NewsBeat
Dave Myers’ wife Liliana suffers episode due to grief
The beloved Dave, along with Si King, was one half of the TV cooking duo, and died at the age of 66 in 2024, two years after revealing he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Myers and King were a highly popular duo who travelled the UK and the world on motorbikes, exploring regional and national dishes and recipes.
Yesterday on Instagram, Liliana – a coach and hypnotherapist specialising in grief and loss – posted: “I just had an episode today where I forgot I’d already made a pot of coffee and 5 minutes later I made another one.
“I’ve heard it from numerous people, and only when it struck me too, I understood what it meant.
“Grief brain.
“Grief brain is a real thing.
“It’s forgetting what you walked into a room for.
“Reading the same sentence five times and still not taking it in.
“Losing track of conversations halfway through.
“It’s your mind trying to function while your heart is carrying something heavy.
“I thought of myself as being lazy and losing my focus too easily.
“Truth is…
“Grief rewires your focus.
“It softens your edges and scatters your thoughts.
“It asks your brain to process loss while still showing up for life—and that’s a lot.
“So if your memory feels foggy, if simple things feel harder than they used to…
“Give yourself some room.
“Slow down. Write things down. Take breaks.
“Not because you’re failing…
“Because this is a path you’re now learning how to walk.
“With love”
What is grief brain?
According to PsychCentral: “Grief can rewire our brain in a way that worsens memory, cognition, and concentration. You might feel spacey, forgetful, or unable to make ‘good’ decisions.
“It might also be difficult to speak or express yourself.
“These effects are known as grief brain.
“Acute grief refers to the symptoms a person experiences during the first six months after losing a loved one.
“These are usually the most intense.
“Your days may involve a mixture of yearning and sadness along with constant thoughts, memories, and images of the loved one. Small tasks can feel overwhelming and exhausting.
“In a typical grieving process, these symptoms tend to decrease over time. You’ll notice sharper thoughts and clearer memories coming back.
“Everyone is different, and for some, grief lasts a little longer. If symptoms last longer than 12 months, it may be diagnosed as prolonged grief disorder.
“The longer that intense symptoms last, the greater the chance of developing longer-term changes in your brain and body. ”
NewsBeat
Pragmata is another unexpected Nintendo Switch 2 showcase – with some caveats
Capcom continues its hot streak with Pragmata, delivering both a great sci-fi shooter and another impressive Nintendo Switch 2 port.
Between Resident Evil Requiem, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and Pragmata, Capcom is already having a banner year in 2026. We’re only four months deep as well, with Onimusha: Way Of The Sword also slated to arrive before the year wraps up.
But then Capcom has been on a hot streak for years – between the likes of Resident Evil 4 remake and Monster Hunter Wilds – and this extends to its support of the Nintendo Switch 2. The developer has released a string of impressive ports, including Street Fighter 6 and Resident Evil Requiem, which take an expected hit in the resolution department, but if you’re not a stickler for crisp hair physics, are surprisingly close to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions.
The Switch 2 version of Pragmata easily joins these ranks. It has some rough edges, and Diana (the android girl that can hack other robots) looks like she’s been blasted through a car wash during close-up conversations, but it’s still a well optimised showcase of what Nintendo’s handheld can do.
In many ways, this port is more impressive because Pragmata is a faster-paced action game when compared to Resident Evil Requiem. In the heat of the firefights, where you’re oscillating between Diana’s hacking capabilities and Hugh’s arsenal of weapons, there are lots of flashy sci-fi effects, explosions, and multiple enemies on-screen at once.
Some of the extra detail is dialled down on Switch 2 – like smoke effects, for example – but this isn’t noticeable unless you’re actively looking for differences in comparison shots or videos.
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These trade-offs keep the action running smoothly. Pragmata targets 60fps on Nintendo’s console, and while it doesn’t achieve this consistently (like other Capcom games, it has an unlocked frame rate), it rarely dips to a noticeable degree. It fares better in handheld mode thanks to the VRR (variable refresh rate) support, but even when docked the performance is surprisingly good considering how frenetic the action can be.
The most distracting and noticeable downgrade is Diana herself. There’s an uncanny valley element to the android infant on other platforms, but on the Switch 2 the details have been reduced to a less believable degree. Her static, clumpier hair when bounding around is the biggest giveaway, but during close-up conversations in the Shelter hub area, it can feel like you’re talking to a smudged doll who hasn’t been synchronised properly.
