As the Switch 2 celebrates its first birthday, GameCentral looks back at the highs and lows of Nintendo’s most recent console and tries to predict where it goes from here.
Since the internet, and the real world beyond it, increasingly only deals in extremes it’s difficult to talk about the Switch 2 in any kind of nuanced fashion. It is neither the best thing ever nor the worst and determining exactly where it sits along that gradient is not easy. Today is its first anniversary, which is slightly awkward as there’s reason to hope there’ll be a major Nintendo Direct next week which will, possibly, answer some of the questions we’re about to pose.
Looking at the console with the benefit of 365 days of hindsight, we’d say that that the hardware itself was largely faultless. The design hasn’t changed much, of course, and it could do with a longer battery life and maybe a better screen, but for the price it’s almost perfect, with the click of the magnetic Joy-Cons still seeming magical to this day.
It’s still baffling that Nintendo has made no attempt whatsoever to demonstrate the power of the console – we didn’t get so much as a tech demo pre-launch – but multiple third party games have made it clear it’s far more powerful than you would expect, with excellent versions of everything from Resident Evil Requiem and Cyberpunk 2077 to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Star Wars Outlaws.
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The remake of Star Fox 64 does seem to be a step up, in terms of technical prowess, but other upcoming games, like Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, still look like Wii U games. Nintendo games are rarely sold on their graphics, but the Switch 2 clearly has raw power to spare and yet it’s not being used – one of many strange decisions orbiting the console.
Ever since the unveiling of the console and its games in April last year, it’s seemed as if Nintendo was only showing and doing the bare minimum. Despite having eight years to prepare, and no deadline to meet in terms of when the console had to be released, everything to do with the Switch 2 has felt hurried and poorly thought out, like a student who was out partying the night before their big report was due and only just scrabbled together what they needed.
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That impression has not changed over the last 12 months, but it has morphed into an industry default for most publishers who, in their wisdom, have decided that it’s best to have as little to look forward to as possible and to know as little about what is announced as can be contrived.
That logic obviously makes sense to someone, somewhere, because it’s taken deep root within so many different publishers, but Nintendo has taken it to an absurd extreme, to the point where it’s now June and we haven’t had a single large scale, first party Nintendo Direct all year. That in turn means we have no idea about anything coming out after July (except that supposedly Fortune’s Weave and FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods will be along at some point, if they haven’t been delayed).
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At exactly the point where a first party Direct would seem the most useful to both Nintendo and its customers – considering a price rise is on the horizon – they’ve decided to say less about their future plans than they ever have before.
This seems to be in large part because of the industry wide problem of games costing too much, and taking too long, to make. The Switch 2 may be impressively powerful, but Nintendo’s not used to working with that kind of hardware and that’s no doubt part of the reason behind some of their stranger decisions.
Mario Kart World – a good game but not a classic (Nintendo)
We had hoped, before the Switch 2 became a reality, that Nintendo, who have always benefited from keeping a tight rein on their budgets, would cope better than most with the issue, or demonstrate some new way of avoiding it, but sadly that hasn’t happened.
Instead, the software line-up has been a strange mixture of A-listers and deeply underwhelming lower budget games. Mario Kart World as a launch game makes perfect sense, but the strange way the open world was handled – which was exacerbated by the misleading marketing – left a bad taste in the mouth of many fans. While the continued lack of any DLC at all (why does Donkey Kong only have one extra costume?) is impossible to explain.
Mario Kart World is a good game, and Donkey Kong Bananza is even better, but in hindsight the latter would’ve made a much better Christmas release, rather than having the line-up fizzle out with the deeply disappointing Metroid Prime 4. You can see the sense of releasing Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment early on, because it meant at least some kind of new Zelda game was available, but surely there was a better choice than yet another brain dead Dynasty Warriors knock-off.
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Kirby Air Riders does have its fans, even if we’re not amongst them, but why did Nintendo feel it was so important to release a second cartoon racing game within the launch window? Especially one that was only ever going to be popular in Japan. They did later admit that they’d focused too much on games for their home audience, but surely Nintendo has been in the business long enough not to make that mistake in the first place?
