Reform UK is venturing into podcasting with a weekly show that will offer listeners behind-the-scenes access to Nigel Farage and senior figures within the party, marking the first time a British political party has produced its own audio programme.

The first episode, due out on Saturday, will feature footage from Reform’s campaign trail ahead of the local elections, including exchanges with both supporters and detractors. Subsequent instalments will follow Farage’s campaigning efforts in Wales and Scotland while covering major policy announcements in depth. The show will be available on Spotify and Apple, though the party has confirmed there are no plans to appoint a regular presenter.

The move represents a significant escalation in Reform’s broader digital media strategy, which has already seen the party invest tens of thousands of pounds in an in-house television studio. Farage commands a social media following of nearly 7.3 million across X, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, a figure that exceeds the combined followings of Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.

That digital dominance has translated into tangible political momentum. Reform now leads the national polls and has become the most popular party among Generation Z men, according to research by JL Partners for the think tank Onward. The party’s sharp use of TikTok has been widely credited as a driving force behind its surge in support among younger voters.

The podcast launch also underscores a growing tension between political parties and traditional broadcast media. Farage already hosts a primetime programme on GB News, a channel that has faced repeated scrutiny from Ofcom over its use of politicians as presenters. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has argued that Farage’s show is undermining public trust in news broadcasting.

Reform’s digital success has not gone unnoticed by its rivals. The Prime Minister joined both TikTok and Substack late last year, while Labour has enlisted FourOneOne, a digital marketing agency backed by Silicon Valley investors including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, to mount a campaign targeting Reform on TikTok. The party has further strengthened its online presence following Robert Jenrick’s defection from the Conservatives, with the former shadow justice secretary having built a considerable profile through attention-grabbing social media content.

Farage said the podcast would bring listeners closer to the party’s operations in a way that no other political organisation has attempted, describing it as offering access to every aspect of Reform’s activities.

Amy Ingham

Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.

OpenAI’s much-trumpeted plans to build a major data centre in the north-east of England have ground to a halt, dealing a significant blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s strategy of placing artificial intelligence at the centre of Britain’s economic growth.

The maker of ChatGPT announced last September that it would bring its Stargate programme, a global data centre initiative originally valued at $500bn (£378bn), to British shores through a partnership with Nscale, the UK-based data centre operator. The initial plan envisaged housing approximately 8,000 Nvidia AI processors at Cobalt Park on Tyneside during the first quarter of 2026. That deadline has now passed without a spade in the ground, and OpenAI has declined to offer a revised timetable.

The reasons behind the delay remain unclear, though commercial negotiations between the parties are understood to be continuing. Both OpenAI and Nscale refused to comment on the state of play.

The Stargate concept was first unveiled by Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive, at a White House press conference in January 2025 alongside Donald Trump. Altman subsequently pledged to extend the programme internationally, with the UK earmarked as a key location. In a government press release at the time, he described Stargate UK as part of a “shared vision” to expand opportunity through the right infrastructure.

The project was enthusiastically embraced by ministers, who have sought to position Britain as a global leader in AI. OpenAI further signalled its commitment to the UK by appointing George Osborne, the former Conservative chancellor, to spearhead its international expansion.

Yet the Tyneside setback is far from an isolated case. In the United States, negotiations over Stargate’s broader rollout have proceeded sluggishly, with key backer SoftBank among those yet to finalise terms. A planned expansion of a major site in Texas, being developed with the American data giant Oracle, was quietly shelved earlier this year.

The wider industry is grappling with similar headaches. Technology groups have collectively committed to spending hundreds of billions of dollars on data centres to satisfy surging demand for AI applications, but delivery is proving far harder than the headline figures suggest. Research by Sightline Climate indicates that up to half of all large-scale data centre projects are now running behind schedule, hampered by planning difficulties and constraints on energy supply.

Nscale, valued at $15bn and counting Sir Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, among its board members, has itself been forced to push back timelines on a separate development in Loughton, Essex, as Business Matters reported last week.

Critics have been quick to seize on the lack of progress. Tom Hegarty, a spokesman for Foxglove, the campaign group that has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the data centre boom, said the Stargate UK project amounts to little more than a press release issued eight months ago.

The government maintained that it remains focused on fostering the right conditions for investment. A spokesman said ministers are continuing to work with OpenAI and other leading AI firms to strengthen the UK’s computing capacity. Whether that reassurance will be enough to quieten growing scepticism about the pace of delivery is another matter entirely.

Amy Ingham

Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.

