterfest,

The whole town centre of Newton Aycliffe in County Durham is owned by billionaire brothers – so why is it so run down? Josh Halliday reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

..that's back in music history with Frankie in Bristol and Maxine in County Durham!

Good morning. This year, for the first time, I've bought a real, 6-foot Christmas tree - and I hit the shops in search of baubles and tinsel.The only problem? Fashions have changed. I want the kind of tree I remember from the 80s: a multicoloured glitter bomb that looks like a dozen boxes of quality street.Alas, things have gone posh. It's all pink and white now, or cold blue; coordinated and minimalist. As if decorating a hotel foyer. I stared for days at my naked tree, preferring that to the retail option, and wondering why I was so bothered.Well, trees clearly do still matter because people are furious that a public tree was cut down at Shotton Colliery in County Durham, a green spruce the village planted over a decade ago in remembrance of the dead from two world wars. . It reminded me of the grief that was felt when the Sycamore Gap tree was butchered in 2023.Christmas trees are far more than decoration. One legend has it, that they were introduced by Martin Luther, when he was out walking one winter night and saw the stars twinkling around the top of a fir. He put a tree hung with candles in his home, to remind onlookers that Jesus came from Heaven. This German tradition was imported to Britain by Queen Charlotte, who, in 1800, decorated the first known royal tree at Windsor - with fruits, toys, raisins and candles.It was already custom here to hang greenery indoors, probably to cheer us up while, in a colder age, the view outside the window was barren and white. To this pagan-ish spirit was added a Christian spin, the sparkling Christmas tree, like Christ, suggests light in the darkness and the promise of new life. For nature this comes with spring. For human beings, with resurrection.Faith, far from being at odds with the tangible world of nature, sacramentalises it. In psalm 96, "the trees of the forest" are ordered to "sing for joy" in praise of God. The author of the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood encounters a talking tree that provided the wood for Christ's cross, bedecked with gold and gems. This fits with my instinct that Christmas trees should be sparkly and bright, so bright that when the lights are switched on they're visible from space.A wise friend pointed out that most Christmas decorations are not bought in one go, but accumulated over a lifetime. When they're taken out of the attic and hung from the tree, the odds and ends are a trip down memory lane. Christmas trees invite wonder. Adults, I suspect, think of childhoods past. The tree connects us to mysteries of time and nature and promise.

Darren Grimes is the Reform UK deputy leader of County Durham County Council.  Since Reform was elected to Durham County Council in May, there have been 172 complaints about councillors, with 34 leading to taxpayer-funded investigations. 21 of the complaints were against Darren Grimes.   Darren subsequently amended the constitution to protect freedom of speech. The amendments were inspired by the FSU code of conduct for elected members that will protect their freedom of expression which Bromley Council has also adopted. It says “the right to freedom of speech under the law is the basis of democracy and will be upheld at all times and there is no right to be offended by any lawful expression”.    The amendment has been met with backlash from opposition councillors who have branded the protection of freedom of speech as a dangerous move, with one even arguing that it "encourages real violence”...   Join the Free Speech Union: freespeechunion.org/join   Follow Darren: https://x.com/darrengrimes   Follow the Free Speech Union X/Twitter: x.com/SpeechUnion Instagram: www.instagram.com/freespeechunion Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpeechUnion

GB2RS News Sunday, the 30th of November The news headlines: The RSGB has launched its official Instagram profile Listen out for GB25YOTA for Youngsters on the Air month TX Factor releases part two of its Hamfest special The RSGB has launched its official Instagram profile! This addition to the Society's social media presence will help it to connect in a new way and showcase the exciting world of amateur radio and STEM. Through Instagram, the RSGB aims to support youth activities and highlight opportunities for young radio enthusiasts. It wants to engage with like-minded organisations that promote STEM education and innovation, and to inspire the RF engineers of the future by sharing stories, projects and events. It will also be a great platform for connecting with other groups that enjoy practical activities. If you're on Instagram, the RSGB invites you to follow its profile, like its posts and join the conversation as it builds a new community. Search for ‘theRSGB' and get involved! Youngsters on the Air Month has officially begun. Listen out for special event station GB25YOTA throughout the month as young radio amateurs get on the amateur bands. Sandringham School and the 2nd Marlborough Scout Group start the event on Wednesday, the 3rd of December. On Friday, the 5th of December, Bracknell Amateur Radio Club will host GB25YOTA, as well as Jon, M0NOJ, who will be operating later in the afternoon. Cambridge University Wireless Society will be hosting the callsign on both Friday and Saturday. Also on Saturday, the 6th of December, you'll be able to work South Durham Radio Club, who are active using the GB25YOTA. Looking forward to Sunday, the 7th of December, listen out for the 2nd Marlborough Scouts and Cray Valley Radio Society. Details of operating times, bands and modes can be found at rsgb.org/yota-month. Take the time to encourage a young radio amateur by having a QSO with them. TX Factor is back with part two of its National Hamfest special, which completes the coverage of news from that event. The episode is full of informative updates on the RSGB, including an interview with RSGB Board Chair Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, on the work of the Emerging Technology Coordination Committee. TX Factor presenter Bob McCreadie, G0FGX, also speaks with RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, about the importance of RSGB membership and the vital work the Society does on protecting the spectrum. In addition, you'll find an interview focusing on the RSGB communications strategy and how it is helping to bring amateur radio to new audiences, as well as an update from the RSGB Maker Champion Tom Wardill, M9TWM. Watch all this and more by going to txfactor.co.uk A reminder that the last Tonight@8 webinar of 2025 will be live tomorrow from 8 pm via the RSGB's YouTube channel and special BATC channel. The presentation will feature young RSGB members who travelled to Paris earlier this year for the Youngsters on the Air summer camp. As well as hearing about their experience, you'll receive an update from the RSGB Youth Team on its plans for 2026. If you're a young radio amateur or you're interested in encouraging young people to get involved in amateur radio in the coming year, this webinar is not to be missed. Find out more at rsgb.org/webinars Remember that if you're interested in the role of RSGB Nominated Director, the deadline for applications is the 5th of December. Nominated Directors are selected by the Society's Nominations Committee, and then the RSGB membership votes to endorse them at the AGM. Go to rsgb.org/elections  and follow the instructions on that page to apply or to have a chat about the role. Following the Ofcom changes to the Intermediate licence callsign series, the RSGB is updating its guidance to members. RSGB members with M8 or M9 callsigns who wish to receive QSL cards via the RSGB Bureau should send envelopes to the same QSL sub-manager who handles the corresponding 2x callsign series. The list of QSL sub-managers has been updated accordingly, so please check on the website before posting. You can find the list in the QSL Bureau section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/qsl Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 30th, Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club's Rally is taking place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, County Durham. Traders, catering, ample parking and disabled facilities are available on site. For more information, visit barac.org.uk. The Mid Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair 2025 will be held on the 7th of December at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry costs £3 per person, and there is no charge for partners and under-16s. For more details, contact Phil, G6DLJ, on 07990 563 147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com Now the Special Event news Special event station OZ90NRAU is active until the 7th of December to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the Nordic Radio Amateur Union. For more information, including details of awards that are available for working the station, visit QRZ.com Datta, VU2DSI, is active as AU2JCB until the 15th of December to commemorate the birthday of Indian physicist and radio pioneer Jagadish Chandra Bose. Listen for activity using SSB on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL directly to Datta's home call. Now the DX news Gabriele, HB9TSW, is active as Z68BG from Slatina Air Base near Pristina, Kosovo, until the 10th of December. He is operating using CW only. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via his home call. Red, DL1BUG is active as TY5FR from Cotonou, Benin, until the 11th of December. He is using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via DL1BUG directly or via the Bureau. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log. Now the contest news The CQ World Wide DX CW Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 29th, and ends at 2359 UTC today, Sunday, the 30th of November. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. The UK is in Zone 14. On Tuesday, the 2nd of December, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday, the 2nd of December, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 3rd, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 3rd, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. The ARRL 160m Contest starts at 2200 UTC on Friday, the 5th and ends at 1559 UTC on Sunday, the 7th of December. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report. American and Canadian stations also send their ARRL or RAC section reference. On Sunday, the 7th of December, the RSGB 144MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs from 1000 to 1400 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of November Last week was a mixed bag in terms of solar activity. Yes, we had geomagnetic disturbances, but they were never really that bad, with a maximum Kp index of 5, and that was for only one three-hour period. This was mainly due to two large coronal holes on the Sun, which saw the solar wind speed increase to around 700 to 740 kilometres per second. There have been coronal mass ejections, but these have been on the far side of the Sun and so didn't affect us. Meanwhile, the solar flux index has continued its downward trend, being in the range of 116 to 121 over the week. However, there has been DX to be worked. The CDXC Slack group reports ZD7VJ on St Helena Island has been logged on the 40m band using CW. 3G0YR on Easter Island, was also worked on the 40m band using CW. Many other stations have been setting up for the CQ World Wide CW Contest over the last week, so there have been plenty of DX stations around. The DXSummit website reports 3B8/E70A in Mauritius on the 15m band using FT8, VR2KF in Hong Kong on the 10m band using CW, and S21RW in Bangladesh on the 10m band using SSB. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will pick up, perhaps hitting 155 by the 1st of December and 175 by the 6th. Only time will tell if this prediction is correct. Meanwhile, the Kp index is forecast to start the coming week at 2, but then increase to 5 by Wednesday the 3rd. Quiet geomagnetic conditions were forecast for the duration of the CQ World Wide CW Contest. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The recent unsettled weather is continuing to dominate the big weather picture for the coming week or two. But with such a complex weather pattern, it is hard to be precise as to the predicted upcoming weather events and their timings. It's worth keeping a watch on forecasts from day to day to pick the bigger storms out in time and make sure your antennas are secure. Having said that, in propagation terms, this type of pattern is poor for any tropo prospects, and the best benefit is likely to be potential rain scatter from heavier rain. Last Wednesday saw some interesting dry-weather 24GHz propagation over the North Sea. At the Margate 24GHz WebSDR, the newly-repaired Flanders beacon ON0HVL was copiable all day until around 2000UTC, until a band of humid air hit the path from the West, taking out both ON0HVL and GB3PKT. The latter returned to normal on the morning of Thursday, the 27th.   We are now exiting the broader span of the Leonids meteor shower with a gap driven by random meteors until mid-December when the Geminids arrive. There have been a few minor auroral moments, although not particularly noteworthy in a radio sense. But in the absence of any tropo, perhaps it's still worth keeping an eye on the Kp index going above 5 to provide a little excitement. Lastly, we had some more out-of-season Sporadic-E on 50MHz last week, so keep an ear open for that. For EME operators, Moon declination is rising and went positive again on Saturday, the 29th. That means more Moon time and higher peak elevation in the coming week. Path losses are low and falling further as we approach perigee on Thursday, the 4th. 144MHz sky noise is low all week, climbing to moderate at the end of the week And that's all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 23rd of November The news headlines: Could your skills and experience support the RSGB Board? Let the Society know your plans for British Science Week 2026 The RSGB is looking for a volunteer Accessibility Champion Do you have skills and experience that would make you an asset to the RSGB Board? The RSGB elections process has begun, and there are two routes to becoming a Board Director. This week's focus is on Nominated Directors, and there are two vacancies this year. Nominated Directors are selected by the Society's Nominations Committee, and then the RSGB membership votes to endorse them at the AGM. The closing date for these vacancies is the 5th of December 2025, so don't delay! There is no functional difference between a Nominated or Elected Director, and all serve the Board in the same way for a three-year term. If you'd like to know more about what is required of an RSGB Board Director, the first step is to read the candidate pack for Elected Directors on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/elections  After that, if you'd like to express your interest in being a Nominated Director or would like an informal chat, email the RSGB Company Secretary, Stephen Purser, GW4SHF via company.secretary@rsgb.org.uk Preparations for British Science Week 2026 are already well underway. RSGB British Science Week Co-ordinator Professor Ian Neal, G7IGN, is working on guidance and activity suggestions that you could use to get involved. The annual event is a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths and is run by the British Science Association. It has chosen ‘curiosity' as its theme for 2026, which fits perfectly with amateur radio. This campaign is a brilliant opportunity for radio amateurs to share their passion with others. This could be through organising an open day for the local community, setting up a buildathon for a club evening, operating a special event station from your local library or even supervising your friends and family in making their first QSO – the options are endless. If this has piqued your interest, and you would like to share your thoughts, ideas and plans with Ian, get in touch via bsw@rsgb.org.uk. You can see what other people did last year and find the RSGB's resource bank at rsgb.org/bsw The RSGB is looking for a proactive and knowledgeable volunteer to serve as its new Accessibility Champion. This important role will focus on ensuring that people with disabilities can fully participate and enjoy everything that amateur radio has to offer. Key responsibilities of the role will be engaging with the amateur radio community, serving as a point of contact and signposting people to resources that can help them, as well as raising awareness of the challenges faced by individuals and sharing inspiring stories. If you have a strong understanding of accessibility issues, ideally with personal experience or professional expertise, and are passionate about inclusion within amateur radio, the Society would love to hear from you. If you're interested in finding out more, including having a chat about the role, please firstly read the full role description on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers  and then contact RSGB Board Director Nathan Nuttall, 2M0OCC. Did you see the Meteor Beacon Project presentation by Brian Coleman, G4NNS, at the RSGB Convention or on the Convention livestream? Would you like to explore the science that the project supports and be involved in the technical research and activities? Brian is creating a small group to contribute to the ongoing development of the project and will start to record, classify and analyse the data the system can already gather. If you'd like to know more about the project, you can watch Brian's presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB  If you'd like to be part of the ongoing development group, please contact Brian via brian@brcg4nns.org  for a chat about what would be involved. Today is the last day to give the RSGB HF Contest Committee your comments to help shape the rules for HF contests in 2026. The online survey includes questions on ‘Self-Spotting' and ‘Slow speed CW'. You can find the survey online via tinyurl.com/hfcontests Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday, the 30th of November, Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club's Rally is taking place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, County Durham. Traders, catering, ample parking and disabled facilities will be available. For more information and downloadable trader forms, visit barac.org.uk The Mid Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair 2025 will be held on the 7th of December at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry costs £3 per person and there is no charge for partners and under-16s. For more detail,s contact Phil, G6DLJ on 07990 563 147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com Now the Special Event news Special event station GB130WRD is active until the 30th of November to mark the 130th anniversary of the discovery of X-rays. Recently, the station was spotted using FT8 on the 40m band. QSL directly to M0KZT. See QRZ.com  for more information. Special callsign GB70RS is in use to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the RSGB's weekly news service GB2RS, which has been running continuously since the 25th of September 1955. A team of amateurs is using the callsign on a variety of bands and modes. QSL via the Bureau, Logbook of the World and eQSL. For more information, visit the GB70RS page at QRZ.com Now the DX news Phill, C21TS, is active from Nauru, OC-031, until the 30th of November. The station is often spotted on the HF bands using FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World or OQRS. Darek, TJ1GD, is operating as TL8GD from the Central African Republic until the 30th of November. He is using CW, FT8 and SSB on the HF bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World or via SP3EOL. Now the contest news On Tuesday the 25th, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 13cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 26th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday the 27th, the 3.5MHz RSGB Autumn Series CW Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The CQ World Wide DX CW Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 29th and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday, the 30th of November. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. The UK is in Zone 14. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of November After the solar mayhem we reported in last week's GB2RS News, the Sun has been relatively quiet over the past week. The maximum Kp index we saw was 4, on Monday, the 17th of November, but otherwise it was often below 1 or 2. The result is that the ionosphere has been more stable and DX has been more forthcoming. Unfortunately, this coincided with a drop in sunspot numbers, and the solar flux index fell from 163 on the 12th to 123 on Thursday, the 20th. However, 123 is still enough to get things moving, and we have seen some good DX being worked. CDXC's Slack chat group has reported several impressive contacts. VK9DX on Norfolk Island was worked on the 15m band using CW; ZL7/LZ1GC on the Chatham Islands was logged on the 40m band using CW; and S79/OK6RA in the Seychelles appeared on the 10m band using CW. Another interesting spot was JA7BXS on the 80m band using CW on the morning of Thursday, the 20th, showing that the low bands are becoming more interesting as we head into winter. DX on the 80m band has little to do with the solar flux index but can be influenced by geomagnetic disturbances; hence, these quieter periods have allowed the 40 and 80m bands to shine. For the coming week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may decline even more, perhaps down to 105 or 110. However, it does look like our run of quiet geomagnetic indices may come to an end, with a Kp index of 5 predicted for the 24th to the 27th of November. In fact, we could have unsettled geomagnetic conditions until the end of the month. So, this may be a good time to start concentrating on the lower bands, such as 40 and 80m. You never know, they might surprise you! And don't forget, the CQ World Wide CW Contest is taking place during the weekend of the 29th and 30th – always a good opportunity for DX. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The current spell of unsettled weather is very much in a cold phase, but although it continues to be unsettled, it will be milder and wetter in the coming week. Perhaps more important is that at times it will be very windy with gales in some areas. For propagation, this means that the one feature absent from the present charts is any high pressure to bring tropo conditions. This means that other modes take on more importance. Auroras have provided some recent interest and, although there's nothing dramatic in the immediate future, keep a watching brief for a rising Kp index. A good guide for impending activity is if the Kp index increases above 5. The rain scatter prospects are likely to be good during the coming week as several active frontal systems cross the country. Notably, the evening of Wednesday the 19th saw trans-North sea propagation visible on the Margate 24GHz WebSDR. This extended into the morning of Thursday the 19th, but unfortunately, no coastal stations were around to make QSOs. While rain scatter is a GHz band activity, on the lower band,s you may find some increase in static levels due to lightning activity or even snow static before the weather turns milder. There is not expected to be a strong showing of Sporadic-E in the coming week since we are well out of season. Southern UK stations should continue to watch out for fleeting F-layer DX openings on 50MHz, especially to Africa and Asia. For EME operators, the Moon's declination is at its lowest and negative all week, so Moon window lengths are short and peak elevation is low. We passed apogee on the 20th of November, so path losses are decreasing again. 144MHz sky noise is high today, the 23rd, but will become lower as the week progresses. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