There are many other strange decisions beyond that, including the highly experimental Drag x Drive, which might have been a cult hit if hadn’t been so utterly devoid of content that you could see all there was to see within a couple of hours. Does Nintendo really not employ enough people that they couldn’t have whisked up a quick single-player mode or a proper tournament structure? Or, you know, used any colour other than dark grey for the graphics.
Why did the marketing for Yoshi And the Mysterious Book make it seem like a game for pre-schoolers when it’s actually one of the most inventive and open-ended platformers Nintendo has put out for years, and much better suited to adult players than anyone else.
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Pokémon Pokopia is the best first party Switch 2 game (The Pokémon Company)
And how is it that of all the games Nintendo has released in the last year a Minecraft clone by the makers of Hyrule Warriors turned out to be the most compelling? That certainly wasn’t on our bingo card and it clearly wasn’t on Nintendo’s either, who were caught out by the success of Pokémon Pokopia and have been scrambling to leverage it ever since.
One of the most encouraging annoucement this year (not that there have been many of any type) was the reveal of Pokémon Winds and Waves, which does look like a generational leap from Scarlet and Violet. Having that next year does seem a useful anchor but the overriding problem with the Switch 2’s line-up is the mystifying logic behind how Nintendo has been prioritising its various franchises.
Kirby Air Riders is one thing but why on earth is Star Fox deemed so important all of a sudden, such that it was shore-horned into the Mario Galaxy movie, of all things? A decision that takes on reality-bending levels of bizarreness when you realise that Nintendo hasn’t yet breathed a word about a new Super Mario game since before the Switch 2 was announced.
Why are we a year in and there’s still no sign of Splatoon 4 and instead it has to wait in the queue behind a primarily single-player spin-off? And why was a new Fire Emblem announced so early on when we still haven’t heard anything about far more mainstream games, like a new Animal Crossing?
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Not furnishing Mario Kart World with constant updates is one thing but we felt sure that the reason support for Animal Crossing: New Horizons – the breakout hit of the entire franchise – was cut short was so the team could get a new game ready for early on in the Switch 2’s career, so that it could benefit from new content throughout the whole of the console’s life. But instead Nintendo announced a Switch 2 Edition that adds almost nothing of note and implies a new game is several years away.
Nintendo not making sense might seem like their natural state of being, but in reality everything they do is perfectly logical, from their point of view, and only becomes so to others over time. The Switch 2 has been stretching credulity since the beginning though, to the point where everything feels like they switched to Plan B sometime in 2024 and they’ve been on that track ever since.
Why was a new Animal Crossing not a priority? (Nintendo)
Even if sales at Christmas were less than hoped for, the Switch 2 is still the fastest-selling console of all-time and well ahead of where the Switch was at the same time in its lifetime. But you could tell the Switch 1 was special before its first Christmas, with a GOAT launch window line-up that Switch 2 hasn’t come close to matching.
The changing nature of game development may make the Switch 1’s achievements impossible to repeat (especially given the boost it got from being able to use Wii U ports to fill gaps in its schedule and provide a cast iron classic of a launch title) but that still makes it impossible not to be at least a little disappointed with the Switch 2.
We’ve long ago learnt not to try and predict Nintendo, or believe any rumours about them, even if the one about a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is very persistent. Who knows what they’ll announce next week, if there even is a Direct next week, but while we’d welcome a modernised version of Ocarina Of Time as much as anyone, what we really crave is something new, in terms of both IP and gameplay ideas.
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Nintendo always delivers eventually but they’ve certainly not made it easy waiting for that to happen with the Switch 2, which continues to be a great console supported by a merely good games line-up. Other publishers would be happy with far less but the problem with Nintendo’s reputation is that they’ve trained people to always expect the best thing ever, and this time that hasn’t happened. Or at least not yet.
Maybe the Ocarina Of Time rumours are true or maybe they’re not (Nintendo)
Village residents say the application ‘dominates conversation’ as a ‘constant source of worry’
Plans to turn a former farm into an “industrial factory” in one of Cambridgeshire ’s smallest hamlets have been refused by the council. Taste Flavourings Ltd were looking to move from their current site in Chittering to De Freville Farm in Aldreth, a non-designated heritage asset.
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East Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning officers called the plan “an exemplar” of “reusing traditional agricultural buildings for alternative uses”. They said the new use would support around 30 full-time jobs, retaining the “historic arrangement” of farm buildings and improving them “where there are currently clear signs of dilapidation and neglect”.
