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Games Inbox: Is GTA 6 worth the price tag?

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Games Inbox: Is GTA 6 worth the price tag?
GTA 6 – is it worth it? (Rockstar Games)

The Friday letters page is still upset that GTA 6 doesn’t have a proper physical edition, as a reader names Metaphor: ReFantazio as his favourite JRPG ever.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Price shock
So Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that GTA 6 will be digital-only and there will be no physical copy. Adding to this we have learned that certain businesses and an apartment will only be available in the Ultimate Edition, meaning that if you wish to enjoy owning those you will have to pay extra from the standard version to get these.

That’s bad news for GTA fans and quite frustrating and disappointing. Regardless, GTA 6 should be one hell of a game. I will be buying GTA 6, of course, but the price for the Ultimate Edition from the Standard Edition might shock fans.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

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GC: Will it? Earlier in the week people were bracing themselves for the standard version costing £100. Not even the Ultimate Edition is that much.

Not over the moon
Well, I’ve pre-ordered GTA 6: Ultimate Edition and I know I’m getting it and I don’t think both prices are bad. I went for the £89.99 one because how often does GTA come out? About every 13 years, so though I’d loosen the wallet a bit the only thing that worries me is in the details.

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It says single-player only and I’m just hoping that doesn’t mean online is another charge. After all, this is Rockstar Games. If online is included I’ll be over the moon. At the moment, I’m just excited. Well, I was till I saw it is 147 days till download day.
David

Breaking the interweb
Why is no one talking about the fact that GTA 6 is potentially going to be really hard or impossible to download for a large proportion of people? Due to the ridiculously high demand everything is going to crash or slow down to a crawl. I don’t really know how it all works on a technical level, but this is going to be a huge (200GB+ ?) download which millions of people are going to simultaneously be trying to complete.

This problem will be exacerbated now that we know there’s no physical copy to get a few GB off a disc, to reduce the amount needed from download. Pessimistically I’m not expecting to be able to easily download and play this game until the new year at the earliest. I realise I’ve said ‘download’ a lot in this message. I’m really looking forward to playing GTA 6, but I just think it’s going to be a real struggle.
Alex

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GC: We talked about it today, but you’re right. And 200GB is probably a conservative estimate, even without including the online stuff.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Downloads in disguise
I bought the disc drive version of the PlayStation 5 specifically to avoid massive downloads, so the news that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be download-only is annoying, but I won’t boycott it. One major concern lurks in the back of my mind. Can the servers handle the traffic when millions of people try to download such a highly anticipated game at the same time?

Apparently, this isn’t much of an issue these days, due to various strategic measures, put in place for big game releases, but with the internet connection that I presently have downloading the game might take ages.

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The price of the standard edition isn’t so bad, but I do think having a physical edition that’s just an empty box with a code inside it is fundamentally rubbish. This option feels like an insult to customers who prefer physical media. Better not to even offer a boxed edition if it’s just a download in disguise, if you ask me.
Michael Veal (@msv858)

World’s worst console
I’ve been watching a few Atari Jaguar software and hardware videos on YouTube recently and goodness gracious me, no wonder the console failed so miserably. Pretty much every game I saw footage of looked absolutely atrocious. Even the supposedly good-at-the-time Alien Vs Predator appeared to have a frame rate which made N64 GoldenEye 007 look like 60fps.

Some beat ‘em-up called Ultra Vortex had to take the crown as the worst game though, it looked absolutely bloody atrocious. I’d be interested to know if any older GC viewers purchased a Jaguar back in the day and what their general impressions were and if they ended up selling the console on the cheap once the game releases dried up… which didn’t take long!
Arteta6Legend

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GC: Tempest 2000 was great but yeah, it was pretty terrible otherwise.

Game of the times
I don’t write in as much anymore but as always thanks for all your great coverage and reviews. I just spent the last three months plus playing Metaphor: ReFantazio and I think it’s the best Japanese role-player ever! The story is absolutely superb and really meaningful, both for me personally and for the state of the world. Overcoming our anxieties and daring to dream of a better future is something we should all be striving for.

