Merged business working on projects in Derby, Birkenhead and Wakefield

Liverpool developer ION Property Group has been acquired by VINCI Construction to create an expanded business that bosses say “has ambitions for significant future growth”.

The UK division of VINCI Construction plans to merge ION with VINCI UK Developments to create a business “focused on the local authority urban regeneration market”. The merged business will keep the ION Developments brand and will be headquartered at the Port of Liverpool Building.

VINCI and ION are already working together on major urban regeneration schemes including the Market Place scheme in Derby city centre, Chester Northgate 2, the Coventry Civic Centre site and Northwich Weaver Square.

Meanwhile ION’s existing development portfolio including Borough Yard, Birkenhead, Stafford town centre and Westgate Wakefield will be delivered by the newly combined group . ION had been privately owned and operated for 36 years.

The merged business will be led by managing director Steve Parry and commercial director Rob Mason – both former ION directors – alongside finance director Ian Hudson, who led the finance team at VINCI UK Developments.

The VINCI deal will see the departure of shareholders and non-executive directors Peter Hynd and Gavin Douglas.

Steve Parry said: “At a time when local authorities and other public bodies across the UK are exploring new solutions for urban regeneration and the use of their land assets, this is the ideal moment to bring together these two specialist businesses to create a single regeneration developer which has the vision, experience and resources to bring projects of all sizes to life. We already have a strong forward pipeline and the new structure will only enhance our capacity to deliver these and other future projects.”

Peter Hynd said: “ION has delivered many transformational regeneration schemes that have had a positive impact on our towns, cities and communities by delivering high quality urban buildings that have created a sense of place. Many of these projects were regarded as ‘too difficult’, but we have delivered consistently, working closely with our public sector partners.

“This deal with VINCI stands as testament to our legacy of success and we are proud to be leaving the business in such a strong position, with an incredibly bright future ahead and we wish the hard-working ION team every success in the future.”

Scott Wardrop, chief executive of VINCI Construction in the UK, said: “We are delighted to confirm this agreement, which will see the creation of a consolidated development business, that can harness even more of our collective strengths and support greater numbers of local authorities and other clients to make a long-lasting, positive change to their communities across future generations.”

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Americans looking to earn degrees at their own speed can now do so via their mobile phones after Cornerstone University tailored degree offerings in its business program to cater to students who prefer a self-paced program that can be completed on a smartphone.

“We developed the nation’s first mobile platform to deliver an accredited undergraduate degree and a master’s degree as well, all via your mobile phone,” Cornerstone University President Gerson Moreno-Riaño told FOX Business in an interview.

Moreno-Riaño said that the program launched in August and has about 250 students enrolled. Students in what’s known as the SOAR program can obtain an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in strategic business management, or a master’s degree in organizational leadership.

“One of the beautiful things we’ve seen is that the persistence rate from month-to-month is 91%, so students are sticking with this and completing it,” he said, adding that some students who transferred in with prior credits to complete a degree will be the program’s first graduates this year.

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The SOAR program allows students to engage with learning materials in small portions on their smartphones. (iStock)

Moreno-Riaño said that Cornerstone’s price point for its SOAR bachelor’s degree is $24,000 from start to finish, while the master’s degree is $12,000.

“More than half of our current students enrolled in the program now are paying no tuition due to scholarships and grants.”

“We see this as an opportunity to address a gap in our country now when it comes to education, and frankly, we’re convinced that the current American higher ed infrastructure cannot address this challenge. It was built for what I call traditional brick and mortar students,” he said.

“We thought, how can we take this ubiquitous piece of technology that everybody has, that everyone spends a lot of time on? On average, in our country, we’re talking about well over four hours a day that adults are on their mobile devices.”

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Cornerstone University’s SOAR degree program allows students to earn degrees on their mobile phones outside a traditional classroom. (iStock)

Moreno-Riaño said Cornerstone tested the app for over a year with about 120 students, which informed the university’s process of revising and launching the SOAR app.

He said that Cornerstone is deeply concerned with how it reaches out to non-traditional students and disenchanted students, some of whom haven’t tried to pursue a degree while others tried a traditional college experience and aren’t willing to return.

Moreno-Riaño said that when Cornerstone was mapping out the program, it understood that the traditional curriculum of 120 credit hours in a degree program couldn’t be mapped over to a mobile app, so the school sought to unpackage those courses into “bite-sized chunks of educational content.”

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Cornerstone University’s SOAR program offers accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, Moreno-Riaño said. (iStock)

“In the app, there will be mini-lectures, podcasts, book reviews, interviews, all with very closely, carefully designed learning objectives throughout the program,” Moreno-Riaño said, explaining that some of the lectures may be in the range of 5 to 10 minutes. 

“We have micro assessments built-in that are immediately graded and feedback is given to the student.”

Some of the program’s first graduates told Moreno-Riaño that they listen to some of the lessons while commuting to work, while traveling or doing household chores.

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“It allows them to, in essence, continue the learning experience amidst a complex schedule because we unbundle it, unpackage it, redevelop it and maintain the engagement criteria so that students stay studying and focused,” he said.

LOS ANGELES — Olivia Rodrigo announced “The Unraveled Tour,” a sweeping 65-date global arena run supporting her highly anticipated third studio album “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” set for release June 12 via Geffen Records. The tour kicks off Sept. 25, 2026, with back-to-back nights at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, and stretches into May 2027 across North America, Europe and the UK.