These visual qualms are more noticeable in handheld mode, where everything does have a blurrier effect when compared to the PlayStation 5 version, but it is still impressive how much detail it still maintains in the surroundings. Playing the second area, set in a 3D printed duplicate of New York’s Times Square, across both the PS5 Pro and Switch 2, it’s surprising how comparable the experiences are, minus the finer visual flourishes on Nintendo’s console
The negatives are a small price to pay, If you want to play Pragmata on the go. We’d definitely advise using a Pro Controller, though, as the Joy-Con controls can get finicky when you’re trying to cycle through weapons in the heat of a ruckus. The analogue sticks on the Joy-Cons don’t feel built to sustain frequent clicks either, which you’ll be doing fairly often to make Hugh run (there is a toggle in the options menu, so technically you don’t need to hold it down to sprint, but that feels weird).
There are some unfortunate omissions, though. One of the Switch 2’s most underused features, mouse controls, isn’t supported, which is a shame as it could have presented an intuitive way of dealing with the hacking minigame (or broken it entirely). There’s no toggle to lock the frame rate either, which would have been optimal for those who are more sensitive to frame rate dips.
If you’re looking for the best version of Pragmata, you’re better off sticking with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or PC, but the Switch 2 edition is a comparable and valid alternative which isn’t far removed from its more powerful cousins. When positioned next to Capcom’s existing ports, and other current gen titles like Star Wars Outlaws, it’s another sign that the era of mangled, heavily compromised Switch ports appears to be over. Well, not counting Overwatch anyway.
Formats: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Price: £49.99
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: 17th April 2026
Age Rating: 16
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NewsBeat
Plans for 1,500 flats on Greenwich Peninsula approved but affordable home numbers slashed
Chairman Dave Sullivan echoed the opinions of Planning Board members by saying that none of them were “comfortable” with the new plans, lamenting the loss of affordable housing as well as the removal of the reviews. However, the committee approved the plans as the project would help address the borough’s housing needs.
NewsBeat
Mods and rockers set for annual scooter meet in York
The York Inset Scooter Club will host its Mods and Rockers run on Sunday, April 26, beginning at 10.30am from the Eye of York.
Riders will travel through the Howardian Hills, finishing at The Mended Drum pub in Huby.
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The ride is also known as the John Martin Memorial Ride, in honour of one of the original members of the club who died in 2010.
Committee member Nick Beilby said: “John was known as Vespa John as he rode a Vespa scooter and was known for his ready smile and friendly nature.
“A popular member, much missed, and the ride keeps his memory alive.”
Scooter and motorbike riders are both welcome to take part, with each rider asked to donate £5 to Yorkshire and Scarborough Hospitals Charity.
Last year’s event raised nearly £1,000 for the cause.
More information can be found via The York Inset Scooter Club social media pages.
The Lord Mayor of York, Martin Rowley, will officially start the ride, along with Normandy D-Day veteran and club president Ken Cooke.
Marshals help guide riders through each stage of the route, which passes Strensall Camp and Foston before looping back to Huby.
NewsBeat
Major rail disruption across the North West this weekend
Engineering work between Preston and Lancaster on the West Coast Main Line will mean line closures between Preston and Carlisle from April 17 to 19.
Avanti West Coast has confirmed that no trains will run between Preston and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh on the normal West Coast Main Line route during the works.
One train per hour will operate between London Euston and Preston via Nuneaton.
Northern services will also be impacted, with trains between Barrow-in-Furness and Manchester Airport running only as far as Lancaster on April 18, and between Windermere and Manchester Piccadilly only as far as Oxenholme Lake District or Lancaster.
Rail replacement buses will operate between Preston and Lancaster throughout the works.
On April 19, rail replacement services will also operate between Grange-over-Sands and Lancaster, Heysham Port/Morecambe and Lancaster, and Windermere and Oxenholme Lake District.
No Avanti West Coast services will run between Preston and Carlisle on Saturday or Sunday.
Services between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly or Liverpool Lime Street will not be impacted and will operate as normal.
READ MORE:
Passengers are encouraged to check their journey before travelling and allow extra time where rail replacement transport is in use.
A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said: “To help you complete your journey between Preston and Glasgow Central, Avanti West Coast are operating rail replacement buses on various routes.
“Please note that you may also need to use buses provided by other operators to complete your journey.”
