Republicans are shaken after Donald Trump‘s primetime address alleging China undertook the largest election meddling scheme in US history. 

The President accused China-backed groups of infiltrating 220 million Americans with a ‘data exploitation unit,’ and he called the event ‘an unprecedented election security nightmare.’

The nationally televised update from the White House stirred controversy among major US broadcasters. Fox News carried the remarks live and noted that it could not independently verify the President’s claims, while CNN, NBC, ABC and others did not run the address.  

Before the speech, Republican lawmakers worried that the controversial remarks would rehash the painful period around the 2020 election in which the President’s allegations soured support among GOP voters. 

‘President Trump may have energized supporters who already agree with him, but revisiting the 2020 election is unlikely to expand the Republican coalition heading into the midterms,’ former Speaker Kevin McCarthy aide and political strategist Brittany Martinez said. 

‘American families are focused on affordability and the future, not relitigating an election that has already been extensively litigated in the courts and debated in the political arena.’

Trump critic and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie questioned why the President would criticize elections after the GOP won across the board in 2024.

“I don’t think the problem is that our elections aren’t secure because we control the House, Senate, White House, and to some degree we control the Supreme Court,’ he said on MS NOW. ‘Why are you complaining about election fraud? We won all the d*** elections!’ 

Trump was joined by many Cabinet officials as he made the address from the White House’s East Room

‘The senior team just talked and prepped him. I think they explained the way to be taken seriously is not to be crazy,’ one White House official told Politico of Trump’s election speech

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There were even concerns in Trump’s own White House about the closely-guarded speech, the contents of which were not previewed by the administration other than passing mentions that it would revolve, at least in part, around US election security.  

‘The senior team just talked and prepped him. I think they explained the way to be taken seriously is not to be crazy,’ one White House official told Politico. 

‘There was going to be a lot of crazier s*** said,’ they added. 

Democrats lashed out at the President for revisiting the 2020 election, which he still maintains that he won despite no evidence backing his allegation.  

‘Obviously, Donald Trump is a loser,’ former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted. 

A GOP strategist told NOTUS that the speech sounded like it came from ‘someone who thinks they’re going to lose in November.’

In the background of the speech was Trump’s push to have Senate Republicans pass the Save America Act, a bill that would overhaul US elections by requiring voter ID and reviews of voter rolls. 

The bill passed the House but has been held up in the Senate because Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to pass it. 

‘US Spy agencies began learning about the compromise of voter registration files in 2020 when they discovered that tens of millions of voter data, think of that, tens of millions voters’ data in 18 states have been bought, stolen or hacked by China,’ Trump alleged. Above, Trump and Xi are shown in Beijing in May 

Trump has recommended that Senate GOP leadership find any way possible to ram the legislation through, and there are discussions ongoing on how to best do that ahead of the midterms. 

Should the bill pass before the November elections, Republicans hope their electoral chances would rise due to the bill’s election security measures. Critics say the bill puts up barriers for some qualified voters to cast their ballots. 

Senate Republican Leader John Thune noted before the address that the only elections he is thinking about are the upcoming midterms. 

‘I don’t know what Trump is going to say. But the only thing I can tell you is that we are focused on the 2026 election, at least I am, and I think most of my colleagues are.’

Referencing newly declassified files on Thursday night, Trump said that some documents reveal ‘that members of the deep state’ worked to ‘actively suppress and downplay information about the extent of China’s sinister election role.’

Despite all of his accusations lobbed against China, the President did not threaten any consequences. Xi Jinping and his wife are still scheduled to travel to Washington, DC, for a state visit in September following Trump’s trip to China in May.

Referring to another newly declassified CIA report, Trump said the Nicolas Maduro regime developed methods to digitally alter vote totals in ways that could not be detected, even with an audit, no matter how deep they went.’

The 2021 report also claims that though the ex-Venezuelan dictator may have wished to sway US public opinion against Trump in 2020, he lacked the ability to do so. 

Flying abroad for a summer holiday is not as simple as it used to be. Geopolitical uncertainty has already disrupted flight schedules and fuel prices this year.

For many, staying closer to home will seem like a sensible option. And in the UK, warmer summers could also make staycations much more appealing.

But for others, the allure of foreign holidays will always remain.

So the challenge for travel companies is to demonstrate that an overseas holiday is worth the risk. Our research on tourism suggests that at times like this, consumers seek reassurance and expertise. And for tour operators and travel agents, this presents an opportunity.

When travel seems straightforward, consumers may be happy to organise their own flights, hotels and transfers online. But when disruption and uncertainty are likely, trusted intermediaries become more valuable.

