As job vacancies vanish, young entrepreneurs are pitching up at markets, discovering new opportunities in an old trade
From behind his market stall Alex Ward watches children dare each other to try spoonfuls of Charva Lava, a pineapple and mango hot sauce with a sting in its tail. Some swagger forward, while others bottle it.
“That’s the great thing about market stalls: you meet your customers, you immediately see how they react to your products. You also see the geezers who run a mile as they don’t want to look like wimps ’cause they can’t handle their chilli,” he laughs.
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Ward, aged 27, runs Chilli Charva with his older brother Tom, 32, trading across the north of England from their Rotherham base. The brand evolved from their childhood Sunday dinners, when the brothers used to douse them in Tabasco and dare each other, as Alex puts it, to “go big” with competitive chilli consumption.
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‘Charva’ is northeastern slang for a flashy, working-class lad, and today they lean into their brand, manning their stall in black leisurewear, bucket hats and chain necklaces.
They are among an estimated 30,000 market traders operating in the UK, and are the new generation of young traders who are picking the market stall over a university place or an apprenticeship.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 957,000 young people aged 16 to 24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET) in the last three months of 2025. That is one in eight young people and a 26% rise from pre-pandemic levels. A further 110,000 graduates under 30 are out of work. Youth unemployment stands at 16%, compared with 3.6% for adults overall, with hotspots in the West Midlands at 20%, East Yorkshire at 18%, Northumberland at 17% and outer London at 19%.
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The reasons are layered: fewer entry-level vacancies amid economic uncertainty and AI adoption; higher employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage costs; and a mismatch between employer demand and graduate supply. The long-term damage for people not in employment can be severe. Research suggests that a six to 12-month spell of unemployment between 18 and 24 can cut lifetime earnings by 10%. Young people who are NEET are two to three times more likely to report poor mental health than peers in work or education.
Policy ideas range from paid military-style gap years to wage subsidies and expanded digital skills training. A less obvious intervention has come from a partnership between the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF), the trade body founded in 1899. For the past decade the NMTF has run its Young Traders Market scheme, offering free market space to 16 to 30-year-olds and culminating in an annual Young Market Trader of the Year competition in Warwickshire. In 2025, Chilli Charva won the grocery category.
“The business has taken off because of the market stalls,” Alex says. “We get immediate feedback on recipes from customers and when we run the stall somewhere [affluent] like Leeds we get online subscriptions the next day.”
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The business has taken off because of the market stalls
After a decade experimenting in their mum’s kitchen, the brothers had their epiphany in 2023 while backpacking through southeast Asia. In December 2024 they launched at a Christmas market in West Melton, South Yorkshire.
Although there are plans to be working on Chilli Charva full-time by the end of the year, Alex is still working construction shifts to fund a professional kitchen on land once owned by their grandparents, Bryan and Helena Ward, who ran a Rotherham fruit and veg shop.
Joe Harrison of the NMTF calls stalls “ideal business incubators”. They allow young people to test ideas cheaply and visibly. They can also suit those who do not thrive in formal work structures. He says he loves seeing shy traders “blossom in confidence” once they start talking to customers.
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For Shanice Palmer, 31, from Croydon, opening a marketstall was a lifeline. “It was the pandemic and I had been let go from a job as an administrator at a women’s co-working space in London and I thought: what the hell do I do?” she says.“I’d made scented candles as a hobby for ages so on a whim I applied for a stall at Greenwich Market.”
She entered the NMTF scheme, traded at markets in Peckham, and in 2023 won Young Market Trader of the Year in the retail category for her fragrance brand, Kurroc. A six-month rent-free lease in Doncaster followed. She relocated 200 miles north and now runs a permanent stall.
“It’s like a live R&D lab [as a market trader]: you test price points and products in real time and you get new ideas; it’s market stall shoppers who told me to launch reed diffusers, which are now one of my most successful lines.”
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It’s not always easy, she admits. “When it’s coming down with rain and zero degrees, and you’re wearing the wrong clothes you need a lot of coffee to keep smiling,” she laughs. But the stall built the brand.