NewsBeat
Colon cancer deaths are higher among less-educated young adults
NEW YORK (AP) — The worrisome rise in colorectal cancer deaths in younger adults is concentrated in people with less education, suggesting socioeconomic factors could be driving the escalation, according to a new study.
Celebrity deaths — including Chadwick Boseman in 2020 and James Van Der Beek earlier this year — have highlighted the increase in colorectal cancer deaths among younger adults, but the new paper was called the first to parse which people are most affected by the alarming rise.
The researchers found that over the last 30 years, the rise in colorectal cancer deaths in young adults occurred almost entirely among people without a four-year college degree.
Of course, getting a college degree doesn’t protect you from getting colon cancer. Rather, experts say it’s a marker for other issues: People without degrees tend to earn less money, have poorer diets, exercise less and get less medical care.
It’s not totally unexpected that the death risk is concentrated in the less advantaged, but the paper published Thursday in JAMA Oncology is the first national study to actually show the connection, said Dr. Paolo Boffetta, a researcher at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York who wasn’t involved in the work.
American Cancer Society researchers used government data on more than 101,000 younger adults, ages 25 to 49, who died of colorectal cancer from 1994 through 2023.
Overall, the colorectal cancer death rate rose from about 3 per 100,000 in that age group to about 4 per 100,000. But for people who only made it through high school, the rate rose from 4 to 5.2 per 100,000, while the rate for people with at least a bachelor’s degrees did not change from 2.7 per 100,000.
Ahmedin Jemal, the study’s first author, said the findings underscore the need for public awareness about colorectal cancer and for younger adults to heed screening recommendations. Symptoms can include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 158,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Overall, it’s the nation’s second leading cancer killer, behind lung cancer, and is expected to claim more than 55,000 in 2026.
The number of deaths for adults younger than 50 is around 7% of the total — about 3,900. Earlier this year, cancer society researchers reported that colorectal cancer mortality in Americans under 50 had increased by 1.1% a year since 2005, making it now the deadliest cancer in that age group.
Scientists don’t know what’s behind that increase. But they note risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, and a family history of colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society changed its screening guidelines in 2021, lowering the age U.S. adults should start getting screened from 50 to 45.
Why did the researchers behind Thursday’s study look at education level and not other factors?
Death certificates don’t detail how much money a person had, or most other aspects of their life. But they do note how much schooling someone completed. And other research has found that data often aligns with statistics about income, health insurance, physical activity and chronic disease. So education serves as a proxy, but can’t speak to other factors, like whether the person had health insurance.
“The focus on education is really (due to) something which was available in the data,” Boffetta observed.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
NewsBeat
Music legends among winners at Jazz FM Awards 2026
Other winners on the night included Donovan Haffner, who won breakthrough act of the year, Omar, who won soul act of the year, Joe Webb, who was given instrumentalist of the year, Yazmin Lacey, who won vocalist of the year, and Emma-Jean Thackray, who picked up the innovation award.
NewsBeat
Meet Chip and Dale, new capybara brothers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Named Chip and Dale, the large semiaquatic rodents travelled from the Gaia Zoo in the Netherlands and are now settling into their new home in the park’s Amazonas Reserve.
Born on the June 9 last year, the young capybaras have already made a positive impression on animal rangers with their “laid back attitude” and adjusted so well to their new environment that they were allowed outside just days after arriving.
Dr Charlotte MacDonald, Director of Animals, said: “We are delighted to welcome Chip and Dale to the park.
“They have settled in well after their long journey.
“We let them outside and they had a good look around before heading straight back into their house.
“Capybaras are very sociable animals, and we are sure that they will be very popular amongst visitors.
“The Amazonas reserve transports visitors to the Amazon rainforest and is home to some incredible South American species.
“The capybaras will live amongst our monkeys – golden lion tamarins, silvery marmosets, red titi monkeys and other South American rodents, the Mara and agouti.”
The reserve offers a walk-through experience, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the habitat and observe the animals up close as they move freely around the space.
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents, closely related to guinea pigs, and are known for their highly social nature.
They spend much of their time in water, using their partially webbed feet to swim and submerging for up to five minutes at a time.
They often hide underwater to evade predators and can sleep while submerged, keeping only their nostrils above the surface to breathe.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, on the outskirts of Doncaster is home to a range of rare and endangered animals, including Amur tigers, giraffes, black rhinos, and polar bears.
The park’s broader resort includes the Hex Wildlife Hotel and the Yorkshire Hive, a nearby complex offering shopping, dining, and entertainment options for visitors.
