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Brecon Beacons National Park is changing its name.

The park, which lies in mid Wales, will now officially be known only as Bannau Brycheiniog (its Welsh name – which means the peaks of Brychan’s kingdom).

As of Monday 17 April, the park will informally be known as the Bannau.

The change is an “organisational” one which is said to “better reflect the park and the world we live in today”, the park says.

Catherine Mealing-Jones, the park’s chief executive, told Sky News that it was important to have a name that “meant something to the people of the area”.

“As we went through the process of looking at the brand and thinking about the kind of park and organisation that we wanted to be, the old logo didn’t seem to make a lot of sense, we’re an environmental organisation so a giant, carbon-burning brasier isn’t really a good look,” she said.

“If you look at our old logo, it’s always had the bilingual on it so we’re just really emphasising the Welsh side of that because we’re much more coterminous with the old kingdom of Brychan and hopefully it fits with our duty to and our wish to promote Welsh language and culture.

“We’re a landscape which is shaped by people as much as anything, so we wanted something that meant something to the people of the area.”

While Bannau Brycheiniog National Park says it is committed to promoting the Welsh language, it adds that it does not expect the public to use the official name and that they can “choose what they prefer”.

“Using the new name isn’t compulsory. It’s something that we as an organisation are going to put the emphasis on and we hope people will use it and that they’ll use it as a gateway into learning a little bit more about the area,” Ms Mealing-Jones added.

Catherine Mealing-Jones, chief executive of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Pic: Bannau Brycheiniog
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Catherine Mealing-Jones, chief executive of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Pic: Bannau Brycheiniog

‘Absolutely fundamental’

The name change is part of the park’s new management plan in response to the climate and biodiversity emergency.

The plan in based around five key aims which include reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the park by 2035 and ensuring clean and safe water environments by 2030.

Judith Harvey is a warden manager who has worked at the park for more than 30 years.

Ms Harvey told Sky News that “the achievements we’ve [the park] made throughout the years” keep her work fresh and exciting.

The view from Y Garn Goch in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Pic: Anthony Pease
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The view from Y Garn Goch in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Pic: Anthony Pease

“As climate and biodiversity loss becomes more urgent for us to tackle, through my working life I’ve seen things swing around from being quite low priority as a subject to something that now everybody talks about and most people are committed to stopping biodiversity loss. A lot of people are committed to stopping climate change,” she said.

“It’s fundamental to us all. Absolutely fundamental.”

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The name change will come into force “gradually” according to Ms Mealing-Jones as the park’s rebranding process takes place.

“We really hope people will get into it in the same way that they have done internationally with places like Ayers Rock becoming Uluru.”

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Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

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Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.

Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.

Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.

The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

Officers guard one of the crime scenes in Leeds
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Officers guard one of the crime scenes

Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
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Officers inside the cordon in Leeds

Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.

“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.

“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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Wrexham promoted for third season in a row under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

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Wrexham promoted for third season in a row under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

Wrexham AFC have been promoted for the third season in a row.

The North Wales-based side has gone from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons, under its Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Wrexham were second in the table and had a run of eight games unbeaten ahead of their match against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which they won 3-0.

Wrexham's James McClean lifts the trophy after the Sky Bet League One match at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham. Picture date: Saturday April 26, 2025.
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Wrexham’s James McClean lifts the League One trophy. Pic: PA

Wrexham's Dan Scarr celebrates with the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Sky Bet Championship after the Sky Bet League One match at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham. Picture date: Saturday April 26, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Wrexham. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire...RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
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Wrexham’s Dan Scarr celebrates with the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA

It is the first time any club has been promoted for three consecutive seasons within the top five tiers of English football.

The third oldest association football club in the world, Wrexham AFC was bought by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020, and has since been the subject of a Disney+ documentary, Welcome To Wrexham.

Reynolds, wearing a Wrexham sweatshirt, and McElhenney were pictured celebrating each goal, and after the game, as the fans came onto the pitch at the SToK Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground) to celebrate the victory with the players.

Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (left) and Ryan Reynolds (right) and Ryan's wife Blake Lively before the Sky Bet League One match at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham. Picture date: Saturday April 26, 2025.
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Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (L) and Ryan Reynolds and Ryan’s wife Blake Lively, before the match. Pic: PA

Both stars came onto the pitch after the supporters returned to the stands.

More on Ryan Reynolds

Speaking to Sky Sports, McElhenney praised those behind the scenes, referring to “so many that don’t get the credit they deserve, people who aren’t talked about”.

