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Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Two men hacked XL Bully dogs with meat cleaver & knife in horrific attack in Scots street
Both dogs had significant injuries after the attack BLOODBATH ATTACK Two men hacked XL Bully dogs with meat cleaver & knife in horrific attack in Scots street Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PAIR of thugs have admitted stabbing and punching two Bully dogs during a frenzied bloodbath attack. Jamie Seery, 36, punched XL Bully Bronson and screamed 'chop it, chop it' while Michael Keegans, 32, rained down blows with a meat cleaver and a knife. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Jamie Seery (pictured) admitted stabbing and punching the dogs alongside Michael Keegans Credit: PRESSTEAM 3 American Bully called Karma was injured in the attack (stock pic) Credit: Getty The incident in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, left Bronson and an American Bully called Karma with horror injuries. Police discovered both yobs with their hands covered in blood, while the weapons were also discovered in a garden. Keegans claimed his own Staffy, called Tyson, had been attacked, but no wounds were found on him. The dogs were given emergency treatment in January last year and their shocked owner left with a vet bill of £600. Seery and Keegans, both of Bellshill, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted causing the dogs unnecessary suffering. Seery also admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner and resisting arrest. She then heard Mr Seery shouting 'chop it, chop it', so ran out and saw both accused appearing to punch into her dog Bronson Depute fiscal Rebecca Clark Depute fiscal Rebecca Clark said: "Both men were at the address visiting Mr Seery's uncle and consuming alcohol. "At 2am the dogs were let out into the garden to go to the toilet, but later she heard her dogs barking and formed the impression that, in her words, a stramash was taking place. "She then heard Mr Seery shouting 'chop it, chop it', so ran out and saw both accused appearing to punch into her dog Bronson. "She did not see any weapons but police later found weapons within the garden. Baby is mauled to death by family dog after mom turned back to pick up laundry before desperately trying to stop attack "Both dogs were collected from the garden, and she could then see both dogs had significant injuries, described blood as 'squirting' and could see the dog's brain." The prosecutor added: "Police attended and both accused were noted to literally have blood on their hands and appeared under the influence. "Mr Keegans said, 'I'll tell you what happened, the dog attacked my dog, the knife was there and I had to defend my dog'." Scott Jones, defending Seery, said: "The Crown now accepts that he punched the dog and did not use a weapon." Sheriff John Hamilton KC deferred sentence on both men until next month for reports and continued bail.
Glasgow Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow hotel dispute could lead to first strike in 40 years
A ballot is open at the Village Hotel on the Clydeside in a dispute over pay and conditions. In its most recent accounts VUR Village Hotels Ltd posted a profit after tax of £182million. It is currently in the midst of an £82m refurbishment and is planning further expansion, and announced in May it had expanded its senior management team. READ NEXT: My XL Bully helped me cope after my son's death by drowning in Glasgow READ NEXT: TRNSMT act admits wardrobe malfunction on stage - but gie' it laldy for fans At the same time the company refused to meet with union Unite over demands to pay the real living wage, with a ballot for strike action closing on July 15. Should the ballot succeed, it will be the first strike in a major hotel in more than four decades. Daniel Friel, the Unite representative for the Glasgow hotel said: "Last year we had a pay disparity within the Glasgow branch which disproportionately affected women. 'They increased the rate to hire more staff because they were struggling with recruitment but they didn't change the rate for existing staff, so that meant the existing staff remained on the lower rate and it ended up being the case it was mostly guys on the higher rate and girls on the lower. 'That went on for a long time and it was raised internally with management. 'When I was made aware of it we filed a collective grievance with Unite, so by the time the grievance came along all these employees had joined and it was so straightforward because, basically, they s**t themselves. 'We had a meeting and they basically said 'we're going to fix this completely for you'. After joining Unite the whole thing was fixed in about three weeks, whereas as non-union members it was about three months of being told no constantly. 