There is evidence this is already happening in the UK. More people are turning to trusted travel agents to steer them through the uncertainty of conflicts, economic crises and extreme weather.

For a good travel operator does more than sell flights and accommodation. They can reduce complexity and vulnerability, and offer support when things change.

This reassurance should perhaps be made more visible in marketing. Flexible booking terms, clear refund policies, Atol cover (government-backed protection for travellers) and guidance about disruption should not be buried in small print.

Our research suggests that for cautious travellers, the destination matters of course – but so does having confidence that someone will help if things go wrong.

Operators should also continue to promote deals, as price remains important. But they should aim to focus particularly on value.

For instance, all-inclusive holidays reduce uncertainty around the cost of food, drink and activities. Package holidays can simplify decisions and provide clearer protection than booking separate elements independently. Flexible payment plans can make holidays appear more manageable.

Tour operators should also appeal explicitly to the emotional value of travel, embracing the reasons that make going abroad so appealing – the sense of escape, of adventure and memory-making with loved ones.

In this way, travel abroad can be framed as an investment in experience and memories laden with emotional value.

Research also suggests that many travellers are drawn to experiences that help them express a distinctive sense of self. This gives operators another way to frame value: authentic local culture, distinctive experiences and memorable occasions that are difficult to replicate at home.

But this emotional promise needs practical backing. Travellers want evidence that their money, time and plans will be protected – which means an increasingly important aspect of any travel agent’s role is communicating the experiences of fellow travellers.

Holiday memories

A strong strategy for the industry would show why overseas holidays are still worthwhile, and explain clearly how risks will be managed. A UK government report found that travellers see tour operators as trusted messengers during times of disruption. And clear communication can reduce confusion and build trust.

Demand for overseas travel remains strong, even as booking behaviour is changing. There is evidence that plenty of people plan to travel in the next 12 months.

Travellers are not necessarily turning away from holidays abroad. But they are becoming more careful about when, where and how they book.

People do not simply stop travelling when the world feels uncertain. They adapt. Consumers substitute destinations, shorten trips, book later, travel off-peak, reduce spending or move towards providers they trust.

Tourism has repeatedly bounced back from major disruptions, including the pandemic. But each disruption make tourists more cautious, more likely to compare options, and more demanding of travel providers.

Success will depend less on offering the cheapest holidays than on building lasting customer relationships. Cautious tourists are buying more than flights, hotels and sunshine. They are buying confidence that their limited time and money will be well spent.

Durham County Council will be carrying out the canvass to ensure the electoral register is accurate and up to date for every household in the county.

For households where the council holds a registered elector’s email address, an email will be sent with instructions on how to respond.

The email will come from GOV.UK Notify and could be sent to any member of the household, so all residents are encouraged to check their inboxes regularly.

Steven Templeton, electoral services manager at Durham County Council, said: “It’s important that residents check the information we hold for their household to ensure it is accurate and current.

“This helps us maintain an up-to-date electoral register for every address in County Durham.”

If no email address is available, paper forms will be posted from Monday, July 20.

Residents are asked to follow the instructions to confirm or update their details.

Mr Templeton said: “For households where we do not have an email address on record, a paper form will be sent by post.

“Please follow the instructions provided to confirm or update your household’s details.

“You must be registered to vote to have your say in elections.

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear on the form we send.

“The easiest way to register is online, or you can contact our electoral services team to request a paper registration form.”

The information requested relates only to electoral services, and no personal financial details will be asked for.

Residents who have recently moved and have not informed the council, or whose details are not included in the form, can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Further details about the canvass are available at www.durham.gov.uk/annual-electoral-canvass.

Anyone with questions can contact the electoral services team on 03000 261 212 or email electoralservices@durham.gov.uk.

A new law created in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, which aims to prevent state cover-ups, has finally passed through the UK’s House of Commons.

The Hillsborough Law has been championed by the campaign for truth and justice which emerged from the tragedy that unfolded on April 15 1989, during an FA cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield. A crowd crush resulted in the deaths of 95 people. Another person died in March 1993 as a result of injuries sustained that day, with a similar final death in July 2021.

A subsequent public inquiry and an inquest found that in the aftermath of the disaster, South Yorkshire Police deliberately engaged in a strategy of denial and obfuscation – blaming fans for the tragedy.

South Yorkshire Police released statements suggesting intoxicated, ticketless Liverpool fans had caused the crush. The force also altered witness statements to remove negative comments about police conduct during the investigation. These baseless accusations were promoted in parts of the British media as fact.

As a result of campaigning by families of Hillsborough victims, a number of state-mandated investigations were held into the disaster. Initial inquests and a public inquiry did little to reveal the truth.