The voice acting is brilliant, with Heismay and the Liverpudlian Basilio particular standouts, offering some wonderful delivery. The fighting system never got old either, with quick satisfying combat which always challenged you without forcing you to grind. I actually prefer the game to Persona 5 and loved the fact that everything was achievable in one playthrough. Thanks very much to Studio Zero for making such a delightful experience!
Ryan O’D

Bottom 200
Just checking the top 200 USA N64 games list; couldn’t see Space Station Silicon Valley or Rocket: Robot On Wheels. Were they not released in the USA?

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Maybe they are there and I’m not seeing them.
Tony Welch

GC: They were both released in the US but neither of them sold very well.

Progress barred
RE: GTA 6. I’ll be honest and say I’m not overly interested in the game, but it is one of those things where closer to the time I would probably be swept up in the hype and might pick it up. The fact it is download-only means I won’t bother now.

My internet isn’t overly fast, so the thought of downloading a 100+ GB game (I hate to think how big it will be) means I’ll never bother. I like buying physical so that I actually own the things I buy. Unfortunately, GTA 6 will be a massive hit, so will make the transition to digital only happen even faster and as others have said, I doubt the PlayStation 6 will even have a disc drive.

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I have enough games in my backlog that I could never buy a new game again and I’d be fine, but I will miss the excitement of looking forward to a new release. Progress always means a more rubbish experience for normal people and more money for corporations.
Simon

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GTA Online too
Not overly disappointed about the GTA 6 news, not because I only care about single-player, but because it’s going exactly as expected, and the disappointment has long passed.

I feel like all the clues and info we have had previously alludes to the single-player mode or ‘experience’. There’s been no mention at all about online, or even co-op, which is surely a missed opportunity for a two-protagonist game.

It’s looking more and more like it will follow and play similarly to Red Dead Redemption 2. A very linear game, disguised as open world, the mention of ‘chapter timed content’ confirms the chapter sequences, similar to Red Dead. But also from the trailer there is a lot of running involved, so fully expecting a similar story too, in terms of running from one side of the map on the lam for the majority of the story.

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None of this has come from leaks, as I’ve stayed well clear of those and just purely a prediction. I loved Red Dead Redemption 1, but felt 2 was a slog and bore to finish. Hopefully I’m wrong on GTA as it’s my favourite franchise, but my expectations remain low and anything extra is a bonus.

Which brings me on to GTA Online. I played GTA 5 online quite a lot when it was new, but over time stopped. Early doors they hinted at Liberty City being an additional map, which never came through, which makes me think GTA Online will remain as it is and Vice City may become a downloadable map expansion. Possibly free or discounted for owners of GTA 6 (may also be why there’s no disc version, so they can see easily who still owns the game) and likely chargeable to non-GTA 6 owners.

How it runs, is anyone’s guess. Will vehicles and money transfer from map to map or will it be a fresh start when you go to Vice City, but having the option to seamlessly load into Los Santos with your existing assets? I’d guess the latter, I mean they’re not gonna fully ignore the map for online usage, right?
Beems

GC: There haven’t really been any substantial leaks about the gameplay or story.

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Inbox also-rans
I was wondering if it would be ok to add this link to the Games Inbox for the Kickstarter I’m involved in? As we’re close to the end of our campaign, I was hoping it could be worth asking for a final boost.
Jamie

Is GTA 6 going to be released in disc version and if so, when?
Coinslot-

GC: There’s a rumour it will in December, but it is only a rumour.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

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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.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

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Overturned car leaves Barton playground badly damaged

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Overturned car leaves Barton playground badly damaged

Eyewitnesses say the car overturned around 8.30am at the junction of Silver Street and Wells Lane in Barton, North Yorkshire, near the village primary school.

Staff at the nearby Barton Post Office said they heard and saw “blue flashing lights and sirens” as police, ambulances and fire crews arrived.

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

They added that one of their paper boys had witnessed the incident.