It’s like a live R&D lab – you test price points and products in real time and you get new ideas
Jayden Roberts, 19, in the West Midlands, also found his footing in public. He began screen printing at sixth form and launched Purgatory Clothing at Walsall Makers Market in 2024. “Nerve-wracking,” he recalls of those first exchanges. “But then it dawned on me: I’ve made this, I’ve printed this, and now I’m selling this and I should be proper proud.”
Roberts, of British and Caribbean descent, notes that his grandfather sold watches at markets in the ’80s and ’90s. “It’s in the blood, I guess.” He plans to “make a go of it” full-time after his studies.
Bernadette Fong, 31, in Reading, did not set out to become a trader. She began making candyfloss art as a teenager, shaping spun sugar into cartoon animals and puppets such as Elmo and a yellow duck she calls Duckie. Inspired by hawker markets in China and South Korea, she added her own twist. She was working as an physio when she tried a Christmas market in Hertfordshire in 2023. A TikTok video of her crafting Duckie at a stall in Droitwich went viral. Now she runs Cloud Nine Candyfloss Art at markets and festivals through the summer and holds a permanent stand near Hatfield shopping mall. She is training freelance sugar-spinners to expand nationwide.
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“I think having a small treat as well as the fun of watching the creations happening in front of you really works at markets and as a business in 2026,” she says.
Amy Bennett, 26, in Leeds, started trading after work dried up during Covid. She was studying sustainability at the University of Leeds at the time. “I’d applied for part-time jobs that suddenly didn’t exist due to lockdown,” she says.
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Instead, she started baking cookies, then sold them to fellow students. Her boyfriend Diego Espinosa, 32, whom she met backpacking in Australia, became Chunk Cookies’ cycle delivery driver, and when lockdown eased and deliveries slowed, they pivoted to markets.
“We got on to the [NMTF] young traders’ scheme and criss-crossed the whole of Yorkshire from Keighley to Hull on market stalls,” she says.“It taught us loads, particularly that customers want experiential retail, not just a tasty product.”
In 2023, they signed a lease on a bricks and mortar Chunk Bakery shop in Leeds. They now employ 10 staff and still trade at markets. Bennett sees small entrepreneurship as one route through a shrinking graduate premium. “I do use my degree in a way as the business is all plant-based and sustainable, but not many of the people that I went to uni with have actually gone into graduate jobs,” she says.
It dawned on me: I’ve made this, I’ve printed this, and now I’m selling this – I should be proper proud
More than half of recent graduates in some studies are considered underemployed. Yet critics including Sir Alan Milburn argue that small entrepreneurship schemes risk being marginal in a structural crisis. Self-employment carries exposure: no holiday pay, patchy pensions, volatile income. Average pre-tax turnover for market traders is around £34,000 a year. Milburn calls for a system-wide response tied to major employers and local labour markets.
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Markets themselves are in flux. Landmark sites such as Grainger Market in Newcastle and Cardiff Market are undergoing multi-million pound renovations. Others, including Birmingham Bull Ring indoor market and London’s Smithfield meat market, face closure. The total number of UK markets has held steady at around 1,150 over the past decade, but many council-run sites now trade fewer days, with artisan, experiential and night markets replacing traditional daily produce.
Back at the chilli stall, the Wards are scaling up. A professional kitchen is coming online. New products include One Charva To Kill, a barbecue sauce reformulated to replace a synthetic smoke favour with natural hickory drops after customer feedback. “Hopefully some chilli-loving kids will give us their feedback,” Alex laughs.
Harrison likes to temper expectations with a nod to Britain’s best-known fictional trader, Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter. “I tell them: ‘this time next year Rodney, you probably won’t be a millionaire’,” he says. “But I say: ‘you might make a living, and have some fun while you’re at it’.
Main image: Owen Richards
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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has launched its Eurovision Sport channel in the UK.
The brand-new channel is free to stream, and joins the growing number of FAST services (Fast Ad-Supported TV).
It is Eurovision Sport’s first FAST service, and will see millions have access.
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Eurovision Sport comes to UK with new free TV channel
Eurovision Sport was first launched in 2024 and offers thousands of hours of live and on-demand free sports coverage.
It shows a range of sports, including football, cycling, athletics, winter sports, Paralympic disciplines and more.
Documentaries and biathlon coverage are also shown on the service.
It was first created to give more people access to sports, athletes and competitions without having to pay extra.