But in 2009, the Bishop of Liverpool James Jones was appointed to chair the Hillsborough Independent Panel (HIP), which finally put survivors and families first and ensured the questions they wanted to have answered fundamentally drove the panel’s work.

The HIP was made possible only as a result of tireless campaigning in the face of years of denial and disappointment. It definitively dispelled the myth of fan culpability, revealing the true causes of the Hillsborough disaster to be a combination of longstanding safety issues and unprecedented police mismanagement of the crowd as well as the subsequent establishment cover-up.

A positive legacy

Campaigners’ struggles raised questions about how those in positions of power were able to shift blame in the wake of disasters. These questions only became more salient in the aftermath of the panel’s report. Campaigners were also vindicated in 2016, when new inquests finally ruled that the fans who died as Hillsborough had been unlawfully killed. Yet this too raised profound questions about how this truth could have been surpressed for so long.

Further scandals, including the Post Office Horizon IT scandal and the Grenfell Tower fire, each pointed to the need for greater accountability and candour from people in positions of power. In seeking to build a positive legacy out of trauma, the Hillsborough community has led the fight for this through what has been dubbed the “Hillsborough Law”, which passed unanimously through the House of Commons on July 14.

The original Hillsborough Law (the Public Office Accountability Bill), was introduced before Parliament in 2017 by Andy Burnham. He had developed a close link with the Hillsborough campaign for justice, having raised their cause in Parliament in 2009 after he was heckled at a 2009 anniversary event held at Anfield whilst serving as culture secretary.

It had been drafted by lawyers who had worked with Hillsborough victims’ families, and it made two key demands. First, that those in public life must tell the truth during police investigations (an “active duty of candour”) into disasters like Hillsborough. Second, that communities directly affected by disasters have access to funds to cover their legal representation, addressing their financial imbalance.

However, the 2017 general election interrupted the bill’s passage through parliament. Burnham subsequently left Westminster to become the mayor of Greater Manchester, and the legislation was not reintroduced.

In the wake of further cover-ups including Grenfell and Post Office Horizon, in 2022 the Hillsborough Law Now campaign launched. It involved a number of community campaigns such as Grenfell United and allies including Burnham and Liverpool MP Ian Byrne.

During his speech to the Labour party conference in 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that Labour would pass the Hillsborough Law.

However, Labour missed its self-imposed deadline for introducing the bill before the 36th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, citing the need for more time “to draft the best version” of the bill.

Campaigners were concerned that Labour might be watering down the Hillsborough Law, amid pressure to exempt security services from the duty of candour on the basis that requiring them to do so could compromise national security, and rumours that Labour was considering ditching the proposal for funding of legal representation to avoid footing hefty legal costs.

In the face of this, the Hillsborough Law Now campaign quickly mobilised, lobbying the prime minister directly and campaigning publicly for the law to be enacted in full.

Following negotiations between the prime minister and families of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing who argued that their fight for truth and justice was harder because of failures in security service candour, this will now happen – with no exceptions.

The political legacy of the Hillsborough Law

For Starmer, ensuring the Hillsborough Law passed through the Commons was one of his last acts as prime minister. Having personally promised some of the relatives that he would ensure the law was enacted, he now seeks to frame it as a key part of his own legacy.

Starmer’s successor, Burnham, was a key early proponent of the Hillsborough Law. Burnham has linked the bill to broader questions. Burnham asked: – “What kind of country we want to be? One where power is concentrated in distant institutions, or one where it is shared more fairly with the people and places those institutions are meant to serve.”

The Hillsborough Law will not be a magic bullet for ensuring truth and accountability in the wake of major disasters. But it might be a step towards shifting the balance between powerful figures and the communities affected by disaster and cover-ups.

The worst rated surgery in Cambridge received a overall score of under 50%

The lowest-rated GP surgeries in Cambridgeshire have been revealed, according to a national NHS survey. It is bad news for one GP in Cambridgeshire which has received the lowest percentage for patients’ overall experience of the surgery.

The results come from a NHS patient survey, which is sent to patients every year about the care they receive at their surgery. In Cambridgeshire, the worst-rated surgery is the Willow Tree Surgery in Bushfield, Peterborough.

The Peterborough-based surgery was given a score of 46% for patients overall experience at the surgery. A spokesperson for Willow Tree said: “We are aware of the results from the latest NHS GP Patient Survey, including the score relating to overall patient experience at Willow Tree Surgery.

“We take all patient feedback seriously and always want to learn from the experiences our patients share with us, whether that comes through national surveys, our own feedback channels, or direct conversations with the team.