But officers recommended refusing the plans due to their impact on traffic and harm to the “relatively tranquil character of the village”.
Mike Wells, speaking on behalf of Aldreth residents, said: “I find it hard to believe that consideration is being given to moving a factory to the heart of probably the smallest hamlet in East Cambridgeshire. It just seems crazy – a hamlet of less than one hundred houses that residents cherish for its peace and tranquillity.”
He told the planning committee the factory “would change Aldreth dramatically” as when it was still a farm machinery was used only “intermittently” during harvest. Mike said that parents from the hamlet and nearby Haddenham take their children to the community centre for a “heavily subscribed” playgroup in the community centre.
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He said: “The prospect of 10 HGV tankers a day thundering in and out of the hamlet with young children walking the footpaths is concerning. For the past 15 months, this application has been a constant source of worry for my wife, for me, and many of our neighbours – it dominates local conversation.
“A lot of residents chose Aldreth as a tranquil place to live and to retire to – to enjoy nature and peace – not to be an annex to a factory.”
Aalbert Remijn, the owner of Taste Flavourings Ltd, said: “We’re a family business with the next generation already involved and we would like to move from rented premises into premises which we own.”
He said their food and drinks laboratories provide “high-quality employment” for 26 to 27 families “more than half of whom live within a 10 mile radius of Aldreth”.
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He said: “Over the last year we have addressed all the requirements raised by planning officers and relevant agencies and we have received no objections from any of the statutory consultees.
“I understand that people are concerned about change and the unknown – however, traffic generation would be much more modest than some residents fear, a point that has been accepted by highways. We want to be part of the community as good neighbours and I hope your decision will help us all move forward in a positive and constructive way.”
Gareth Wilson, ward councillor for Haddenham, said: “The problem we’ve got is this, I think well-meaning person, is basically putting his factory in the wrong place.”
He said Aldreth is “not suitable for an industrial factory” and raised concerns that approving the plans would set a precedent for the site to “permanently” become industrial.
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Cllr Lucius Vellacott said: “It’s a testament to the people of Aldreth how seriously they have taken this. I’m massively in favour of employment in East Cambridgeshire – I wish the applicant nothing but the best for their business and I want us as an authority to support them but what I want us to support first is the use of land in our most rural areas and there is no rural need. Unfortunately, this proposal is unacceptable for the location it’s in.”
Cllr Bill Hunt, chair of the planning committee, said as a county councillor for the area for 20 years, he “probably knows Aldreth better than most”.
He said: “It’s fair to say there’s no shop, there’s only one bus a week – there was a garage there but I think that’s now closed as the owner has retired. Despite those disadvantages people go to Aldreth, live in Aldreth and they love Aldreth – why?
“The peace and quiet and the neighbourliness and the decency – and the fact they know when there’s a brewers lorry come down the village by mistake, they know. It’s a special community and I think it should be retained and this would change the character of the area totally.”
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Cllr Christine Ambrose Smith said: “I think when people in a community are confronted with something that they don’t immediately recognise – a touch of hysteria, dare I say, comes into play.
“You get used to lots of things – this is a brilliant new business – I think that after a while it will find its place and it will be accepted. I would really like to see this approved because I think it’s an excellent scheme – it’s making the most out of what’s a derelict area at the moment and at the end of the day what else is going to fill that space?
“Something will need to and presumably if the applicant is unable to build here there’s a possibility it may be sold and that might end up with a worse situation.”
The application was rejected with eight votes for refusal, one for approval and one abstention.
EXCLUSIVE: A leaked copy of the terms of reference shows the relationship with the UK party is on the table.
Scottish Labour are reviewing their links with the UK party after Keir Starmer was blamed for last month’s Holyrood election loss.
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A leaked document shows party chiefs are also asking members about the impact of the UK Government on their doomed campaign.
Anas Sarwar’s party returned 17 MSPs in May – the worst result in the history of devolution.
Candidates and senior party sources say the unpopular decisions of the Starmer Government were the primary cause of the defeat.
But Sarwar has also been accused of producing a weak manifesto and being too optimistic in the number of seats he targeted.