This week saw a report by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman about the terrible abuse that occurred at Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham. I covered this case in July 2017 so this is a re-release this episode with an introduction and a conclusion including some of the findings of the report and what happens next.If you haven't listened to this episode before or are unfamiliar with the events that took place at Medomsley I urge you to listen as it really as one of the most shocking stories you will ever hear.Find out more about me and the UK True Crime Podcasthttps://uktruecrime.comTrue Crime Catch Uphttps://audioalways.lnk.to/TrueCrimeCatchUp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GB2RS News Sunday, the 16th of November 2025 The news headlines: Nominations for the RSGB 2026 Elections are now open The RSGB National Radio Centre to host ‘Build your own radio' workshops Ofcom has agreed to the RSGB request to extend the 146-147MHz NoV for a further year Could your skills and experience help to shape the RSGB's activities? The Society's year starts and ends at the AGM, and it is seeking proactive and enthusiastic members with the right skills who would like to become a Director of the Society or a Regional Representative. There are vacancies for two Nominated Directors, two Elected Directors and three Regional Representatives. Nominated Directors are selected by the Society's Nominations Committee, and then RSGB members vote to endorse them as part of the AGM voting. The closing date for these vacancies is the 5th of December 2025. If you're interested in either the Elected Director or Regional Representative roles, you can find the candidate packs and application forms on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/elections. The application deadline for the elected roles is the 31st of January 2026. If you'd like to find out more about any of these vacancies, please email the RSGB Company Secretary, Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at company.secretary@rsgb.org.uk  The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park is hosting another of its popular ‘Build your own radio' workshops. Morning and afternoon sessions will be held on Sunday, the 23rd of November and will offer young people aged between 12 and 18 years the opportunity to learn more about amateur radio and electronics. The workshops will use simple tools for participants to build their own VHF FM broadcast receiver, which they can take home with them. Attendance at the workshop costs £11. To find out more and to secure a place, visit bletchleypark.org.uk  and search for ‘Build your own radio'. Ofcom has agreed to the RSGB request to extend the 146-147MHz Notice of Variation for a further year. It is available on a non-interference basis and is subject to a 30-day notice period of change or withdrawal. Ofcom's objective in making this spectrum available is to encourage amateurs to experiment and test new communications schemes and systems. The RSGB VHF Manager would therefore welcome reports of innovative use of the spectrum to support future discussions. Please email him via vhf.manager@rsgb.org.uk. Full licence holders can apply for the 146-147MHz NoV on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/nov Listeners may also be interested to know that Ofcom has released a video that aims to guide how to use its recently updated licence portal. As well as other topics, the video contains information on how to change your amateur radio callsign and how to apply for a special event station NoV. You can watch the video at tinyurl.com/2025ofcom  The RSGB VHF Contest Committee is currently planning the rules for the 2026 VHF contests. Following some discussion at the RSGB Convention, the committee members have some questions on which they would appreciate feedback from contestants. The survey will close at 11.59 pm on Sunday, the 23rd of November. You can find the survey online via tinyurl.com/vhfsurvey December is all about encouraging young radio amateurs to get on the amateur radio bands. The month will kickstart on Monday, the 1st of December, when members of the RSGB youth team will give Tonight@8 viewers an insight into what a Youngsters on the Air summer camp is like. Team members will talk about some of the activities they enjoyed and how they will be encouraging other young people to get involved in amateur radio in the coming year. They will be joined by RSGB Board Director, Ben Lloyd, GW4BML and RSGB Youth Chair and School Youth Champion, Chris Aitken, MM0WIC, who will give an overview of recent youth activities and engagement and outline the RSGB Youth Team's plans for 2026. December is also your opportunity to support young radio amateurs. One of the ways you can do this is by hosting special callsign GB25YOTA, which will be active throughout the month. The special event station can be hosted by individuals, clubs, schools and universities or youth groups such as Scouts, Girlguiding and Cadets. This is a brilliant opportunity to show young people what amateur radio has to offer. Get involved now by going to rsgb.org/yota-month  to reserve your operating slot. The Bath-based Distance Learning team is planning to run a new Intermediate licence training course in January with exams in June. The training is free, but applicants must work through some pre-course material and complete a quiz before Christmas to be eligible for a place. This work focuses on the new Foundation topics that have been introduced to the exam since September 2019. The deadline for applications is Friday, the 5th of December. To request full details and an application form, email BBDL team leader Steve, G0FUW, at g0fuw@bbdl.org.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.  And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday, the 30th of November, Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club Rally is taking place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, County Durham. Traders, catering, ample parking and disabled facilities will be available. For more information and downloadable trader forms, visit barac.org.uk Mid Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair 2025 will be held on Sunday, the 7th of December at Winkleigh Sports & Recreation Centre. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry costs £3 per person and there is no charge for partners and under-16s. For more details, contact Phil, G6DLJ on 07990 563 147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com Now the Special Event news Special callsign GB50AUK is active until the 28th of November to celebrate the 50th anniversary of AMSAT-UK. QSOs will be uploaded to at least eQSL, Logbook of the World and the QO-100 DX Club. To find out more, visit amsat-uk.org To celebrate the 39th anniversary of the European DX Foundation, several special callsigns are active until the 30th of November. To view a list of participating stations and read information about an award that is available for working them, visit tinyurl.com/eudxf39 Now the DX news Maurizio, IK2GZU, is active as 5H3MB from Tanzania until the 20th of November. He is operating using CW, digital modes and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL, or directly to IK2GZU. Stan, LZ1GC is active as ZL7/LZ1GC from the Chatham Islands, OC-038, until the 20th of November. He is operating CW, SSB, FT4 and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS is preferred, or via LZ1GC directly. For more information and updates, visit c21gc.com Now the contest news Tomorrow, the 17th, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2200 UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.                        On Tuesday the 18th, the RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 20th, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of November 2025 Last week saw one of the most dramatic auroral events of this cycle. Three X-class solar flares, which sparked coronal mass ejections, joined together to give us a peak Kp index of 8.67, with a solar wind speed in excess of 950 kilometres per second. The result was extensive visible aurora in the US and Canada, although clouds prevented much of its visibility in the UK. The good news from a radio point of view was that the solar wind's Bz, or interplanetary magnetic field, mostly pointed north or was neutral in the latter stages. This saved the Earth from a lot of its effects. The next day, HF propagation appeared to be almost normal with maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, over a 3,000km path still exceeding 24MHz at times. By Thursday the 13th, it was mostly over 28MHz, although there were times it dropped dramatically, and signals were weak and watery at best. You could tell that there had been some disruption to HF by a lack of spots on the CDXC Slack group. While Stan, ZL7/LZ1GC on Chatham Island had been spotted on the 11th, there was very little to report the next day as the Kp index rose to 5. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux will remain in the 160 to 170 range. However, we can expect a repeat of unsettled geomagnetic conditions this weekend, possibly due to a large coronal hole that became Earth-facing on the 13th. Likewise, the 20th and 21st of November may be unsettled, with a predicted maximum Kp index of 4. After the following weekend, we can also expect more unsettled conditions, especially around the 24th to the 27th, which could see the Kp index rise to 5 or even higher. Expect decreased MUFs and less HF activity if this is the case. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The current spell of unsettled weather is likely to continue into the coming week. High pressure is always being kept at arm's length, so there is no real tropo flavour to proceedings. The rain prospects are very strong, with, if anything, too much rain in some areas. During the coming week, colder northerly air will mean that some snow is possible on the northern hills. So there remains a possibility of rain scatter on the GHz bands. After the recent auroral activity, the prospects are worth considering, although it would be surprising if a repeat of the exceptional event of last week were to happen. Nonetheless, stay alert to the Kp index going above 5 and check for activity on the 10, 6, 4 and 2m bands. The event of last week was triggered by three successive days of X-class flares, so for an early ‘heads-up' start with the Sun. The foEs graphs on propquest.co.uk  were interesting for the evening of the Autumn Series contest on the 12th of November. There were some rapid changes in propagation as paths were affected by the F2-layer one minute and Sporadic-E the next.  It is occasionally worth examining the graphs now and again to relate perceived conditions from the radio speaker to actual measurements of the ionosphere. Of course, the data from Dourbes is not necessarily what would have been recorded over the UK, but it gives a good flavour. The takeaway message is that although we think of Sporadic-E as a summer phenomenon, it can play a role outside the main season. Meteor scatter is certainly in the frame this week since the Leonids meteor shower peaks tomorrow, the 17th of November. Since meteors also play a part in Sporadic-E propagation, there is another reason to check the foEs graphs for out-of-season activity. For EME operators, the Moon's declination went negative again on Saturday, the 15th, so Moon window lengths and peak elevation fall accordingly. Path losses are increasing to a maximum at apogee on the 20th of November. 144MHz sky noise is low during all of the coming week except for the whole of Thursday, when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