Pictures show police tape blocking off the corner of the playground where the car came to rest, while debris is strewn across the park.

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A telephone pole had come down, with engineers working to make it safe at lunchtime.

Meanwhile, park exercise equipment has been uprooted from its foundations.

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

The car involved has since been removed.

It is believed a man behind the wheel of the car was not seriously injured.

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The Northern Echo has contacted the police, ambulance service and fire brigade for confirmation of further details.

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

Damage caused by an overturned car in Barton (Image: ANDY FUTERS/NORTHERN ECHO)

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Busy Cambridge road to close for a month for resurfacing works

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Cambridgeshire Live

The roads will be closed overnight across the month

A busy Cambridge road is set to close for month-long works. Works will take place along the A1301 Addenbrooke’s Road in Trumpington, Cambridge, from Saturday (August 1) and are set to last until September 11.

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The resurfacing work will take place overnight from 9am until 5am. Signed diversion routes will be put in place.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “When roads are closed, official diversion routes must use the equivalent class of road, or higher, if there is no equivalent.

“Therefore, the signed diversion route will necessarily follow A roads: A1301; A505; A11; A1307; A1134; A1309 and vice versa.”

Do you want more of the latest Cambridgeshire news as it comes in from across the county? Sign up to our dedicated newsletter to make sure you never miss a big story from Cambridge or anywhere else in the county. You can also sign up to our dedicated Traffic and Crime newsletters for the latest updates on the topics you are most interested in.

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Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal FC in Vinicius agreement; Guimaraes medical; Man Utd want Hall; Chelsea, Liverpool latest

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Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal FC double deal close, Guimaraes update; Man Utd want Igor Thiago; Liverpool latest

The summer window continues to heat up as Arsenal take a huge step towards signing Bruno Guimaraes, while Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham also work to secure statement signings. The Gunners are said to have agreed a deal worth around £80million for the Newcastle captain, with a medical pencilled in for next week. There is also said to be an agreement with Vinicius Junior over personal terms, while Mikel Arteta is said to have identified a surprise defender signing.

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Get ready for a solar eclipse, meteor shower and planet parade in Europe

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Get ready for a solar eclipse, meteor shower and planet parade in Europe

For the first time in more than a century, a total solar eclipse is coming to mainland Spain with an even longer encore next summer.

Toss in a crescendoing meteor shower and a six-planet parade on the same day, and the heavens will be overflowing with awe.

Daytime darkness will descend Aug. 12 across the Iberian Peninsula close to sunset — plus slivers of Greenland and Iceland — as the sun, moon and Earth align perfectly in the sky.

Starting near the North Pole before tracking south, totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds, an appetizer for an even longer solar show next year — a 6 ½-minute extravaganza that will sweep from Spain to North Africa and the Middle East.

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It will take 1 ½ hours for the umbra, or moon’s sun-blocking shadow, to race along the 5,130-mile (8,260-kilometer) course, most of it over an empty Atlantic. Maximum totality will occur off Iceland’s west coast. By the time it reaches a small patch of Portugal and then Spain with its massive crowds, totality will have dwindled to a minute or so. The spectacle will end in the Mediterranean.

Eclipse chasers gear up for the solar spectacle

Hundreds of millions more on the sidelines are in for a treat as well.

A partial eclipse will delight as far away as Alaska and Siberia, enveloping Canada, the northern U.S., and much of Europe and West Africa.

The closer to totality’s course, the more the sun will vanish behind the moon – 94% coverage in Dublin and 83% in Oslo, Norway. Montreal will see an 18% bite out of the sun, tapering to 9% in New York and 2% in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Special eclipse glasses are crucial. even if a morsel of sun is showing.

Adding to the cosmic wonder, the day begins with six of our neighboring planets forming an arc in the sky before dawn and end with the Perseid meteor shower peaking after nightfall under the new moon. Streaking meteors could photobomb totality, with some of the brighter planets and stars visible in the background.

Eclipse mapmaker Michael Zeiler is chasing an even more elusive interloper: the northern lights.