The U.S. military pressed ahead Saturday with a high-stakes search-and-rescue operation for a missing American airman after Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet on Friday, while Iranian state media urged citizens in rugged southwestern provinces to hunt for the “enemy pilot” and hand him over alive in exchange for a “precious prize.”

The incident marked the first confirmed loss of a U.S. manned aircraft over Iranian territory since the conflict between the United States and Iran escalated nearly six weeks ago. One of the two crew members aboard the two-seat F-15E was rescued by U.S. special forces in a daring operation, but the status of the second service member — believed to be the weapons systems officer — remained unknown as of early Saturday, U.S. officials told lawmakers and reporters.

Iranian forces also claimed to have struck a second U.S. aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack plane near the Strait of Hormuz, though its pilot was reported rescued. U.S. officials confirmed two aircraft were hit in separate incidents Friday but provided limited details, citing operational security during the ongoing search.

The downing occurred in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, a mountainous and sparsely populated area in southwestern Iran near the border with Iraq. Iranian state television affiliates broadcast images of what appeared to be aircraft wreckage and debris, while a local channel in the province aired an urgent appeal to residents.

“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” an anchor declared on air Friday, according to multiple reports. An on-screen crawl earlier urged viewers to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to circulating footage of U.S. aircraft. It was the first time Iranian media publicly mobilized civilians in the search for a downed U.S. airman.

U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon have not released the identities of the crew members, citing family privacy and security concerns. The rescued crew member was undergoing medical evaluation, sources said. Search efforts involved combat search-and-rescue teams, helicopters and supporting aircraft, with reports that two Black Hawk helicopters involved in the operation came under enemy fire but safely exited Iranian airspace.

The episode comes amid broader U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, nuclear sites and missile capabilities as part of what the Trump administration has described as efforts to degrade Tehran’s ability to threaten the region. President Donald Trump has warned of continued pressure but has not detailed specific responses to the aircraft losses.

Pentagon officials notified the House Armed Services Committee that the status of the second service member from the F-15E was unknown. The notification underscored the gravity of the situation, as the war — now in its sixth week — has already resulted in American casualties, with earlier reports citing at least 15 U.S. troops killed and hundreds wounded in related regional actions.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocked the U.S. on social media, writing that the American campaign had shifted from ambitions of “regime change” to pleas of “Hey! Can anyone find our pilots?” Iranian military officials claimed the downing demonstrated strengthened air defenses despite weeks of strikes.

Military experts noted the challenges of combat search and rescue (CSAR) in hostile territory. Retired pilots and analysts described how downed aviators are trained in survival, evasion, resistance and escape (SERE) techniques, including hiding in rugged terrain, signaling for help and avoiding capture. The southwestern Iranian landscape — with its mountains, valleys and limited infrastructure — could complicate both U.S. recovery efforts and Iranian searches.

Retired Air Force officers emphasized that time is critical. Crew members carry survival kits, radios and signaling devices, but exposure to elements, injury from ejection and pursuit by enemy forces heighten risks. In past conflicts, such as the 1991 Gulf War or operations in Afghanistan, CSAR missions have sometimes involved ground teams inserting deep behind lines, supported by overhead cover from fighter jets and drones.

U.S. forces have conducted numerous airstrikes across Iran since the conflict intensified in late February or early March 2026. Iranian claims of downing U.S. or allied aircraft have circulated frequently but were often unverified or disproven. Friday’s events appeared to mark the first substantiated loss inside Iranian borders, raising questions about air defense effectiveness and the evolving risk to U.S. pilots.

The missing airman’s potential capture could hand Iran a significant propaganda victory, with fears he might be paraded publicly or used as leverage in any future negotiations. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps elements and local militias were reported active in the search area, alongside civilians responding to the media appeal.

White House officials have downplayed immediate escalation risks while stressing the priority of recovering the service member. Trump, in recent remarks, indicated the incident would not derail broader objectives but declined to outline specific retaliatory steps.

The broader conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, strained global oil markets and drawn international concern over civilian impacts. Humanitarian groups have reported difficulties accessing affected areas, while regional allies monitor developments closely.

For U.S. military families and service members, the news revives painful memories of past captivity cases, such as the 1980 Iran hostage crisis or downed pilots in Vietnam. Support networks and counseling resources have been activated as details remain scarce.

As Saturday progressed, U.S. search operations continued without public confirmation of the missing airman’s location or condition. Analysts warned that involving civilians in military hunts could lead to unintended confrontations or endanger non-combatants.

The F-15E Strike Eagle is a versatile fighter-bomber known for its speed, range and precision-strike capabilities. Its loss, even if isolated, highlights the persistent dangers of operating over defended airspace despite U.S. technological advantages in stealth and electronic warfare.