“Willow Tree Surgery serves a large and diverse community and are always looking to make improvements to our services and patients’ experience of our service and this is something the whole team is committed to.

“Patient surveys are one of several measures used to assess general practice, and we would encourage anyone with concerns about their own care to speak to us directly so we can address them personally.”

Botolph Bridge Community Health Centre in Sugar Way, Woodston, Peterborough, was the second worst with a score of 49%.

The other surgeries among the worst in Cambridgeshire are:

• Bretton Medical Practice, Rightwell, Bretton, Peterborough – 51%
• Waterbeach and Cottenham Surgeries, Bannold Road, Waterbeach – 53%
• New Queen Street Surgery, Whittlesey – 53%
• Nene Valley and Hodgson Medical Practice, Clayton, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough – 56%
• Park Medical Centre, Park Road, Peterborough – 57%
• Monkfield Medical Practice, Sackville Way, Cambourne – 58%
• Nightingale Medical Centre, Damson Drive, Peterborough – 59%
• Thorpe Road, 64 Thorpe Road, Peterborough – 59%
• Parson Drove Surgery, Main Road, Wisbech – 61%
• George Clare Surgery, Swan Drive, New Road, Chatteris – 64%
• Cherry Hinton Medical Centre, 34 Fishers Lane, Cherry Hinton – 64%
• Jenner Healthcare, Wisbech Road, Thorney – 64%
• Boroughbury Medical Centre, Peterborough – 66%
• East Barnwell Health Centre, Ditton Lane, Cambridge – 68%
• Lakeside Healthcare St Neots, Huntingdon Street, St Neots – 69%
• Clarkson Surgery, De Havilland Road, Wisbech – 69%
• Thomas Walker Westgate Healthcare, Princes Street, Peterborough – 69%
• Thistlemoor Medical Centre – 6-10 Thistlemoor Road, Peterborough – 69%

The data for this year’s NHS survey was collected between the start of January and end of March. Across England, over three-quarters of patients said their overall experience was “good”.

A total of one in 10 said their experience was poor or very poor. The lowest rated surgery in England was the Medicus Select Care Blmk Ccg in Enfield, London, with an overall score of 15%.

Ryan Reynolds looked downcast as he was spotted on a lowkey outing on Friday in Connecticut. 

It comes shortly after the 49-year-old star and his wife Blake Lively were snubbed by Taylor Swift after the pair did not receive a coveted invite to the singer’s lavish NYC nuptials. 

Earlier this month, Justin Baldoni also broke his nearly two-year silence after his lawsuit with Lively was settled back in May ahead of a trial. 

The Gossip Girl alum, 38, has since requested he pay her $8.3 million in legal fees, which he has slammed as ‘excessive.’ 

Reynolds kept it casual during an excursion in the small town of New Canaan while donning a short-sleeved shirt and khaki pants. 

The Deadpool actor additionally opted for a pair of shades as he held a conversation with another individual outdoors. 

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Reynolds for comment, but has yet to hear back.

Last week, Baldoni and his wife Emily finally broke silence following the end of the lawsuit by posting a video to Instagram. 

The pair, who have been married since 2013, accused Lively of causing them ‘pain’ over ‘untruthful’ claims. 

Baldoni, who starred in and directed the 2024 film It Ends With Us with Lively, explained the reason they hadn’t spoken yet was because ‘something was telling us not to.’

‘And we were talking about it and feeling into it and praying about it,’ he continued, while his wife added, ‘…And this feels like the moment.’ 

Emily expressed, ‘There is so much to say, and it makes it hard to speak. It makes it hard to figure out what is right for us, for this specific moment.’ 

Baldoni told fans and viewers that ‘we’re not gonna say it all.’ 

‘But what does feel important is that we can genuinely say that we are sitting here today feeling immense gratitude for so many things and so many people and so many things that have happened to us,’ his wife said. 

Reynolds kept it casual during an excursion in the small town of New Canaan while donning a short-sleeved shirt and khaki pants

It comes shortly after Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively were snubbed by Taylor Swift after the pair did not receive a coveted invite to the singer’s lavish NYC nuptials; Swift and Travis Kelce seen in March in L.A. 

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Baldoni and wife Emily, who have been married since 2013, accused Lively of causing them ‘pain’ over ‘untruthful’ claims

Baldoni stated that what saved them was ‘gratitude.’ 

‘I also feel that it’s important as we say that, in that gratitude, it doesn’t negate the injustice and the pain that we have also felt in the last few years,’ Emily expressed in a serious tone. 

‘And we’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand things like how could something like this even happen. Let alone disguise as a fight for women. So much to unpack.’ 

