A popular salad chain closed one of its locations after a health department report found cockroaches present in the restaurant.
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Over 50 more cases of salmonella have been confirmed – amid a major outbreak linked to imported eggs – as health officials scramble to control the spread.
In what could be a legal grey area, motorists are likely to face two distinct scenarios – but one thing is clear: you must not contravene a red illuminated light
A lawyer set out what motorists can and can’t do in such a scenario
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It is one of life’s great annoyances, but a lawyer has explained what motorists can and can’t do if temporary traffic lights stay stuck on red. It’s a potential legal grey area, and moving through a red light in these circumstances could leave drivers exposed. That said, the Highway Code is clearer on what to do when the lights have stopped working altogether.
Barrister Daniel J. ShenSmith posed the question many drivers face when temporary lights appear to be stuck on red: Do you wait or drive on? He said the law is set out in Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which says you must not contravene a red illuminated light.
He added that of the two scenarios that may arise, the one involving lights that have failed completely is “slightly easier” to navigate, as the position is clearly set out in Rule 176 of the Highway Code.
Entirely broken lights
It reads that: “You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely, or you are taking up a position to turn right.
“If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.”
Daniel says this clearly covers situations where the lights aren’t working at all: drivers should treat it as an unmarked junction and proceed carefully. But he adds it’s not as straightforward when the set-up is more “nuanced”.
The lights are stuck on red
He set out a scenario in which the light stays red. It becomes clear the signals aren’t working properly, especially if you’ve watched a couple of streams of traffic come from the other direction without your light changing.
Daniel explained on the BlackBeltBarrister YouTube channel: “This is not entirely straightforward because a broken light in that way is still illuminated, and so it doesn’t automatically count as not working under the Highway Code. And so the legal reality here is that it would still be a contravention of that traffic signal if you decide to proceed.”
So if a motorist decides to move past a red light after determining that it’s cycled through three times without changing, they’d “technically” still be contravening the red light, and it’s “highly dangerous” due to potential oncoming traffic.
“You might ultimately be liable for that, and there is, of course, no strict time limit after which you are permitted to contravene a red light. You are simply not allowed to do it, and the police can and quite likely will prosecute you for it.”
Potential solutions
As for a solution, Daniel says you will first have to wait for “several cycles” to determine, without question, that the light isn’t working. Second, you must contact the site number on the sign to inform those responsible.
You would, of course, have to do this “hands-free”, because you cannot have your phone in your hand or you’d be committing a separate offence. In ideal circumstances, you’d be able to seek advice this way.
If, however, you did decide to move past the red light, having determined that it was “absolutely clear” that it wasn’t working and you had no choice, “you might still be prosecuted” if you’re spotted doing so.
Daniel says you could inform the police that you tried everything within your power, including calling the number. He says the broken red light scenario isn’t defined in the Highway Code, but you could run it as a defence if prosecuted.
Legal reality
He added: “But apart from all that, the law is relatively clear. If there’s a red light, you must obey it. So there’s no law that says you can contravene it because you think it’s broken, unless it’s just not illuminated at all and it’s not working at all, in which case you deal with it as an unmarked junction.”
Daniel says it may ultimately depend on what happens in court. Driving through a red light is a strict-liability offence – meaning you can be guilty whether you intended to break the rules or not – but, as he puts it: “Is it in the public interest to prosecute you?”
A sexually transmitted skin infection dubbed ‘rain rot’ has hit the UK for the first time, amid soaring cases in Europe.
Police are at the scene of an incident on the A4232 in Cardiff and have warned there are long traffic delays in the area.
A South Wales Police spokesperson said: “We’re at the scene of an incident on the A4232 near to the Leckwith roundabout.
“There is heavy traffic on the northbound carriageway.
“Please avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. Thank you for your patience.”
Creating dementia-friendly hospital environments remains one of the most pressing challenges in modern nursing practice. For people living with dementia or cognitive impairment, a hospital admission can be distressing, disorientating, and overwhelming. This blog reflects on the establishment of the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) Meeting Centre and explores what can be achieved when person-centred care, third-sector collaboration, and nursing leadership come together.
The Role of Meeting Centres Scotland
Meeting Centres Scotland is a charitable organisation dedicated to developing inclusive, supportive spaces for people living with dementia and their families. These centres provide opportunities for meaningful activity, peer connection, and emotional support, while also offering practical guidance to care partners. The overarching vision is to establish a national network of Meeting Centres across Scotland, working collaboratively with communities, health and social care services, and academic partners to deliver personalised, relationship-based dementia support.
Why a Meeting Centre in a Hospital?