In December 1993, 25-year-old father of two Paul Logan was lured from his home in Consett, County Durham, by a mysterious late-night phone call. Hours later, his body was found in a frozen field on the outskirts of town - brutally beaten in what detectives described as a targeted and pre-planned attack.Despite hundreds of witnesses interviewed, countless leads, and several arrests, no one has ever been charged with Paul's murder. Rumours of underworld links, false accusations, and community silence have clouded the case for over thirty years, leaving Paul's family still searching for the truth.In this episode of British Murders, I revisit one of the North East's most haunting unsolved cases - a crime that shocked a tight-knit community and continues to baffle detectives decades later.If you have any information about the murder of Paul Logan, please contact Northumbria Police on 101, or reach out anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.Join my Patreon community at patreon.com/britishmurders for exclusive perks, including early access to ad-free episodes, exclusive episodes and content, exciting giveaways, and welcome goodies! It's quick to sign up and you'll save 20% if you choose an annual membership. NOTE: Perks are only available to members of my 'Armchair Detectives' and 'Inner Circle' tiers.Follow me on social media:Facebook | British Murders with Stuart BluesInstagram | @britishmurdersJoin the private Facebook group:British Murders Podcast - Discussion GroupVisit my website:britishmurders.comIntro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣davidjohnbrady.comDisclaimer:The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this 38th and 39th Patreon specials, Monster Month continues as in this enormous two part special - both episodes of which will be released this month - I do something a bit different as I go in search of a big cat seen across County Durham more than 200 times since the 1990s. It was most recently seen just this summer by a man who described seeing a two metre long, black, machine of a beast. Joined by my fellow monster hunters John and David, we explore three of the sighting hotspots as we attempt to locate the Durham Puma. Get access to the both episodes at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/howhauntedpod.⁠ If you don't wish to subscribe to Patreon, but would still like to hear this episode, all Patreon exclusive episodes are available to be purchased individually for a one off fee of £4.99. Check out the Patreon link to find out more. Find out more about the pod at www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at rob@how-haunted.com Music in this episode includes: "Darren Curtis - Demented Nightmare" " HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer, filmmaker and co-host of the Box Office GROSS podcast Rob Stammitti joins me from Pittsburgh to begin a miniseries on the UK cult band Prefab Sprout, a critically acclaimed band that sold millions of albums and yet didn't become as huge as they deserved to be. They were hard to categorize, barely toured outside of continental Europe and were somewhat out of step with prevailing trends in popular music in their day and still left behind a fascinating body of work that more people should be aware of.In part one we discuss arriving late to the game in discovering Prefab Sprout and the long shadow Paddy McAloon casts on modern music before returning to the origin story in County Durham, England, their attention-getting early singles and then track-by-track on their 1984 debut LP Swoon (Songs Written Out Of Necessity). McAloon throws down the gauntlet here, combining post-punk with Bacharach and Broadway influences to create a stunning set at odds with the commercial trends of the era, songs about hard-to-express emotions presented in complex arrangements, which also served as a portrait of the artist as a young man and his declaration of intent, which included projecting an insane youthful self-confidence in his own greatness and great scorn for his contemporaries, wanting to be compared to Sondheim, not Spandau Ballet.Along the way we discuss the importance of Wendy Smith's voice, the Steely Dan factor, Paddy's “Shots Fired” diss tracks, and some of our favourite moments from Swoon that we hope will Sproutpill the uninitiated.Follow Rob Stammitti on Bluesky, subscribe to his Substack, visit his YouTube page and listen to his podcast with Brian Schmid, Box Office GROSS.“Side by Side with Sondheim – Swoon and the Great American Musical”, from the Sproutology website, a great resource for the Sproutpilled.Music video for Don't Sing, Prefab Sprout, 1984

