The Tuesday letters page thinks trying to sell Call Of Duty: Zombies separately is a bad idea, as one reader is not upset to see the back of Phil Spencer.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
No way back
My first reaction to the new Xbox boss hinting at a return to exclusives is that she didn’t understand the issue and/or was knowingly hinting at something she knew wasn’t going to happen, just to try and win over fans. That seems straight out of the usual Microsoft playbook, with their desperation for people to like them, and it’s absolutely not something you’d see from Sony or Nintendo.
But in reality I don’t see how they can. If you made something like Fable an Xbox exclusive how many people are actually going to buy it, given it’s on Game Pass day one? Microsoft needs to make money off their games and they can’t do that when Xbox Series X/S sales are so bad. They also can’t wait till the next gen because the RAM shortages mean that’s not going to happen soon enough.
There is no sensible way to bring back exclusives on Xbox and the only unsensible way is to sell the games at a loss, which is the sort of money wasting I’m pretty sure Microsoft has had enough of by this point.
Lemmy
Robo CEO
I initially misread your headline yesterday, ‘Phil Spencer replaced by AI expert as Xbox changes entire management line-up’ due to not noticing for a moment that the headline continued on the next line after the phrase ‘AI’.
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For that brief instant it bizarrely didn’t seem that implausible.
ameisa (PSN ID)
GC: Somehow it’s never the execs who are in danger of being replaced with AI, despite the fact that would probably make more sense.
Exaggerated position
Well, Mr Phil Spencer has been given his cards at Xbox, just like the ones he sacked. I wonder if he was pushed or he jumped and as for who is taking over, don’t think anyone would be too worried at Sony or Nintendo.
The only problem with sacking Phil is it’s about 10 years too late. He spent $69 billion on Activision Blizzard and the first full Call Of Duty game under Xbox was a flop. They bought Bethesda for $7.5 billion just so Starfield wasn’t on Sony’s console and that was a flop and is meant to be coming to PlayStation after all.
The only game I have played from Xbox is Indiana Jones And The Great Circle. I know I said I’d never buy an Xbox game but it was a present from the missus and it was so bad it was good, if you know what I mean.
David
GC: No, we don’t. And underperforming doesn’t mean a game is a flop.
Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Making cuts
I don’t get that report about Call Of Duty. I can easily believe that Activision will try and sell Zombies as a separate game (and that no one will buy it – it’d have to be free-to-play or nothing) but what was the stuff about Microsoft wanting faster development?
They get a new game every single year, which almost no other game but sports sims do. I know there’s a question about how much the new Xbox boss knows about games, but she’s not started yet. So who are all these dumbos that think you can just press a button and make games quicker? The Call Of Duty games always seem to be made in less than five years, when it really should be more, so what are you going to get if you rush it out even quicker?
No Zombies mode I guess is the answer, but somehow I don’t think that’s going to go down too well with players that are already fed up with the way the series is being run.
Bantor
MovieCentral
I know you guys are pretty busy just keeping up with games, but would you ever consider starting a TV show and film review section for games that have been adapted? I think a review coming from people that actually played the game would give a clearer review than some film student that never made it in the industry.
GameCentral is the only site I read for game reviews and 9 out of 10 times we are in agreement on scores, early God Of Wars being the exemption.
Bobwallett
GC: Thanks, we do usually do some kind of article on the big name ones but Metro already has its own dedicated film and TV reviews. And to be honest we haven’t been particularly interested by any live action video game adaptations.
You win some, you lose some
I’ve got to say thank you for your article on the Virtual Boy games that have popped up on the Nintendo Switch subscription.
I remember it being released almost out of nowhere back in the mid ‘90s.
I also remember the eye-watering cost of the device even after it was discontinued. Having said that, I always had a passing curiosity for the console. I’ve not yet committed to the Switch 2 and your article mentioned that I could still use my Nintendo Labo VR headset on my Switch 1 to play it. So, I got it out of my games room (yes, I have a man cave of stuff nobody wants).
