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The Independent

The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. Nicknamed the Indy, it was launched in 1986 and is one of the youngest UK national daily newspapers.

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Featured Writers

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Matilda Head

Reporter at The Telegraph, University of Cambridge Graduate and TikTokker

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Alasdair Lane

I'm a multi-skilled journalist and writer with extensive print and digital experience. Technology, business, climate, sustainability, and humanitarian issues are my key interest areas — but I'm confident in covering …

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Sara Elsam — expert copywriting, SEO content, journalism & content strategy

Whether you need game copywriting and Steam Store pages to game marketing campaigns, trailers, and game mock reviews, I've got you covered. I'm a veteran of game marketing agencies and …

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Madison Burgess

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EVE BENNETT

I am a fast-track NCTJ trainee at News Associates, the UK's No.1 Journalism School. I recently graduated from Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, with a first-class degree in Modern …

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Ally Wybrew

UK-based travel editor and journalist

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Latest Articles

Dublin Police Shutter Two Smoke Shops, Citing Sales of Illegal Tobacco Products

DUBLIN — Dublin police shut down the Royal Novelties and Smoker Friendly smoke shops Sept. 29 after discovering the sale of illegal tobacco products.Roughly 4,100 units of contraband were seized in the raids, resulting in nearly $200,000 in fines, according to Dublin Police Services (DPS).No arrests had been made as …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

BART Finishes Installation of Modernized Fare Gates at All Stations Ahead of Schedule

DUBLIN — BART completed the installation of new fare gates at all 50 of its stations four months ahead of schedule. The $90 million project, part of a system-wide modernization strategy, improves accessibility, safety and the efficiency of proper payment.BART representatives and city leaders marked the milestone with a ribbon-cutting …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

CVS Skills Lab Teams with PUSD WorkAbility Program

PLEASANTON — A new mock CVS store at Valley Village High School is giving students with intellectual disabilities real-world experience in retail and customer service.The Skills Lab, run by Pleasanton Unified School District’s (PUSD) WorkAbility Program in partnership with CVS Health, provides students with intellectual disabilities hands-on retail experience while …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

Limitless Axes & Ales Venue Shutters After Nearly Five Years in Pleasanton Location

PLEASANTON — Limitless Axes & Ales has closed its Pleasanton location at 1808 Santa Rita Road after almost five years. Its Brentwood and Stockton axe-throwing venues will remain open.Owned by Michael and Brook Hill, the business operated in the Valley Plaza Shopping Center. The Hills will continue running Limitless Escape …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department Hosts 9/11 Ceremonies

TRI-VALLEY — The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department (LPFD) hosted its annual Sept. 11 remembrance ceremonies last week, honoring victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks alongside local police officers and community members.Police personnel joined firefighters at the cities’ 10 stations to reflect on courage, honor resilience and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.The …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

Limitless Axes & Ales Venue Shutters After Nearly Five Years in Pleasanton Location

PLEASANTON — Limitless Axes & Ales has closed its Pleasanton location at 1808 Santa Rita Road after almost five years. Its Brentwood and Stockton axe-throwing venues will remain open.Owned by Michael and Brook Hill, the business operated in the Valley Plaza Shopping Center. The Hills will continue running Limitless Escape …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

A Popular Pleasanton Fashion Boutique Pop-Up Closes Doors

PLEASANTON — PRIMM Boutique, a boho-style clothing store, recently closed its downtown pop-up at 400 Main Street after the city ordered its original location at 520 Main Street to shut down due to structural concerns.Owner Marissa Ringman is relocating the business to Paso Robles, a city in San Luis Obispo …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

NHS staffer now forced to work extra shifts to cover cost of Mounjaro

An NHS healthcare assistant who successfully shed six stone on Mounjaro has said rising costs of the medication will mean she’ll have to undertake additional shifts. Carly Stokes, 40, from Colchester, Essex, reached a peak weight of 14 stone (88.9kg) in 2021. Standing at 5ft 2in, she attributed this to …
By Molly Powell
• The Independent

Main Street Brewery Closing Doors After Nearly 30 Years

PLEASANTON — Main Street Brewery, a popular bar-style restaurant, is scheduled to close Sept. 21 after nearly three decades in business.Bar owners Sharon and Matt Billings announced the closure in a Facebook post on Aug. 29.“It is with heavy hearts that we will soon be saying goodbye,” they wrote, noting …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

Omega Road Winery Set To Debut a New Monthly Speaker Series

LIVERMORE — Omega Road Winery is debuting “Unfiltered,” a new monthly speaker series launching Sept. 18 to spark conversations and share ideas about Livermore’s future.The series is set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at Omega Road’s tasting room on South Vasco Road. Each session is scheduled …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