fWotD Episode 3067: Stockton and Darlington Railway Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 27 September 2025, is Stockton and Darlington Railway.The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863. The world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, its first line connected collieries near Shildon with Darlington and Stockton in County Durham, and was officially opened on 27 September 1825. The movement of coal to ships rapidly became a lucrative business, and the line was soon extended to a new port at Middlesbrough. While coal waggons were hauled by steam locomotives from the start, passengers were carried in coaches drawn by horses until carriages hauled by steam locomotives were introduced in 1833.The S&DR was involved in building the East Coast Main Line between York and Darlington, but its main expansion was at Middlesbrough Docks and west into Weardale and east to Redcar. It suffered severe financial difficulties at the end of the 1840s and was nearly taken over by the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway, before the discovery of iron ore in Cleveland and the subsequent increase in revenue meant it could pay its debts. At the beginning of the 1860s it took over railways that had crossed the Pennines to join the West Coast Main Line at Tebay and Clifton, near Penrith.The company was taken over by the North Eastern Railway in 1863, transferring 200 route miles (320 route kilometres) of line and about 160 locomotives, but continued to operate independently as the Darlington Section until 1876. S&DR opening was seen as proof of steam railway effectiveness and its anniversary was celebrated in 1875, 1925 and 1975. Much of the original route is now served by the Tees Valley Line, operated by Northern. In 2025, the Stockton and Darlington Railway celebrates the 200th anniversary of its opening.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:30 UTC on Saturday, 27 September 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Stockton and Darlington Railway on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Danielle.