I was not in the mood to wait weeks for the postman to drop it off to my house but as your article stated it would work fine with my Labo VR.
So I took the plunge, as it was a lot cheaper than buying the actual console itself.
Anyway, thank you, VR has always been the next best thing for gaming and that still rings true to this day.
Those games are over 30 years old and if truth be told, the 3D effect was pretty impressive, it’s just a shame it didn’t take off. In a gaming world where production companies will only back safe bets, I have to say kudos to Nintendo for trying to push the envelope.
Not every game is a hit but it’s definitely worth the try if you have the means.
freeway 77
Altering the deal
When I went on the Xbox app last week, to check my reward points towards a £10 Xbox gift card, it went down from 56% or 57% one day to the next day 53%. I thought there was a problem with my phone or Xy xbox account but then the penny dropped a few seconds later and I realised that the
amount of points you need to get £10 has gone up again.
I never saw an announcement for that on Twitter or anything.
Andrew J.
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Single format
Firstly, my heart goes out to Bluepoint Games and the developers losing their jobs, a sad end to a proven great studio.
I’ve always found the discourse around Sony and PlayStation sort of fascinating, as summed up in the recent Reader’s Feature’s hot take. I recently upgraded to PlayStation 5, thanks to the pre-Christmas price cuts and I have to say the lack of first party, triple-A single-player games, and Sony’s ability to churn them out, isn’t something I think about when I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077 or Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
I don’t think the tens of millions on Roblox or Fortnite spend time wondering what Naughty Dog are doing either. I’m not sure why people feel great games only count if they’re exclusive? It seems a very old-fashioned idea given the current state of the industry where mega budget games need to be made as widely available as possible.
A lot of the discourse around consoles right now, between hardcore gamers, seems to assume everyone has a default PC to play games on, that sits in the corner like a washing machine or microwave, and these dedicated machines from Sony or Nintendo are added extras (the reader at the weekend owned a PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and PC – as if that is normal) when the reality for most people couldn’t be further from the truth.
The console is the only way they game, so any game ‘is exclusive’ since they only have one way of playing it and that’s the machine hooked up to the living room TV.
I think it would help everyone if us hyper-engaged gamer types realised the rest of the market isn’t like us, and most people only have one platform that plugs into the TV, and they don’t think about it until they turn it on to pour a few hours a week into whatever.
Marc
GC: The idea that games need to be made as widely available as possible to make a profit is primarily a narrative pushed by Microsoft. It’s certainly never been the case for Nintendo and Sony’s commitment to the PC is limited at best.
Inbox also-rans
Can I be the nerd and point out that Kitana was not in the first Mortal Kombat movie, which was based solely on the first game, so I’m not sure that music really fits (great performance, I loved it!).
Lumpy
I’m going to admit I have never seen or heard of Sarah Bond until this day. I don’t know what she used to do at Xbox but given the state of things at the moment I can only assume she wasn’t very good at it.
Busch
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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.
You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.
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MORE: Games Inbox: Is Phil Spencer going good news for Xbox?
MORE: Games Inbox: Could memory shortages destroy the console industry?
More than 50 firefighters are battling a large blaze close to a popular NI farm shop this evening.
Emergency services were called to a large fire at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, outside Newtownards, understood to be close to Corries farm shop.
People have been asked to avoid the area as firefighters work to bring the blaze under control.
A NIFRS spokesman said: “A large fire is on-going at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, Newtownards. The initial call was received at 7:15pm on the 11th April 2026.
“We currently have eight fire appliances, an aerial appliance, a water tanker and a Command Support Unit with 54 Firefighters in attendance.
“We request people to avoid the area to allow firefighting operations to continue. The incident is on-going.”
Follow our blog below for live updates as they happen.
The Met Office has forecast a high chance of light rain over the next several hours in the Newtownards area which should help firefighting conditions.Precipitation chances of 80% are forecast into the early period of tomorrow.
Rob Currell
Here are some images of the fire tonight.