Oracle Plans To Lay Off 45 Pleasanton Employees as Part of Bay Area Job Cuts

PLEASANTON — Oracle Corp. plans to lay off 45 employees at its Pleasanton office, effective Oct. 13.The software company submitted a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) on Aug. 13, according to state filings. Federal law requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs take effect.The Pleasanton layoffs …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

South Bay-Based Mediterranean Restaurant Expanding into Dublin

DUBLIN – Dish n Dash, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant based in Silicon Valley, is planning to expand to Dublin early next year.Renovations are underway at the former Applebee’s Grill + Bar, which closed in June. The 5,400-square-foot space at 4808 Dublin Blvd. will feature an enclosed patio, bringing Mediterranean-style dining to …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

I went to a women-only adult summer camp — and it’s worth the $900 price tag

Four hours out of New York City, the bus pulled into a campground on the edge of the Pocono Mountains in Equinunk, Pennsylvania. At first glance, it could have been any traditional summer camp: rustic log cabins tucked among tall pines, a sweeping green lawn wrapped around a glittering lake, …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent

This petition calls for statutory menstrual leave in the UK

Have you ever been so physically and emotionally overwhelmed by pain, exhaustion and nausea that you can barely lift yourself off the sofa? Never mind managing to be fully present for a full day’s work on top of the commute there and back. I have, and it’s a monthly occurrence, …
By Gabriella Ferlita
• The Independent

Dublin Unveils Community Park Dedicated to Pickleball Players

DUBLIN — The City of Dublin earlier this month opened its 25th public park, and its first with dedicated pickleball courts.Wallis Ranch Community Park spans 8.85 acres on Rutherford Drive in the Wallis Ranch neighborhood. The park features four dedicated pickleball courts, four overlay courts that can also be used …
By Sanestina Hunter
• The Independent

The app for businesses to promote ‘freebies’. But you’ll need thousands of followers

Ever wondered why all the hot people hang out at the same shops and restaurants? That’s because they don’t have to pay for it.Content creator Lauren Karwoski posted a TikTok in May of everything she was able to get through clicking freebie offers on Neon Coat, an app which connects …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent

I watched Joey Chestnut win Nathan’s hot dog contest and saw why no one will beat him

At 9 a.m. in Coney Island on the Fourth of July, a crowd was already snaking around the block of Nathan’s Famous original restaurant.They were, of course, waiting for the annual hot dog eating contest — a frenzied, ketchup-stained tradition where competitive eaters from around the world battle it out …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent

Joey Chestnut’s back: Here’s what to expect from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Nothing screams Fourth of July more than fireworks, American flags — and hot dogs.Every year, people crowd around the original Nathan’s restaurant on New York’s Coney Island boardwalk to watch competitive eaters scarf down as many hot dogs as they can in just 10 minutes. And I, for one, am …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent

Sorry, Mr Bezos, it’s no wonder you’re not welcome in Venice in June

“If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,” screamed an enormous Greenpeace banner covering the historic paving stones in Venice’s St Mark’s Square earlier this week. The sign is one of many which have dominated La Serenissima’s heritage buildings (and been quickly taken down by …
By ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE
• The Independent

Sorry, Mr Bezos, it’s no wonder you’re not welcome in Venice in June

“If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,” screamed an enormous Greenpeace banner covering the historic paving stones in Venice’s St Mark’s Square earlier this week. The sign is one of many that have dominated La Serenissima’s heritage buildings (and been quickly taken down by …
By Alanah Lewis
• The Independent

Woman diagnosed with stage three cancer after experiencing lower back pain

A woman who was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer at 25 after delaying a routine smear test initially believed her symptoms were linked to her newly fitted copper coil.Jasmin McKee, now 26, from Southampton, Hampshire, said she began experiencing lower back pain and bleeding after sex in 2023.Despite her …
By Molly Powell
• The Independent

Venice locals speak out ahead of Jeff Bezos’ billionaire fantasy wedding

Come Tuesday, Venetians will have a new spectacle on the horizon. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is sailing into the city on his $500 million superyacht to marry his fiancée, former journalist Lauren Sanchez, in what is expected to be a spectacular display of wealth and pomp. Over three days (from …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent

Pedro Pascal lookalike contest: Hosters said it was ‘better than Hinge’

After hearing Pedro Pascal claim there is “no good Mexican food” in New York City, one restaurant was determined to fight back. On Sunday (June 15), Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan was essentially blocked off as a crowd of people gathered in the rain to witness …
By Brittany Miller
• The Independent