She admitted that their family has been dealing with ‘a lot of trauma’ which ‘also makes it hard to speak.’ 

Baldoni then said, ‘We don’t even know this is the right thing to say, but we just know we need to share something.

‘What I will say is that there have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence…’ 

His wife chimed in with, ‘Untruthful,’ as Baldoni continued, ‘…over the last couple years.’

He explained they simply ‘wanted to let the justice system run its course,’ and Emily added, ‘The truth, and the facts, have spoken for themselves.’

Following the end of the lawsuit, Baldoni gave an update by saying their family is still ‘healing.’ 

He explained they simply ‘wanted to let the justice system run its course,’ and Emily added, ‘The truth, and the facts, have spoken for themselves’

Following the end of the lawsuit, Baldoni gave an update by saying their family is still ‘healing’; Baldoni and Emily seen in February in NYC

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The filmmaker, who is also known for projects such as Jane The Virgin and Five Feet Apart, sent thanks to fans who had voiced support over the course of the legal battle. 

‘But we’re here in large part because of so many of you and all of our friends and family,’ Baldoni continued. 

‘And one thing that we’ve learned is that when God presses the reset button, and everything else is stripped away, that that’s when love shows up. And we feel so loved.’ 

He promised that they will have more to say later.

‘But for now, we are going to focus on continuing the healing and hanging out with our kiddos and enjoying life.’ 

Following the lawsuit, Lively has since asked that Baldoni cover her legal fees which amounts to a little over $8 million. 

Attorneys for the filmmaker alleged that the actress was attempting to claim an ‘exorbitant’ amount of money from him. Baldoni’s team also claimed the sums charged by Lively’s lawyers were ‘excessive.’

Lively and Reynolds were also snubbed from Swift’s recent wedding after the singer had been dragged into the lawsuit. 

Following the lawsuit, Lively has since asked that Baldoni cover her legal fees which amounts to a little over $8 million; seen in February in NYC 

Swift and Lively had been close for many years, with the actress previously joining the Grammy winner at the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas. 

The Love Story hitmaker and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end said ‘I do’ in front of 1,000 guests at Madison Square Garden on July 3. 

Some celebrities that were in attendance included Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Jack Antonoff, Hugh Grant and Graham Norton. 

Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine, who was also in attendance, offered details of the wedding in an email blast shortly after the nuptials.

‘The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture.’

Paine also revealed that Swift did not have bridesmaids and the NFL player did not have groomsmen for the ceremony.

‘Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man. The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler.’

Kelce’s brother Jason was in attendance and his daughters served as flower girls throwing white and pink rose petals around the bride as she walked down the aisle.

At the time of the nuptials, Lively and Reynolds were spotted 300 miles away in Lake Placid, New York, TMZ reported. 

Swift and Lively had been close for many years, with the actress previously joining the Grammy winner at the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas (seen above)

At the time of Swift’s nuptials, Lively and Reynolds were spotted 300 miles away in Lake Placid, New York, TMZ reported

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A source also told the Daily Mail that the actress is ‘sad and a little bit p***ed. No, a lot p***ed.’ 

‘That friendship was over before but if there was hope, it’s gone. They’ll never be friends again.’ 

The insider noted that Lively had ‘wanted to go’ to the wedding while adding, ‘It feels bad to be excluded like that. 

‘She had sort of hoped that despite everything, their history was enough that they’d be included, but that’s not the way it went.’

Personality and fun in some spaces, calm and tranquil in others, Eve and James share their famous cottage with Starbuck the cat and a full-sized skeleton

When someone sees a traditional Welsh cottage from the outside they probably expect the inside to be that twee and deliver a traditional cottage interior design which, of course, is totally up to the resident and, arguably in most cases, accurate.

But that’s not the case at Llantwit Cottage, where couple Eve and James have spent 10 years not only updating it but making it a unique tour through their lives, the personal treasures that they love, and the quirky items that make the house their home.

It is such an expected and distinctive cottage interior that their friend had no hesitation in putting it forward to be considered for the latest BBC Cymru Wales’ series of Wales’ Home of the Year, and it was eagerly snapped up by the producers for its visual impact; eclectic yet curated with care and thought. For more home, renovation and interiors stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.

READ MORE: Incredible Grade I listed mansion that was once a hotel and linked to the ‘holy grail’

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Called Llantwit Cottage and located near Neath, the creation of the couple’s sanctuary almost didn’t make it onto the TV screen. Eve, aged 44 and originally from the Swansea area, explains: “My husband’s a teacher locally, so he was a little bit apprehensive, you know, do we really want people to know where we live?