Reynolds said bringing success back to the club “seemed like an impossible dream” when they arrived in North Wales in 2020.

Wrexham's Sam Smith celebrates in front of the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Sky Bet Championship after the Sky Bet League One match at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham. Picture date: Saturday April 26, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Wrexham. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire...RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
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Wrexham’s Sam Smith celebrates in front of the fans after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA

He put the three promotions down to “the coaching staff, the greatest dressing room” and an “all for one, one for all” attitude throughout the club, adding he was “speechless with their commitment and their emotion”.

As for the mouth-watering prospect of another promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, the pair agreed it was “for tomorrow”, before ending the interview with a joint mic-drop.

Veteran striker Steven Fletcher said, “as soon as I came to this club, I knew it was something special. We want to go again. We’ll reset in the summer, take a break and go again”.

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Direct action group Just Stop Oil holds final protest, claiming it has been ‘successful’

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Direct action group Just Stop Oil holds final protest, claiming it has been 'successful'

“It has been a success.”

Just Stop Oil (JSO) insists it’s been “successful” – as its members ceremoniously hang up their orange high-vis vests during a march in central London.

Since the group formed three years ago, it’s drawn attention and criticism for its colourful, controversial protests, which ranged from disrupting sporting events to throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and climbing on gantries over the M25. It sprayed orange paint over Stonehenge, and cost police forces tens of millions of pounds.

Those days are now behind it; to the relief of many.

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As a few hundred activists marched through London on Saturday, blocking roads as they went; taxi drivers blared their horns and football fans shouted abuse from the pavement.

The PA News Agency filmed the moment a white minivan seemed to drive towards a group of protesters blocking the road.

Protesters shouted “I’m being pushed back!” to police, while the driver could be heard shouting “What about my right to get home?” to the officers gathered.

But JSO never set out to be popular. And it believes its tactics – though hated – have been successful; thanks to the new Labour government’s commitment to not issue new oil or gas exploration licences.

That’s why, it says, its ceasing direct action.

JSO hangs up its high vis jackets in central London on Saturday
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JSO hangs up its high-vis jackets in central London on Saturday

A washing line of high-vis jackets signifies JSO's disbanding
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A washing line of high-vis jackets signifies JSO’s disbanding

“This moment marks the success of the JSO campaign – our demand was to end new oil and gas licences and that is now government policy.

“As a result of which four billion barrels of oil are being kept under the North Sea. The campaign has reached a natural end.”

Dr Oscar Berglund, senior lecturer in international public and social policy, disagrees that JSO is disappearing because it’s been “successful”.

He told Sky News policing strength and public perception might have more to do with it.

“They have very low levels of popularity. About 17% of the British population are kind of broadly supportive of what Just Stop Oil do. And that’s too low to recruit.

“It’s difficult to recruit members to something that is that unpopular, and then that a lot of people for good reason I think have kind of stopped believing in that kind of disruption as a means to achieve meaningful change.”

Group triggers specific new protest laws

One thing it did change is the law.

Policing commentator Graham Wettone tells us: “Obstruction of the highway, obstruction of rail networks for example, these are specific offences now.

“It’s given the police more tactics, more methods, more offences they can consider, even stopping and searching somebody who may have something to either lock themselves on or glue themselves to something.”

A JSO activist holds a picture of an imprisoned colleague
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A JSO activist holds a picture of an imprisoned colleague

Emma Smart was held in prison for her activism with both Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil.

“The high-vis might be going away,” she tells me, “but we aren’t.”

“These people aren’t going anywhere, we are still committed, dedicated, terrified by the failings of this government and governments around the world.”

JSO activists throw orange paint at van Gogh's sunflowers
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JSO activists throw orange paint at van Gogh’s sunflowers

Orange smoke set off by JSO protesters at Stonehenge
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Orange smoke set off by JSO protesters at Stonehenge

She hopes for a time of reflection before it returns in a new form but says the need for climate activism is stronger than ever.

She also believes that while most people dislike JSO tactics, it still raises awareness of the cause and might even push people to more moderate campaign groups.

Just Stop Oil came behind other, similarly controversial climate campaign groups like Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion, and as it says goodbye, its disruptive methods have been seized upon by other organisations like the Pro-Palestinian Youth Justice.

The infamous Just Stop Oil orange vests might be going away, but the individual activists, their cause and campaign tactics feel here to stay.

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