The three-time Grammy winner, whose previous Guts World Tour showcased her explosive live presence, promises an emotionally raw and visually ambitious production for this next chapter. Fans can expect a setlist heavy on new material alongside beloved hits from “Sour” and “Guts.”

Tour Schedule Highlights

The North American leg features multiple-night residencies in major markets. After launching in Hartford, the tour hits Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Toronto, Vancouver, Oakland, Las Vegas and more before wrapping the domestic run in mid-February 2027 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn with several shows.

International dates follow in spring 2027, with stops in Stockholm, Paris, Milan, London, Munich, Amsterdam, Barcelona and additional European cities. Full itineraries are available on Ticketmaster and Rodrigo’s official site.

Special guests vary by region and include Wolf Alice, Devon Again, Grace Ives, Die Spitz and The Last Dinner Party on select nights, adding depth and excitement to the bill.

Presale and Ticket Information

Amex cardholders gain early access during the official presale beginning Tuesday, May 5, at 12 p.m. local time through Wednesday, May 6, at 10 p.m. local time. No presale code is required, but purchases must use an eligible American Express card. Availability varies by market.

Fans who pre-ordered the new album or registered on OliviaRodrigo.com may receive additional presale access or codes for select dates, particularly in Europe and the UK. In the UK, an O2 Priority presale also opens May 5 at 10 a.m. local time.

General public on-sale starts Thursday, May 7, at 12 p.m. local time via Ticketmaster and official channels. A limited number of $20 Silver Star Tickets will be released during these windows for select shows, offering more affordable options.

Where and How to Buy Tickets

Primary tickets will be available through Ticketmaster, with links also on OliviaRodrigo.com. Fans should create accounts in advance, enable two-factor authentication and have payment information ready to navigate high demand.

Resale platforms such as StubHub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek will offer secondary market inventory after the initial sale, though prices will likely exceed face value. Official warnings advise against third-party purchases before general sale to avoid scams.

Ticket limits are typically four per order. Dynamic pricing may apply, with face values expected to range from $49.50 to several hundred dollars depending on seating. VIP packages and meet-and-greet experiences are anticipated but details remain limited at announcement.

Fan Tips for Success

Set multiple alarms for presale and onsale times adjusted to local venue hours. Use a reliable internet connection, preferably on a computer rather than mobile during peak traffic. Joining official fan communities or Rodrigo’s mailing list can provide last-minute updates or extra presale opportunities.

Those without Amex cards should monitor for any artist or venue presales. Pre-ordering the album, even without immediate purchase, has unlocked codes in past campaigns. Patience during the checkout process is essential as queues can be long.

Context and Excitement

Rodrigo’s rise from Disney actress to global pop-rock phenomenon has been meteoric. Her tours consistently sell out arenas, with fans praising the emotional authenticity and high-energy performances. This new outing arrives as she evolves her sound further, promising “unraveled” vulnerability onstage.

The announcement generated massive social media buzz, with fans celebrating the extensive routing that reaches both coasts and international markets. Hashtags like #UnraveledTour and #OliviaRodrigo2026 trended immediately after the reveal.

Industry analysts predict rapid sellouts for many dates given her dedicated “Livies” fanbase and the post-album release timing. The tour represents one of the largest arena campaigns by a young female artist in recent years.

What to Expect on Tour

While production details remain under wraps, expectations are high for theatrical elements, given Rodrigo’s cinematic music videos and past stage designs. The setlist will likely interweave new singles like “drop dead” with fan favorites, creating an emotional journey that matches the “unraveled” theme of raw self-expression.

As tickets become available this week, demand is expected to surge. Fans unable to secure primary tickets should monitor official resale policies and verified platforms for fair options closer to show dates.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Unraveled Tour” marks a major milestone in her career. With a new album on the horizon and a globe-spanning itinerary, the 2026-2027 run is poised to be one of the year’s most talked-about concert experiences. Mark your calendars, prepare your strategies and get ready for nights of cathartic anthems and unforgettable performances from one of pop’s brightest stars.

The local authority is bidding for money from the government’s Structures Fund

A “vital” coastal road in Somerset that closed three years ago over safety concerns could reopen to traffic. Somerset Council is bidding for Government cash to reopen the B3191 Cleeve Hill, which links Watchet to Blue Anchor in Somerset.

The road was shut by the local authority in January 2023 due to concerns around coastal erosion. The closure left just one route in and out of the town centre, using a 150-year-old bridge over the West Somerset Railway heritage line.

The B3191 reopened to pedestrians and cyclists in 2024 but has remained closed to motor vehicles.

Somerset Council has now submitted an initial bid to the government’s Structures Fund for a contribution towards what would be a £30 to £40m scheme to reinstate the B3191, either by making the existing route safe for vehicles or by redirecting the route further inland.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste services, said: “There is of course no guarantee that we can get this agreed, and any scheme would need to be approved by council, but we have been directed to this fund by the Secretary of State who recognises the issues locally and this is the first real chance we have had to find a way to reinstate this vital route for the community since it closed in 2023.

“We will be pushing hard for this funding, as we have been doing so from the outset – we fully understand the impact on the community of only having one road into Watchet, and the potential impact on the West Somerset traffic that has to take long diversions if the A39 has to close due to an incident.

“We consulted our communities about the ongoing closure and they told us that it is having a major effect on the economy of Watchet including the cost to the local economy and the inconvenience in terms of hours lost in delays, the logistics of coping with delivering goods to and from Minehead as well as the negative effects on tourism.”