For all Louise's work pertaining to greyhounds, see the links below:Underdogs (2nd July 2026):A novel about a 10 year old County Durham boy and his unemployed father who become involved in a greyhound gambling ring led by a charismatic former miner:Book pre-order:https://www.waterstones.com/book/underdogs/louise-powell//9781399828819An Advertisement for Moorfields / A Dirge for the Dogshttps://youtu.be/QnFtEkcVH8g?feature=shared&t=1281This Used To Be A...https://youtu.be/8TLclLsae18?feature=sharedThis Place Is Going to the Dogshttps://youtu.be/jPhOsBc4jIw?feature=sharedDOGPEOPLEhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3KMSRKzBlwyfdBrN4d4S5QThe Pitmen FlappersBBC Sounds - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00181c0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, James is joined by cycling journalist and author Chris Sidwells, to explore the life and times of Britain's most storied rider, Tom Simpson, on the eve of Simpson's historic World Championships win, 60 years ago, almost to the day.As Simpson's nephew (his mother was Simpson's sister), Chris is uniquely placed to tell us the tale of the miner's son from County Durham who'd become the first Briton to wear the yellow jersey in, winning countless races including three of the five Monuments along the way. As most will know, the end of the Simpson story is a tragic one, but while Chris talks candidly about that day on Mont Ventoux and the situation leading up to it, he's also here to remember Simpson as the trail-blazing, mercurial rider, whose palmarès deserves to be the thing we remember him for most.So sit back and enjoy stories you may have heard before, only uniquely told with hidden insights, plus many more stories you haven't, as we celebrate the extraordinary feats of Mr Tom.From 7th-14th September, Chris and his Cycling Legends friends will be hosting an extended Tom Simpson Cycling Festival in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, which includes sportives, cycling talks and films, the Tom Simpson Museum reopening, and the return of the Retro Weekender, replete with Simpson Retro Ride, Best in Show vintage bike competition and all manner of cycle-centric fun, from grass track racing to the retro bike jumble. See cyclinglegends.co.uk .Interview begins at 5.40-----------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not every Tudor story ends in scandal, downfall, or execution. Some are about loyalty, courage, and quiet strength. On this day in Tudor history, 20th August 1580, Sir George Bowes—a loyal soldier, administrator, and one of Elizabeth I's most dependable northern men—died peacefully at his home in Streatlam, County Durham. Bowes may not be a household name, but his story is one of unshakeable service during some of Elizabeth's most turbulent years. In this video, I'll share how Bowes: - Held Barnard Castle under siege for two weeks during the 1569 Rising of the North - Escorted Mary, Queen of Scots into captivity after her flight from Scotland - Served as Marshal of Berwick, Justice of the Peace, Sheriff, and member of the Council of the North - Raised 15 children across two marriages, while balancing duty and family - Became one of the quiet but essential figures holding Elizabeth's kingdom together Unlike many Tudor figures, Bowes died of natural causes at the age of 53 and was laid to rest in Barnard Castle Church.  If you enjoyed this story, please like the video, subscribe to my channel for more Tudor history, and tap the bell so you don't miss my next Tudor tale. For even more exclusive Tudor content—like a monthly magazine, printable resources, and live Zoom calls—click the Join button and become part of my Tudor Court here on YouTube.

First: how Merkel killed the European dream ‘Ten years ago,' Lisa Haseldine says, ‘Angela Merkel told the German press what she was going to do about the swell of Syrian refugees heading to Europe': ‘Wir schaffen das' – we can handle it. With these words, ‘she ushered in a new era of uncontrolled mass migration'. ‘In retrospect,' explains one senior British diplomat, ‘it was pretty much the most disastrous government policy of this century anywhere in Europe.' The surge of immigrants helped swing Brexit, ‘emboldened' people-traffickers and ‘destabilised politics' across Europe. Ten years on, a third of the EU's member states within the Schengen area have now imposed border controls. Can freedom of movement survive in its current form? Lisa joined the podcast alongside Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent for The Times. Next: the cultural impact of the railways It's been 200 years since the world's first public train travelled from Shildon to Stockton – across County Durham. Richard Bratby argues that this marked the start of a new era for Britain and the world: ‘no invention between the printing press and the internet has had as profound a cultural impact as the railways'.  How can we explain the romantic appeal of the railways? Richard joined the podcast to discuss, alongside Christian Wolmar, author of over twenty books about the railways including The Liberation Line.And finally: who is the Greatest Of All Time?What do Lionel Messi, Roger Federer and Tom Brady have in common? Their acolytes would argue that they are the GOAT of their sport – the Greatest Of All Time. Why are fans so obsessed with the GOAT label? Are pundits guilty of recency bias? And does it really matter anyway? Journalist Patrick Kidd joined the podcast to discuss, alongside the Spectator's Sam McPhail.Plus: Madeline Grant asks why not show J.D. Vance the real Britain? Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

First: how Merkel killed the European dream ‘Ten years ago,' Lisa Haseldine says, ‘Angela Merkel told the German press what she was going to do about the swell of Syrian refugees heading to Europe': ‘Wir schaffen das' – we can handle it. With these words, ‘she ushered in a new era of uncontrolled mass migration'. ‘In retrospect,' explains one senior British diplomat, ‘it was pretty much the most disastrous government policy of this century anywhere in Europe.' The surge of immigrants helped swing Brexit, ‘emboldened' people-traffickers and ‘destabilised politics' across Europe. Ten years on, a third of the EU's member states within the Schengen area have now imposed border controls. Can freedom of movement survive in its current form? Lisa joined the podcast alongside Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent for The Times. Next: the cultural impact of the railways It's been 200 years since the world's first public train travelled from Shildon to Stockton – across County Durham. Richard Bratby argues that this marked the start of a new era for Britain and the world: ‘no invention between the printing press and the internet has had as profound a cultural impact as the railways'.  How can we explain the romantic appeal of the railways? Richard joined the podcast to discuss, alongside Christian Wolmar, author of over twenty books about the railways including The Liberation Line.And finally: who is the Greatest Of All Time?What do Lionel Messi, Roger Federer and Tom Brady have in common? Their acolytes would argue that they are the GOAT of their sport – the Greatest Of All Time. Why are fans so obsessed with the GOAT label? Are pundits guilty of recency bias? And does it really matter anyway? Journalist Patrick Kidd joined the podcast to discuss, alongside the Spectator's Sam McPhail.Plus: Madeline Grant asks why not show J.D. Vance the real Britain? Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

Send us a textYou will not of heard this story before. Christmas Castletown, Sunderland, County Durham.  A grandad feeling story for himself and ignored by his family decides to do something about it. December 1966.Recorded in one take without editing.

The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts sees me discuss with polling expert Steve Akehurst what has happened to Labour's July 2024 vote. We dive into the characteristics of those who voted for Starmer but are now flirting with Farage, as well as ask whether those folk are really the whole story. Show notes Getting to know ‘Reform curious Labour voters' by Steve Akehurst. What would make Labour defectors more positive about Labour? The problems with polling averages. Labour's problem is a Michael Barber not a Morgan McSweeney one. Pollsters split over what's happened to Labour's 2024 vote: I have now done the crosstabs analysis we talk about on the show. The County Durham by-election mentioned on the show. Steve Akehurst on Bluesky. Theme tune by Hugo Lee. Downing Street street name sign: photo by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay and used under the Pixabay license. New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes. Enjoy the show? Spread the word Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises UK borrowing costs fall as investors nerves ease The worst moment of my life should not become your viral video Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers due to French strike Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Meteor seen over Scotlands skies Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath bow out Rocks wildest frontman prepares for one last show Lisa Nandy not satisfied with BBC response on Bob Vylans Glastonbury set Superman premiere What would superhero make of the world today