For his 13th total solar eclipse, Zeiler will be on a cruise ship in a Greenland fjord, sailing as a guest lecturer. He’ll point a video camera toward the north to capture any aurora forming during totality. A massive outburst from the sun would be the icing on his eclipse cake.

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“What gets me excited is viewing rare phenomena,” Zeiler said in an email.

He’s not the only one revved up.

See who’s hosting solar eclipse watch parties and science experiments

The European Space Agency will host a live webcast from Spain’s Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre and a public celebration in Leon. NASA will provide its own coverage, as will the Italian-based Virtual Telescope Project and others.

“For me, it’s not just a scientific moment. It’s not just an incredible alignment of heavenly bodies. It’s also a very human moment,” said ESA’s director of science Carole Mundell. “It’s a real human connection between us with our feet planted on the Earth and the cosmos.”

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Two of ESA’s space telescopes will observe the eclipsed sun and its corona, or outer atmosphere. Proba-3, the space agency’s artificial eclipse-making satellite duo, will be in the wrong part of its orbit during totality as seen from Earth, but will try to sneak in some before-and-after shots.

U.S. college research teams are also pitching in, launching more than 60 high-altitude balloons from Spain and Iceland to study Earth’s atmosphere and other changes during the eclipse when the temperature momentarily drops. They launched 10 times as many balloons during the 2024 total solar eclipse that captivated North America.

“A couple of minutes isn’t a lot of time, but it’s still plenty to affect the atmosphere and to make that cold, dark shadow of the moon on Earth,” said Montana State University’s Angela Des Jardins, who leads the NASA-funded balloon project.

Southwest Research Institute’s Amir Caspi also expects a scientific bonanza from his study aboard a NASA high-altitude plane. Four cameras will record the corona in nine wavelengths as the jet chases the eclipse at 460 mph (740 kph), extending totality to nearly three minutes in the air. Caspi anticipates thousands of images gathered from each camera during those precious 180 seconds.

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“It’s true the eclipse is short, but it’s still incredibly valuable,” he said.

And there’s more to come

An exceptionally long total solar eclipse is in store for 2027, yielding nearly three times more observation time.

The southern tip of Spain will take center stage on Aug. 2, 2027, with up to six minutes and 23 seconds of totality extending into Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.

Then on Jan. 26, 2028, a ring-of-fire eclipse will round out Spain’s celestial trifecta — “a lucky coincidence,” according to ESA’s Mundell.

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It’s all the more extraordinary considering Spain’s last full solar eclipse — not counting the Canary Islands — occurred two days before the Titanic’s sinking in 1912. Because that rare hybrid eclipse toggled between a ring-of-fire and just a few seconds of totality for Spain, some consider 1905 for the country’s last pull-out-all-the-stops solar eclipse.

The Royal Observatory of Belgium’s Andrei Zhukov can’t get enough of them regardless of their length or origin. His Proba-3 science mission has created more than 60 simulated total solar eclipses over the past two years, with the longest lasting five hours and 38 minutes from two satellites flying in formation.

“We’re looking forward to more eclipses,” Zhukov said, “natural or artificial.”

___

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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.

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York River Art Market just one the things to do this weekend

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York River Art Market just one the things to do this weekend

Open-air art event of the month: York River Art Market, Dame Judi Dench Walk, York, August 1 & 2, August 8 & 9 and August 15 & 16, 10am to 5.30pm

YORK River Art Market returns for its 11th year from today, bringing more than 30 artists from multiple disciplines each day to the Ouse riverside over three August weekends of free art and design market stalls.

The poster for York River Art Market 2026 at Dame Judi Dench Walk. Illustration: Elliot Harrison (@York360)

Described as York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris, the event is now run by Caroline Turner, a professional potter and ceramics teacher at Clay Space York, in Walmgate, after founder and director Charlotte Dawson stepped down to focus on her teaching role as award leader for York College’s BA (Hons) 3D creative practice course.