NewsBeat
Conference League semi-final dates in full: Crystal Palace set up Shakhtar clash as Strasbourg eye final berth
The Eagles won 2-0 in the first-leg to put them in good stead for a tricky away fixture, where they managed to progress despite falling to a 2-1 defeat on the night.
Their campaign suffered a further setback, too, as both Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix picked up injuries.
Shakhtar romped past AZ Alkmaar in their own quarter-final, and will pose particularly tricky opposition for Oliver Glasner’s men.
Conference League semi-final first leg matches are scheduled to be held on April 30, with the return fixtures taking place the following Thursday.
Conference League semi-final dates in full
Rayo Vallecano vs Strasbourg
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace
Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano
Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk
May 27: Shakhtar Donetsk/Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano/Strasbourg
Conference League quarter-final results
Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2 AZ Alkmaar
Crystal Palace 4-2 Fiorentina
Rayo Vallecano 4-3 AEK Athens
Mainz 05 2-4 RC Strasbourg
Conference League last 16 results
Lech Poznan 3-4 Shakhtar Donetsk
AZ Alkmaar 6-1 Sparta Prague
Crystal Palace 2-1 AEK Larnaca
Fiorentina 4-2 Rakov Czestochowa
Samunspor 2-3 Rayo Vallecano
Sigma Olomouc 0-2 Mainz 05
HNK Rijeka 2-3 RC Strasbourg
NewsBeat
Train lines closed and delayed across Greater Manchester
The delays are due to ‘overhead wire damage’ outside Manchester Piccadilly, meaning there are ‘signficant delays’ going to and from this station.
Travellers are advised to avoid the following routes entirely:
- Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe
- Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke on Trent
- Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield
- Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton
- Manchester Piccadilly to Chester
The following routes are still in service but are subject to delays and, in some cases, cancellations:
- Manchester Airport, Piccadilly and Blackpool / Liverpool
- Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield
- Manchester Piccadilly and Rose Hill Marple
- Manchester Piccadilly and New Mills Central
In a social media post, Northern Rail alerted passengers to the fact that they can use their tickets on Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, TPExpress Trains, Cross Country UK, and TFWrail trains, though these trains are likely to be affected by the same issue.
Northern Rail tickets will also be accepted in the Manchester area on Bee Network and Metrolink services via ‘reasonable routes’.
This will include Bee Network bus services.
The disruption is currently expected to last until about 4pm while workers attempt to fix the problem.
NewsBeat
Shakespeare North reveals summer and autumn line-up
The Prescot venue unveiled the programme on Wednesday, April 15, promising a wide-ranging line-up of productions.
The Cockpit Theatre will stage a “bold, immediate and immersive” staging of Macbeth, directed by associate artist Ben Crystal.
The Playhouse describes the new season as a celebration of “creativity in all its forms,” offering something for every taste and age group.
A spokesperson for the Shakespeare North Playhouse said: “The highlight of the season is one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies, as Shakespeare North’s Associate Artist Ben Crystal brings Macbeth into the Cockpit Theatre in Autumn 2026.
“Bold, immediate and immersive, this production places audiences at the heart of ambition, intrigue, power and fate.
“A summer-long celebration in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, with open-air Shakespeare, opera and family favourites.
“Across the other spaces of the building, artists and audiences can explore identity, history, humour and imagination.
“With something for everyone, Shakespeare North continues to bring communities together.”
The Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden will again serve as the heart of the summer season, hosting open-air Shakespeare, opera, and family-friendly performances.
Plays scheduled for the outdoor stage include The Comedy of Errors, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It.
The Studio programme will focus on new writing and inventive storytelling.
Scheduled works include Out The Woodwork by Gingerlee Does It and The Story of Edith Smith by Pauline Fleming, alongside comedy performances such as Off Grid, which blends stand-up with theatre to explore themes of generational divide and binary politics.
Highlights include Reynard the Fox, The Almost Complete History of Britain, and a family-friendly version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
For the festive season, Colour the Clouds returns with A Very Messy Christmas and Wrongsemble’s Tinsel.
The comedy and fringe programme will feature Alex Stringer’s Happy Hour and the provocatively titled Women Aren’t Funny.
The Heading North Fringe Festival in May will showcase new work ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe, including Lambslaughter, The Hanged Man’s Bride, One Man Poe, The Perfect Match, and It Happened On A Tuesday.
More details and booking information are available at www.shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk.
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