Iran has long invested in layered air defenses, including Russian-supplied systems and indigenous developments. While U.S. and Israeli strikes have targeted many radar and missile sites, some capabilities evidently remain operational.

Pentagon spokespeople have emphasized that aircraft losses are an inherent risk in combat but vowed to adapt tactics. “We have specially trained rescue units who will be combing that area,” one retired general told media, noting the speed and coordination required for successful extractions.

As the search stretched into a second day, families of U.S. service members awaited updates with growing anxiety. The incident has fueled debate in Washington about the scope and duration of operations against Iran, with some lawmakers calling for clearer exit strategies and others urging sustained pressure.

International reactions varied. Allies expressed concern for the missing personnel, while some nations criticized the escalation. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations called for de-escalation and protection of all parties.

For now, the focus remains on the rugged terrain of southwestern Iran, where American and Iranian search parties race against time and each other. The outcome could influence the trajectory of a conflict that has already reshaped regional security dynamics.

U.S. officials continue to monitor developments closely, with rescue teams supported by intelligence assets and air cover. Whether the missing serviceman is located safely, captured or remains unaccounted for will likely shape the next phase of this volatile chapter in U.S.-Iran relations.

£2m Blackburn project will take seven months to complete

The project to build a new four-arm roundabout in a busy gateway road in Blackburn has taken a major step forward.

Senior councillors have been asked to approve the appointment of the main contractor for the scheme due to start in May when they meet on Thursday next week (April 9).

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board has been recommended to approve Farnworth civil engineering firm George Cox & Sons Ltd to manage the highway works.

A report from the authority’s growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood also reveals that the original cost of £1.75million for the project had now increased to £2m but that the initial estimate of eight months to complete it has now been reduced to seven.

The scheme, which will realign Whalley Old Road, was granted planning permission in February,

It will still need a lengthy closure causing major traffic disruption, as the roundabout is installed for new housing developments.

The roundabout will serve the controversial Sunnybower Meadow housing estate of 165 new homes currently being built by Vistry Partnerships/Bovis Homes, and pave the way for a proposed 1,250-home development in north-east Blackburn built on 241 acres of land off Brownhill Drive over 20 years.

Cllr Mahmood’s report says: “The board is recommended to approve the appointment of George Cox & Sons Ltd as Preferred Bidder for the highway works following a competitive tender process.

“It notes the contractor will commence mobilisation in May 2026 following confirmation of appointment with works planned to commence over the summer with a seven-month construction programme aiming for all works to be complete by December 2026.

“It approves a total project budget of £2,000,000 to cover construction, fees, surveys and contingency and notes this includes £201,000 costs incurred to date,

“It notes the council has £1,500,000 allocated funding within the capital programme with an additional £119,200 provided by Bovis Homes under a Section 106 Agreement.

“The funding provided by Bovis Homes is equivalent to the cost of the entrance works which are omitted from their scheme to prevent abortive work due to the proposed roundabout works now providing a combined entrance for the two sites.

“It approves the addition of a further £130,800 to the capital budget funded by S106 contributions and the reallocation of £250,000 capital funding from the north-east Blackburn capital budget.

“The use of a roundabout at this location is also more in keeping with the semi-rural nature of Whalley Old Road and once completed will mark the transition between the rural and urban environments and provide a gateway entrance to both sites.

“Roundabouts allow traffic to flow more continuously, reducing queues and delays compared with priority junctions.

“Vehicles also approach and circulate roundabouts at lower speeds, which also reduces the likelihood of collisions.”

“To facilitate pedestrian crossings, splitter islands are included on each arm of the roundabout.”

To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your community, visit the Public Notices Portal.

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On paper, Catholicism looks like it’s having a moment.

The global Catholic population has surpassed 1.4 billion. Eucharistic processions are drawing record crowds. And last summer, more than 50,000 people packed into Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress — the first of its kind in 83 years.

But on the ground, the picture looks very different.

Across the United States, dioceses are merging parishes, closing churches and asking fewer priests to cover more communities.

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Even as interest — especially among younger adults — begins to rebound, the Church keeps running into the same hard limit:

It needs priests. And there aren’t enough of them.

When asked about the priest shortage, Dan Monastra, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said, “One reason is the overall lack of desire in our culture to commit oneself to something permanent, especially among younger generations. We see this not only with the priesthood but with marriage as well. Another reason is that the priesthood is antithetical to what modern culture offers; namely, comfort.”

This is the paradox of the present moment: a renewed interest in Catholicism colliding with a severe priest shortage and the business of staffing, financing, and sustaining parish life. The Catholic population is growing with fewer priests to guide it.