Political drama of the week: Handbagged, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, until August 29

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MOIRA Buffini’s 2014 Olivier Award-winning play imagines what happened behind closed palace doors when two of the 20th century’s most powerful women, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, locked handbags. Meeting once a week for 11 years, one believed there was no such thing as society; the other committed her life to serving it.

Spanning 1979 to 1990, Handbaggedasks if The Queen and the Iron Lady ever found common ground or did their stiff upper lips reign supreme? Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder directs the SJT cast of Pandora Clifford, Liz Garland, Alexandra Mathie, Deven Modha, Simon Darwen and Meriel Scholfield (CORRECT). Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

Coastal gigs of the week: Scarborough Open Air Theatre presents The Streets, A Grand Don’t Come For Free, today; Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Sunday, gates 6pm

Mike Skinner of The Streets: Performing A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full at Scarborough Open Air Theatre tonight

FOR the first time, The Streets’ Mike Skinner is performing his landmark 2004 album A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full on tour. One of the most influential British records of the 21st century, the multi-platinum-selling chart topper delivered era-defining singles Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It and Blinded By The Lights while taking a cinematic journey through the love, loss, chaos, heartbreak, hope and raw emotion of everyday life with poetic wit and honesty.

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Original Sex Pistols members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock are joined by vocalist Frank Turner on Sunday to mark “50 years of chaos and celebration” since the punk iconoclasts’ brace of Summer 1976 gigs at Manchester’s Lesser Free Trade Hall. The Stranglers and The Undertones are special guests. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Candlelit concert of the week: Ignite Concerts presents The Music of ABBA, York Minster, tonight, 7.30pm

VOCALIST Maggie Wakeling, from Channel 4’s Your Song and last summer’s Greatest Shows at York Minster, unites with a band and The Ebor Quartet string ensemble to perform the Seventies and Eighties’ hits of ABBA.

Host Alistair Griffin will be inviting the audience to sing along to Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Mamma Mia, The Winner Takes It All et al at this concert by candlelight. Box office: 07966 959427 or https://igniteconcertsyork.com/events/the-music-of-abba-at-york-minster/.

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York comedy gigs of the week: Hot Water Comedy Club presents Paul Smith, Happy, York Barbican, today and August 5, 7.30pm

PAUL Smith, resident MC and compere of Liverpool’s Hot Water Comedy Club, is heading to York for two nights in his biggest, boldest tour show, Happy: fearless stand-up at full throttle, brimful of observations, true stories and audience interaction. Pulling tales from real life, Smith finds joy in the chaos, laughter in the everyday and comedy in absolutely everything. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

New balls please: York Shakespeare Project presents 2026 Summer Sonnets: What The Deuce?, Holy Trinity Churchyard, Goodramgate, York, August 7 to 15, except August 11, 6pm & 7.30pm, plus 4.30pm Saturday shows

SUMMER at the Goodramgate Lawn Tennis Club finds four doubles teams competing for the chance to play in a Wimbledon amateur tournament, whereupon partnerships and rivalries lead to sabotage and break point. Who has the advantage? Who is at fault? Will the score be love?

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Expect further tennis puns aplenty as Rosy Rowley directs Stuart Green’s script that asks a new collection of ten characters to play out this new sporting and unsporting situation where each finds a way to share a Shakespeare sonnet. Taking part will be James Robert Ball, Oscar Langford, Helen Clarke, Sarah McKeagney, Stuart Lindsay, Alexa Williams, Jamie McKeller, Alan Sharp, Christine Bramwell and Effie Warboys.

Mash-up of the week: The Crescent presents New York Brass Band & Hyde Family Jam, York Barbican, August 7, 8pm

TWO of York’s biggest, bounciest musical party troupes collide at York Barbican for a co-headline show with a difference. Promoter Joe Coates has decided the four-piece Hyde Family Jam will be on stage first, followed by an eight-piece line up of New York Brass Band, each playing a 40-minute set before rampant folk-rock meets New Orleans brass head on in a collaborative finale of these street urchins’ biggest hits. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Wonderful wedding dress exhibition of the week: St Helen’s Church, Sheriff Hutton, near York, August 8 and 9, 11am to 3pm

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A wedding dress from the exhibition at St Helen’s Church, Sheriff Hutton

STEP back in time for a spectacular display of wedding dresses from every decade since the 1920s at St Helen’s Church. Stroll through a century of wedding style with elegant “going away” outfits, mother-of-the-bride ensembles and men’s morning suits, as well as shoes, hats, bouquets and treasured keepsakes.