It is understood a fire has broken out at Corrie’s Farm Shop on the Crossnamuckley Road
Rob Currell
It is understood the fire is located at Corrie’s Meats, Crossnamuckley Road, Newtownards.Here is a map of the immediate area:
A map of the fire’s location(Image: Google Maps)
Rob Currell
A spokesman from the Northern Ireland Fire Service said:
“A large fire is on-going at a number of sheds on the Crossnamuckley road, Newtownards. The initial call was received at 7:15pm on the 11th April 2026. We currently have eight fire appliances, an aerial appliance, a water tanker and a Command Support Unit with 54 Firefighters in attendance. We request people to avoid the area to allow firefighting operations to continue. The incident is on-going.”
Rob Currell
Thanks for joining our blog coverage this evening. Follow along to remain aprised of updates as they happen.
Rob Currell
Tyson Fury has set up a mega fight against Anthony Joshua with his comeback win against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night.
The 37-year-old delivered a dominant display in his return against Makhmudov but was unable to knock the huge Russian heavyweight to the canvas and won via unanimous decision.
Fury had been retired for 16 months and had not fought since his rematch defeat against Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 before stepping back in the ring with Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Gypsy King wore sky blue shorts with ‘RIP Ricky’ embroidered on the beltline in a tribute to Ricky Hatton, who died last September, and delivered several neat combinations to Makhmudov, who soaked up a significant amount of punishment and caught his opponent with the occasional swinging shot
Fury’s victory now puts him in pole position to fight Joshua later this year in what will be one of the biggest fights in the history of British boxing.
Joshua knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in December but his career was thrown in doubt after he was involved in a car crash in Nigeria later that month which saw him lose two close friends and members of his team.
The 36-year-old, who has also lost twice to Usyk in his career, was sat ringside to watch Fury’s return and made it clear that a fight between the pair is finally on the cards.
‘I’ve got my eyes on the prize, 100 per cent, you know what I’m here for,’ Joshua said when interviewed by Netflix during Fury’s fight.
‘It’s been a long time, he’s been out of the ring for a long time, this is his welcome back.
‘We’ll be in the deep end very soon.’
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MORE: Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov: Start time, fight results and how to stream
MORE: Tyson Fury plans to ‘bring strippers’ to 16-year-old daughter’s fiancé’s stag do
MORE: Paris Fury hits back at critics of daughter’s engagement at 16 in fiery interview
April marks National Pet Month and as the weather is starting to improve, you and your furry friend might be more eager to get out on long walks. If you are looking for somewhere to escape to from Cambridgeshire, the coast is a popular place to walk dogs.
Many beaches will soon be implementing restrictions which stop dogs from going on the beach during peak season, so April is a good time for a day trip to the coast. Trainline has put together a list of the best beaches to visit across the UK before restrictions come in for the summer.
Trainline recommends Cromer beach as one of the places you could visit with your family and dog for a daytrip or long weekend. Trainline said: “With its wide sandy shoreline and traditional seaside charm, Cromer is a great spot for a dog-friendly day by the coast. Outside of seasonal restrictions, dogs can enjoy running on the beach, while owners can take in the Victorian pier, promenade walks and local seafood (including the town’s famous crab).”
Cromer beach is described as having “amazing stretches of beautiful sand”, which is ideal for children to play on as well as for dogs to run free. One of the main attractions in the town is the pier, which is home to the Pavilion Theatre, and features a dog friendly bar.
If you want to enjoy the beach away from the larger crowds of families, you can walk either towards the east or west away from the pier to enjoy the quieter spots of the coast. You can follow the path from the gangway, which will take you through Happy Valley and towards the cliffs to the lighthouse.
While spending some time on the beach, you might need some food to keep you going through the day. Dogs might not be allowed in the award-winning restaurant, No1 Cromer, but the popular spot has a takeaway menu with plenty of classic options that you can enjoy on the beach with your pet.
Cromer Station is around a five to 10 minute walk way from the beach and town centre. From Cambridge, you can take a train to Ely, switch at Ely to get to Norwich, and then change at Norwich to get to Cromer.