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Eurovision Sport’s expansion to FAST in the UK is to extend the discoverability of Olympic and similar emerging sports.
Alan Fagan, managing director, Eurovision Sport, said: “This is about much more than just launching a channel on another platform. FAST distribution allows us to place free sport directly into environments where audiences are already spending their time and increasingly discovering content.
“Eurovision Sport was built to complement the broadcasts of our EBU Members and ensure that free access to sport continues in the digital era.
“Expanding onto FAST is a natural next step in that strategy.”
Eurovision Sport will be available through Free Live Sports (FLS), Plex, Amazon Live and Samsung TV Plus in the UK.
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What is a FAST channel?
FAST means Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television, with the channel delivering traditional, scheduled “live” TV programming.
The channel is broadcast over the internet rather than through cable or satellite, and is free to viewers in exchange for watching adverts.
Instead of charging a monthly subscription fee, the channels are funded by advertisers and use dynamic ad-insertion to play commercials during breaks.
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Unlike on-demand platforms, where you choose exactly what to watch, FAST channels use a “linear” format, meaning they have a set schedule of movies, news, or TV shows playing 24/7.
How to access FAST channels in the UK
You can find FAST channels by using dedicated streaming apps on smart TVs, media streaming devices, or via native TV guides on modern TVs.
Some free apps, such as Pluto TV, Tubi, Plex, or Rakuten TV, can be downloaded directly to your device.
Recommended reading:
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If you own a Samsung TV or an LG TV, you can use built-in, free channel services (like Samsung TV Plus) directly within the TV’s menu interface.
Other devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Chromecast have native Live TV guides that include hundreds of free FAST channels alongside their usual apps.
You can also download FAST streaming apps directly from the store on gaming consoles such as PlayStation or Xbox.
Do you watch any FAST channels? Let us know in the comments.
The new DWP Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment trial, affecting 150,000 claimants, allows case managers rather than health professionals to decide award points
Neil James Shaw and Neil Shaw
03:00, 10 Jun 2026
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has begun trialling a new method of assessing claimants of Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Under the existing system, medical professionals conduct assessments and award points to claimants, which can entitle individuals to receive up to £194.60 a week.
Under the proposed new system, DWP case managers will determine how many points people with disabilities receive, drawing on assessments carried out by nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals.
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A pilot scheme has been launched involving 150,000 claimants and could potentially be extended to the assessment process used to determine eligibility for the health-related element of Universal Credit.
Disability campaigners have raised concerns that the new system will lead to inaccurate outcomes. A DWP whistleblower told Disability Rights UK: “Removing health professionals from the decision-making process will strip out essential medical nuance, leading to poorer quality, less accurate, and less fair outcomes. Many vulnerable claimants will face wrong decisions, increased stress, financial hardship, and unnecessary appeals.”
Fazilet Hadi, Disability Rights UK’s head of policy, said: “Stopping health professionals from making recommendations on the basis of their assessment and requiring them to solely pass information to DWP case managers to make the determination, is a recipe for disaster, which will result in thousands of poorly informed and inaccurate decisions.
“Claiming PIP is intensely personal; we have to talk about the impacts of our impairments and health conditions, in ways many of us find emotionally and practically difficult. At least we have some chance of our individual needs and circumstances being understood, when the recommendations are being made by the people we have actually spoken to.”
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A DWP spokesperson said: “Case managers already make all final PIP decisions – that has not changed. This small-scale trial is about re-balancing roles so that assessors focus on what they do best, freeing up capacity by reducing duplication, and empowering case managers to apply their own judgement based on all the evidence.”
The DWP told The Independent that it is overhauling PIP assessments to establish all award reviews at a minimum of three years for new claims, increasing to five years at the subsequent review should the claimant remain eligible
The new homes will be close to the former runway at RAF Alconbury
A former RAF base will see 272 more new homes built after plans were approved. Taylor Wimpey East Anglia has announced that it has received planning approval for 272 new homes at Alconbury Weald, just north of Huntingdon.
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The new homes will be close to Alconbury Weald’s Runway Park, the former runway of RAF Alconbury. The new homes will include a mix of one to five-bedroom homes including houses, flats, and townhouses.
More than 12 per cent of the homes will be designated to affordable housing, including affordable rent and shared ownership. The planning application was approved by Huntingdonshire District Council in May 2026.