“Last year’s exhibition was a tremendous success,” says Jill Donaldson Hodges. “Visitors were captivated by the changing styles, the intricate design and the delicate fabrics that have shaped wedding fashion for over a century. So why not come along and take a trip down memory lane, or get some ideas for an upcoming event?” Admission is free. The Bluebell Cafe will be open on both days, serving homemade cakes and refreshments.

Musical theatre celebration of the week: York Stage presents brings Raise Your Voice: MTI Broadway Junior Revue, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 7, 7.30pm, and August 8, 2pm and 4pm

THIS uplifting showcase by the next generation of performers features iconic songs from Broadway Junior favourites, showcased by a talented young York Stage cast ready to sing out and shine as they take centre stage with confidence, courage and nascent star quality. Cue big numbers, heartfelt moments and personality aplenty. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

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Woman, 32, ‘cut out dad’s heart and placed it on his dead body,’ court hears

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Daily Mirror

Serena Dolnics, 32, has been charged with murder after police found the body of her father Gregory, 69, covered in blood with his heart allegedly placed on his stomach

A woman found “covered in blood” has been accused of killing her dad and surgically removing his heart.

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Serena Dolnics, 32, was found by police at a house in Valparaiso, around 50 miles from Chicago, by the body of her father and she has now been charged with murder.

Police rushed to the scene following a reported emergency call over concern for the wellbeing of 69-year-old Gregory Dolnics on Sunday evening – with a call handler told by family member that the daughter had been making “odd statements” when they asked to speak with him.

And while the relative was on the phone to 911, the police received text messages from Serena Dolnics’ boyfriend, who was at the home, saying “Serena was covered in blood” – and he believed she had stabbed her father and might kill herself, the affidavit reportedly said.

Arriving at the property, police found the boyfriend locked outside and peering in through a mirror they could see dried blood and they were unable to contact Gregory Dolnics

Forcing entry, they found the body of Gregory, who had allegedly suffered slash wounds to the head, face, neck and hands, while his heart had been cut out from his body. “Laying on his stomach was what appeared to be his heart,” police wrote in the affidavit, reported by USA Today.

According to an autopsy, all of these injuries had been committed with knives, including incisions made to the ribs to allow the removal of the heart.

Dolnics, who was found in a bedroom at the property with blood on her feet, was arrested and taken into custody after being treated at hospital due to injuries to her hands.

According to court documents, Dolnics claimed she suffered the cuts to her hands while gardening, although police maintain that these injuries were consistent with a knife slipping through.

She told detectives that she and her father “get along really well” despite having the occasional “small tiff” that they would quickly move past. She also insisted she had not seen Gregory injured.

Dolnics made an initial court appearance on Thursday (July 30), where she wore a blue suicide-prevention smock and reportedly spoke hesitantly via a video chat link.

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She has reportedly pleaded not guilty, although she is not yet believed to have arranged an attorney, and when asked in court about this, she said: “I’ll figure it out.” A further hearing has been scheduled for August 11.

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M6 fire LIVE updates as huge queues build with firefighters on motorway

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Manchester Evening News

Drivers are facing long delays on the M6 southbound following a fire this morning.

Two lanes of traffic have been closed and firefighters are working to tackle a blaze between junctions 28 at Leyland and 27 at Standish.

An image from the scene shows a vehicle with a severely damaged front end following the fire.

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Long queues of around 50 minutes have built up on the approach.

Updates will follow in this blog.

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Amanda Knox to perform stand-up comedy about wrongful imprisonment at Edinburgh Fringe

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Daily Record

Ms Knox is set to share her story on stage.