Cromer beach allows dogs to be on the beach from October through to the end of April. Dogs are welcome in the town and can walk along the promenade during the summer, as long as they are kept on their leads.
After a hiatus of nearly four years, here’s a recap of what unfolded during the second season of Euphoria before the new episodes arrive.In the forthcoming third season, which launches on HBO Max on April 13, cast members Zendaya, 29, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney reprise the roles that propelled them to the forefront of Hollywood.
Time has moved on since their school days, but Rue Bennett (Zendaya) appears to be deeply embroiled in a dangerous drugs and crime scene. Meanwhile, Cassie Howard (Sweeney) is producing online adult content in the run-up to her wedding to fiancé Nate Jacobs (Elordi).
The childhood friends will now grapple with the unforgiving realities of adult life. The second season kicked off with a new school term. Following her split from Jules (Hunter Schafer), Rue suffers a severe relapse as she battles to get back on the road to sobriety.
Cassie and Nate are conducting a clandestine romance behind Maddie’s (Alexa Demie) back, while Lexi (Maude Apatow) is busy penning her school play. As well as introducing new faces, including Chloe Cherry as Faye, this also marked the final season featuring Barbie Ferreira as Kate, the late Angus Cloud as the warm-hearted Fez, and his sidekick Ashtray (Javon Walton) on the HBO series, reports the Mirror US.
Nothing would ever be the same for these characters before the school year drew to a close. Here’s what unfolded during the second season of Euphoria.
While Nate is secretly conducting an affair with Cassie, he remains at loggerheads with his father, Cal Jacobs (the late Eric Dane). Following a cathartic and drink-fuelled binge, Cal walks out on his suburban life and family. Nate exacts his revenge on his father by handing over video footage of Cal’s sexual encounter with an underage Jules to the police.
After enduring one of her withdrawal episodes, Rue exposes to Maddie and the others that Cassie has been carrying on an affair with Nate. Nate finds himself fixated on Cassie due to her habit of dressing like Maddie. Cassie persists with her sexually-charged relationship with Nate, even after it destroys her friendship with Maddie.
During the finale, Fez is preparing to head out for his date with Lexi and attend her school play. Tragically, a SWAT team descends on his home, stopping him from leaving. The SWAT team disregards Fez’s warnings and cuts down Ashtray in a hail of gunfire. Fez is taken into custody as he gazes upon Ashtray’s lifeless body.
Having got sober, Rue relapses and embarks on a perilous downward spiral, turning her back on Jules. Rue encounters the ruthless queenpin Laurie (Martha Kelly). Having pledged a substantial sum in return, Rue ends up consuming and losing $10,000 worth of drugs supplied by Laurie.
And somewhere along the way, Kate, who had little involvement in the second season, splits up with Ethan (Austin Abrams).
The final two episodes centre on Lexi’s school production, entitled Our Life. Despite Lexi revealing personal details, Maddie is genuinely touched by the play, particularly as she has the most memorable encounter. Nate realises the play is ridiculing him through one of its characters and ends his relationship with Cassie.
Things continue to spiral for Cassie. She suddenly screams, nearly derailing her sister’s performance. Lexi portrayed Cassie’s sexual fantasy at a carousel. Maddie intervenes just in time and delivers a much-needed confrontation. Cassie’s reckoning with Maddie is far from over, even following her split from Nate.
Lexi’s production also resonates deeply with Rue, though she recognises there is no happy ending awaiting her. The second series concludes on a cliffhanger, as Rue has no means of repaying Laurie, who has vowed to abduct and traffic her.
Euphoria season 3 will be premiering on Sky Atlantic, NOW and HBO Max on April 13
Cambridgeshire Live readers have shared their thoughts about the replanting of thousands of trees along the A14 and the road’s day-to-day operation. Several comments centred on traffic flow and safety concerns, while others questioned National Highways’ strategy and the timing and maintenance of the new planting.