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Scottish Labour’s governing body, the SEC, recently agreed to review the fifth electoral loss in a row to the SNP.
Party chiefs will examine a range of issues including national campaign strategy, manifesto development, policy communication, media, digital campaigning, field operations and finance.
A copy of the terms of reference obtained by the Record shows members are being asked twenty six questions.
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These include: “How effective were the party’s campaign message, manifesto and policy offer?”
“What were Scottish Labour’s objectives for the 2026 election, and were they realistic and clearly understood?”
The historic link to the UK party also forms part of the review, which will be chaired by an SEC member:
Another question asks pointedly: “How did the performance, reputation and decisions of UK Labour and the UK Government affect Scottish Labour’s campaign?”
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The review will also examine the “operational and financial relationship between Scottish Labour and UK Labour”.
Although the Sarwar campaign was funded by donations raised by his party, Scottish Labour has historically relied on subsidies from London and benefits from shared resources.
A party source said loosening these ties would be another step towards Scottish Labour becoming a separate party.
The review will draw on election result analysis”, polling and voter research, campaign data, regional member meetings as well as written submissions and interviews.
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A final report will be submitted to the SEC no later than September 12th this year.
It comes after former Labour MSP Paul O’Kane left the door open to an independent Labour party north of the border.
He told the Planet Holyrood podcast:
“As part of any wider review…I think everything should be on the table. I think it would be wrong if we sort of closed off ideas about how we might move forward.”
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He said: “We are the party of devolution. We believe in devolution. We believe in devolution that progresses. But we probably didn’t do that for our internal party structures and we need to accept that in a devolved UK, looking at more devolved structures to the Scottish Labour Party isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
SNP MSP Pauline Stafford said: “The reality of Labour’s crushing defeat is nobody cares about it. Their own MSPs can’t even be bothered getting rid of Anas Sarwar despite him leading their party to their two worst ever defeats.
“But it doesn’t take a review to work out why the Labour Party suffered its worst election result in the history of Scottish devolution.“Despite receiving millions of pounds from London, Anas Sarwar lost because – in contrast to the SNP – he had no positive vision for Scotland and refused to engage with the fact that more than half the country wants to see Scotland take her rightful place as an independent nation.
EasyJet flight U22197 to Munich is among the outbound services running significantly behind schedule.
There is currently no indication of widespread disruption at the airport and no confirmed cancellations have been identified.
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Manchester Airport has advised passengers to check directly with their airline for the latest travel information before setting off, as flight schedules can change throughout the day.
The cause of the delays is not immediately known.
Travellers can check the latest arrival and departure information on the Manchester Airport website or through their airline.
Prof Marian Knight, director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, which researches the care of women and babies in pregnancy and birth, says the rise represents a “total change in how women give birth” in England, and that it has not been replicated in other European countries.
Our reporters have had their say on whether Man United should keep or sell the defenders currently at the club.
Manchester United are planning to overhaul their midfield in the summer transfer window. Casemiro has departed after four years at the club, and there is recognition that investment is required to inject new life into midfield.
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The defensive department at United could be boosted by a left-back signing this summer, but it could be argued that a new centre-back is needed after a campaign in which United’s centre-backs picked up injuries.
Michael Carrick started Noussair Mazraoui alongside Ayden Heaven against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, for example. United won 1-0 in the capital, but makeshift backlines are more likely to be exposed in a season when the schedule returns to normal, given the Reds’ Champions League commitments.
With that in mind, our writers have given their ‘keep or sell’ verdict on the club’s current defenders:
Diogo Dalot
Tyrone Marshall: Dalot faced some criticism from supporters in the first half of last season and he still isn’t particularly popular, but he was steady back at right-back and his contribution to build-up play is underrated. Keep
Steven Railston: Dalot was quietly decent in the last few months of the season. It’s not fashionable to praise Dalot, but he is a consistent performer when he plays as a right-back in a back four. Keep.
Noussair Mazraoui
Tyrone Marshall: A difficult season last year and has clearly lost the battle to play at right-back, but offers experience and can play both full-back roles. Worth another season at least. Keep
Steven Railston: It was a forgettable season for Mazraoui, who played just over 1,000 minutes. However, he has played in eight different positions during his time at the club, and his versatility is handy in a busy season. Keep.