Amanda Knox will be performing a stand-up comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe about her wrongful imprisonment for the murder of Meredith Kercher.

In 2007, British foreign exchange student Ms Kercher was killed in Perugia, Italy. Her American roommate Ms Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested and later convicted of murder and sexual assault in 2009. The couple maintained their innocence and, after years of legal battles, were acquitted of sexual assault and murder by Italy’s highest court in 2015.

Just over a decade on, Ms Knox is now set to share her story on stage. Now 39, she is married with two children and lives on Vashon-Maury Island in rural Washington.

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Ms Knox said she initially planned to make a show about motherhood – but was told by comedian friends she had to “address the elephant in the room”. Her comedy show’s title Cartwheel references a story that once claimed she did cartwheels in the police station after her friend’s death.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Knox said she did not believe there were any topics off bounds for comedy, but insisted she would not poke fun at Ms Kercher’s death.

“I don’t joke about Meredith’s death. I joke a lot about how I was vilified, but I don’t joke about her murder. That’s just a line for me. I set red lines for myself that other comedians don’t. I’ve had other comedians pitch me jokes that I just would not do,” she said.

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Asked about whether her loved ones were concerned about backlash to the show, she referred to a gag she says on stage: “My friends and family are actually really nervous for me, despite my spotless record in the court of public opinion.” However, The Telegraph has reported that Ms Kercher’s relatives, according to their lawyer Francesco Maresca, have called the idea of the show “offensive and deplorable”.

Ms Knox said: “If they reached out to me and actually communicated with me for the first time ever, I would absolutely want to talk to them. Something that is an unresolved wound for me is the fact that I have never been able to talk to them. I assume they still assume that I’m guilty. I would very much want to establish that kind of communication, but I’m not going to have my life dictated by what they want for me.”

She added: “We share a grief, and we both knew a real person who died, and who primarily belongs to them, but I’m a person too. I have the life that I have lived, and I have the right to tell my own story, and Meredith is a big part of that story. And I think I honour her.”

Ms Knox said that she believed Ms Kercher would “appreciate the show because it grapples with what it means to be a young woman, and it is honest”, adding that she thought her late roommate would have found it “funny”. Ms Knox has previously shared her story in documentaries, an eight-part TV drama she produced with Monica Lewinsky, and books.

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Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of Ms Kercher’s murder in 2008. He was released from prison in 2021 after serving 13 years of a 16-year term.

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Cliona Hagan pays heartbreaking tribute to father-in-law Dan Sheerin

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Belfast Live

Country music star Cliona Hagan has shared the sad news that her father-in-law Dan Sheerin has passed away

Country music star Cliona Hagan has announced the death of Dan Sheerin, her father-in-law and patriarch of the renowned country group The Sheerin Family Band.

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Cliona broke the news to her Instagram followers today, paying heartfelt tribute to the father of her husband Simon Sheerin.

Sharing touching photographs of Dan, she said: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Dan Sheerin.

“Dan Sheerin the Father of the Sheerin Family Band and husband of the late Mary Sheerin. “Dan was a truly wonderful man with one of the biggest hearts and my goodness what a singer he was!

He loved growing the most beautiful flowers, tending to his vegetables in his greenhouse, writing songs, playing the guitar, but most importantly he loved his family dearly, reports RSVP Live.

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“Please say a prayer tonight for the Sheerin Family and of course for Gods newest angel, Dan Sheerin.”

Roseanna Ruane expressed her sympathies, commenting: “@clionahagan and family, I am so sorry for your great loss.”

Comedian Fred Cooke added: “Sorry for your loss guys! RIP.”, while another follower posted: “You’re all in my thoughts as always I’m so sorry to hear about Dan he was a gentleman xx.”

Describing themselves as The Royal Family of Country Music, The Sheerin Family Band issued their own statement following their father’s passing: “Last night we lost our wonderful dad. A true inspiration to us and to all who knew him.

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“Himself and mam will be back singing duets tonight with their heavenly choir. Rest In Peace Dan Sheerin.”

