So now we know exactly what you get when you cross two distinct brands of Swiss watch-making, one affordable (Swatch) and one luxury (Audemars Piguet). You get a new model of watch that attracts massive hype, huge queues and brawling customers.

For £335, you might also get your hands on a colourful pocket watch. But first you’d have to brave the crowds.

The watches, manufactured as a collaboration (or “collab”) between the two companies, are available in selected Swatch stores, with purchases limited to one item per person, per day, per store.

And before the “Royal Pop” watch collection went on sale on May 16 2026, excitement was already high. On release day, police and security teams were deployed in some places, with a tear gas incident in Paris and fighting in Milan. In the UK and the US, Swatch responded to the intense demand by closing its stores.

A popular product then, and a very effective marketing campaign to go with it. For Swatch, it is the third collaboration with a luxury watch brand in recent years.

The first two (with Omega in 2022 and Blancpain in 2023) were also successful.

One reason for their success if that these partnerships allow consumers to own a little bit of elite watchmaking for a fraction of the cost (a “normal” Audemars Piguet could cost tens of thousands of pounds). Like a Louis Vuitton passport cover or a baseball cap made by Ferrari, it’s a token experience of an elite brand for those who can’t regularly afford them.

From a business communications perspective, it’s a way of introducing large groups of people to luxury brands. It’s similar to how luxury car brands like Aston Martin and Lamborghini license their cars for use in video games such as Forza Horizon or Gran Turismo.

Meanwhile, Swatch gets free press and a positive spin for its entire product portfolio.

Watch what you wish for

From a consumer perspective though, the picture is more complex. The recent frenzy over Swatch’s watches should not be dismissed as merely herd mentality, and nor can it be explained by a sudden surge in demand for mechanical timepieces.

Instead, our research suggests that the response is a clear manifestation of something we call the “enrichment economy” – the fact that if something is in short supply and in high demand, it can be resold at a decent profit.

The enrichment economy has long been a feature of the world of art and antiques, but has also become a familiar part of mass market goods. Swatch has simply followed the example of certain trainers, Pokémon cards, dolls, and Lego sets. For instance, the Lego Cloud City set (originally released in 2003 in limited quantities for about £100) now resells at close to £10,000.

Driven by the chance to make a quick but substantial buck, consumers go out of their way to buy certain products and then resell them for much more than they originally cost.

In the case of Swatch and Audemars Piguet, the evidence for that motivation is clear. The watches sell from the stores at £335, and are being almost immediately offered online for ten times that amount – or even more.

As with other economies, the enrichment economy is prone to periods of boom and bust. For instance, the market for second hand luxury watches, which experienced unprecedented demand a few years ago, has now hit a plateau, forcing resellers to discover new markets with greater investment potential.

So while Swatch is at the centre of the enrichment economy in mid-May 2026, it could easily and quickly be overtaken by another brand or object very soon. And as the cost of living crisis continues, it seems highly likely that the enrichment economy will only expand as people look for ways to supplement their incomes with various side-hustles.

In the meantime, our research also suggests that big brands can do their bit to prevent customers getting so excited that they end up fighting with each other over popular products at shop fronts.

They could, for example, allocate sales using an online lottery system. Or they could prioritise trusted and loyal customers and increase the availability of their merchandise.

From a business and PR perspective, though, Swatch may already have won. By turning the collaboration into a talking point – and making scarcity, controversy and curiosity all work in its favour – the brand is having the time of its life.

Kate and Gerry McCann said they were not consulted about a new true crime programme focusing on the investigation into their daughter’s disappearance.

The parents of Madeleine McCann say they are “disappointed” a new true crime drama about their daughter’s disappearance was made without them being consulted or asked for consent. Kate and Gerry McCann said they “had no involvement whatsoever” in the making of Channel 5’s Under Suspicion: Kate McCann.

It depicts Madeleine’s mother being treated as a suspect during the investigation into her disappearance in May 2007. The drama, starring Slow Horses actress Laura Bayston in the lead role of Kate McCann, aired on Wednesday.