Works are due to begin in late summer 2026 and the first homes are expected to go on sale in March 2027. They will form part of the wider Alconbury Weald masterplan, which is set to deliver up to 6,500 homes, as well as local employment, education, and community facilities.
Andrew Wright, Acting Technical and Planning Director at Taylor Wimpey East Anglia, said: “We’re pleased to have received planning approval for our new homes at Alconbury Weald. The development already has a thriving community of new homes, open green space and community facilities that we’re proud to become a part of.
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“Not only will we be building 272 new homes at Alconbury Weald, but we will also be contributing to the 700 acres of open space with our own pocket park. We look forward to work commencing shortly and seeing the Alconbury Weald community continue to grow.”
Mike Jenner, Development Manager for Alconbury Weald master developer Urban&Civic, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Taylor Wimpey to Alconbury Weald. These will be their first homes here, further expanding the choice and diversity of homes available to those looking to join the Alconbury Weald community.
“Alongside new homes, Phase 3 will deliver a range of key amenities including a health centre, community centre and library, shops and services, a sports hub and the future Runway Park, supporting the continued growth of Alconbury Weald as a vibrant and well-connected place to live.”
The difference in time zones between the World Cup hosts – the USA, Canada and Mexico – and the UK means many of England and Scotland’s matches will extend into the late hours or even the early morning. For instance, Scotland’s opening fixture against Haiti on Sunday is not expected to conclude until nearly 4 am.
The victim had been living at her now former friend Donna English’s home in Sunderland.
But, Newcastle Crown Court was told that following a disagreement, English told her to leave.
English contacted the woman on November 20 last year claiming she owed a sum of money for rent, which the victim disputed.
Donna English, jailed for 13 years for suspected ammonia attack on ex-housemate who she blinded in one eye and left partially-sighted in the other (Image: The Northern Echo)
Turning up to her address on Carley Road, Southwick, English then three times squirted a substance from a bottle towards the victim.
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It caused injuries to her face, eyes, head, hands and inside her mouth.
The substance was believed to be ammonia.
Following surgery and hospital treatment, the victim, in her 20s, was left completely blind in her right eye and partially sighted in her left.
She now relies on friends, family and carers to support to her with everyday tasks such as cooking and shopping, and she is unable to leave home alone.
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The woman named English as the perpetrator to police officers arriving on scene following a 999 call made by her father.
English was found hiding in a nearby garden and the 41-year-old later charged with grievous bodily harm, which she denied.
But, following a five-day trial at the court, she was found unanimously guilty by a jury, earlier this year.
On Monday (June 8) she was jailed for 13 years.
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In her personal statement, read to the court, the victim said: “The assault on November 20 has changed my life forever.
“My right eye is now completely blind and my consultant has informed me that the sight loss is permanent.”
She added: “The assault and the injuries I have suffered have had a massive impact on my mental health.
“Since the assault, I often feel hopeless and that I have no future.”
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Detective Constable Catherine Jowett, of Northumbria Police, said: “Our thanks go to the victim in this deeply upsetting case.
“She has been through a horrendous ordeal since November 20 last year and has been left with life-changing injuries.
“We also commend her for her immense bravery in having to speak at court as part of the trial and relive the vicious attack with which she was subjected to.
“Hopefully, now that her attacker has been jailed, she can begin to move on with her life, although we appreciate that permanent damage has been caused to her.”
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Det Con Jowett added: “Donna English’s actions were reprehensible and completely unacceptable.
“Thankfully, we were able to make quick inquiries and get her into custody before being charged with a serious offence to which a jury found her guilty.
“Let us be clear, there is absolutely no place whatsoever for violence in the communities we serve and, although incidents of this nature are rare, we will always do our utmost to bring offenders to justice.
“English now has a significant period of time behind bars to reflect on the pain and misery she has caused to her victim.”
Too much Xenoblade and not enough Zelda? (Nintendo)
The Wednesday letters page wishes more had been shown of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, as a reader thinks there’s too many Xenoblade games.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
The B-Team That was a pretty strange Nintendo Direct. There was plenty in there and yet so little that seemed new or shocking. It wasn’t even the leaks that did it either, because Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake was the only thing that got leaked and they only showed that for 30 seconds. Xenoblade Genesis didn’t get leaked at all but… is that franchise really that popular? It seems so generic and un-Nintendo.