Thousands of trees are set to be replanted along the A14, as an MP described the condition of the road as a “real mess”. In 2021, a council report revealed that nearly one million trees had died after being planted on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.
National Highways acknowledged a “high failure rate” in 2023 and shared its intention to replant 160,000 new trees by March 2024. During a parliamentary debate on March 26, 2026, Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty described the road as a “real mess”.
He added: “The land has simply not been maintained after the environmental land-management schemes were put in place, so it is reassuring to hear that the trees will be replaced.” Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield and Rothwell, also described it as an “absolute scandal” that approximately “90% of trees died at that particular scheme”.
National Highways has acknowledged once more that it has “not been good enough”, and confirmed plans to replant 50,000 trees. A spokesperson said: “The A14 scheme delivered major economic, safety and environmental benefits, but we recognise that our performance on tree planting has not been good enough.
“After identifying losses caused by several factors, including rootstock selection, weather conditions, soil nutrient levels and aftercare, we have launched a 50,000 tree trial to test new measures and inform our future planting regime for all our schemes.”
Opinions remain divided on whether the route has proved beneficial. One reader, Weneedqueenmeghan comments: “The whole road has been a disaster, nothing but crashes and jams all day. Solved nothing.”
Whynot2 disagrees: “Traffic moves along quickly and smoothly, better than the old part of the A14, yes, there are RTCs, but there were on the old road. Or do you want the original routes going through populated areas?”
Freddly comments: “Typical of the contemptuous approach National Highways takes towards mitigation measures, which it is the first to trumpet in glossy websites when it is trying to ensure its schemes remain in the government’s Roads Programme. National Highways is a gravy train. Big salaries, big pensions for second-rate work.”
Polishedhelmet writes: “Great to see National Highways are taking responsibility and fully committing to replacing all their dead trees. I’d hate to think they were taking liberties by merely ‘planning a trial’ to replace only a fraction of them.”
Over on our Facebook page, David B comments: “What happened to the other 50,000? The contractor’s inability to manage them means they should replace all of them. It should have been in the contract that they have to maintain them & regularly water them for at least 12 months.
“Also, why are they planting them now rather than in their winter dormant period. They would have stood a better chance of being planted in a wet winter. Now we will be coming into a possible dry spell (the ground is already very dry) they will need significantly amount of watering & feed.”
Peter Palmer writes: “The most important thing is to plant them at the correct time of year.”
Are National Highways doing enough by replanting these trees? Comment below or HERE to join in the debate.
Hello and welcome to our coverage of this Premier League match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield.
Liverpool’s disastrous season has plummeted to new lows in recent games. Last weekend, Arne’s Slot men were demolished 4-0 by a rampant Manchester City side in the FA Cup. This heavy defeat led parts of the away support to chant Xabi Alonso’s name, with the Liverpool legend and former Real Madrid manager fully available this summer.
The midweek Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain was also a sobering experience as the reigning European champions cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the French capital.
Truthfully, PSG ripped their opponents apart, and Liverpool were lucky to escape the Parc des Princes with just a two-goal deficit. The visitors failed to register a shot on target and painfully lacked confidence, attacking verve and defensive stability.
However, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group believe that Slot deserves to stay in charge despite this chaotic campaign. In the Premier League, Liverpool sit fifth, just a point ahead of sixth-place Chelsea, who play Man City on Sunday.
More worryingly for Liverpool, they’re only seven points ahead of Newcastle United, who lie in 13th. If consistency doesn’t improve, Liverpool could miss out on European football altogether, an unthinkable scenario for the club which strolled to Premier League glory last season. Three successive defeats in all competitions have heaped a tremendous amount of pressure on Slot and his players ahead of this game.
There was real frustration from Fulham fans as their side crashed out of the FA Cup fifth round, after losing at home to Championship Southampton with a rotated line-up at the start of March. Without the worry of relegation, there were fears that the season could fizzle out, but Fulham are just five points adrift of Liverpool.
European football is a realistic possibility, and could be the added motivation to keep Marco Silva at the club. The 48-year-old is out of contract in the summer and hasn’t committed to a new deal at Craven Cottage.