In a statement on the same day, Kate and Gerry raised concerns over the “negative impact” such programmes have on their family as they continue to grieve Madeleine’s disappearance 19 years on. “Thank you to everyone who has offered support & kindness this month,” they wrote on the Find Madeleine Campaign website.

“May is never the easiest. We usually start to feel a bit ‘lighter’ at this stage of the month. We are disappointed however, knowing that a Channel 5 ‘docu-drama’ will air tonight.

“We have not given, or been asked for, our consent and have had no involvement whatsoever in its making. We fail to see how it will help. Programmes like this, always have a negative impact on our family.”

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The statement, which was also posted on the official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page, was signed “Kate, Gerry & Family”. Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in southern Portugal on May 3 2007, shortly before her birthday.

Portuguese detectives made Kate and her husband Gerry suspects or “arguidos” that September, before lifting the status in July the following year. The new Channel 5 drama focuses on Kate’s interrogation by officers and is based on official police material, documentary evidence and recorded testimony.

The 90-minute film is written by award-winning screenwriter and playwright Philip Ralph, and directed by Paula Wittig, who previously directed Black Widow. Channel 5 was approached for comment by PA.

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A licensing application stage music until 2am daily and for an hour longer on bank holidays at Hima Fuji restaurant, in Lawrence Street, has been lodged with City York Council.

Owner Ze He said the application followed a change of layout at the Asian restaurant and karaoke bar.

But three people living nearby objected claiming they would be exposed to loud music until the early hours and the changes could cause parking problems and antisocial behaviour.

It comes as the application is set to go before a council licensing hearing on Thursday, May 28.

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The premises was previously home to Mojo’s Chinese Cuisine, which has since shut down.

Plans lodged with the council would see the venue allowed to stage live music during its current opening hours of 9am to 2am daily.

It is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks until 1.30am daily.

A resident living in Farrar Street said people who living there who wanted to avoid city centre bars and pubs would be disturbed.

The objector, whose road is on the opposite side of Lawrence Street to Hima Fuji, said: “The request to have live music until late every day is completely insensitive to the neighbouring residents, noise will be a big issue for residents.

“The licence change would negatively impact residents as the
bar and property does not seem to have much parking.

“The streets local to us currently suffer heavily from broken glass that seems
to be there for weeks or longer, I and any other dog owners have to be careful
around this so the animals are not injured by standing on glass.”

Hima Fuji, in Lawrence Street, York (Image: LDRS)

Another objector, who also lives in Farrar Street, said they feared there would be noise from live music, acts and patrons leaving the venue and staff clearing up afterwards.

The objector said: “We believe that a music venue, very close to our street, will adversely affect our quality of life.

“Parking for Farrar Street residents, which has already become much more difficult, could become almost impossible due to, for example, bands delivering or collecting equipment, which incidentally could continue long after closing time.”

A council report on the plans stated all of the restaurant’s karaoke booths at the back of the premises were professionally soundproofed.

Notices asking patrons to leave quietly are also posted at the venue’s exits.

No comments have been made on the application from responsible authorities such as North Yorkshire Police or the council.

The venue is not in a cumulative impact area, those that already have a high number of other licensed premises.

The council’s decision could be appealed by the applicant or representors at a Magistrate’s Court.

Asked how he has achieved such sustained success in the competition, he put his success down to his players: “[European football] is something fantastic. Europe gave us a lot, for myself as well, a lot. I am always very grateful for Europe, for every competition, especially the Europa League.

Southampton winger Leo Scienza has spoken of his “anger” and “sadness” after the club were denied the chance to play in the Championship play-off final due to Spygate

Southampton winger Leo Scienza has hinted at the chaos behind the scenes at the club after they were kicked out of the Championship play-off final for spying. Saints had appealed against the EFL punishment but discovered on Wednesday night that they had been unsuccessful.

It means they will start the 2026/27 season on -4 points in the Championship, while Middlesbrough – the side they beat 2-1 in a two-legged play-off semi-final – will go to Wembley Stadium on Saturday to face Hull City.

Saints manager Tonda Eckert is now facing the sack after it emerged that he was aware of the three spying trips the club admitted, to Oxford United, Ipswich and Middlesbrough. Meanwhile, the club are braced for more ramifications, with the FA likely to dish out further punishment, which could include a ban for those involved.