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv UK borrowing costs fall as investors nerves ease The worst moment of my life should not become your viral video Meteor seen over Scotlands skies Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers due to French strike Lisa Nandy not satisfied with BBC response on Bob Vylans Glastonbury set Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath bow out Rocks wildest frontman prepares for one last show Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Superman premiere What would superhero make of the world today

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath bow out Rocks wildest frontman prepares for one last show Meteor seen over Scotlands skies Superman premiere What would superhero make of the world today Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers due to French strike The worst moment of my life should not become your viral video UK borrowing costs fall as investors nerves ease Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Lisa Nandy not satisfied with BBC response on Bob Vylans Glastonbury set

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv UK borrowing costs fall as investors nerves ease Superman premiere What would superhero make of the world today County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate Lisa Nandy not satisfied with BBC response on Bob Vylans Glastonbury set The worst moment of my life should not become your viral video Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Meteor seen over Scotlands skies Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers due to French strike Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath bow out Rocks wildest frontman prepares for one last show

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Reeves tearful moment raises big questions at top of Labour PM says new plan will fundamentally rewire the NHS Search teams find boys body in the River Waveney in Beccles Tibet is silent as Dalai Lama turns 90, BBC finds Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Scorching European heatwave turns deadly in Spain and France Rachel Reeves going nowhere, says No 10 after Commons tears County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Former head of Royal Navy sacked over behaviour

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Reeves tearful moment raises big questions at top of Labour Rachel Reeves going nowhere, says No 10 after Commons tears Former head of Royal Navy sacked over behaviour Scorching European heatwave turns deadly in Spain and France PM says new plan will fundamentally rewire the NHS Search teams find boys body in the River Waveney in Beccles Tibet is silent as Dalai Lama turns 90, BBC finds Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Former head of Royal Navy sacked over behaviour Tibet is silent as Dalai Lama turns 90, BBC finds Scorching European heatwave turns deadly in Spain and France County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Reeves tearful moment raises big questions at top of Labour PM says new plan will fundamentally rewire the NHS Search teams find boys body in the River Waveney in Beccles Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate Rachel Reeves going nowhere, says No 10 after Commons tears

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv PM says new plan will fundamentally rewire the NHS Dramatic moment Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate Reeves tearful moment raises big questions at top of Labour County Durham women fall ill as fake Botox beautician apologises Rachel Reeves going nowhere, says No 10 after Commons tears Scorching European heatwave turns deadly in Spain and France Search teams find boys body in the River Waveney in Beccles Sean Diddy Combs Secret world revealed in voice notes and videos Former head of Royal Navy sacked over behaviour Tibet is silent as Dalai Lama turns 90, BBC finds

Our first guest Hugh Williams recounts his close encounter with a big cat on a Worcestershire hillside. He also runs the Mysteries of Mercia website which explores quirks of history and folklore in the midlands and Mercia. As well as discussing his panther incident, Hugh mentions other big cat sightings he's heard of and even a dogman description he's received. He also considers the treatment of big cats in folklore, he touches on the black dog phenomenon, and he and Rick consider the black panthers reported in eastern Canada where Hugh is currently based.    Our second guest Graham describes his recent incidents involving a large cat in County Durham. He and his dog were growled at from close quarters one winter evening, then months later, just a week before this podcast recording, they came close to a black panther at dusk.  Graham explains how he's been coming to terms with the reality of big cats in the first few days after the experience. Both Hugh and Graham mention a feeling of ‘joining a club' after their cat encounters.  Word of the week:   liminal22 June 2025 

50-year-old Simon Vickers was the very definition of a devoted father. He lived in a modest suburban semi just outside of Darlington in County Durham with his long-time partner, Sarah Hall, and their 14-year-old daughter, Scarlett. Friends described him as hands-on, affectionate, and utterly devoted to his only child. So why then, on the evening of July 5th, while Sarah stood at the stove cooking spaghetti Bolognese for her family, did Simon drive a kitchen knife eleven centimetres into Scarlett's chest? Why would a loving father turn into a killer in the blink of an eye? What darkness was simmering beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary home? In this episode, we peel back the layers of this devastating family tragedy as we attempt to answer these questions. If you would like access to exclusive bonus content and to support us on Patreon, you can find us here: w⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.patreon.com/seeingredpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code 7DC64 for 50% off your first month! Code only valid until 24.06.25. Cancel anytime. If you would like to GIFT a Patreon membership to a special someone, head to www.patreon.com/seeingredpodcast/gift If you would like to buy us a coffee (or wine!), hit the link below: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/seeingredtw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get your merch here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.seeingredpodcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Theme music arranged and composed by Holly-Jane Shears - check her work out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soundcloud.com/DeadDogInBlackBag⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Co-Producer: Ade Parsley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

50-year-old Simon Vickers was the very definition of a devoted father. He lived in a modest suburban semi just outside of Darlington in County Durham with his long-time partner, Sarah Hall, and their 14-year-old daughter, Scarlett. Friends described him as hands-on, affectionate, and utterly devoted to his only child. So why then, on the evening of July 5th, while Sarah stood at the stove cooking spaghetti Bolognese for her family, did Simon drive a kitchen knife eleven centimetres into Scarlett's chest? Why would a loving father turn into a killer in the blink of an eye? What darkness was simmering beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary home? In this episode, we peel back the layers of this devastating family tragedy as we attempt to answer these questions. If you would like access to exclusive bonus content and to support us on Patreon, you can find us here: w⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.patreon.com/seeingredpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code 7DC64 for 50% off your first month! Code only valid until 24.06.25. Cancel anytime. If you would like to GIFT a Patreon membership to a special someone, head to www.patreon.com/seeingredpodcast/gift If you would like to buy us a coffee (or wine!), hit the link below: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/seeingredtw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get your merch here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.seeingredpodcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Theme music arranged and composed by Holly-Jane Shears - check her work out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soundcloud.com/DeadDogInBlackBag⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Co-Producer: Ade Parsley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bridging gaps. Lumps in throats. It's Volunteers Week in the UK. parkrun hits 11-million registrations. A new participant makes parkrun a 'habit'. Nicola overcame FOMO by going to Riverside parkrun in County Durham and then Newark parkrun. Plus a big Thing for Danny as he went to Stockholm, visiting Judarskogen parkrun and then his 500th different event at Haga parkrun. (And a nice mention for Meon Valley Trail parkrun, Wickham just before that).