Cliona and her husband Simon had planned to launch their gastropub in Westmeath next weekend, with the former recently telling The Sunday World: “I love music, always have and always will, but I never want to be pigeon-holed, and I love challenges, and I keep pushing myself. I’ve always had a passion for interior design as well, so working on the pub has been a labour of love.”

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Trump wades into Ceuta ‘catastrophe’ as Vance blames ‘radical left-wing policies’ for migrant surge

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Trump wades into Ceuta ‘catastrophe’ as Vance blames ‘radical left-wing policies’ for migrant surge

Donald Trump has lashed out over the migrant “catastrophe” in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, while his White House administration have placed the blame on Madrid’s left-wing government.

The US president maintains a strained relationship with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who has been one of his most ardent critics among EU leaders.

“I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It looks like an invasion of a country,” Trump said in a cabinet meeting on Friday.

“Hundreds of thousands of people. And that same thing’s going to happen to us if the Republicans don’t get elected, except worse, much bigger, much easier to get into.”

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People walk towards the border with Morocco leaving Spain, amid mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into the Spanish territory Ceuta
People walk towards the border with Morocco leaving Spain, amid mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into the Spanish territory Ceuta (Reuters)

His comments come after an estimated 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into the north African enclave, with at least 77 people killed.

In a later post on Truth Social, Trump shared a video of the chaotic crossing and wrote: “What’s happening with Spain, with tens of thousands of Illegal Immigrants invading it, happened in the United States during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, and it will happen again, only worse, if the Dumocrats ever again gain power.”

US vice president JD Vance was more explicit in placing blame on the Sánchez’s government, writing: “Thank God POTUS was elected and our country’s border no longer looks like this.

“These images out of Spain are an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration and the radical left-wing globalist policies that have enabled the Invasion of the West.”

Donald Trump and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez have a strained relationship following disagreements on defence spending and the war in Iran
Donald Trump and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez have a strained relationship following disagreements on defence spending and the war in Iran (Getty)

Vance sparked outrage after launching a scalding attack on European democracies at the Munich Security Conference last year, when he said that mass immigration had been caused by “a series of conscious decisions” made by EU politicians.

Since being re-elected to office, Trump’s relationship with Spain has deteriorated over defence spending and the conflict with Iran.

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In July at the Nato summit in Ankara, the president instructed his advisers to “cut off all trade with Spain, including visits”, before softening his stance.

The US department of state also waded into the crisis, with a post directly condemning Spain for the border breach in Ceuta.

“This unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe,” a spokesperson said.

Police officers and Spanish soldiers escort a large group of migrants to the border to take them out of Spain
Police officers and Spanish soldiers escort a large group of migrants to the border to take them out of Spain (Reuters)

“We are considering actions to defend Americans at home and abroad from this threat and stand ready to assist other European allies considering similar options. If Spain had their own President Trump, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

Other senior US officials have waded into the argument, including US house speaker Mike Johnson, who claimed that the “socialists are ruining Spain” and that the mass influx was “Marxism in practice”.

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Tech billionaire and former Trump adviser Elon Musk shared a video from the 2013 zombie film ‘World War Z’ with the caption: “Wow, the situation in Spain looks crazy!”.

He later clarified he was “just kidding” and then shared footage from 2023 of Venezuelan migrants attempting to cross into the US, noting: “This is what America looked like under Biden.”

A 1,640 feet pneumatic barrier is deployed in the water by a Spanish Guardia Civil boat near the border post to reinforce security
A 1,640 feet pneumatic barrier is deployed in the water by a Spanish Guardia Civil boat near the border post to reinforce security (AFP/Getty)

Ceuta, which shares a land border with Morocco, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Though it is part of Spain, it has a carve-out from the usual requirements of the Schengen free travel area – meaning it is not possible for migrants in Ceuta to simply sail across the Strait and be allowed into mainland Europe as they will face additional border checks.

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez described the inflow of people as “an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity” and promised to “use all the resources of the state to guarantee security and coexistence”.

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Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, added that “practically the entirety of those who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco”.

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