It is understood that Southampton’s players are considering their options after being robbed of a shot at promotion back to the Premier League by the actions of their own staff. And Scienza, who enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign for Saints, has become the first player to publicly voice his feelings on the subject.

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READ MORE: Southampton LOSE Spygate appeal as Middlesbrough set for Championship play-off finalREAD MORE: Southampton send desperate plea to their fans after being kicked out of play-off final

Scienza wrote on Instagram: “Disappointment, anger, sadness It’s difficult to find the right words for what we’re all feeling right now. What has happened over the last days is heartbreaking. for the club, for every player in this dressing room, and above all for our supporters. A moment like this should never end the way it did.

“I feel sorry for every football fan, as well as the players and supporters of Hull and Boro, who were caught up in all of this chaos too.

“We gave everything for this dream. Day after day, sacrifice after sacrifice, always believing we could bring this club back to where it belongs. For me, the dream of playing in the Premier League was something I fought for with everything I had. That’s why this pain cuts so deep.

“The hardest part is knowing how much our fans deserved this moment. You stood behind us all season with incredible passion, loyalty and belief. Even in the toughest moments, you carried us forward. Thank you for staying with us through everything, you definitely deserved better.”

Southampton‘s statement on Wednesday night read: “Southampton Football Club has this evening been informed that the EFL’s League Arbitration Panel has upheld the sanctions imposed earlier this week. As a result, the club will not participate in Saturday’s Championship Play-Off Final.

“This is an extremely disappointing outcome for everybody connected with Southampton Football Club. We know how painful this moment will be for our supporters, players, staff, commercial partners and the wider community who have given so much backing to the team throughout the season and we apologise once again to everyone impacted by this.

“While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours.

“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to our supporters for the support, patience and loyalty they have shown throughout an incredibly difficult period. We will share information as soon as possible in relation to ticket refunds for those who bought tickets to Wembley.

“Southampton Football Club has a proud history and strong foundations, but it is clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt. That work begins immediately. The club will reflect carefully on the events that have led to this point, learn from them and take the necessary steps to move forward responsibly.

“While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right.”

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Emery’s previous four were already a competition record and while he dismissed the suggestion he was a European king, he is a serial winner.

Six finals, five wins with the latest cementing a legacy at Villa Park which will last decades.

Villa officials were nervous talking about the trophy parade in advance, which needed to be organised ahead of time given the disruption in Birmingham, but the squad will flaunt it in the city on Thursday afternoon.

If Tielemans’ volley – rounding off a short corner routine – gave them the platform then Buendia’s curler into the top corner put one hand on the trophy.

Former Villa midfielder Ian Taylor, a fan of the club who scored in the 1996 League Cup win – the last time Villa won major silverware, leapt out of his press box chair and punched the air.

Rogers’ third had the substitutes celebrating on the pitch and an airborne Emery leaping on the touchline with clenched fists. Victory was assured.

“I feel amazing,” Tielemans told TNT. “My voice is a bit gone but it’s all good. We put in a shift and a top performance, we’ve had a great season and to top it off with this, it’s amazing.

“It’s amazing. It’s been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so so bad. Our standards were very poor.

“The way we turned things around was a credit to the players and staff. We kept working, believing. We got the win in the end, Champions League next season and a trophy.”

Yet it was not without early nerves. Emi Martinez needed his right ring finger taped and treated in the warm-up – evoking memories of Nigel Spink replacing Jimmy Rimmer after just nine minutes in the ’82 final.

But those concerns evaporated. Villa were never in danger and the fans who packed Besiktas Park had already started celebrating by half time.

Villa’s official ticket allocation was 10,758 but 20,000 travelled to Turkey, they clearly outnumbered Freiburg’s following and crammed into the bars and cafes off Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square.

Among them in the stadium, Prince William – who had already sent a message of good luck on social media – watched on as Emery was hoisted onto Martinez’s shoulders as Villa celebrated on the pitch.

Head of football operations Damian Vidagany held his hands on his head at the final whistle, signifying a release of pressure, before embracing Tielemans.