The third party support was encouraging but it was all Japanese. I don’t know that there was a single Western game in that whole 55 minutes. Maybe some of the indie games and I guess Minecraft?
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Nintendo has already admitted they’ve been pandering too much to their Japanese audience, but it was really obvious here. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer Japanese developers nine times out of 10, but at the same time Xenoblade Chronicles, Splatoon, and Fire Emblem is nowhere near the top of my list when it comes to Nintendo games.
It’s been obvious since the start, but for some reason Nintendo is concentrating on its B-list franchises and while I kind of get, in that there’s nowhere to go for a lot of the big ones, it seems mad to me that we could enter year three of the Switch 2 and have not even a hint about a new Mario, Smash Bros., or Animal Crossing. Even Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is over three years old at this point, so throw us a bone Nintendo. Cranston
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Nintendo-ish Direct I thought that was a very good Direct with a particularly strong third party showing and a few nice surprises (Pikuniku 2!).
I was a little surprised that there was so little Nintendo in the Direct. I am happy the rumours of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake were real, but I would have liked some gameplay. No doubt it’ll turn up on Nintendo Today one random afternoon.
I felt like we probably didn’t need quite so long on thumb wars and Splatoon Raiders is getting a Direct and was in Treehouse, so maybe didn’t need as long.
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Less reliance on indie titles to pad it out though, just a lot of big name third party ports. The extra power of the Switch is clearly working for Nintendo getting other devs involved.
I think besides actual Zelda gameplay, the only thing I really missed from that Direct was a teaser for a new Mario or something. Otherwise a solid 9/10. Euclidian Boxes
Japan friendly Really not good enough for the first Nintendo Direct in nine months. Unacceptable, even, considering this should’ve been the big one, their console is only a year old and we’ve now gone almost that whole time with no new announcements for big first party games. Y’know the very thing that people come to the Nintendo table for. If you don’t care about all the Japanese role-playing sequels, the biggest thing to look forward to is a remake they refuse to show.
How Nintendo can expect to fuel Western interest in the Switch 2 is a mystery when almost the entirety of the biggest news event of their gaming year consists of lower effort entries in legacy handheld series clearly targeting the Japanese market, yet more Japanese role-players, ports of old games, and so little else.
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People talk about Nintendo fans unconditionally lapping up whatever is dished out. Well, I’m a Nintendo fan and I’m starting to think it’s the Japanese market that’s to blame, as this felt like little more than contempt for any other market. I remember speculating a few months ago, when seeing the divide in Switch 2 performance per region, that there was a risk that Nintendo would just double down on servicing Japan. It’s hard to see this as anything other than that right now, which is worrying for their direction.
Maybe that’s unfair but the alternative is that this was some sort of conscious crisis management Direct. No Mario Kart DLC, negligible new Donkey Kong-tent, no DuskBloods release date (or gameplay), yet another Xenoblade game next year when the last one isn’t even that old.
None of this is what the Switch 2 needs right now and it seems realistic to expect little more than a proper reveal of the Zelda remake in terms of big news from them until well into 2027 (if Ocarina Of Time even makes it out before then).
The best excuse I can come up with is they must be sitting on stuff like Ocarina Of Time footage and bigger news for 2027 until the Switch 2 price increases kick in, at which time rolling out better news might negate the impact. But I don’t feel like making that excuse for them right now. This should’ve been a bone thrown to patient existing Switch 2 owners and it genuinely feels like it would’ve been better if it hadn’t happened at all. Panda
Wrong side of bed RE: Nintendo Direct I only skimmed most of it but wow that was bad! Games known about already that aren’t really system sellers, ports of old games from the PlayStation 5 (PlayStation 4 with Devil May Cry 5), a really poor looking Wii Sports, and unbelievably only a one minute cut scene of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake…
Part of me is happy that Nintendo are doing so bad with the Switch 2 at the moment, so I don’t feel the need to max out my credit card and get one. Maybe towards the end of next year when a few more games have come out. Simon
Don’t ask us What can I say, new Gears Of War going Xbox only, very disappointed but in a way, a minor win for me.
Sure, me and the troops were getting it on PlayStation 5; looking forward to it, only to have it whipped away, it would appear at the last minute.