'We got backpay and some people got over two grand back at 18-years-old. I don't know the exact figures for the hotel but I think it was £15,000 that we got for under-21s across all departments. "After that we got some smaller wins too, we now have a staff taxi policy where they contribute 50% to staff taxis after a certain time, whereas before they would only give you a flat rate of £3." Village Hotel, Glasgow (Image: Supplied) The current dispute centres around pay, paid breaks and working conditions. Workers at Village Glasgow are demanding equal pay at the real living wage of £12.60 per hour, paid breaks, and addressing a disparity between what under-21 workers are paid in Edinburgh compared to Glasgow. When the issues were raised with the company it said it had 'no plans' to pay the real living wage or introduce paid breaks, which it said was in line with practices across the hospitality sector. In addition, the company said it had already carried out an internal grievance investigation into the pay disparity with Edinburgh which concluded that the higher rate of pay in the capital was due to the higher cost of living. An email sent to staff pointed to existing employee benefits such as gym and spa memberships, discounted hotel rooms and high street shopping discounts and said raising wages and paying for breaks was not "financially achievable" without it "adversely impacting on our ability to provide these other benefits". A grievance was also raised over a small number of staff receiving a lower rate of pay in Glasgow compared to colleagues in Edinburgh. The company said this was due to the higher rate of pay in the capital. Mr Friel said: "There was a team of us who all happened to be members who were in Edinburgh doing a shift in the hotel there, because at Christmas the Glasgow and the Edinburgh hotels switch over to cover each others' Christmas party. 'We were in the hotel working with two Edinburgh staff who were just doing the last hour of their shift before they headed off to the party and it turned out they were being paid more than Glasgow. 'Over-21s across Glasgow and Edinburgh were all paid equally at the minimum wage but under-21s in Edinburgh were paid the same as over-21s whereas in Glasgow they were on the lower wage of £10.42. 'We had two grievance procedures about this and in each the company said the justification was the cost of living, which doesn't make any sense because over-21s across both sides are paid the same. So how can you say it's because of the cost of living? "They refused to budge on it, and that's when talk of striking happened. 'We've got about 90% on board with this and we're now at the stage where we're in the ballot process. 'We're being paid poverty wages, with under-21s being paid even less, and we don't get paid breaks. 'They sent out a mass response to the whole Glasgow hotel saying it was not financially achievable to pay us the real living wage when last month they announced the £82m refurbishment. "There are 34 hotels at the moment and they want to open 25 new ones, so they're close to doubling the amount of hotels we have over the next five years while telling Glasgow employees they don't have enough money to pay us the real living wage. "Village had a national hospitality day celebration not too long ago and they said in their communications to staff that they want hospitality to be seen as a career – they don't want it to just be a stepping stone. 'At the same time they're paying the absolute bare minimum they're legally allowed to get away with. How can you have a career that you enjoy and can live off if you're not even being paid the real living wage? It's so disingenuous. 'People are really p**sed off about it, and that's why we are where we are.' Village Hotels have refused to meet with Unite to discuss the issue, saying they see "no benefit" in talks. According to Mr Friel though, that attitude has had a galvanising effect. He said: "That was to be expected, but it's still insulting and disparaging to say 'we see no benefit in talking to you about raising your wage'. 'From the moment we told them we intended to ballot they've been disparaging and insulting, they're p**sing off staff with what they're saying. 'We've had quite a few extra people join who will be participating in a possible strike as a result of how they've been communicated with. 'They've shot themselves in the foot with how they've chosen to go about it. "I've always been a trade unionist, but for everyone else in that hotel the early win we had last year was their introduction to trade unionism, it was so positive and empowering for them. 'Staff are being educated on trade unionism, how it works and how it can be successful for them at a young age where they wouldn't necessarily be exposed to it." A Village Hotel Club spokesperson said: 'We continually review our remuneration policies in line with industry best practices and invest significantly in employee benefits, incentives and welfare to make Village a rewarding place to work. Our pay scales reflect local market dynamics and are aligned with the different roles and skills required at each hotel.'