The RVH Meeting Centre (now named The Clubbie by members) was conceived with a clear purpose: to provide a dedicated, safe, and therapeutic space within RVH where people living with dementia and cognitive impairment and their families could be supported during hospital admission. Hospital environments can exacerbate confusion, anxiety, and distress for people with dementia, often leading to increased behavioural and psychological symptoms.
By integrating a Meeting Centre into the hospital setting, this project aimed to:
- Improve the hospital experience for people living with dementia
- Provide meaningful activity and social connection during admission
- Reduce stress and distress for patients, families, and staff
- Support workforce development and interprofessional learning
- Bridge the gap between hospital and community care by testing a new model to providing care
Crucially, the Meeting Centre model recognises that wellbeing is integral to recovery and rehabilitation, not separate from it.
Alignment with NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation Priorities
We are very grateful to the NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation for funding the project for two years. The project closely aligns with several key priorities of NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation.
Enhancing Patient Care and Wellbeing
Hospitalisation can be particularly stressful for people living with dementia. The Meeting Centre offers a calm, familiar environment where individuals can take part in cognitive stimulation, creative activities, gentle physical exercise, and social engagement tailored to their preferences and abilities. These interventions promote mental and physical wellbeing, reduce agitation, and support dignity and identity, contributing to more positive hospital experiences and outcomes.
Supporting Families and Care Partners
Families often experience significant emotional and physical strain during a loved one’s hospital admission. The Meeting Centre provides them with a welcoming space to receive support, share experiences, and access information about dementia care and community resources. This holistic approach reflects nursing values of family-centred care and recognises the wellbeing of care partners as an essential component of patient care.
Improving Staff Wellbeing and Retention
Caring for patients with complex dementia and cognitive impairment-related needs can be demanding for hospital staff. The Meeting Centre enables ward teams to refer patients for meaningful activity and specialist support, easing pressure on clinical areas and allowing nurses to focus on essential medical and rehabilitation needs. This model supports staff wellbeing and contributes to a more compassionate and sustainable workforce.
Innovating in Healthcare Education and Training
The Meeting Centre also functions as a training hub for nursing, medical, and social work students from the University of Dundee and Abertay University. Engaging with people living with dementia in a non-clinical, social environment gives students invaluable insight into lived experience, communication, and person-centred practice. This early exposure helps shape compassionate practitioners and strengthens future dementia care across professions.
Who Benefits?
The primary beneficiaries are people living with dementia and cognitive impairment admitted to RVH and their families. The Meeting Centre offers structured, supportive engagement at a time when unfamiliar surroundings and disrupted routines can be particularly unsettling. Families benefit from reassurance and stronger links to community-based services beyond discharge.
Hospital staff, including nursing, occupational therapy teams, physiotherapy teams and speech and language teams also benefit from reduced incidents of distress and a more integrated approach to dementia care. Importantly, students gain experiential learning that deepens understanding, enhances interpersonal skills, and supports the delivery of compassionate, relationship-based care throughout their careers.
Reflections at Our First Anniversary
The Meeting Centre celebrates its first anniversary in August 2026. A significant achievement. However, the journey has not been without challenges.
One early piece of learning was the extent of personal care needs among hospital patients, which far exceeded those seen in community-based Meeting Centres. Securing additional funding from NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation for two healthcare support workers was pivotal, ensuring that members’ personal care needs could be safely and compassionately met within the Meeting Centre. However, recruitment takes time – if we did this again, we would recruit prior to opening.
Operational challenges also emerged. For example, Meeting Centre staff and volunteers were initially unable to push patients in wheelchairs. Despite previous moving and handling training, additional NHS-approved training was required—a process that took several weeks and considerable negotiation. The qualifications that Meeting Centre staff had were not necessarily recognised by the NHS for example, in terms of Health and Safety and Infection Prevention and Control. This is partly due to this being the first project raising such questions. However, we now have answers to these questions which should make future expansion to the Meeting Centre much easier.
Clear communication proved essential but sometimes elusive. Referral criteria had to be revisited, paperwork simplified, and governance requirements such as information sharing agreements and Caldicott approvals navigated. Even seemingly straightforward tasks such as installing a cooker have taken over a year and remain unresolved. Fundamental to the success of the Meeting Centre is the dedication and skills of the Meeting Centre manager and staff.
From my own experience, getting early buy-in from managers was challenging which resulted in approaching various teams and services until the right people were around the table who shared the same vision and had the belief and determination to make things work. RVH became the obvious choice as the optimum place to test our hospital-based Meeting Centre. While the vast majority of NHS staff have been supportive and positive, there were moments where the capabilities and professionalism of our Meeting Centre colleagues were misunderstood. If we expand to include other services and areas, I would spend more time engaging with staff delivering hands-on care as well as strategic and operational leads from all professions. In terms of sustainability, plans are afoot to try to embed the Meeting Centre into the NHS model of care.