Plus point though, one month of Game Pass for me on my mothballed Xbox Series X then that’s it done. Nice bit of gaming on the cheap, cracking strategy there Microsoft, appreciated. RAMBO1STBLOOD (PSN ID)
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Caveats and exceptions Gears Of War E-Day and Clockwork Revolution were probably the biggest first party games at the Xbox showcase that hadn’t already been announced for other consoles. Making Spyro an exclusive would of been a statement but Microsoft seem to be treating the Activision stuff as it’s always been, multiformat. They are legally bound for Call Of Duty to stay multiformat for 10 years, as part of the Activision Blizzard sale.
Barring the obligatory Call Of Duty look, the games also opened and closed the show with the message console exclusives are back.
The two games I would imagine are among the biggest they have ready for release in the next year or so not already announced for PlayStation 5 or Switch to make an exclusive statement with.
They won’t want to renege on the stuff already announced as multiformat, because Sony and Nintendo are now partners to them. Xbox currently can’t go back to being fully exclusive due to the money spent and assets owned in relation to their console install base and Game Pass subscription numbers.
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So now they are painfully trying to find a balance between being a third party publisher and console platform that at least maintains where the majority of its last reported 35 million Game Pass customers are. I don’t think the plan is to compete with Sony and Nintendo for dominance in the console space again.
The question is how many future games will be exclusive as just the two announced won’t be enough to appease disgruntled customers or attract new ones. I’m not sure there’s a sweet spot to be found and partial console exclusivity will always feel like an unsatisfying half measure. Simundo
GC: There’s also no clear logic to it. As you yourself say, Call Of Duty is a completely separate issue to Spyro, or any other games Activision might publish, and there seems even less reason why Senua wouldn’t be an exclusive but Gears Of War and Clockwork Revolution are.
Ganbare Bakeru Just a quick game recommendation – I recently found a great platformer/action game called Bakeru on the Switch. It’s a real gem and I am really enjoying go through it – fun combat, enjoyable special powers and not too difficult, so is an easy play.
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There is a demo on the Switch store so anyone can give it a go. Simon
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The end of not-E3 season I am absolutely floored at what an amazing time this is for gaming. It might just be the greatest two weeks in gaming history. Because we’ve had four back-to-back gaming showcases. We’ve been treated to some amazing reveals and just some amazing news, trailers, and announcements.
Wolverine gameplay, Metro 2039, a Saw game by Bloober Team, Gears Of War: E-Day and it’s an exclusive – which is fantastic news for exclusivity for Xbox. Resident Evil Code: Veronica is being remade. Stellar Blade’s sequel has been announced. A State Of Play for Phantom Blade 0, which is very highly anticipated for me personally. State Of Decay 3. Final Fantasy 7 Revelation and as if these announcements weren’t enough, we’ve also seen Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Silent Hill Townfall, Modern Warfare 4, and Halo Campaign: Evolved is releasing in a month’s time.
God Of War Laufey is official and it features Faye. The original trilogy will be remade, presumably for the PlayStation 6. As if that wasn’t even enough. As if that wasn’t enough gaming goodness we’ve had a Nintendo Direct that’s given us Kingdom Hearts 4. The myth that was just a fragment of our imagination, is real indeed. Xenoblade Genesis, which is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, is happening and there’s finally Nintendo Switch 2 versions for the original trilogy releasing.
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Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is releasing in September. It looks great and it’s another addition to the most stacked month in a very long time. But the one announcement for me that stands above all of them, the one that means the most to me personally, is the reveal of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, which was just announced as the show closer for the Direct.
As a gamer who’s admittedly never played the original, I regret that I never had the chance to as a child. This is everything to me. Not just because Zelda is my favourite franchise but because Ocarina Of Time is an example of the magic of gaming. According to me personally, it’s the single greatest game Nintendo has ever made in their history. Their greatest gaming achievement. I understand that’s a debatable topic of conversation, but to see this remake is truly real, that it’s set for this year and it will revive a legendary title that stands amongst the very best that gaming has to offer. That’s just very heartwarming for this fan.