Fulham arrive at Anfield with all the pressure on Slot’s underperforming Liverpool side, who play the second leg of their Champions League tie against PSG next week.
This is Fulham’s first match back after the recent international break, so they’ll be full of energy and ready to inflict more misery on Liverpool.
Kick-off is at 20:00, with lineups on the way shortly.
Tyson Fury showed his class ahead of his fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov with a tribute to the late Ricky Hatton. The cameras panned to the former heavyweight champion of the world in the dressing room as he got his gloves wrapped by SugarHill Steward during the middle of Conor Benn’s fight with Regis Prograis.
It offered a sneak glimpse of Fury’s attire for the fight against Makhmudov, with ‘RIP Ricky’ written on the top of his shorts, which were also in the colours of Manchester City.
Fury will also wear light blue gloves with a message for his close friend, who sadly passed away in September last year.
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The gloves, which were shared on social media ahead of the fight, had ‘There’s only one Ricky Hatton‘ written on them, paying further tribute to one of Manchester’s greatest ever fighters.
Fans on social media heaped praise on Fury for the classy gesture. One said: “Absolute class from the Gypsy King honouring Ricky like this is proper respect. Can’t wait to see those boots in the ring tomorrow!”
Another said: “Tyson Fury this is a class act.”
Fury walked to the ring with Blue Moon playing, honouring Hatton, who was a close friend throughout his life, with the pair spending a lot of time together both in and out of the ring.
Explaining to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, Paris Fury explained that Hatton’s death had hit Tyson hard. She said: “He [Tyson] has had troubles in the past, and he did go through a low point when, RIP Ricky Hatton, he heard about it, and it put him in a slump for three or four days.
“It was a bad place for him for a moment, but he’s come round. It just opened his eyes to awareness about what can happen at home and you should always talk to people. Seek help, seek advice. He was speaking to me about how he felt because it was such a tragedy.
“He had such a young family and he was so loved by a lot of people and it did affect Tyson because he had a personal relationship with Ricky. Especially in the boxing with training, inside and outside. With their inside jokes, they both really got along. Because they’re both Manchester lads I think.”
Fury returns to the ring tonight to take on Russian heavyweight Makhmudov, with talk of a superfight against Anthony Joshua on the horizon if he defeats the 36-year-old.
Speaking ahead of Fury’s fight with Makhmudov, Turki Al-Sheikh said: ” You know what is amazing now. The British fans. This is what gives us the motivation to do more and more. Today we have a big surprise, I hope we’ll announce the biggest fight in the history of England.
“We need to kidnap Eddie Hearn to announce the biggest fight. We have five or six big announcements with Netflix next year.”
Israel has issued a diplomatic reprimand to Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv following the detonation of a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Spanish town this week.
The seven-metre (23-foot) figure, packed with 14 kilograms (31 lb) of gunpowder, was part of a decades-old ceremony held on 5 April in El Burgo, a small town near the southern city of Malaga.
Mayor Maria Dolores Narvaez told local television that the annual event has previously featured effigies of figures such as Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, stating on X: “The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government’s systemic incitement.” The statement included a video clip of the event.
In response, a Spanish Foreign Ministry source asserted: “The Spanish government is committed to fighting against antisemitism and any form of hate or discrimination. As such we totally reject any insidious allegation which suggests the contrary.”
The incident further escalates a long-running diplomatic dispute between Spain and Israel, which began over the Gaza conflict.
Spain has been an outspoken critic of US and Israeli military campaigns in the region, despite warnings from the US regarding uncooperative Nato allies. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar previously labelled a Spanish ban on aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel as antisemitic.
Conversely, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of violating international law and a two-week ceasefire following a wave of airstrikes across Lebanon this week.
Mr Netanyahu countered on Wednesday that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire and that Israel’s military would continue to strike Hezbollah.
Mr Sanchez, a prominent opponent of the Iran conflict, has closed Spanish airspace to any aircraft involved in what he has described as a reckless and illegal confrontation.