It is important to acknowledge that members are mostly hospital in-patients and formal rehabilitation must always remain paramount. However, the “Clubbie” itself is a form of rehabilitation—one that excels in delivering person-centred support and complements clinical rehabilitation. Collaboration between teams continues to grow, and the future is promising.
Other key learning has been the need for flexibility and problem-solving skills. Being the link between organisations, adapting to changing patient demographics, and responding to service pressures requires time, resilience, determination and creativity.
And finally, the million-dollar question—would I do it again? Absolutely. The physical, emotional, and social benefits observed in Clubbie members provide all the evidence needed to keep going. Establishing a Dementia Meeting Centre within a hospital is challenging, but it is also profoundly worthwhile. For nursing and all other professions involved in providing multi-disciplinary care, it represents a powerful opportunity to reimagine dementia care—one that places humanity, dignity, relationships and citizenship at its very heart.
Contributor: Dr Suzanne Gray, Dementia Nurse Consultant, NHS Tayside
The project is being formally evaluated by the University of Worcester. For any questions or requests for the interim research report please email: suzanne.gray5@nhs.scot
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Growing up in a sporty family, Nia has always been competitive and thrives on working to become the best version of herself.
All throughout school she took sport incredibly seriously which she believes allowed her to fully appreciate the value of time management, resilience and determination.
Having been capped for Wales’ Under 21s team, Nia has indeed embarked on an incredibly successful netball journey.
Playing for Wales was a huge honour for Wales, she reflected: “It makes you feel proud, it’s a privilege I’ll never take for granted.”
Singing the National Anthem prior to competing in her first international match is an intensely proud moment Nia looks back on – a moment she shared with her parents which they all will cherish forever.
Since playing for Wales internationally, Nia at 20 years old currently studies Psychology at the University of Exeter.
Alongside her studies she played for the BUCS 1st Team for the university.
Playing netball at university is a six day a week commitment for Nia.
Alongside matches she undertakes intense training, strength and conditioning programmes.
The camaraderie built from such intense circumstances though is very strong, Nia reflects that her experience playing such intense sport has been her social network at the university.
She elaborates: “I’ve met like-minded people, and I’m forever grateful for the contacts and friendships netball has given me. I feel some pressure is relieved by having my good friends on court with me.”
Nia commented on the commitment: “It can be really tricky to manage, especially with deadlines, but I find it really keeps me disciplined and on a routine, so in turn makes me more productive.”
Netball at Exeter was Nia’s first introduction into the professional netball world.
Playing sports at such a high level, she elaborates ‘has not only generated a turning point in my lifestyle but my netball standard.’
Indeed, while at school, Nia noted how she found playing netball challenging due to her friends going out so regularly and having fun.
However, naturally, she found it challenging to decline invitations to exciting social events during Sixth Form. She reflected that this, in turn, made her question whether playing netball was truly worth it.
Nonetheless, since time has passed, she can see the enormous value of her dedication to the sport and now feels extremely grateful for her opportunity to play the sport she loves so regularly.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police remain at the scene, with a road closure still in place whilst the vehicles are recovered
The accident took place on the A4067(Image: Google maps)
A motorcyclist has died after being involved in a crash with a van. The incident took place on the A4067 south of Cray, south Powys at around 11.45am.
It involved a white Citreon Berlingo van and a red Kawasaki motorbike. Paramedics attended the scene together with police.
Officers for Dyfed-Powys Police remain at the scene, with a road closure still in place whilst the vehicles are recovered. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter.
A police spokeswoman said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended to road traffic collision involving a white Citreon Berlingo van and a red Kawasaki motorbike on the A4067 south of Cray, south Powys.
“The collision was reported at around 11.45am this morning (August 26).
“Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the rider of the red Kawasaki motorbike was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
“A road closure remains in place while the vehicles are recovered.
“Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or has any information that could assist enquiries, is asked to get in touch.”
You can contact police by clicking here, e-mailing 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk or calling 101. Quote the reference DP-20260826-148.
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Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, is already having to make one of his gravest decisions. He has to issue the instructions that he alone gives to the military, setting out the UK response in a doomsday scenario of a nuclear weapons attack on us. He will, as I did two decades ago, sign a piece of paper telling commanders whether or not to retaliate and, if so, whether through targeting civilian conurbations or military sites. These instructions are written down in the aptly named “letter of last resort”.