So I’ll say it right now. This is the best two weeks of gaming I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s such a fantastic time to be a gamer and that’s not even mentioning that dummer will be arriving soon. So that means we’ll be entering the marketing phase of GTA 6 very soon. Yeah, I’m just so excited and so very happy to see this all just giving me a reason to smile and feel giddy inside. That’s not even mentioning the other blessing the gaming gods have bestowed upon us: Persona 6’s announcement. Yeah, we’re so blessed. Shahzaib Sadiq
Inbox also-rans It’s great to know that the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is real but would it have hurt to actually show it? Plus, that voiceover guy was awful. Orion
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I enjoyed the Nintendo Direct but I don’t think it’s going to change the mind of those that aren’t happy with the Switch 2. There was a lot of stuff in there that seems pretty niche. Do we really need that many Xenoblade games? Colbat86
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After the US denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan ahead of the World Cup, Liz Kendall said the tournament “works best when it is inclusive, and they include talent” from everywhere
The World Cup is meant to bring the world together. Yet before a single ball has been kicked, Donald Trump’s America has already turned the beautiful game into an ugly spectacle of suspicion, exclusion and chaos.
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The treatment of Somali referee Omar Artan is a disgrace that FIFA needs to own.
A respected international official, chosen on merit to officiate at the biggest tournament on Earth, was subjected to an 11-hour interrogation, detained in a holding cell and sent packing despite holding the correct documents.
His alleged crime appears to be the country stamped on his passport.
This comes amid reports of fans and officials facing mounting barriers, while even Iran’s ticket allocation has become embroiled in controversy. The image being projected to the world is deeply troubling.
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Football should be about fairness, inclusion and opportunity. Instead, America has turned the tournament into an immigration checkpoint.
The World Cup has always been a festival of sport. Instead, it risks becoming a symbol of division.
We must Save Lives For Sam
Becky Adlington is one of the greatest swimmers Britain has ever produced.
An Olympic champion who conquered the world’s biggest stages, she knows water better than most.
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Yet even she found herself fighting for her life after being dragged into a rip current at Bondi Beach.
Her ordeal is a stark reminder that water is unforgiving. It does not care about medals, fitness or experience. One moment of panic can prove fatal.
That is why our Save Lives For Sam campaign is so important.
Following a heartbreaking series of drownings, we are demanding practical measures that save lives: better warning signs, more rescue equipment and proper water safety education.
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Too many of these deaths were preventable. The excuses have run out. Ministers must act before more families suffer unimaginable loss.
Age brings wisdom
Calling someone a “dinosaur” or “over the hill” may seem harmless, but campaigners say these everyday phrases help fuel ageism. They have a point. Nobody should be written off because of the date on their birth certificate. Age brings experience, wisdom and perspective that cannot be taught.
A little more thought about the words we use would age well.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The race for California governor this fall will be a battle between a Democrat promising to cement the state’s status as a stronghold of liberal policies and a Republican pledging to dramatically reverse course in the nation’s most populous state.
Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator backed by President Donald Trump, has won enough votes to advance to the general election, The Associated Press determined Tuesday. He’ll face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and health secretary under President Joe Biden.
The winner will succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to lead the state that is home to roughly 39 million people, Hollywood, a booming tech industry and a vast farming region that helps feed the nation. By itself California represents one of the largest economies in the world.
The next governor will have to take on stubborn issues including a high cost of living, housing shortages and homelessness.
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Democrats outnumber Republicans in California
Hilton is banking his campaign on voters being frustrated enough to do something they have not done in two decades: elect a Republican to statewide office. The last time that happened was when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won a second term in 2006. Hilton has campaigned as an outsider who would bring change after more than 15 years of one-party rule.
“If you’re happy with the way that California is being run, Xavier Becerra is your guy,” Hilton said in a recent interview. “If you want change, vote for me.”
But simply having an ‘R’ next to his name stacks the odds against Hilton, since Republicans make up just about 25% of registered voters compared with Democrats’ 45%. Trump’s endorsement likely boosted Hilton with GOP voters during the primary but could be a major liability in the general election.
Becerra was a chief architect of the state’s so-called resistance to Trump during the first years of his presidency after then-Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, appointed him attorney general in 2017. In that role Becerra filed at least 120 legal actions against the federal government.
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Becerra has made pushing back against Trump’s incursions a central piece of this campaign, as the president has repeatedly gone after the state during his second term including by curbing a signature plan to reduce planet-warning emissions from cars, withholding aid for wildfire recovery and suing over state policies supporting transgender student-athletes.
