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Veteran astrologer and columnist dies
The TV and newspaper astrologer Margaret Lake, best known as Mystic Meg, died yesterday at the age of 80. She became a household name in the 1990s with her prediction segment on the National Lottery and wrote a horoscope column for The Sun for nearly 23 years. She died yesterday morning after being admitted to hospital suffering from flu. She was also an astrologer for the News of the World until its demise, and her
predictions also featured in publications in Australia and the US. In her practice, she worked with runes, crystal balls, I Ching, tarot and numerology. A previous Lotto rollover winner credited Mystic Meg with prompting her to check her ticket after she had hidden it in a biscuit tin next to her bed. Psychic Uri Geller sent her “much love and positive energy” as he paid tribute on Twitter.
GB News hit with £30m loss in first year on air
British broadcaster GB News has amassed losses of more than £30m in its first full year on the air, after investing in numerous presenters including Eamonn Holmes and Nigel Farage. Figures from the news channel’s company accounts showed that it sunk deeper into a loss in the year to May 2022, after launching the channel in June 2021. It racked up £30.7m in a pre-tax loss over the period, on revenues of £3.6m. The majority of its revenues – over £2.9m – came from advertising. GB News secured a new £60m cash injection last year from its existing backers, Dubaibased investment group Legatum Ventures and one of the UK’s most prominent hedge fund managers, Sir Paul Marshall. The funding will help the channel to grow, innovate, and invest in British journalism, it said.
NHS wait for cancer treatment worsens
Thousands of cancer patients are waiting too long for treatment as the NHS records its worst-ever delays. The number of cancer patients getting treatment within two months – a core NHS target – dropped to 54 per cent in January, the latest data has revealed. This left more than 7,000 patients waiting more than two months to start treatment – the highest figure on record. Data shows that in January, 3,000 people also waited more than a month to start treatment, which is the highest number on record for that measure. It comes after a recent analysis from cancer charity Macmillian found that 2022 was the worst year on record for cancer waiting times.
Police probe noise complaint before Cardiff car crash
Police are investigating a noise complaint at a caravan park involving people who were later killed in a car crash. Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the collision, which happened on the A48(M) near the St Mellons area of Cardiff, in the early hours of Saturday 4 March. Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were also travelling in the white Volkswagen Tiguan remain in a critical condition in hospital. The group had been to The Muffler social club in Maesglas, Newport, on Friday night and then travelled just under 64km (40 miles) to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl. A caravan at the holiday park where the group are understood to have stayed for a period of time prior to the accident has been cordoned off. It is understood that police are aware of a noise complaint made to the park’s security lodge about the group. They left a short time later and were last seen at about 2am in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff having dropped off a sixth member of their group. The man is said to be cooperating fully with the police investigation. Investigations are still ongoing to establish the exact time of the crash. South Wales Police said they are still working to “piece together” what happened.
Declaration of Arbroath on display for first time in 18 years
The Declaration of Arbroath, which played a key role in the history of Scottish independence and inspired the rallying cry for “freedom”, will go on display this summer for the first time in almost two decades. The 700-page document will be shown at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for the public to view from 3 June to 2 July. It is a 6 April 1320 letter from the barons and freeholders of Scotland asking Pope John XXII to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. The letter also asks the pontiff to persuade King Edward II of England to end hostilities against the Scots. It contains the famous pledge: “As long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be
brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”
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