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kanye West's Shanghai concert faces refund chants; the rapper struggles through bad weather and technical errors
Kanye West , the controversial singer, tried to return to the stage gigs and performances, but was riddled with chants for refunds after the concert was tainted with technical errors during the bad weather and his unpunctuality. Kanye West's concert had unexpected chants... According to The Hollywood Reporter, the music mogul had a rocky start at the Shanghai, China's concert on Friday. West, who has been struggling to find concert partners due to his erratic social behaviour, returned to China after his tickets were sold in minutes. In support of his upcoming album 'Bully,' many locals bought the tickets and were indifferent to his controversial slurs and chants. The gig, which was promoted as 'an immersive, multisensory experience, promising innovative stage design, upgraded setlists, and international production teams' by The Global Times, was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. However, as the heavy rain poured down the centre stage and onto the crowd, due to the open roof, the crowd started getting restless, followed by chants for refunds. Not the visuals, nor the sound system At 8:10 p.m., Kanye entered the arena with the fog, projections and spotlights, but the concert had fewer visual elements. While the videos of him performing even in the disastrous weather circulated in the media, the locals reported that the sound quality was mediocre and inconsistent throughout the performance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 첫 기부의 설레임을 담은 반지 굿네이버스 더 알아보기 Undo While the concert was underway, there were online debates about Kanye West. Many argued that the concert failed because of the unprecedented weather conditions, while others blamed the lazy visual displays or even a plot to get money from China, as he remains controversial in his hometown. According to The Global Times, the tickets for Kanye West's concert were a tad pricey for the locals, ranging from 980 yuan (₹11,756.24) to 2,680 yuan (₹32,149.71).
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kanye 'Ye' West Struggles Through Chaotic, Rain-Soaked Shanghai Concert
Kanye 'Ye' West's return to live performance is off to a rocky start. The errant rapper, producer and mogul's concert in Shanghai on Friday night was beset by technical problems, terrible weather and thousands of people chanting for a refund after he began the show over 40 minutes late. Ye, who rarely plays live these days due to an ongoing struggle to find willing concert partners not turned off by his many swirling controversies, returned to China last week after conducting a lucrative and highly viral listening party at the Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou, Hainan Province, in September 2024. His hotly anticipated gig at Shanghai Stadium, planned in support of his forthcoming album Bully, was sold out within minutes, according to local reports, suggesting that the rapper's various racism and social media controversies have not dimmed the enthusiasm of his Chinese fans. More from The Hollywood Reporter Will Justin Bieber Land a No. 1 Debut With 'Swag?' 'Superman' Star Nicholas Hoult Takes on New Role as Save the Children Ambassador Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show Due to Health Issues The Global Times, a state-backed Chinese news outlet known for its nationalistic stance, reports that Ye's gig was promoted as 'an immersive, multisensory experience, promising innovative stage design, upgraded setlists, and international production teams.' The paper added that 'promotional materials highlighted the show as a 'comprehensive, genre-defying journey through Ye's musical career, combining sound, light, visuals, and installations.'' From the outset, the mood was challenged in Shanghai Stadium Friday night by heavy rain, which poured down upon the stage and the crowd through the arena's open roof. The crowd grew increasingly restless at some point past the gig's scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time, with thousands eventually chanting for refunds. Ye finally arrived at around 8:10 p.m., walking out onto the stadium's vast gray stage solo, wearing black leather pants and a gray hoodie with 'China' written across the back. Fog, projections and spotlights set an austere mood reminiscent of some of his Donda stage design, but with even fewer visual elements. Occasionally, an enormous projection of Ye was beamed across the stage, while overhead screens featured additional reworked footage. According to the Global Times, tickets to the gig were pricey by Chinese standards, ranging from 980 yuan (about $135) to 2,680 yuan ($375). Videos circulating online in China show moments of Ye seemingly giving the performance his all despite the tough circumstances, throwing his body around to the beat and waving his arms wildly as he raps along to his hits. At other moments, he looks utterly defeated, such as when his most recent single, 'Losing Your Mind,' booms through the stadium's sound system, and he stops signing altogether and slowly walks off the stage. Local reports suggest the sound quality throughout the show was inconsistent at best. Even while the concert was underway, Ye became a trending topic on Chinese social media, sparking intense debate among fans. Some defended the rapper and blamed the setbacks on the weather, while others argued it was all a lazy display — or even a cynical ploy to cash in on China at a time when the rapper's brand remains diminished throughout the West. In a career marked by an uncanny ability to stay in the news, Ye has upped the ante in 2025, seemingly leaning into his pariah status in the entertainment industry, and pop culture generally, with a series of hugely controversial music releases and public stunts. In March, the rapper released a track that credited vocals to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who was about to begin a federal sex trafficking trial. On June 13, Ye, who has been an outspoken defender of Combs, would also appear briefly at Combs' trial and later that month he released Never Stop, an EP by Combs' son Christian 'King' Combs. On the music side, in March, Ye revealed he would release an album titled WW3, which was subsequently changed to Cuck and later A Perfect World. The first single off his upcoming 13th studio album, was the single 'WW3' with a cover image featuring a Ku Klux Klan hood. The second single 'Cousins' was also controversial as its music video feature KKK iconography and a swastika. And finally, the third single was titled 'Heil Hitler.