“Donald Trump is doubling down on decline and counting on people being too fearful, distracted or gullible to fight back,” Becerra told a crowd on primary night. “As governor I will never back down from the threats of small cowards in big offices.”
Results conclude a chaotic primary
It took nearly a week to determine the general election matchup for governor due to California’s notoriously slow vote-counting process. Ballots are mailed to every eligible voter and they are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at an election office within seven days. Counties process and count mail ballots in roughly the order they are received, so the last ones returned are the last ones counted.
The Associated Press determined Friday that Becerra had won enough votes to advance to November. Hilton had been vying for a second spot against Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund manager turned climate activist who poured $215 million of his personal fortune into the campaign and blasted Californians’ screens with ads.
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Steyer steadily narrowed Hilton’s lead for second place every day since Election Day. But he was never on track to fully close the gap. AP advanced Hilton to the general election on Tuesday after determining there weren’t enough outstanding votes for Steyer to catch Hilton.
Election data shows that large numbers of Democratic voters held onto their ballots until the final days of the election. That helped explain why Steyer did better than Hilton in the votes counted after June 2, Election Day. Steyer is splitting Democratic votes with Becerra, whose lead over Hilton and Steyer continues to grow.
Steyer conceded Tuesday and urged his supporters to back Becerra.
“It would be a travesty for Steve Hilton to win the governorship, and Californians must unite behind Xavier Becerra to ensure he does not,” he said in a statement.
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Affordability is a central issue
How to make the state more affordable was a major theme throughout the primary. Hilton promised to make Californians’ first $100,000 free of income tax, create a loan program for first-time homebuyers and freeze in-state tuition at public colleges. Becerra, meanwhile, said he would declare states of emergency to address high energy costs and housing shortages and to freeze home insurance rates.
The two have one thing in common: They both come from immigrant backgrounds.
Hilton moved to California from the United Kingdom in 2012 and became a citizen in 2021. Back in the U.K., he was an adviser to Conservative Party officials including former Prime Minister David Cameron.
Hilton has poked fun at his British accent by comparing himself to the Austria-born Schwarzenegger.
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“I know that some of you may be watching and saying, ‘Who is this guy with a funny accent?’” he said on election night. “Well you know there was actually an immigrant who was governor of California not that long ago.”
Becerra was born to Mexican immigrant parents in Sacramento and also raised there. He said his family’s story mirrored his “underdog” campaign for governor.
“Like my parents, I never gave up,” he told supporters on election night. “I never stopped believing in the beaconlike goodness of California. And thankfully, neither did you.”
Becerra would be the state’s first Latino governor since the late 1800s.
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Associated Press journalists Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Stephen Ohlemacher in Washington contributed.
Serena Williams and Victoria Mboko defeat third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe to reach the second round at Queen’s. The unseeded pair came through a tie-break in the opening set before racing away with the second set to win 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.
The victim of a Belfast knife attack, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, is in a serious condition in hospital, as anti-immigration protests erupt across the city following the incident
The victim of Monday’s terrifying knife attack on a Belfast street has been named locally as Stephen Ogilvie.
Full details of the attack, which took place on Kinnaird Avenue in the north of the city, emerged after harrowing footage of the stabbing was widely circulated online.
The video shows bystanders, including one wielding a hurling stick, stepping in to restrain the attacker as he continued to assault the victim in the residential street, close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast.
A kitchen knife was recovered at the scene.
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The brutal attack has drawn widespread condemnation, sparking large-scale protests across the city.
Senior police officers and political leaders urged restraint amid fears that planned anti-immigration demonstrations could turn violent.
The suspect is a Sudanese national. On Tuesday, police disclosed further details about the arrested man’s immigration status and how he came to be in the UK.
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He crossed into Northern Ireland via the Irish border in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris.
The suspect lodged an asylum claim upon arrival and was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028 in September 2023. Detectives have confirmed there is no suggestion that Monday’s knife attack was terror-related.
The 30 year old suspect also faces charges of possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill. He is set to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
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As properties and vehicles were set alight and protesters continued to fill the streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland’s First Minister took to social media to condemn the violence.
Michelle O’Neill has stated that “groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice”.
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