“But we just felt that it was something that we might regret not doing, no matter how cringe or embarrassing it might be, it just felt like it might be an opportunity not to miss really. It’s such a historic house locally, most people know it anyway.”

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Llantwit Cottage was the home of renowned explorer and one of the country’s greatest naturalists, Alfred Russel Wallace, renting it from 1846 until his historic 1848 expedition to the Amazon. His most famous discovery was that of evolution; co-publishing the theory of evolution by natural selection with Charles Darwin in 1858 according to website Dramatic Heart Wales.

Now it was going to be in the public eye again, this time for the eclectic interiors this adventurous couple have created.

Eve says: “I didn’t watch it live, it was my worst nightmare being filmed, so I made James watch it first because I was so nervous how I would come across and what everything in the house was going to look like! When he said it was fine I watched it afterwards on iPlayer.

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“But James did go into school the next day and some of the kids had it on their phones and they had screenshots of it and were saying, ‘oh, look at all this stuff in your house!’. I think he wasn’t as worried then because it wasn’t as bad as he was expecting.

“It’s probably the tidiest it’s ever been! I’m a very tidy person anyway, I try to keep everything pretty tidy most of the time. But we weren’t really sure what to expect with the filming crew, so we did a bit of extra spring cleaning just because we weren’t sure how close they were going to get some things – I’m not that crazy about cleaning and tidying all the time!”

The couple moved from a two-bedroom apartment in Cardiff Bay to the ten room cottage about 10 years ago and have slowly transformed it into their sanctuary.

Eve remembers: “We had very little when we moved in, we didn’t have a lot of budget. It’s taken a lot of time, and at the beginning we didn’t do anything substantial because it was such a big jump for us. So it’s taken 10 years for us to get to this and we’ve had to do everything gradually, we’ve had to be fairly organic with how we’ve looked to decorate, and trying to use things that we had already plus buying second hand things, buying vintage things.”

When it comes to decorating a room Eve says there are no rules but there is guidance – they have to love the colours and adore the items they add in, that they mean something to them or have a cool vibe and they don’t want to be a slave to interior trends.

Eve says: “I love all of those high-end designs and all of those beautiful things you see in magazines but it’s just very expensive. You have to do it all in one go for it to look amazing, so it just wasn’t an option for us.

“When we arrived we thought, ‘what are some easy wins, that we can do in terms of just changing some colour, getting some paint, changing some soft furnishings?’ And then it was just a case of not taking ourselves too seriously, really, with what we wanted to do.

“We did try and get a flavour for each space by spending time in it. The snug, for example, we wanted it to be nice and bright, because it’s quite a dark room, it doesn’t get a lot of natural light. So the floor is a lovely sort of copper wood colour, so we decided to bring some coppers and some pinks in. So it wasn’t planned out, mapped out to any great degree, it just developed slowly and organically.

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“When we go travelling or we go places, we know, we try and pick up things that remind us of experiences or places we’ve been and that also express our personality, it’s really nice that the house has come on that journey with us.”

Not everyone has the courage to throw interior caution to the wind and express themselves fully inside their homes, worried about how it will look or judgement from others.

Eve says: “What I’d say to anyone looking to be a bit quirkier with their spaces – it’s your home, it’s your safe place. You should never be decorating to impress other people.

“But try to bring your personality into it and don’t take yourself too seriously. Ultimately, do you like it enough? To me, that is the most important thing. I don’t care if people think it’s a bit crazy, if it’s a bit strange, I like looking around my house and seeing things that just make me smile and remind me of something.”

There are many moments to stop and admire the view in Eve and James’ house, from the cinema seats in the snug that have a full size skeleton sitting on them at Hallowe’en time, to the mix and clash of patterns and colours found in some of the rooms.

The library is a good example of bringing statement pieces into a space and letting them sing, even if they are not in ‘matching’ harmony, with walls kept plain to ensure maximum impact but the bespoke dark navy bookshelf at one end used as a visual bookmark (excuse the pun!) within the space.

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Eve says: “I wanted that room to be quite sort of opulent, and I wanted deliberately to have the sort of contrasting patterns, so I’d seen the two statement chairs from Abigail Ahern, and I just love them. I’ve seen them in her store in London and they were really comfortable.

“We’ve got green blinds for contrast and then a little sofa that came with us from the flat – it was the first thing I ever bought for it, and I got it recovered in a shade of purple.

“Then I went to Rocket St. George, which is one of my favourite websites, and bought the palm tree and some crazy neon bulbs and the disco ball drinks cabinet and just some really cool things that kind of just bring everything to life.”