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025
Scoop
27-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Rare Native Fish Found In Karori's Waipāhihi Stream Through EDNA Testing
The Shortjaw Kōkopu is considered a threatened species of fish in gradual decline. It is also known to be secretive and hard to find. Recent eDNA testing by Friends of Waipāhihi Karori Stream has revealed that it is one of several native fish species living in the catchment. 'For the last few years, our Friends group has been undertaking quarterly monitoring of the health of the stream at three sites in the upper catchment with the support of Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust', says Friends Group coordinator Joanne Davidson. 'We had done some initial eDNA testing which told us both species of Tuna (shortfin eels and longfin eels), a couple of species of Bully and Kōaro were in the catchment. We also knew from earlier Greater Wellington Regional Council testing that Banded Kōkopu were there too.' The Friends group was formed when Andrea Skews, Chairperson of Karori Residents Association saw an opportunity to get community involved in the care of the stream. 'Reports on water quality were a 'D" and I felt having our community involved in the care and condition of our stream would empower us to do more than just moaning about the bad news stories online" said Skews. 'we are so lucky to have local leaders with the credentials they hold, volunteering to drive this group, not to mention the support of Wellington City Council, Mountains to Sea and local land owners". Over the summer, the Friends Group undertook testing outside of their normal operating area to get a picture of what was happening in other areas. This included additional eDNA testing, undertaken with financial support from Lyon Marine Research Limited and Terawhiti Charitable Trust, to get a better sense of what species were living across the catchment. The Group also received support from Kinnoull Station and local resident Roger Askin to access different parts of the catchment and get the most out of the investment in eDNA testing. Greater Wellington and Mountains to Sea staff also helped on the additional testing days. 'Waipāhihi Karori Stream is relatively unusual in that the urban area is in the upper part of the catchment and there is a large downstream catchment with a lot of regenerating bush. This means the Stream is most polluted in the upper catchment, whereas the more common pattern is for urban streams to become more polluted as you move downstream', says Ms Davidson. 'Our water quality testing had indicated that the Silver Stream tributary (which runs through Long Gully Bush Reserve) was in pretty good health, and when we got the eDNA test results back from Wilderlab it was easy to see the positive impact of this for biodiversity. Several sensitive macroinvertebrate species that need good water quality were present along with five species of fish, including the Shortjaw Kōkopu'. The more polluted areas of the catchment still support a range of biodiversity and fish species. Kaharore Bully, Common Bully and Tuna/Eels are all living in the suburban area. 'We often have Tuna visit when we are doing our testing, and we know they are well-loved by residents. Even in the Cambell/Donald Street part of the catchment, which has very few open areas remaining, the eDNA testing showed that both species of Tuna there,' says Ms Davidson. The Friends Group hopes to secure financial support do some more eDNA investigation in the future to better understand the distribution of the Shortjaw Kōkopu across the catchment. The Group, which operates under the umbrella of Karori Residents Association, has a Memorandum of Understanding with Wellington City Council and is also progressing a restoration project in the stream area by the path between the swimming pool and RSA. 'The site of our restoration project is a particularly yucky and often smelly part of the stream. Given its accessibility to the public, we think there's a real opportunity to show the difference we can make for te mana o te wai (the wellbeing of the water itself) through community action and care', says Ms Davidson. People who want to support or join the Group's efforts can connect with them via their Facebook group at: Notes: eDNA stands for 'environmental DNA'. Environmental DNA is genetic material that is shed by organisms as they move in, through and around their environment. The Group used eDNA freshwater sampling kits and sequencing services provided by Wilderlab. More information about their services is available here: Results from the Group's eDNA testing (and other publicly available testing results) can be viewed on the Wilderlab website here: The presence or lack of macroinvertebrates such as insects, worms and snails gives a biological indicator for the ecological health of a waterway, based on the sensitivity of each species to pollution.