The numbers

The priest shortage isn’t just a perception — it shows up clearly in the data.

According to the Church’s statistical yearbook, the number of priests worldwide fell to 406,996 in 2023 — down from the year before and continuing a multiyear decline.

The pipeline is shrinking, too.

Globally, the number of seminarians dropped from 108,481 in 2022 to 106,495 in 2023 — part of a steady slide that’s now lasted more than a decade.

That creates a long-term problem: fewer priests today means even fewer tomorrow.

“With fewer priests to staff parishes, many dioceses across our country have engaged in restructuring or consolidating of parishes to deal with this reality,” Rev. John Donia, pastor at St. Elizabeth Parish in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, told Fox News Digital.

The result is a growing gap between demand and supply.

Older priests are retiring or dying, often in clusters. At the same time, the need for Mass, confession, hospital visits and pastoral care isn’t going away.

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In the United States, that gap is especially visible.

The Church still operates with a footprint built for a different era — one with far more priests. Now, many dioceses are being forced to rethink everything from parish boundaries to staffing models.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, head church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. (Getty Images)

And it’s happening nationwide.

“We are entering into a different time with new challenges. The world is constantly changing, and it is up to the Church to find ways to bear witness to Christ in the midst of these changes while still upholding the ancient faith,” Monastra said, when asked why parishes are still closing even when interest in Catholicism is rising.

“This has been true throughout history, and it remains true today. My hope is that, rather than looking at parish closures in a negative light, we see them for what they really are: occasions to find new ways to bring Christ to others.”

Even where younger adults are more visible, the math still bites. A parish can be reviving spiritually while still being financially fragile or difficult to staff.

The business of priesthood: Formation pipelines, staffing models, and costs

The Catholic priesthood in the United States is at a critical juncture. 

Formation is expensive. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) reported 2,920 seminarians in post-baccalaureate formation (pre-theology and theology) in 2023–2024. 

The direct educational costs are significant. CARA reports the average annual tuition of about $24,763 and room and board of about $15,254 for seminarians in theology programs.

Those numbers don’t include the broader costs of things like counseling, healthcare, and operational overhead.

As a result, dioceses are making tough investment decisions: fewer dollars, fewer candidates, and higher expectations for formation quality.

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But why are there fewer candidates if religion is seeing a resurgence?

Rev. Donia noted some contributing factors in his interview.

“There are a number of factors to consider: fewer large families with a natural pipeline to the priesthood… Clergy abuse scandals… Priesthood is counter cultural, especially in our instant-gratification culture,” he explained.

Catholic faith leaders gather for a mass at the Gesu Catholic Church before holding a procession. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

As a result, the pipeline increasingly relies on international vocations.

CARA reported that 17% of graduate-level seminarians were born outside the U.S. in 2024-2025. 

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But relying on international priests comes with risks — visa issues, cultural challenges, and shifting global needs as many “sending” countries face their own growth and pastoral demands — forcing staffing to be redesigned in real time.

As priests cover more parishes, dioceses are expanding the roles of deacons and lay leaders for administration, catechesis, and pastoral work while also confronting a hard limit: only priests can celebrate Mass and absolve sins in confession.

This isn’t just a staffing problem.

It’s a sacramental one. 

When one priest covers multiple communities, it means fewer Masses, fewer confessions, less time for hospital visits — and less presence overall.

Why are parishes still closing even when interest is rising?

If more young people are showing up, why are churches still shutting down?

Because parish closures aren’t about one good Sunday.

They’re about whether a parish can survive long-term.

Several pressures are hitting at once:

• Buildings: Aging churches, rising insurance costs and deferred maintenance can overwhelm even active parishes.
• Geography: Catholics are moving — growing in the South and West, shrinking in some older urban areas — leaving behind infrastructure that no longer fits where people live.
• Clergy: Fewer priests means fewer pastors, which forces mergers even when individual communities are still vibrant.
• Finances: Donations tend to follow consistent attendance. A growing young-adult group often isn’t enough to offset decades of decline and fixed costs.

Put it together, and you get a paradox:

More spiritual energy — but less physical infrastructure.

Parishes can feel alive on Sunday and still be unsustainable on paper.

The revival

As the Church confronts these challenges, there is a noticeable rise in renewed Catholic energy, especially among committed younger adults.

There is a return to the core practices of Eucharistic adoration, confession, a disciplined spiritual life, and a desire for reverent liturgy.