Martinez struggled to contain his emotions while co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens greeted the players before they collected their medals.

The future king filmed the trophy-lift on his phone as Villa celebrated a milestone moment.

Rogers told TNT: “It’s hard to put into words, we’ve worked so hard for this. We’ve delivered and come through. It’s a great moment for the fans, great for the club. We’ll go down in history.”

It is set three months after the disappearance of Madeleine, with the media and Portuguese police now treating the McCanns very differently.

The one-off drama maps out Kate’s cross-examination after she and Madeleine’s father, Gerry, were named suspects.

A synopsis for the programme shares: “In her final interrogation, Kate defies all accusations by answering ‘no comment’ on her lawyer’s advice.

“As she leaves the police station, we are reminded that this story began with a mother searching for her child, and that no amount of suspicion, however constructed, will diminish her hope of finding her daughter.”

Madeleine disappeared from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the evening of May 3, 2007, at just three years old.

Her disappearance has been dubbed “the most heavily reported missing-person case in modern history”.

Both Kate and Gerry were subjected to intense scrutiny and faced accusations of involvement in the disappearance.

In 2008, as a result of false allegations of their involvement in Madeleine’s death, they and their travelling companions received damages and apologies from Express Newspapers.

How accurate will Under Suspicion: Kate McCann be?

Writer Philip Ralph shared that the production used real interrogation material to help craft the script.

Speaking to Channel 5, he shared: “The Portuguese Policia Judicaria (PJ) officers who interrogated Kate McCann in 2007 did not audio record their interviews.

“Instead one of their team took detailed notes in Portuguese which were then translated into English for Kate McCann to sign off once the interview was complete.

“So the biggest challenge was crafting dialogue that accurately represented the Portuguese police’s questions and direction of enquiry whilst also ensuring that Kate’s answers were accurate to the record and the facts of the case.

“And then, once that work was done, the dialogue had to be accurately translated back into Portuguese for the actors playing the PJ officers.

“It was a complex, painstaking process.”

Under Suspicion: Kate McCann full cast list

• Laura Bayston as Kate McCann
• Joana Borja as Armanda Duarte Salbany Russel
• Hugo Nicolau as Inspector João Carlos
• Miguel Freire as Inspector Ricardo Paiva

Recommended reading:

• Carlos Agualusa as Carlos Pinto De Abreu
• James Robinson as Gerry McCann
• Ruby Ranson as Madeleine McCann

When will Under Suspicion: Kate McCann be on TV?

The one-off episode will air on Channel 5 at 9pm on Wednesday, May 20.

It will air until 10.25pm and will be available to watch on Channel 5’s streaming service.

Will you be watching Under Suspicion: Kate McCann? Let us know in the comments.

The Gateshead flyover, a staple part of the town’s road network bringing traffic into Newcastle, was closed in December 2024 due to safety concerns.

Inspections had revealed that the structure was ageing and deteriorating.

(Image: Joe Sheridan/Northern Echo Camera Club)

This led to concerns about the cost-effectiveness of maintaining it versus removing it and redesigning the surrounding roads.

The current removal of the flyover brings about a significant transformation in the way people navigate through Gateshead.

Temporary traffic arrangements and detours have been put in place for the duration of the demolition.

The dismantling process, which is expected to last until October, requires the use of special machinery, such as “munchers”.

A Gateshead Council spokesperson said: “They work by using ‘mechanical jaws’ to gradually crush through the concrete and steel structure.”

For areas where the concrete is denser, the operators resort to using a steel ram to fragment the material before returning to the mechanical jaws.

There is currently a staggered demolition process, which hopes to arrive at the Five Bridges roundabout in late June, moving to the Park Lane roundabout.

The last part to come down will be above the Tyne and Wear Metro tunnels.

In order to prevent collapse during demolition, steel props, each weighing ten tonnes, have been installed beneath the structure.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers took his time before deciding he wanted to come back for a 22nd season. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback already has made up his mind about a 23rd: There won’t be one.

“This is it,” Rodgers said Wednesday when the four-time NFL MVP was asked if this would be his final year.