Now, more than at any time since the 1960s Cuban missile crisis, the European public fears a third world war. With the nuclear Doomsday Clock developed by atomic scientists moving ever closer to midnight, and Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Poland and Germany contemplating either acquiring nuclear weapons or siting them on their soil, our world is descending from a rules-based order to a power-based one, where might is deemed right and brute force dominates.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has abandoned any pretence of supporting international law – “no one is ready to play by rules set by one person somewhere far away,” he has said – while China’s president Xi Jinping has warned that reunification with Taiwan “cannot be stopped by any force or anyone”. And with Donald Trump’s recent threat of genocide against the Iranian people – “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again” – and his further threat to even bomb an ally, Oman, the American president has demonstrated yet again his contempt for every single pillar of the previous US-led order: human rights, multilateral cooperation, humanitarian aid and the rule of law itself.
But what should give us a measure of hope, is that people’s rising fears of conflict are now matched by a clear demand that the world come together to counter this collapse into chaos. This has been revealed in a survey covering more than 36,000 people in 34 countries, conducted for my new book by Focaldata, on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation (for whom I am a trustee).
We asked a most demanding question: whether people would support “international cooperation”, even if it meant some compromise of their “country’s national interest”. The 55% who said yes, with only 20% saying no, were clearly signalling their rejection of the “America first”, “Russia first”, “China first”, “my country first” dogmas that view life as no more than an endless struggle between an “us” and a “them”. Clear majorities in every continent oppose those populist nationalist leaders, who would pull up the drawbridge and see geopolitics as a zero-sum game in which their country can only do well if other countries do badly.
Indeed, more than 70% of the global public want their governments to uphold human rights and the rule of law, take action on the climate crisis, AI and cyber security and fund humanitarian aid. Follow-up research shows that an even larger group – 80% worldwide – now believe there should be a global system to ensure the existence of policies that not only engender peace and stability but also promote the dignity of all, requiring action against poverty, disease, hunger and illiteracy.
Most important of all, we now know how support for cooperation can be increased. In every country, it is the very people who are active in their own communities, and who have connections that cross ethnic and religious divides, who are 50% more likely to support international cooperation, even when it involves some sacrifice of national interest. The message is clear: to rebuild support for cooperation across borders, we should start by rebuilding communities at home.
But even if there is an emerging consensus on what to do, the question is: who can bring people together, now that we are moving from a unipolar world, where the US sets the agenda and could enforce its will, to a more multipolar world, with many competing centres of decision-making power, not least a rising China?
We find that the big three nuclear-weapon powers – the US, China and Russia – are more unloved than ever. Instead, the global public looks to other countries – principally Canada, Australia, Italy, Japan, the UK, France, Brazil and South Korea, and in that order – as potential unifying forces. These also turn out to be the countries whose own people are the most eager to cooperate and take on a leadership role, advocated by Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Finnish president Alexander Stubb.
But can a new concert of countries ever overrule the US and China on the big issues such as nuclear disarmament or AI and cyber regulation? Unlikely, given those two countries’ coercive power through military threats, tariffs, trade bans and sanctions, and the US’s singular power to weaponise the dollar. Still, now is the time to discuss how we move from a world where technology dominates the state, as in the US, or the state dominates technology, as in China.
Already, the rest of us are creating a new system for arbitrating trade disputes and for outlawing crimes against humanity. The EU and Asian-led CPTPP may yet form the biggest trade alliance the world has ever seen. How many battalions do the lesser powers have, one might ask, adapting the question Stalin is said to have asked of a previous pope? But, up against the power to compel, we can counterpose the legitimacy accorded by most fair-minded people to international human rights and humanitarian law.
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Countries other than Russia, China and the US and their satellites control 75% of the votes at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and have huge majorities at the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization, as well as 12 of the 15 votes – and two of the five vetoes – on the UN security council. So there is no reason why we cannot make progress on agreeing principles of cooperation, and reforming these institutions, to deliver on the climate crisis, humanitarian aid, peacemaking and the global war against poverty. When a new UN secretary-general is appointed, to begin work in the new year, I would urge like-minded countries to agree with her or him a programme of action for 2027.
The US public also prefers cross-border cooperation to going it alone. They want the US to lead by persuasion, not by coercion. And they can be convinced that the US that used to act multilaterally in a unipolar world should stop acting unilaterally in what is becoming a multipolar world.
But, for the time being, progress will depend upon a coordinated push by the UK and cooperation-minded powers. The message from our survey of global opinion is that our citizens do look out in hope of a better world – and a troubled world looks to us. That’s an issue for Britain’s new PM – and for everyone.
Gordon Brown is the UN’s special envoy for global education and was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010
The future starts with us: Gordon Brown in conversation
On Thursday 10 September, join Hugh Muir and Gordon Brown to discuss the intricate connections between global instability and civic decline, as explored in Brown’s new book, The Future Starts With Us. Book tickets here
More states are battling measles outbreaks, as the number of nationwide cases reaches it highest count in more than 30 years.