Matthijs de Ligt
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Tyrone Marshall: Feels almost impossible to sell him this summer, but needs a big year next year. Clearly an excellent centre-back there, and still only 26 years old. Could play a big role and be Maguire’s successor if he stays fit. But if his form drifts, there is a problem. Keep
Steven Railston: De Ligt last played against Crystal Palace on November 30. Although he was producing the finest performances of his United career before picking up that injury, I’d cut ties if it were possible this summer. The obvious problem is that nobody will buy a defender who has just had back surgery. Sell.
Harry Maguire
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Tyrone Marshall: Just signed a new contract and the best natural centre-back at the club. Fits the way United have played under Carrick, where his defensive strengths have been to the fore. Keep
Steven Railston: Maguire is still the best defender at United and should be on the plane for the World Cup this summer. He thoroughly deserved his new contract, which was a no-brainer for United. Keep.
Lisandro Martinez
Tyrone Marshall: Loved by his coaches, makes United better tactically when he plays and a cult hero on the terraces. Only thing not to like is the fact he’s been able to start just 65 of 152 Premier League games since he joined the club. Keep for now, but if he has another injury hit year then his time will be up. Keep
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Steven Railston: Martinez missed the first three months of the season as he recovered from a knee injury, before missing more time between February and March due to a calf injury. The centre-back is a leader and drives the group on the training pitch, but United need someone more reliable. Sell.
Patrick Dorgu
Tyrone Marshall: Made a real impact on the wing under Carrick and now a key member of the squad. Could play an attacking left-back role or left-wing. Won’t start every week, but will have a big role to play next season still. Keep
Steven Railston: Dorgu might be permanently regarded as an attacker by the end of the season. Regardless of which position his long-term future lies, there is a feeling that there’s plenty more improvement to come from him. Keep.
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Leny Yoro
Tyrone Marshall: Not done enough in two years at the club to warrant the excitement around his signing, when United beat competition from Real Madrid to land him. Needs to kick on this year and if he does, he could be first-choice by the end of the season. Keep
Steven Railston: I expected a little bit more from Yoro this season, albeit it wasn’t a bad season for him by any means. Still, he was signed in a £52m deal and should be nailing down a spot in the starting team next term. He has the skillset to become one of the best in the world. Keep.
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Luke Shaw
Tyrone Marshall: Just had his most productive year yet in terms of starts and performances were of a generally high standard. Next season represents a different challenge and with one year on his contract, it makes sense to wait until early 2027 before making a call. Keep
Steven Railston: Shaw was also snubbed by England for the World Cup squad. He would be in my squad if I were England manager, though. The 30-year-old started every Premier League game this season, and United need to give him a chance of staying fit next term by signing a back-up. Keep.
Ayden Heaven
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Tyrone Marshall: A lot to be excited about and looks an ideal stand-in for Martinez at the moment. Probably needs to play more than he did last season, but a deeper schedule will give him those chances. Could be part of this defence for years to come. Keep
Steven Railston: Carrick raved about Heaven’s performance at Stamford Bridge – and that praise was deserved. The youngster came into the side in difficult circumstances and still has plenty of scope to improve. Keep.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
India‘s air accident investigators are preparing to release an anniversary report into the crash involving a London-bound Air India flight that killed 260 people last year.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board crashed in Gujarat, western India seconds after take-off on 12 June, slamming into a medical college’s hostel outside Ahmedabad airport and erupting in a fireball. One passenger, a British citizen, miraculously survived the crash, while another 19 people were killed on the ground.
Under international regulations, investigators must aim to provide a final accident report one year after an incident, revealing what they have found about the probable cause of the crash and providing recommendations on how to avoid similar incidents in the future. If they cannot do so, they must release an update on their investigation on each anniversary of the crash.
Many questions remain unanswered about what went wrong with Air India Flight 171, with both bereaved families and those injured on the ground anxiously awaiting the accident report – not least because a host of lawsuits filed against Air India and Boeing are now proceeding through the courts in both the UK and US alleging culpability on the part of the airline and manufacturer.
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India’s civil aviation minister said last month that the investigation was in the “last stage” and that the report would “mostly” be ready by the one-year anniversary date. “However, the investigation is being done by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and we don’t interfere in it,” Ram Mohan Naidu told reporters. “We are giving them all the resources they need.”
