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More trouble for Farage as megapoll finds Reform might only come THIRD at general election – with Restore sucking up support
A new “megapoll” by Electoral Calculus has found that Nigel Farage’s Reform party would come only third if a UK general election were held immediately, marking a notable reversal from its previously strong position. The projection puts Labour on 217 seats and the Conservatives on 151, with Reform trailing on 127 — a blow to…
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Villagers’ fury as property developer is given permission for new build home to become holiday let as council lifts strict ‘no Airbnb’ rule
Residents of Langton Matravers, a coastal village on Dorset’s Isle of Purbeck, have reacted angrily after Dorset Council granted a property developer permission to convert one of the homes on a new estate into a holiday let, despite a condition that had barred second homes and holiday lets. The decision matters because the area is…
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“It went pretty well – meltdown aside!” Blaze Bayley remembers the notorious gig where Iron Maiden were pelted with spit
Blaze Bayley, who fronted Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999, has revisited the infamous 1996 concert in Chile at which the band were spat on by members of the crowd. Speaking in the new issue of Metal Hammer, the singer recalled the show at the Teatro Monumental in Santiago on 29 August 1996 — the…
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From Hart to Seedorf to Kewell: standout pundits of the 2026 World Cup
The Guardian has published a rundown of six football pundits who have stood out on television during the 2026 World Cup in North America, spanning broadcasters in the UK, US and Australia. The piece matters mainly as a snapshot of how retired players are shaping tournament coverage across three markets, praising analysts who offer genuine…
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Prison worker, 27, is jailed for 21 months for searching the records of Britain’s most notorious killers including Lucy Letby, Rose West, and Harold Shipman
A 27-year-old prison worker, Courtney Harrison, has been jailed for 21 months after using her role at HMP Moorland in Doncaster to search the confidential records of some of Britain’s most notorious criminals, including Lucy Letby, Rose West and Harold Shipman. The case matters because it represents what a crown court described as a “grave…
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The Best MagSafe Power Banks for iPhone and Android, Plus Ones to Avoid
WIRED has updated its buyer’s guide to the best MagSafe and Qi2 wireless power banks for iPhone and Android phones, drawing on months of hands-on testing. The guide matters because, despite improved battery life and faster charging, smartphones still frequently run flat before the day is out, and magnetic power banks let users top up…
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New Dragonlance novel from Weis and Hickman gives us a first look at Huma and Magius
Fantasy authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are returning to their celebrated Dragonlance setting with a new novel, Dragonlance: War Wizard, due for release on 4 August 2026 from Random House Worlds. It is the first book in a brand-new trilogy and revisits one of the saga’s key origin stories, the early lives and friendship…
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Listen to Courteeners’ love-struck new single ‘Plus One Forever’
Manchester indie band Courteeners have released a new single, ‘Plus One Forever’, a love-struck track that frontman Liam Fray said he had held onto in various forms for some time. The song matters as a fresh offering ahead of the band’s first-ever ‘best of’ compilation, arriving as the group mark two decades since their first…
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‘The Rookie’ Keeps Solving One of TV’s Biggest Problems
This article from Collider praises the ABC police procedural The Rookie for its handling of police racial discrimination and corruption, an issue it argues television often struggles to portray well. The piece highlights the show’s Season 7 storyline for Detective Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), who takes on these themes more directly than before, and argues…
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David Beckham and U2 Team With Street Child United Charity for Short Film to Air During Final World Cup Games (EXCLUSIVE)
David Beckham has teamed up with the rock band U2 and the charity Street Child United for a short film called “Street of Dreams”, backed by Bank of America. The four-minute film follows a young girl who, after being made homeless, holds on to her dream of playing football; Beckham appears as a personification of…