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Star Wars Zero Company is more XCOM than RPG, as dev confirms there’s no branching story or romances: “This is still a turn-based tactics game at its heart”
The developers behind Star Wars Zero Company have clarified that the upcoming strategy title will play more like XCOM than a traditional role-playing game, with no branching storylines or romance options for players to pursue. Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor, the teams working on the game, want to manage expectations ahead of release by stressing…
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Ministers face pressure to legislate against early prisoner releases
The Conservatives have called on Andy Burnham to introduce emergency legislation permanently ending the early release of serious offenders, including convicted paedophiles and rapists, after the Prime Minister paused the scheme following pressure from the family of murdered police officer Andrew Harper. Burnham said no prisoners would be released until an urgent review, expected to…
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British tourist, 54, dies months after plunging to the ground when wooden banister ‘collapsed’ while he was on holiday in Lanzarote, inquest hears
A 54-year-old British tourist has died several months after falling when a wooden banister reportedly collapsed while he was on holiday in Lanzarote, an inquest has heard. The case highlights the risks posed by poorly maintained fixtures in holiday accommodation and is now the subject of a formal inquest examining the circumstances of his death.…
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Epic diarrhea outbreak has 40% of Americans avoiding fruits and veggies
The US is grappling with a record outbreak of Cyclospora-related diarrhoeal illness linked to fresh produce, prompting nearly 40% of Americans to cut back on buying or eating fruit and vegetables, according to a CBS News poll. This poses an awkward setback for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose “Make America Healthy Again” campaign…
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Thea Energy lands $20M federal grant to build its magnets for fusion reactors
Thea Energy, a US fusion power startup, has been awarded a $20 million grant from the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E programme to help manufacture its modular high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. HTS magnets are a costly but essential component of magnetic confinement fusion reactors, which use powerful magnetic fields to contain and heat plasma until nuclear…
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Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2026
Billboard’s photo tribute rounds up notable musicians who have died in 2026, opening with a run of high-profile losses early in the year, including country songwriter Jim McBride, Colombian singer Yeison Jiménez, Grateful Dead founder Bob Weir, Fugees collaborator John Forté, Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Oliver “Power” Grant, and pop legend Neil Sedaka. The piece then…
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The “Van Hagar” Era of Van Halen Began With This Massive Hit Album in 1986
Van Halen’s 1986 album “5150” marked the band’s successful reinvention after original frontman David Lee Roth departed, with new singer Sammy Hagar helping them not only match but surpass their previous commercial peak. The change addressed widespread fan uncertainty about whether the band could survive Roth’s exit, and it settled the question decisively, going on…
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Trump sounds communism alarm in Michigan but doesn’t mention El-Sayed
President Trump warned that communism posed a threat to the United States during remarks in Michigan, portraying left-wing politics as contrary to American values. The intervention matters because it signals how Republicans may frame the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in competitive states where progressive Democratic candidates are seeking office. Trump did not name Abdul El-Sayed,…
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Police ‘conducting inquiries’ into image after Reform report Zack Polanski
The Metropolitan Police is investigating an image shared on Instagram by Green Party leader Zack Polanski after Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, reported him. The picture showed a man wearing a T-shirt bearing the message “We’re only making plans for Nigel” alongside an image of a guillotine, prompting Reform UK figures to accuse Polanski…