When will the Air India report be released?
India’s authorities were prompt in releasing a preliminary report into the crash last year, exactly 30 days after the incident in line with their international obligations.
Mr Naidu has said investigators are trying to complete their work “as soon as possible”, while the AAIB said on 20 May that their report will be published “as soon as the investigation is completed and accepted for publication”.
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The back of Air India flight 171 is pictured at the site after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025 (AFP/Getty)
Officials have not committed to releasing their final findings by the 12 June anniversary of the crash, however, and media reports indicate that it is more likely an “interim” report will be produced instead. A source told Reuters it would not be a final report because “it is a very complex investigation and is taking time”, and that a timeline for the final report remained unclear.
There is plenty of precedent for final crash reports taking longer than the ideal target of one year stipulated by the UN’s aviation body. The final safety report after MH370’s 2014 disappearance was published four years later, for instance, while a revised final report into United Airlines Flight 585’s 1991 crash was published over 10 years later.
What did the preliminary report say?
Last year’s preliminary report stuck to providing the factual sequence of events, stopping short of any causal analysis and leaving deeper questions unanswered. It claimed that three seconds after taking off, both the aircraft’s fuel control switches almost simultaneously flipped from “run” to “cutoff”, starving the engines of fuel.
The switches returned to the “run” position after about 10 seconds. It was too late. Moments later, one of the pilots transmitted a “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” call.
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The plane immediately began to lose thrust and sank. One pilot could be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he had cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report noted. An auxiliary power unit intended to provide power to the aircraft in the event of engine failure deployed automatically, but did not provide enough lift to prevent a catastrophic crash into a hostel at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College.
The 15-page preliminary report assigned no blame, identified no cause and didn’t conclude whether the crash was the result of technical failure, human error, maintenance issues, or systemic oversight gaps.
However, it sparked a media trial of the pilots, first officer Clive Kunder, 32, who was flying, and captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, who was observing. US officials have said that the cockpit recording supports the view that it was the captain who cut the flow of fuel to the plane’s engines, while the captain’s family have petitioned India’s top court to try and clear his name.
What will the report uncover?
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The AAIB says its investigation “is looking into each and every factor to identify the root cause/ contributory factor(s) leading to the accident”. It said its final report would also issue safety recommendations to avoid a repeat of such accidents in the future, although it’s not immediately clear how much this point will be covered in the interim report.
Independent aviation experts hope the report will shed more light on theories beyond pilot action that have emerged since the crash, including a possible electrical fault. The lone survivor of the crash, Viswashkumar Ramesh, has described how the lights flickered inside the plane just before it started to fall – some experts say this could point to a water leak.
Pilots Sumeet Sabharwal (L) and Clive Kunder (Supplied)
According to the Foundation for Aviation Safety, an advocacy group in the US, the specific Boeing aircraft involved had a record of technical and electrical failures.
It entered service with Air India in 2014 and went on to suffer a series of system failures, including an electrical fire in 2022 which led to the replacement of core system components, the group said in a submission to the US Senate. The issues, it alleged, were caused by “a wide and confusing variety of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems throughout its 11-year life”.
Boeing’s chief executive Kelly Ortberg had offered the manufacturer’s “deepest condolences” to the victims after the crash, and said Boeing “stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau”.
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The Independent has reached out to Air India, Boeing and the AAIB for a statement. Boeing has previously referred media inquiries to the Indian authorities, citing the ongoing crash investigation.
The event will take place at The Hub on Central Drive, Westhoughton, on Thursday, June 4, from 7pm to 8pm.
Hosted by Greater Manchester Police‘s neighbourhood policing team, the surgery will give people the opportunity to raise concerns about issues affecting their area and discuss matters directly with officers.
Police say the event is designed to help them identify and tackle the issues that matter most to local communities.
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Residents who are unable to attend can also contact their neighbourhood policing team to share concerns and provide information about problems in their area.
The force is encouraging people to sign up to Bee in the Loop, Greater Manchester Police’s free community alert system, which provides updates on local policing activity and crime prevention advice.