The U.S. bishops emphasized Eucharistic renewal through the National Eucharistic Revival (2022–2025), culminating in the 2024 Congress. Their conclusion? If Catholicism is going to regenerate, it will do so because of what makes it distinct — especially faith in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

And there is a proposed connection to vocations: a culture that treats the Eucharist as central — rather than symbolic — is more likely to foster priestly vocations.

“Traditional expressions, including reverent liturgy and clear teaching, resonate strongly with younger Catholics,” Rev. Donia told Fox News Digital. 

What’s driving spirituality in Gen Z and millennials?

Here’s the key shift: younger generations are less tied to institutions — but still searching for meaning.

Springtide Research, surveying ages 13–25, consistently finds that the dominant story (“young people don’t care about faith”) is incomplete; many still say they believe — even if they don’t attend regularly.

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Pew Research Center shows a similar trend: younger adults are less likely to identify as Christian than older cohorts, and religious switching is common — yet many still express some form of spiritual belief.

Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly acknowledged what he describes as a “crisis” in priestly vocations, warning of strain within the priesthood while urging young people to consider religious life.

Monastra, a Gen Z seminarian, said his call to the priesthood was driven by a desire for something “real and authentic.”

“I have found that ‘something,’ because there is nothing more true, more good, and more beautiful than Christ Jesus,” he said. “I have experienced great love from Him, and my desire to one day become a priest is simply a response to that love.”

There are several factors driving the recent resurgence in spirituality, including:

1) A mental health and meaning crisis:

Anxiety, loneliness, and “purpose fatigue” are widely reported across Gen Z. Barna’s Gen Z research emphasizes needs around meaningful relationships, hope, healthy digital habits and purpose — all of which faith communities can address when they’re strong and credible. 

In that environment, religion can reemerge as an answer to a basic question: What am I for? Catholicism, when presented in a serious and coherent way, offers identity, moral formation, community, and a transcendent framework.

Pope Leo XIV sprinkles the head of a Cardinal with ashes during the celebration of Ash Wednesday on February 18, 2026. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

2) Distrust of institutions and hunger for authenticity:

Gen Z and millennials are often skeptical of institutions. The Church has been affected by scandal and declining trust in some regions.

Yet that same skepticism can create openness to more intentional forms of faith. When young adults return, they often seek coherent teaching, serious spiritual practices, and authentic community.

3) Community as an antidote to fragmentation:

Younger adults live in an era of high connectivity and low belonging. A parish that offers genuine friendship, intergenerational support, and a shared mission can feel like a lifeline.

4) A search for embodied practice, not just opinions:

Many young adults are tired of spirituality that stays in the head. Catholicism is a whole-body faith: kneeling, fasting, feasting, pilgrimage, sacramental signs, daily prayer, moral discipline. For people shaped by screen life, embodied practices can be a form of recovery.

5) Social media makes subcultures possible, including Catholic ones:

Online life has clear downsides, but it also allows dispersed communities to connect and enables priests and creators to share teaching widely. This can accelerate “micro-revivals,” even if it does not immediately show up in national data.

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Rev. Donia pointed to Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire, to summarize the contrasting effects of social media on today’s youth.

“Bishop Robert Barron noted that social media offer a ‘golden age’ for evangelization and apologetics,” Donia said. “Yet it exacerbates divisiveness and can turn committed Catholics against each other in ways that scandalize outsiders.”

Though he said social media “accelerates discovery and devotion for many,” he argued the overall effect depends on how “intentionally” people use it.

The collision ahead: Renewal requires priests, and priests require renewal

Without priests, the sacraments become harder to access — and renewal becomes harder to sustain.

Without renewal, fewer men may answer the call to the priesthood.

The practical side can’t be ignored. Seminaries must be funded, formation must be excellent, and dioceses must redesign staffing without hollowing out parish life.

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At the same time, the spiritual side cannot be reduced to strategy. Even the most effective vocation plan will fall short if Catholics do not recover a lived sense that the Eucharist is central.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates the first Mass for the Care of Creation at the Laudato Si’ Village of Castel Gandolfo on July 09, 2025 in Albano Laziale, Italy. (Photo by Cristian Gennari via Vatican Pool/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Rev. Donia called that insight “profoundly true” and urged Catholics to take it seriously.

“It’s one of the most important insights into the current state of Catholic life, especially regarding vocations,” he said.

And that is what many younger Catholics appear to be signaling — sometimes quietly, sometimes visibly, as in Indianapolis in 2024 — a willingness to return not to a purely cultural Catholicism, but to a more demanding, sacramental, and Christ-centered faith.

The Church’s challenge is whether it can meet that desire with enough priests, sufficient formation, and the institutional capacity to rebuild — not just buildings, but belief.