With Nigel Farage's Reform UK muscling in to key parts of the country, Westminster Insider Host Sascha O'Sullivan speaks to politicians through the North of England, where Labour has an uphill battle to convince their heartlands they can be trusted. Sascha speaks to Labour MP Josh Simons, whose seat of Makerfield had one of the highest proportion of votes for Reform without actually voting in one of the party's MP. Simons tells Sascha about his plans to convince his voters that Westminster – and the Labour Party – speak for them, and how finally building one road, first earmarked as necessary in 1949, could be a symbol for this. And Sascha heads to Darlington, in the North East of the country, where Labour MP Lola McEvoy has competition from Reform, who took over the council in County Durham just 5 miles south, and the Tory stronghold of Tees `Valley, led by Mayor Ben Houchen. Labour MP and member of the Blue Labour group Jonathan Hinder explains why Labour has become disconnected from it's working class roots in the North and how practical initiatives and investment will only go so far. Zoe Billingham, director of the IPPR North, tells Sascha why Boris Johnson's "levelling up" agenda spoke to these voters and how the failure to deliver on many of these promises made Labour's challenge harder. Former Tory MP for Boston and Skegness Matt Warman explains how Reform UK managed to win his constituency – and what it will take for some of these Labour MPs to fend them off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suzanne Vega has just released her first album of all-new material for nearly a decade. "Flying With Angels" continues her folk-influenced sound and introduces influences of soul as well as a song in tribute to Bob Dylan's "I Want You". She performs in the studio with guitarist Gerry Leonard.Sean Combs aka P Diddy is on trial in New York, charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. We look at the first day's proceedingsAnd there's a unique community-led production of Bertolt Brecht's play Mother Courage and her Children, taking place in Horden, County Durham. The cast combines a unique combination of newly trained-up actors drawn from the surrounding area and established South African actors. We speak to drector Mark Dornford-May and first time professional actor, Julie Ainsell.Presenter Samira Ahmed

Jake and Max Newport, Founders of Finnmark Sauna, welcome Alex Lazarev & Robert Procopé to The Sauna Twins studio in County Durham. Alex and Robert are the Founders and Directors of The Bath House, located in Westminster, London. If you're unfamiliar with the exceptional services that The Bath House provides, here's a brief overview:‘'The Bath House is not an ordinary spa. It's about the hot and the cold. We blend the best in contemporary thermal therapy with the timeless magic of banya.A reserved table awaits you in the lounge. Then you choose the flow, from our oak-lined banya to icy plunge pool. Weave in traditional rituals, organic treatments, scrubs, massage, aromatic leaves, and extraordinary home-cooked food and drink. Or hire our private banya for special occasions. Whatever brings you here, you'll walk out feeling relaxed, uplifted, restored.''Here is a taste of what we covered: How was The Bath House formed?Robert and Alex's introduction to Sauna and BanyaWhat makes The Bath House so unique and a must-visit when in the London area?https://banyalondon.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/banya.in.belgravia/Jake and Max appreciated the opportunity to speak with Alex and Robert in person during their visit to the Finnmark Sauna HQ in Spennymoor. Brought to you by Finnmark Sauna Authentic Sauna Experiences https://www.finnmarksauna.com #authenticsauna #sauna #finnishsauna #saunatime #finnmarksauna #saunahealthbenefits #saunaresearch #research #studies #saunastudies #heattherapy 

For this episode we're joined by veteran music scribe Phil Sutcliffe to discuss his years on Sounds, Q and MOJO. We start by hearing about our guest's Beatles-obsessed adolescence in the North London suburb of Barnet, then follow him up to Manchester University and his subsequent apprenticeship on the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Phil explains how he got his foot in the door at Sounds in 1974, initially reviewing gigs on Tyneside before moving back to London to become one of the weekly magazine's key '70s writers. We discuss the paper's transition from Gentle Giant and Back Street Crawler to the Damned and the Sex Pistols — and to the interviews Phil did with County Durham punks Penetration and beloved Salford bard John Cooper Clarke.  From JCC's visit to the Oxford Poetry Festival in 1980, we turn our attention to the week's featured act — politicised post-punks Gang of Four — and thence to the more controversially reactionary Eric Clapton. Clips from John Hutchinson's 1981 audio interview with the guitar "God" prompt conversation about his musical evolution and the infamous 1976 outburst that inspired the launch of Rock Against Racism. After Mark quotes from newly-added library pieces about Joe Harriott (1964), Miles Davis (1969) and Al Green (1973), Jasper takes us out with his thoughts on articles about Courtney Love (1991), Snoop Dogg (2003) and Cardi B (2019). Please note that this episode was recorded before we learned of the very sad passings of former Gang Of Four bassist Dave Allen and Malian superstar Amadou Bagayoko — along with Phil Sutcliffe's fellow Sounds contributor Sandy Robertson. Many thanks to special guest Phil Sutcliffe. Pieces discussed: The Beatles: I Was A Beatlemaniac, Penetration: Anarchy In County Durham, The Bard Of Beasley Street At The Seat Of Learning, Gang of Four: Dialectics Meet Disco, Gang Of Four: The Revolution Lightens Up, Andy Gill meets Andy Gill, Eric Clapton audio, Eric Clapton: Out of the Darkness, Joe Harriott: Jazz Abstractionist, Miles Davis: In a Silent Way, Hole: Calling the Tune, Snoop Dogg and Welcome to the Cardi Party.

Today, we chat to Roisin Taylor, a passionate advocate for sustainable food systems and a 2023 Nuffield Scholar. Roisin's journey into agriculture is anything but conventional—growing up in rural County Durham, she spent a decade working on farms before diving into academia, where her interests in anthropology and social structures led her back to the land.

We're on a break at the moment, researching and writing our sixth series, but, to fill the gap, this is the third of six new compilation episodes containing a trio of stories from across our earlier series. We've entitled this episode Three Murders, as these stories are all about people being “done in” by nefarious means. They include our second-lap County Durham story, The Cold Lad, our recent Huntingdonshire story, The Witches of Warboys, and our Oxfordshire story from Series 4, The Taste of Lightning.We really hope you enjoy them, and will be back with another new compilation episode next Monday!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I know, I know you don't use a travel agent any longer. But the service offered by Lyne Barlow, an independent travel agent in County Durham was incredible - way cheaper than everyone else and when you asked her why she would say that the bigger players ripped you off. And all your family and friends were using her and getting great deals on dream holidays. Why not get yourself a deal?But unfortunately, that old adage about if something seems too good to be true it usually is, held true with the agency operated by Lyne Barlow. But her scale of deception was staggering....Support me at Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrimeFind out all about UK True Crimehttps://linktr.ee/uktruecrimeSourceshttps://www.uktruecrime.com/2024/09/17/the-travel-agent/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we speak to Fiona Hill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, former presidential adviser to George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump and Labour's new defence adviser.Fiona Hill was born in Bishop Auckland in County Durham before studying Russian at university and moving to the US. She testified during Trump's first impeachment trial and is now advising the Labour government on their Strategic Defence Review.You can submit evidence to the Strategic Defence Review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/strategic-defence-review-2024-call-for-evidence. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhereNewscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Miranda Slade with Gemma Roper. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.