For non-emergency incidents or to report a crime, people can contact police by calling 101 or using the Live Chat service on the GMP website. The public should only call 999 in emergencies where there is an immediate threat to life or a crime is in progress.
More information is available on the Greater Manchester Police website.
Popular food hall Common Market is set to welcome a brand-new resident very soon.
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The announcement comes after Zeus God’s of Food took to social media at the beginning of May, saying they would be closing their doors at the end of the month after 4 years in the food market, citing “rising costs” as the reason.
Four days after Zeus shut up shop, its replacement has been announced. Sal’s, which is marketing itself as a “neighbourhood Italian joint”, is set to open up soon.
Belfast Live understands it will focus on ‘red sauce Italian food’ like tomato pasta, meatball subs and lasagne.
Alongside the announcement, they have let their followers know when they’ll be opening up shop. It is set to open on Friday, June 6, which is just in time for summer.
Sal’s, which has rebranded from Fat Sal’s, previously operated as a pop-up restaurant in the nearby 39 Gordon Street and in Trademarket before it shut.
It is the second new opening in Common Market this year, with Phat Dragon opening a few months ago. Specialising in the famous ‘half and half’ and other Asian cuisine like spring rolls and a spice bag.
There is a long list of ‘viral’ food places already operating in Common Market, like Wing Society and Smash Bros, which consistently have long lines of punters. It will open alongside Knead, Pie Eyed, Top Dog and Sicarios.
The airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub will be located in the departures lounge of the newly expanded Terminal 2.
While an exact date is still yet to be confirmed, the airport has said it will open in September, and passengers have been given a first look at the interior.
The new pub will open in September (Image: Manchester Airport)
Manchester Airport reveals name of new JD Wetherspoon pub
Named The Belle Vue, it pays tribute to Manchester’s historic showground, which was once home to a pub, zoological gardens, greyhound racing, and a speedway track.
It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period right up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue Stadium.
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Spanning 338 square meters and seating more than 300 guests, the venue will feature a clubhouse-style design blending classic and contemporary elements, and decorated with sports memorabilia.
Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport, said: “We’re very excited to be able to reveal more detail about Terminal 2’s new JD Wetherspoon pub The Belle Vue, which will encapsulate the spirit and traditions of sporting entertainment in Manchester.
“This will be the first JD Wetherspoon pub at Manchester Airport and it is fantastic to have yet another household name taking its place among those opening units in the terminal, as part of its £1.3bn transformation.”
The pub is the airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon venue (Image: Manchester Airport)
The Belle Vue will be the final major food and drink outlet to launch as part of the airport’s £1.3 billion, decade-long transformation programme.
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Richard Jackson, retail director at Manchester Airport, said: “From the outset of the transformation programme, we were keen to ensure we had a varied food and drink offering in the terminal with a strong sense of place and The Belle Vue will complement the existing bars and pubs in Terminal 2, expanding the choice on offer to passengers, with something to suit all tastes and budgets.
“Our new Boutique Mall in Terminal 2, featuring a number of fashion’s big names, will open this summer too – so it is shaping up to be an exciting few months.”
JD Wetherspoon chief executive, John Hutson, said: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport.
“We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
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Will you visit the new JD Wetherspoon pub at Manchester Airport? Tell us in the comments below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center is beginning the process of removing references to President Donald Trump a week after a federal judge ruled that his name had been illegally added to the performing arts center.
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, said in a statement to The Associated Press that “we are complying with the court’s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump’s leadership.”
In a Thursday memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel, the institution’s lawyers said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”
The changes, the memo said, must be completed by June 12.
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In a May 29 decision, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July.
Hours after the ruling, Trump said he was backing away from the revamp and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president’s second term, had been known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The next day, Trump on social media branded Cooper as “an anti Trump Hater” and predicted that the performing arts center that he wanted to shutter for a two-year overhaul will “soon be closed, probably never to open again.”
Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly,” tying Cooper’s ruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court’s rejection in February of his sweeping tariffs.
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The removal marked a setback in the president’s second-term plans to remake many of Washington’s landmarks — and add new ones.
On Thursday, his administration said renovations had been completed on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, painting the bottom what Trump has called “American flag blue.” The White House East Wing was demolished to build a large ballroom, and Trump plans to build an arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
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Associated Press writer Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report. Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.
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