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Eve also suggests that just a simple change of cupboard or drawer handle or the addition of a quirky cushion, piece of artwork or one of your own photographs can add some extra personality to a space without spending a lot of money or diving completely into a unique and eclectic design.

But some rooms at the cottage are calmer and more homogenised Eve thinks, including paying homage to the memory of Alfred by the introduction of Emma Shipley extinct wallpaper that has a design that includes the dodo and saber tooth tigers, plus Eve found that, quite randomly, within their eclectic collection they even had a dodo lamp.

The décor of the ‘National Park’ bedroom has Alfred’s life as inspiration, kitted out in cabin-style furniture from Barker and Stonehouse, Pendleton wool blankets and tourist pennants based in nature. That room is also where the couple keep and display their travel books and atlases and store all our camping gear.

She says: “I suppose we’ve got a mix of some rooms that are a bit more mismatched, so our main hallway where we’ve got the cinema things, it’s a bit more of a visual soup compared to, you know, our guest room, the pink room upstairs, which is a bit more muted.

“Then the library has a slightly different feel for that space, so over the ten years it has been fairly organic, but there is usually an overarching plan, colour scheme or theme. I do try and build a room based on maybe some key items that we love. And all of our rooms have themed books in that themed room, so then I always know where they are.”

Some people have suggested that the couple’s home can seem childish in some spaces but Eve describes it as ‘a bit of a grown-up kid’s house. She says: “Ultimately, it’s about having that joy, I think, every day in your own home.”

There’s style mixed with personality and fun that embody the heart, soul and spirit of Eve and James in every room, and surely that’s what a home is at its core, not an Instagram showcase but a comfortable place to relax and be surrounded by all that you love, even if that is a large skeleton. For more property, renovation, and interior design stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here.

The stakes are high for several Coronation Street characters next week as the team leading Theo Silverton’s murder investigation close in on their prime suspect.

This leaves Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien), Gary Windass (Mikey North) and DC Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) in a precarious position, given that they’re all covering up the fact that Sarah was the killer.

However, it is Sarah’s life that comes crashing down as she is interrogated and charged. Unfortunately, Gary doesn’t come out unscathed, as his marriage remains on the rocks.

Elsewhere, Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) struggles to come to terms with her new way of life after her stroke, and it only becomes more difficult when the police ask for her statement.

Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne) is in turmoil, having already been questioned by the police, but what does the future hold for him and his relationship with Betsy?

If you’re keen for a closer look at what’s coming up, then check out our spoiler videos below.

Monday, July 20

Sarah’s killer secret finally catches up with her as the police storm her flat and arrest her for Theo’s murder.

Monday night’s episode sees the Platt family attempt to film a birthday video message for Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls), who appears to be enjoying some time away from the cobbles with daughter Gail Platt.

We don’t blame her, considering all the chaos that’s been surrounding the Platts recently!

As Sarah gives up on the video message after another technical mistake by David Platt (Jack P Shepherd), the door is bashed in, and Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) arrests Sarah in front of terrified son Harry.

Wednesday, July 22

In the hospital, Betsy gets a surprise visit from Dylan, who seems ready to take accountability for his role in causing her stroke.

He apologises profusely and assures her that he had no idea the consequences could be so dire.

However, they are soon interrupted by the arrival of a police officer who wishes to take Betsy’s statement.

What will she tell the officer? And what could this mean for Dylan?

Thursday, July 23

Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) and Gary do well to cover their true feelings in front of Liam and Jake, but as soon as the boys leave, they drop the pretense.

Though Gary attempts to buoy Maria, suggesting that they could be worrying about nothing, Maria asserts that the damage is already done.

She makes it clear that, no matter what happens with the police, their marriage has been damaged beyond repair.

Is this the end of the road for Gary and Maria?

MORE: Gary’s exit ‘confirmed’ in Coronation Street as arrest for Theo’s murder grows near

MORE: Coronation Street’s controversial Betsy strangulation story kicks off heated fan debate

MORE: Devastated Betsy accused of cheating in Coronation Street ordeal as horrible accusation is made

The 89-year old was widely regarded as one of the finest cricketers ever to play the game and died just 11 days before his 90th birthday.

In all, he made 93 Test appearances and scored 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, while his 235 wickets came at a cost of 34.03.

The Barbados-born cricketer, who played for the West Indies for 20 years, was well-known in the Radcliffe area after being signed by the town’s cricket club in 1956.

Between that late-summer day in 1956, when Radcliffe’s John Lowe persuaded Sobers to sign on the dotted line for £500, and the start of the 1958 season, the 20-year-old Barbadian was to make the highest Test match score of all time, 365 not out against Pakistan.