Nigel Farage has said he is ‘not worried’ after police announced it was reviewing a complaint over his party’s prize draw.
Under a competition launched by Reform UK, one lucky winner as well as their entire street had their energy bills covered by the party.
On Thursday, Mr Farage shared a video of himself and his treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick turning up at the home of ‘June from Wigan’, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers and a giant cheque for £1,758.
Voters could enter the draw by filling out a questionnaire on their voting habits, including which party they had voted for at the last election and who they intended to support now.
However campaign groups have expressed concerns that the giveaway may breach Electoral Commission guidance as acts that ‘incentivise voter behaviour’ can amount to ‘treating’ or ‘bribery’ which are considered a form of corruption.
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Unveiling the ‘Nigel Cut My Bills’ promotion, Mr Jenrick promised voters if they ‘give us your details’, Mr Farage would appear at their home and foot their energy bills for a year.
However it emerged that June and her husband Ray Dibble were both no strangers to Reform and Mr Farage.
The couple had appeared at a campaign event for the party’s predecessor, the Brexit Party in 2019 and were described as ‘staunch members’ by Reform’s Wigan branch.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Saturday that it was now reviewing a complaint about the draw.
It is as of yet unclear what offence is being looked into but the matter has not yet progressed to a full investigation.
Asked by reporters whether the giveaway could have broken election rules, Mr Farage insisted he wasn’t worried.
Reform said that the competition had been approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
But the Open Rights Group said the promotion risked turning democracy into a ‘data harvesting exercise’, adding that the party was not telling entrants what their responses would be used for.
Its legal and policy officer, Mariano delli Santi, said: ‘Reform are asking the public to hand over sensitive data about their voting habits without being transparent about how it will be used.
‘This is a clear breach of transparency obligations under UK data protection law. Nothing in their privacy policy suggests they are not acting unlawfully in many other way.
‘Aside from the potential breach of data protection law, offering financial incentives in exchange for people’s political views risks turning democratic participation into a data-harvesting exercise.’
In a statement, the ICO said that it had spoken to Reform about the competition and ‘improving transparency’ in the way they handle personal information.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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A home where you can commute to major cities, but also be surrounded by countryside, is one that many of us dream of to have the best of both worlds. It can be especially tricky to find a village that has a train station with direct routes and plenty of amenities.
Whittlesford is situated around seven miles from Cambridge, nestled next to the River Cam. The village’s train station, Whittlesford Parkway, has regular trains to London Liverpool Street station making it ideal for anyone who works in the capital.
Cambridge is a short 20-minute drive away. Alternatively, a direct train will take you into the city centre in less than 10 minutes.
A park, a pub, and a school are a few other things that make this village so special. The Lawn has a children’s play area, large green space, and sports pavilion. The park sits in the middle of the village acting as a great meeting point.
The Tickell Arms pub is found in the heart of the village and offers seasonal dishes. This included classics like pie of the day and sausage and mash, as well as other dishes like risotto and chicken supreme.
The gastropub has an average of 4.5 out of five stars on Google after more than 1,000 reviews. One guest commented: “The pub exceeded my expectations, and I don’t often get a chance to say that.”
Another wrote: “The Tickell Arms is one of the Cambridgeshire restaurants in the Cambridge area, and, in my opinion, the best of them.” Whittlesford is also home to two other restaurants called Provenance Brix + Mortar and the Restaurant at Red Lion Hotel.
A big factor for families in deciding where to make the move is having a local school for their children. There is only one school in the area, William Westley Church of England Primary School, but Sawston Village College is easily assessible by car.
Whittlesford is a beautiful village for families, so property prices reflect its desirability. Over the last year, the house prices have an overall average of £606,250, according to Rightmove.
The majority of properties sold in Whittlesford during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £760,000. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £500,000, with terraced properties fetching £405,000, making the area relatively expensive.
In comparison, according to Office for National Statistics, house prices in South Cambridgeshire have an average of £430,000 as of January 2026.
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