Five stories that got people talking in Liverpool this week - Eurovision, public sex video charge and buses

In a new feature, LiverpoolWorld editor Dominic Raynor and video journalist Emily Bonner discuss some of the headlines which have stood out over the last week.

Man and woman identified and charged over sex video

A man has been charged after a video of him and a woman caught having sex in Concert Square went viral last week. Joe Firby, 23, from Gateshead, was tracked down by Northumbria Police, working on behalf of Merseyside Police, and taken into custody on Monday. The woman in the video, Kelly Cousins, 35, from Bootle, was charged and banned from Liverpool city centre on Friday.

Mayor writes to Arriva over bus strikes

The Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region contacted the manager director for Arriva UK, to tell senior management they need to take the ongoing strike in Merseyside more seriously. In the letter, Steve Rotheram outlines the impact the industrial action is having on the region, as local residents have faced travel disruptions for over three weeks.

*Since the time of writing, Arriva have made an improved offer that unions will vote on next week.

Liverpool makes Eurovision 2023 shortlist

Liverpool is among seven locations shortlisted to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, after an official announcement took place on Friday morning. The shortlist was revealed by Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 show, with city leaders having already made an official bid to host the event earlier this week.

Heatwave hits Merseyside

Temperatures across Merseyside are expected to hit 32°C this Saturday, matching Barcelona and exceeding temperatures in Rome. As the mercury rises, the Sefton coastline is expected to be extremely busy over the weekend, causing traffic jams and disruption at popular destinations as day trippers seek out the best beaches. Formby, Ainsdale, Southport and Crosby beaches, which all fall under Sefton Council’s jurisdiction, are predicted to be particularly busy.

Chester Zoo has a new addition

The Rothschild giraffe calf - born on Saturday at Chester Zoo - is tiny in comparison to mum Orla, but was born already towering above staff at 6ft tall and weighing a whopping 72kg (11st). He has been named Stanley after Mount Stanley, the tallest mountain in Uganda in Africa, where the zoo’s conservationists are fighting to boost giraffe numbers.