Sobers had signed for a year but stayed for five, lighting up the league with breathtaking individual performances, such as his 186 against Ashton in less than two hours; 50 in 13 minutes at Rochdale; and eight wickets for 13 runs at Werneth.

A report written by Anna Youssef for Bury Times in 2006 said he bowled extremely fast, a skill he says he learned in his first season at Radcliffe.

That first rain-hit summer, he scored 1,252 runs and took 88 wickets in a Radcliffe side which underperformed.

Barbadian cricketing great Sir Garfield Sobers has died at the age of 89, Cricket West Indies has announced. (Image: Philip Toscano/PA Wire)

In fact, Sobers took more wickets than the rest of the team put together and scored almost as many runs as them on his own.

His achievements in subsequent seasons were no less remarkable, with the professional’s “double” of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets achieved in both 1960 and 1961, the year Radcliffe also won the Wood Cup and the league championship.

Sobers had fond memories of his five years at Radcliffe, recalling it as a time when he learned how to bowl very fast – and how to bet.

He “discovered” horse racing and poker during long, aimless days between matches and enjoyed a drink with the “locals”.

In his autobiography, published in 2002, he describes how he was warned about “Teddy Boys” who carried “flick knives” when he first came to live in Radcliffe, lodging at the Boar’s Head in the town centre.

“When I walked home at night, the Teddy Boys in their drainpipe trousers, thick-soled shoes, bright shirts and string ties, with greased hair, would wave at me and shout hello,” he said.

“I often stopped to ask them what they were doing out on the streets at 11 o’clock and invite them to have a drink at the pub. We would have a few, and then they would go home, without any hint of trouble.”

Following his time in Radcliffe, Sobers went on to play for Nottinghamshire in county cricket and for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

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In all first-class matches, he scored 28, 315 runs, with 86 centuries, 400 catches, and more than 1,000 wickets.

In 1968, while playing for Notts, he became the first man to hit six sixes in one six-ball over from Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash.

He was knighted in 1975.

News of Sobers’ death has sparked an outpouring of warmth for a cricketer who transcended national loyalties.

England Cricket posted: “One of the greatest to ever play the game. Forever in our hearts, Sir Garfield Sobers.”

There were tributes too from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which said: “The BCCI mourns the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, a true icon of the game and one of cricket’s greatest-ever all-rounders.

“His extraordinary achievements, lasting influence on Caribbean cricket and immeasurable contribution to the global game have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire generations.

“Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the global cricketing fraternity. May his soul rest in peace.”

The US military said it carried out the seventh night of strikes on Iran since President Donald Trump declared the temporary ceasefire agreement was “over”.

In a statement shared on X, US Central Command (Centcom) wrote that its forces “hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said two oil tankers had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz while passing through a mined part of the shipping channel. That was dismissed as false by Centcom.

Jordan’s armed forces said it had intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight, though there were no casualties or damage.

Centcom said it had ended its strikes at 21:30 ET (02:30 BST) after several hours.

“U.S. forces employed fighter aircraft, aerial drones, and warships in addition to other assets,” it said in its statement.

Iran’s state-run Fars agency had said two oil tankers “exploded and caught fire while passing through a mined route south of the Strait of Hormuz”. Later, Centcom posted on X: “Like most IRGC claims, this is false.”

Shipping traffic in the vital Strait of Hormuz has largely stopped amid the continuing tit-for-tat strikes by US and Iranian forces. The strait normally accounts for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

Explosions were heard in the central city of Yazd and at Qeshm island and the port of Bandar Abbas next to the strait, Iranian state media reported.

On Friday, Iran’s armed forces claimed to have attacked multiple US military facilities across the Gulf region in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and – for the first time – Syria, which the US denied.

Earlier, Kuwaiti officials said Iranian drone strikes had injured a number of their soldiers, while a power plant and water desalination stations had also been damaged.

Sources have told the BBC’s US partner CBS news that several American service members were injured during Iranian attacks on two Jordanian bases over the past week.

Washington denied Tehran’s earlier claims that its forces hit civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges, a train station and an airport. Provincial authorities in the affected region, Hormozgan province, said seven people were killed in the attacks.

BBC Verify and BBC Persian have verified footage of damage to Gariveh Bridge, after night videos showed a ball of flames on top of it.

Daylight images showed a crumbled stretch of road with rubble around the broken bridge.

A White House spokesperson told the BBC the US had “carried out strikes exclusively on military targets, including military logistics infrastructure”.

Friday marks one week of nightly US attacks since peace talks with Iran collapsed, as tensions over the future of the Strait of Hormuz hampered efforts to broker a permanent ceasefire.