The 42-year-old did not expand on why he came to that conclusion. Maybe because there was no need.

Rodgers acknowledged that he thought his time in Pittsburgh — and perhaps the league — was over when Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stepped down the day after a blowout first-round playoff loss to Houston in January.

Things changed when Pittsburgh hired Mike McCarthy a few weeks later, a decision that Rodgers said he may have played a small role in when he encouraged Steelers general manager Omar Khan to talk to McCarthy. Rodgers and McCarthy spent 13 years together in Green Bay, winning a Super Bowl while becoming a playoff fixture.

McCarthy and Rodgers stayed in constant communication in recent months as Rodgers weighed whether to run it back one last time. While there was no one tipping point, the relative health of his 42-year-old body and the chance to have his career come “full circle” with a team that spent the offseason upgrading the offense in hopes of ending a lengthy playoff victory drought led to a reunion he called “surreal.”

“It is like a (bunch of) ‘pinch me’ moments that have happened in the last few days,” Rodgers said following the second day of Pittsburgh’s voluntary organized team activities.

Perhaps because McCarthy hardly came back to his hometown alone.

The familiar faces from Rodgers’ time in Green Bay are everywhere inside the Steelers’ facility, from defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to offensive line coach James Campen. There are “getting the band back together” vibes everywhere Rodgers looks.

When Rodgers plopped into a chair for a meeting on Monday, in many ways it felt like it was 2006, when he was entering his second year in Green Bay as Brett Favre’s backup and McCarthy was a first-year head coach still finding his way.

“Took me back to being a 22-year-old kid,” Rodgers said with a smile.

Only he’s hardly that anymore. While the oldest player in the NFL turned back the clock enough last season to throw for 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions and guide the Steelers to the AFC North title, he also missed a game after breaking several bones in his left wrist and looked very much his age during the second half of what became a blowout loss to the Texans that ended both Pittsburgh’s season and Tomlin’s largely successful 19-year run as head coach.

Still, Rodgers believes he has enough left to attempt the rarest of exits for players of his stature: the ability to go out on his own terms.

McCarthy said Rodgers “can still throw it with anybody,” though the time of year when Rodgers will be asked to really cut it loose is still months away. Perhaps Rodgers’ most important job through OTAs, minicamp and training camp is helping the Steelers prepare for life without him.

While McCarthy and Rodgers stayed in constant communication as Rodgers hung out in Malibu, California, with his wife and weighed his options for 2026, the Steelers selected Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round of the draft, and McCarthy has talked up 2025 sixth-round choice Will Howard at every turn since taking over.

Allar and Howard figure to be in the mix this time next year when the Steelers restart their quest to find a long-term solution at the game’s most important position, a search that’s been ongoing since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in January 2022.

Rodgers’ presence offers a cheat code of sorts. He knows all the answers to the test, particularly when the test is offered by McCarthy. Allar and Howard will get to spend the next seven or so months soaking up what they can from Rodgers about what McCarthy wants and perhaps more importantly, how he wants it.

McCarthy called Rodgers “a tremendous resource” who also happens to be a future Hall of Famer, giving him a certain cachet that might make him a better conduit for what McCarthy is trying to teach than the coach himself.

“It’s like parenting,” McCarthy said. “I could sit there and tell my kids something, and then, like if he’d walk in and tell my son George something, he’d jump out the window and do it.”

While Rodgers took a friendly jab at Favre — whom he sat behind during the first three years of his career — by borrowing a phrase from Favre that mentoring is “not in my job description,” the reality is it’s a role he relishes.

Just not as much as the chance to win. When Rodgers signed with the Steelers a year ago, he called the decision “best for my soul.” It’s much the same this time around.

He likes what the team has done by trading for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., signing running back Rico Dowdle and drafting wideout Germie Bernard. The offensive line could be better with Troy Fautanu moving over to left tackle. The defense still has a pair of franchise icons in defensive lineman Cam Heyward and outside linebacker TJ Watt.

And now it has a quarterback eager to soak up every last bit of the final chapter of a career that will end with a gold jacket and a bust in the Hall of Fame. Just not quite yet.

“I am excited about these guys,” he said. “I’m excited about the team.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL