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NewsBeat

Wales team announcement LIVE updates as Fiji match overshadowed by dispute

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Wales Online

In his WalesOnline column, Wales and Lions legend Graham Price has given his view ahead of the clash with the Fijians.

“Wales will hope organisation, patience and accurate execution can overcome Fiji’s flair and unpredictability.

“But it is important for us not to deviate from our gameplan and fall into the trap of playing Fiji at their own game. This could prove to be disastrous.

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“Equally important will be Wales’ discipline. Giving Fiji repeated opportunities through penalties is asking for trouble, as their pace and power can punish even the smallest defensive mistake.

“This match will, also, be an early test of Wales’ progress.”

Read his full views and the team he’d pick here.

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Travellers ordered to demolish huge illegal site built on protected green belt fields during weekend ‘land grab’

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The site near Romford in Essex was built illegally by travellers within hours of council staff leaving for the weekend

A sprawling traveller site built on protected green belt in a lightning-fast weekend ‘land grab’ must be demolished – with families handed four months to leave.

The fields near Romford, Essex, had been untouched until council officials prepared to clock off on Friday, November 28 last year.

Barely two-and-a-half hours later, the once peaceful grassland in Noak Hill had been transformed into a vast construction site.

Eight diggers were tearing across the pasture beneath blazing floodlights as teams of workers carried out a huge earth-moving operation.

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By Saturday morning, convoys of eight-wheel lorries were blocking surrounding roads as they queued to deliver huge quantities of hardcore and other building materials.

Within hours, the countryside was being carved into residential plots and smothered with hardstanding.

Fences and concrete posts were erected, electricity and lighting installed and connections prepared for gas, drainage and water.

The entire operation was intended to have the caravan site ready for occupation before Havering Council could secure stop notices or court injunctions.

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The site near Romford in Essex was built illegally by travellers within hours of council staff leaving for the weekend 

Planning inspector Grahame Kean described the extraordinary project as a 'disciplined rapid unauthorised development'

Planning inspector Grahame Kean described the extraordinary project as a ‘disciplined rapid unauthorised development’

Full details of the ‘carefully planned operation’ were laid bare this month in an appeal against enforcement action ordering traveller families to leave the land.

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Planning inspector Grahame Kean described the extraordinary project as a ‘disciplined rapid unauthorised development’ intended to confront council staff with effectively a ‘done deal’ when they returned to work on the Monday.

He said: ‘The development was clearly intended to be ready for occupation by the end of the weekend in question and presented a fait accompli for the council.’

The tactic of building at speed after council offices have closed and then seeking permission retrospectively has become increasingly familiar to planning enforcement teams – and highlighted a number of times by the Daily Mail.

Over the Easter weekend, diggers and caravans moved on to green belt land near Flamstead, Hertfordshire, while other unauthorised sites prompted legal action in Surrey and Kent.

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During the May bank holiday, workers descended on countryside in Essex and Kent after local authority offices closed for the long weekend.

At Willows Green, near Felsted, Essex, work began within hours of Uttlesford District Council closing.

Although the circumstances differ between sites, the planning tactic is broadly the same: build quickly, move caravans on and then seek retrospective permission after the landscape has already been altered.

At Noak Hill, the inspector found that the development had been ‘long in the planning’ and that retrospective planning applications to lawfully use the land were submitted ‘almost as an afterthought’.

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The land was bought by a company called High Top Roofs and Gutters Limited in May 2025 and then later subdivided among several Irish Traveller families.

Frank Mongan, whose family roots are from Galway, acquired one parcel of 14 pitches. Thomas Mongan took another plot of land, while the third parcel was sold to James and Joseph McDonagh.

The site is situated just outside London's urban sprawl (pictured in a drone photo)

The site is situated just outside London’s urban sprawl (pictured in a drone photo) 

A large queue of trucks arriving at the site on November 28 last year

A large queue of trucks arriving at the site on November 28 last year

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Four days after the weekend operation began, Havering Council issued enforcement and stop notices to halt work. 

Ray Morgon, the leader of Havering Council, said at the time that the authority was ‘disappointed and shocked’ that work had begun without planning permission, particularly because the field was protected green belt.

He said on December 2 last year: ‘The council has a court injunction for unlawful encampments on Havering land, but this does not apply to this site. We will look at cleaning up any mess on our roads.

‘The council’s planning enforcement team is currently carrying out an investigation and once we’ve looked into the matter we can then decide how best to respond.

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‘It is very likely that a planning enforcement notice and stop notice will be served.’

But the orders, which were served in the presence of Metropolitan Police officers, failed to halt the development.

When the Planning Inspectorate visited the former paddock in May, he found that it had been ‘unlawfully and deliberately’ transformed beyond recognition.

Traveller families had constructed 29 separate pitches containing static vans and tourers, including several with ‘large metal decorative entrance gates’, and surrounded ‘comprehensively by hardstanding throughout the developed area of the site’.

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Mr Kean added: ‘Although it seems that some people have taken up residence, the site is very much a development that is still in progress.

‘There are significant hazards on site, common access areas included large mounds of earth waiting to be removed or redistributed, uneven surfaces, general rubble and detritus in several areas, pooling of water in sunken areas of hardstanding, and pipework and loose cables sticking out of the ground.’

Havering Council later rejected two applications seeking permission to retain the land as a traveller site.

The Planning Inspectorate has now dismissed appeals against the council’s enforcement notices and ordered the compound to be removed.

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A plan of the unauthorised site in a council planning document

A plan of the unauthorised site in a council planning document 

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Those responsible have been given four months to dismantle the development and restore the green belt.

Mr Kean concluded: ‘The scale of the unauthorised development is considerable and in stark contrast to the pre-existing condition of the site.

‘The development causes substantial harm to the openness of the green belt.’

The inspector said the field had previously been open countryside used for grazing, with public footpaths running through and around the area.

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The site was initially bought by a man called Jack Thursting through a company that he controls, High Top Roofs and Gutters Limited, on May 2, 2025. 

Although it lies close to Harold Hill and the edge of London’s urban sprawl, it forms part of the green belt separating the capital from built-up areas in Essex.

Council officials also warned that the land could have provided habitat for protected species, including great crested newts.

Because the field was excavated and covered at such speed, no full ecological survey could be carried out before the damage was done.

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‘The evidence before me suggests that it is possible that the unauthorised development could have had a significant impact on protected species or their supporting habitat,’ Mr Kean said.

The removal of grassland and installation of hardstanding had also damaged the landscape, including trees and hedgerows.

Government policy requires planning inspectors to treat intentional unauthorised development as an important consideration.

The measure was introduced to discourage developers from building first and applying for permission afterwards.

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Mr Kean said the Noak Hill case illustrated ‘precisely’ the conduct the policy was intended to address.

‘The appellants only sought to obtain planning permission at the last moment after most of the planning and implementation of the works had been carried out.

‘The works were committed in a co-ordinated way and flagrantly, timed over a weekend, and continued despite refusal of the applications and service of a stop notice.’

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Popular Cambridgeshire Lido closed for second day due to ‘issue’

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Cambridgeshire Live

The Lido was closed on Wednesday for ‘essential maintenance’

A Cambridgeshire Lido will remain closed for a second day due to an “issue”. The Peterborough Lido was closed on Wednesday (July 1) so staff could carry out “essential maintenance”.

However, the pool will remain closed today (Thursday, July 2). In a social media post, a Vivacity spokesperson said: “Unfortunately we will not be reopening this morning and have turned off bookings for the rest of today while we continue to try to rectify the issue with the pool.

“As soon as we have an update, we will post again. Thank you for your patience.”

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New exhibition reflects five decades of movement between island of Ireland and GB

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Belfast Live

Several well-known faces have contributed to the exhibition, including actors Adrian Dunbar and Siobhán McSweeney

A major exhibition exploring five decades of movement between people from the island of Ireland and Britain, and their enduring connection to both places, is coming to Belfast for the first time this summer.

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Look Back to Look Forward celebrates the lives, resilience, and legacies of people from across the island of Ireland who moved to live in Britain over the last five decades, as well as the experiences of second-generation Irish families.

It has been created by Irish in Britain, the national membership body for Irish community organisations in Britain, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

The acclaimed exhibition was seen by over 120,000 visitors while in Dublin and has toured in cities across Britain.

It is being hosted in Belfast by Queen’s University as part of its Fleadh Cheoil na héireann Fringe programme. Running from 28th July to 16th August in the Elmwood Hall, viewing is available between 11 am and 4 pm each day, and admission is free.

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Drawing on emotive oral histories, archival material, photography, film, and audio recordings, it documents people’s different experiences of leaving home behind, of setting up life in a new place, community activism, work, and cultural identity.

Several well-known faces have contributed to the exhibition, including actors Adrian Dunbar, Ardal O’Hanlon, and Jamie Beamish, who read moving excerpts from transcripts of interviews with Irish labourers who lived in Arlington House in London in the 90s.

Other well-known names featured include actors and presenters Siobhán McSweeney from Derry Girls and Aisling Bea, broadcaster Terry Christian, Siobhan Fahy from Bananarama and Shakespears Sister, musician Jah Wobble, and poet Laurie Bolger, who wrote a specially commissioned poem inspired by the project.

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Of the more than 50 personal testimonies featured in the exhibition, several are from people from Northern Ireland or with a strong connection to it.

They include Bangor -born William Foote, now director of the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, London; Portstewart-born actor Claire Hagan, who reflects on growing up as a lesbian in a Protestant community in Portstewart before moving in 1989 to build a new life in Leicester, where she trained as a nurse before pursuing a successful acting career.

Also included are Castlewellan native Fr Gerry McFlynn, who speaks about his decades supporting Irish prisoners in England and Wales through the Irish Chaplaincy; Geoff Bell, the Belfast-born, now London-based, writer and socialist political activist; Nadine Finch, former barrister, Upper Tribunal Judge, and now academic; and Alice Delahunty from Roslea, Co Fermanagh, who recalls how finding a new community in Dance Halls across England was so important for her and her friends.

Also featuring are two women from Derry City – Dr Maev McDaid, a harpist and researcher at the University of Sheffield, who speaks about her community activism and how central Irish music is to her identity and Hilda McCafferty, who moved to London in the 1970s and worked in education and championed Irish studies in schools when elected to the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA).

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Brian Dalton, CEO of Irish in Britain, said: “Irish in Britain is really pleased to be bringing our exhibition to Belfast for the first time, as the stories that feature belong to everyone from our island who’s stepped off a boat, train or plane to Britain, and to their children and grandchildren.

“Many of the stories featured have connections to Northern Ireland, and so we’re delighted that Queen’s is hosting the exhibition and enabling us to bring it to Belfast at a time when so many visitors are coming to the city for the Fleadh and will have an opportunity to experience it.

“Movement between our island and Britain has connected families, communities, the arts, and workplaces for generations, and this exhibition brings those connections to life in a way that powerfully reflects the many different reasons for those journeys, the experiences behind them, and the significant contribution they have made, and continue to make, in Britain today.

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“This project is a window through which others can see us and understand us. It is inspired by our work with member organisations right across Britain over the last five decades. We want to acknowledge the stories of resilience, innovation, activism and kinship that our member organisations bear witness to every day.

“We live in a very different world today than that of the past five decades, and so it has been a privilege to enable so many people to tell their very personal stories and to safeguard them, as otherwise they may have been lost to us all.”

Look Back to Look Forward was developed using testimony gathered by more than 50 volunteers from communities across Britain and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Irish in Britain is also building an inclusive archive reflecting the experiences of groups whose voices have often been underrepresented, including LGBTQ+ people, Travellers, people affected by the legacy of Irish residential institutions and those from mixed-heritage Irish backgrounds.

All of the oral histories collected through the project are now deposited for permanent public access in the Archive of the Irish in Britain at London Metropolitan University. For those who cannot make it to the exhibition in person, Irish in Britain has created an online version of the exhibition which can be viewed at www.irishinbritain.org .

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For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

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M60 LIVE as all traffic held on motorway with huge queues building

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Manchester Evening News

Delays are building on a stretch of the M60 motorway this morning amid reports of a broken down lorry.

All traffic is currently being held on the anticlockwise side of the motorway, according to traffic alert service Inrix.

It is being held from junction 16 for Pendlebury to junction 15 for the Swinton Interchange.

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Motorway cameras show long queues up to the incident.

Follow our live blog below for the latest traffic updates.

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World Cup pitchside mics catch Thomas Tuchel hammering England star for playing backwards as they struggled against DR Congo – and his dismissive reaction to his boss

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World Cup pitchside mics catch Thomas Tuchel hammering England star for playing backwards as they struggled against DR Congo - and his dismissive reaction to his boss

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Thomas Tuchel once again ripped into Djed Spence from the touchline as England laboured against DR Congo.

The Three Lions boss has been known to give an earful to whichever player is nearest and has done the same to Spence against Ghana and in training. 

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England booked their place in the last 16 against Mexico thanks to two late goals from Harry Kane, who is now on five goals for the tournament. 

But it had taken repeated shouts from Tuchel, and multiple substitutions, to wake his side up after they went down 1-0 just seven minutes in to Congo winger Brian Cipenga’s goal.

At one juncture, when Spence took a throw and sent it backwards, pitchside mics betrayed Tuchel shouting: ‘Djed! There [forward] is one on one! Play up front!’

The 25-year-old appeared to have a dismissive reaction, shrugging his shoulders and holding out his hands as he looked back half-heartedly and ambled away. 

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Thomas Tuchel laid into Djed Spence on the touchline again for a throw he didn’t like 

The Tottenham left-back was filling in on the opposite side of the defence after injuries to Reece James, Jarell Quansah, and Tino Livramento, who was sent home before the tournament. 

Spence struggled throughout the match and appeared particularly troubled by the direct dribbling of Cipenga.

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He and his nearest centre-back, Ezri Konsa, never looked comfortable and England were fortunate to go into the break only 1-0 down after Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa hit the post. 

When Spence lost the ball in the final third later in the match, Tuchel immediately called for Eberechi Eze in a move which suggested he had lost patience with Spence. 

In mitigation, Spence’s preparation for the World Cup was less than ideal as he sustained a serious fratcure to his jaw while playing against Chelsea in May.

He has been playing with a face mask and said: ‘ It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is.

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‘It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time.’

England are optimistic that James and Quansah will be available for England’s clash against Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning at the Estadio Azteca. 

Spence struggled throughout the match and was substituted off in the second half

Spence struggled throughout the match and was substituted off in the second half 

Spence has been the target of Tuchel’s frustrations throughout the World Cup. One training trip where he gave him a rollicking went viral.

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‘Djed, Djed, Djed wake up! Wake up!’ Tuchel shouted as Spence hesitated in a passing drill.

Spence later told talkSPORT: ‘It’s normal. He’s a great manager. He wants the best from his players.

‘He demands high standards and for this tournament, we need to be ready, we need to be on it.

‘Every session needs to be of the highest quality. That’s what he demands. It’s good.

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‘I wouldn’t be the only one he says it too. It’s part of the game.

‘I think he’s a great manager, he’s a great guy. Very detailed in what he wants to do. I’ve got great respect for him.

‘It’s like what he always says, we’re building a family, we’ve built a brotherhood within the team, everyone has one dream, one brain.

‘I think everyone is on the same path. We can do special things. I think he’s built that environment with this squad.’

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What the World Cup hydration breaks reveal about who governs men’s football

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What the World Cup hydration breaks reveal about who governs men’s football

Twenty-two minutes into Canada’s group match against Qatar on June 18, the home crowd began to boo. They weren’t questioning a referee decision, nor a move by the opposition, but the mandatory three-minute player break for water. Canada was already cruising to a 6-0 win; the irritation was aimed squarely at the interruption.

Fifa introduced the 2026 World Cup’s mandatory hydration breaks under the auspices of a “player-welfare measure”. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has insisted the decision is purely sporting, not commercial⁠, arguing that there is “no additional revenue for Fifa” because its commercial agreements were signed in advance.

The scientific basis of these breaks is genuine. Researchers have warned that around a quarter of matches at this World Cup could be played in heat exceeding the safety limits recommended by the players’ union, Fifpro. As such these breaks, when required, are a welcomed measure from a player welfare point of view.

Crucially, however, they have become mandatory across all 104 matches of the World Cup, standardised and scheduled to the minute and applied regardless of temperature or setting. They are being enforced on a moderate 20°C evening or even inside an air-conditioned stadium.

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England manager Thomas Tuchel criticises the mandated hydration breaks.

This uniformity has united critics rarely found on the same side. Uruguay’s coach Marcelo Bielsa said hydration breaks add nothing to the game. England manager Thomas Tuchel said they change the identity of a match and break its momentum. The Guardian called them “ad breaks” that nudge football towards a four-quarter, American rhythm.

The critics have a point. A measure introduced for safety has now evolved into a permanent feature that alters how the beautiful game is played, while conveniently creating additional predictable advertising slots in every match.

The hydration breaks have been predicted to bring in more than US$250 million (£189m) in the US alone, and an estimated $1 billion worldwide.

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Infantino is technically right that Fifa earns nothing from them directly, but the extra value these hydration breaks offer could make the broadcasting rights more lucrative to sell next time around.

What control does Fifa have over its own event?

The unease runs deeper than loss of match momentum or tactics. At a pre-tournament press conference in Mexico City on June 10, BBC journalist Dan Roan asked Infantino directly whether he had “lost control of his own tournament”. Infantino responded by telling reporters to “chill and relax”.

The hydration break is emblematic of a wider pattern: Fifa is assertive over its product, but increasingly restricted over the conditions around it.

In the tournament’s opening days, the Somali referee Omar Artan was refused entry to the US despite holding a valid visa. Fifa responded by stating that it is not involved in host country immigration processes.

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Similarly, Iran’s squad was forced to sleep in Mexico and crossed the border only on match days. Meanwhile, fans from Haiti, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, all qualified nations – were kept out by stringent travel bans that exempted players but not supporters.

Fifa, it seems, cannot guarantee universal access. It largely chooses not to challenge the sovereign powers on which the tournament depends.

Pundits question the value of mandated hydration breaks.

These governing issues have also been seen in the ticket pricing. For the first time, Fifa has used dynamic, demand-led pricing, paired with its own official resale platform. Ordinary group matches have carried four-figure price tags. Some fans have reported that some tickets were selling for as much as $10,990 for the final, and the attorneys general for New York and New Jersey have subpoenaed Fifa over the complaints that fans were misled and prices inflated.

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The global game is at risk of being unaffordable and inaccessible for many. Fifa appears to be tightening its grip on what it can monetise, even as the event threatens to slips from its control in other aspects.

The environmental impact of the tournament makes this limit plainest. Fifa can choose venues, schedule matches and add cooling protocols, but it cannot shrink a continent. Researchers expect most of the tournament’s emissions to come from travel, chiefly flights, with one estimate near 7.8 million tonnes of CO₂e. Reusing existing stadiums helps, but a 48-team, 104-match tournament across 16 cities and three countries still runs on aviation.

To say Fifa is simply greedy ignores how authority is distributed; to say football is merely being “Americanised” – premium-priced, broadcast-friendly, cut into quarters – describes the symptom, not the mechanism. Fifa’s authority seems to have become selective. It is expansive over the match-day product, ticketing and global attention but absent, or unwilling, over borders, affordability and climate.

These tensions are likely to intensify. The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted across six countries and three continents; the 2034 edition has been awarded, effectively uncontested, to Saudi Arabia – a state with both the capital to stage a tournament and the sovereign power to set every condition around it.

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The world’s game is now hosted globally and increasingly handed to governments able to fund and provide political guarantees. The question for the next decade is not whether Fifa governs the World Cup, but which parts of it Fifa still governs — and which now belong to the states and markets it depends on.

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Why everyone is going for pops of butter yellow in their homes this season

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Why everyone is going for pops of butter yellow in their homes this season

If you have an eye for interiors and caught episode one of Paapa Essiedu and Keeley Hawes’ new Channel 4 drama Falling, you may have spotted the delectably soft-yellow convent kitchen they have their first ‘moment’ in. We won’t say those buttery cabinets were a total scene stealer, but spiked with a hint of saffron, we did swoon over more than just the actors’ performances.

However, “kitchens are tricky ones. You want them to blend in, don’t you? You don’t want them to shout,” says Lara Clarke from Lara Clarke Interiors. “I’m not sure I would do a full kitchen in yellow, unless it was a small kitchen, because it could potentially date.” That said, “it can be beautiful in a pantry or utility room; it can really lift the room.”

In recent decades, yellows have been blandly held hostage in nurseries and school classrooms (yellow is thought to help boost learning and memory skills), but primrose tints are now thoroughly escaping into the rest of our homes, and even into the garden.

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“Traditionally, if you look back at the history of interiors, yellow has been quite a prominent colour in drawing rooms,” notes Clarke. “People are coming back to those historical colours.”

“A lot of things trickle down from fashion in interiors, and I think it’s come from there,” she says of the trend. Butter yellow was all over the spring catwalks at Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Loewe and Chloé. “The reason people are loving it is because it’s a happy colour. People are moving away from cool colours and towards anything with a warm undertone that gives you that sense of joy in a space.”

A pop of yellow also has the ability to really perk you up. “If you have a yellow sofa, it puts a smile on your face, and people are craving that more in their interiors. They want it to be an expression of them, they walk into a room and it makes them feel happy,” says Clarke.

So where should you start if you’re hesitant about going full-on yellow? “Fabrics, because you can add and take away cushions and accessories,” says Clarke. “You could put a yellow trim on a curtain or a blind, which is a subtle way to introduce colour. For people that are a bit more brave, try it on woodwork.”

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For those unafraid of going a little canary, and are keen to paint walls, Clarke is a particular fan of the “creamy buttery yellows, so Farrow & Ball Dorset Cream or Yellow Ground, really pretty colours. I’m actually doing a utility room in Madeleine by Little Greene, which is a really lovely colour. It’s that warm, not too-in-your-face yellow.”

Clarke says it is possible to take things “too far” if you’re not careful. “There’s obviously a huge trend on colour drenching at the minute, and I probably wouldn’t colour drench a room in yellow. That’s a step too far,” she notes. Instead, try pairing a buttery yellow with “a really nice white” or “blues look really lovely with yellow,” rather than going all-out banana.

This will help keep it looking fresh for years to come. “If it’s overused in a room, yellow won’t look right, but subtle nods, or pairing with other colours, I don’t think that will ever date,” says Clarke.

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Shop the look

Bring a little bit of extra sunshine into your home and garden with these honey-toned items, from jugs to bed linen, lamps to chairs…

 

(Oliver Bonas/PA)
(Oliver Bonas/PA)

Vadella Yellow Gingham Paper Lamp Shade, £35, Oliver Bonas

(Oliver Bonas/PA)
(Oliver Bonas/PA)

 Shrimps x Oliver Bonas Striped Jug, £24.50 (was £49.50)

(Marks & Spencer/PA)
(Marks & Spencer/PA)

Milk Glass Pleated Shade Table Lamp in ochre, £49.50, M&S

(Marks & Spencer/PA)
(Marks & Spencer/PA)

Cotton with Linen Striped Tablecloth in ochre, £22.40 (was £28), M&S

(Olive & Barr/PA)
(Olive & Barr/PA)

Olive & Barr Skinny Shaker Kitchen Cabinetry, from £12k

(Piglet in bed/PA)
(Piglet in bed/PA)

Butter Yellow Slumber Stripe Cotton Duvet Cover, from £85, Piglet in Bed

(Peppermill Interiors/PA)
(Peppermill Interiors/PA)

Maldives Outdoor Stacking Carver Chair in butter yellow, £45, Peppermill Interiors

(Marlborough Tiles/PA)
(Marlborough Tiles/PA)

Saffron Square, Halcyon Collection, £3.26 per tile, Marlborough Tiles

(Cox&Cox/PA)
(Cox&Cox/PA)

Cotton Tea Towel – Meadow, £9.50, Cox & Cox

(Graham & Brown/PA)
(Graham & Brown/PA)

Daisyfield Creme Brulee Wallpaper, £95 per roll, Graham & Brown

 

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(Argos/PA)
(Argos/PA)

Habitat Eve 2 Seater Folding Metal Garden Bistro Set – Yellow, £70, Argos

(Dobbies/PA)
(Dobbies/PA)

Yellow Striped Ceramic Vase 21cm, £24.99, Dobbies

(Dulux/PA)
(Dulux/PA)

Vanilla Sundae, £2.90 per tester pot, Dulux

* Prices correct at time of going to press

 

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Durham High School staff member’s message as site to close

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Durham High School staff member's message as site to close

The school, which has stood in Durham for 142 years, confirmed to families on Wednesday (July 1) that its owners had decided to close the site, leaving pupils, parents and staff facing an uncertain future.

The announcement brought an end to weeks of concern among families, some of whom had already begun looking for alternative school places amid fears Durham High would not reopen after the summer holidays.

Now, Mike Parker, director of marketing and admissions at Durham High School, has shared a heartfelt message following the closure announcement.

Durham High School (Image: GOOGLE)

Writing in an online post, Mr Parker said the day had marked his first anniversary at the school.

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He said it had been his “privilege” to work in three “fantastic independent schools”, each with its own individual character and focus.

Reflecting on Durham High School, he wrote: “Of the three, this one is the kindest, happiest and most gentle. It’s a lovely school for lovely children.”

Mr Parker said staff and pupils had been told the school would be closing its doors after 142 years, including the final two years as part of Galaxy Global Education Group.

He added: “Whatever you read, this isn’t a VAT story. It isn’t a ‘falling rolls, unstoppable decline’ story.

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“The truth is deeper and more complex and, eventually, the truth will out.”

Paying tribute to his colleagues, he described them as “lions led by the proverbial”, in a pointed and emotional comment following the announcement.

Durham High School’s own statement to parents described the closure as a “terribly sad chapter” in the school’s history.

The school said: “Today, we write the last chapter in this incredible history.

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“It is a terribly sad chapter as our owners are closing the school at the end of this term.”

Addressing pupils, they said: “To the 281 current pupils, we are deeply sorry you will not have the chance to reach the end of your journey in this truly special school.

“Go with strength and the values you embody to make a difference in your next chapter.”

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The school also thanked staff for their commitment, saying the time they had invested in sharing their “joy of learning” with pupils had given them “the greatest foundation for life”.

Parents were also praised for their “caring and compassionate” engagement with the school community.

Durham High School, founded in 1884, has long been regarded as one of the region’s leading independent schools.

It had recently begun admitting boys as part of plans to expand and was named the Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year for the North East in 2024.

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The school is owned by Durham Education Limited, part of Galaxy Global Education Group, which has also been linked to the recent closure of other independent schools.

Further details about transition arrangements for pupils and staff have not yet been confirmed.

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Frankie Muniz’s ex-wife defends Malcolm in the Middle star’s ‘cringe’ divorce video

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Frankie Muniz's ex-wife defends Malcolm in the Middle star's 'cringe' divorce video
Actor and race car driver Frankie Muniz sparked backlash for a family video he posted alongside his divorce announcement (Picture: Getty)

Frankie Muniz’s estranged wife Paige has defended him after people criticised their divorce announcement.

The Malcolm in the Middle actor shared that he and his wife were splitting up after 10 years together on Wednesday night, but some fans questioned the light-hearted video he published on social media alongside the statement.

It showed the couple and their five-year-old son, Mauz, dancing enthusiastically together to Check Yes, Juliet by We The Kings.

He captioned the post: ‘Who says you can’t stay best friends with your baby momma?’

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After Frankie, 40, was felt forced to delete the announcement and upload a new one on Instagram, Paige, 33, commented: ‘Frankie, I am so sorry that you felt the need to delete an old fun video of our family because people are so cruel to you.

‘This world is so f*****… divorce is bad, sure — it’s not like we’re excited about it… but we’re two adults who know how to be on the same team.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hahn Lionel/ABACA/Shutterstock (13365341at) Frankie Muniz and Paige Price attend People's 'Ones To Watch' at NeueHouse Hollywood on October 4, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lionel Hahn/AbacaUsa.com People's Ones To Watch - Los Angeles - 04 Oct 2017
After Frankie deleted it, his estranged wife Paige waded in to defend him (Picture: Hahn Lionel/ABACA/Shutterstock)

‘I can’t believe people could scrutinise that.’

‘Frankie out here dropping a divorce announcement like it’s a Malcolm in the Middle blooper reel. Kid doing the guitar solo while mom and dad ‘celebrate’ splitting up is wild,’ read one of the initial tamer comments about the video, with @lobocashflow adding: ‘Some things deserve to stay deleted, bro.’

Others also accused him of making the divorce a ‘spectator sport’.

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Frankie then re-shared the statement with a photo of the family smiling together at one of his NASCAR races instead of the home video.

Following the change, many fans then also stepped in to share their support of Frankie and berate those who had made him feel he needed the erase the clip from his social profiles.

‘People are so weird, I’m sorry you felt like you had to delete the dancing video. We’re so used to public toxicity over divorce that people really, really project when they see a couple ending on amiable terms,’ wrote Holland in the Instagram comments.

‘People are so lame for hating on the previous post. All the best to you guys!’ added Kasey, while another follower pointed out the double standards.

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‘This is wild to me. Society: “Stop hating on your ex. It’s so toxic for the kids to see. You can remain friends for the sake of the kids.” Also Society: “Omg you guys are remaining friends in a healthy way to raise your son? And made a cute fun video of you guys? What horrible people you are.”’

‘I thought the video was very sweet and hopeful,’ chimed in Chelsea. ‘You guys are a great family no matter what and will always be family. ❤️ hugs!’

Frankie’s statement initially read: ‘Life update! Following a period of separation that we kept private, Paige and I have decided to move forward with ending our marriage.

‘After 10 beautiful years together, we’ve grown in ways that made us realise our relationship feels most natural and strong as a deep friendship and as co-parents.

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‘We share an incredible son who remains the centre of our world, and we’re both happier, stronger parents because of the love and growth we’ve shared.’

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock (16818301e) Frankie Muniz, Mauz Muniz and Paige Price Hulu's 'Malcolm in the Middle Life's Still Unfair' Miniseries Premiere, New York, USA - 07 Apr 2026
Fans also later supported Frankie in the comments for how amicable their split was (Picture: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock)

Frankie acknowledged the role Paige has played in his career, explaining that she put her own plans ‘on hold’ so he could follow his ambitions.

Frankie – who is best known for playing the titular character in hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, which was rebooted earlier this year – continued: ‘I’m endlessly grateful to Paige for everything she’s done for me and our family. She put her own dreams on hold so I could chase mine, and she was always my biggest supporter. That foundation of respect and friendship isn’t going anywhere. We’re excited to keep building Muniz Racing together and to co-parent our boy with the same teamwork and love we’ve always had.

‘We’re closing one chapter with gratitude and opening the next with bright futures ahead, for us as individuals and especially for our son.’

Thankig fans for their love and support he then concluded: ‘We both choose to not entertain any questions on this matter. Please respect our families privacy during this time. (sic)’

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The pair met in 2016 and got married three years later, before welcoming their son into the world in March 2021.

Earlier this year, Frankie admitted that his career was having a detrimental impact on his personal life.

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE???S STILL UNFAIR -
(Picture: Disney)

The actor described Paige as a ‘saint’ and admitted that she was ‘sacrificing so much’ so he could pursue his own dreams.

He told Us Weekly: ‘It is very hard, I won’t lie. Honestly, my wife is a saint. She’s sacrificing so much for me to live my dream.’

Frankie’s other big projects include Big Fat Liar (2002), and Agent Cody Banks (2003), before he famously took a hiatus from acting in 2006 to pursue an ongoing career as a professional race car driver.

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Ulster star to start for Australia against Ireland in Sydney

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Belfast Live

The prop has been selected to start at loosehead for the Wallabies in their first Test of the year

Angus Bell, who enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign at Ulster, has been named at loosehead prop for the Wallabies’ opening Test of the year against Ireland at Allianz Stadium on Saturday (11.10am Irish time).

The 25-year-old featured in all four of Australia’s November internationals, facing England, Italy, Ireland and France, before making his Ulster bow against Racing 92 in the Challenge Cup in the opening week of December.

Bell went on to clock up 12 URC appearances and a further four Challenge Cup outings, rounding off his season with a commanding display against Montpellier Herault in the 2026 European Rugby Challenge Cup Final at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, late in May.

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Meanwhile, Inverell product Jock Campbell has been handed his first Test start in 1316 days, with head coach Joe Schmidt naming him at fullback.

Campbell, whose last Wallabies appearance came in their 2022 victory over Wales in Cardiff, will join forces with 21 year old Max Jorgensen and Wiradjuri man Dylan Pietsch in the back three for the sold-out Sydney fixture, reports the Irish Mirror.

Campbell’s Queensland teammate Josh Canham has also been handed his first Test start, lining up alongside Western Force captain Jeremy Williams in the second row.

ACT Brumbies skipper Ryan Lonergan is another to earn his first starting berth in Wallaby gold, slotting in at number nine and linking up with Carter Gordon, who takes the flyhalf jersey.

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Bell is back from his sabbatical in Belfast and will line up at loosehead prop against several of his Ulster colleagues. He completes a front row featuring hooker Josh Nasser alongside the vastly experienced Allan Alaalatoa.

Wallabies supporters will recognise a familiar back-row combination kicking off the 2026 Test season, with two-time John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini selected at blindside flanker, Reds captain Fraser McReight at openside and Harry Wilson leading the team at number eight.

2026 John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau gets the nod at inside centre, just a fortnight after representing Exeter in the UK Premiership final. He reunites with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in midfield – marking the 14th occasion they’ve partnered together in the Wallabies’ previous 19 Tests.

Wallabies all-time appearance record holder James Slipper will officially emerge from Test retirement, selected as the replacement loosehead prop – linking up with Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Paris-based Taniela Tupou in an experienced replacement front row.

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23-year-old Ipswich Rangers junior Lachlan Shaw has earned selection for a potential Test debut as the replacement lock, while Exeter-based Tom Hooper will offer additional forward cover from the bench.

Dynamic scrum-half Tate McDermott returns to the Test stage from the replacements, alongside Brumbies fullback Tom Wright, after both players saw their 2026 Wallabies campaigns cut short through injury. Force playmaker Ben Donaldson completes the matchday 23.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said: “The group has reconnected quickly and we’ve worked hard over the past week to prepare as best we can for what is an exciting challenge against the number three team in World Rugby.

“Kicking off 2026 at a sold-out Allianz Stadium gives the group a huge lift and we are fully focused on earning every bit of that home crowd support on Saturday.”

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Wallabies team to face Ireland:

1. Angus Bell (50 Tests) – #940; Hunters Hill Rugby Club.

2. Josh Nasser (11 Tests) – #979; Easts Rugby (Brisbane).

3. Allan Alaalatoa (88 Tests) – #896; West Harbour Juniors.

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4. Jeremy Williams (25 Tests) – #973; Wahroonga Tigers.

5. Josh Canham (2 Tests) – #987; Harlequin Rugby Club.

6. Rob Valetini (62 Tests) – #929; Harlequin Rugby Club.

7. Fraser McReight (39 Tests) – #937; Albany Creek Brumbies.

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8. Harry Wilson (c) (36 Tests) – #933; Gunnedah Red Devils.

9. Ryan Lonergan (5 Tests) – #993; Tuggeranong Vikings.

10. Carter Gordon (9 Tests) – #967; Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

11. Dylan Pietsch (9 Tests) – #978; Leeton Phantoms.

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12. Len Ikitau (50 Tests) – #944; Tuggeranong Vikings.

13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (18 Tests) – #988; The Kings School.

14. Max Jorgensen (20 Tests) – #984; Balmain Wolves.

15. Jock Campbell (4 Tests) – #959; Inverell Highlanders.

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Substitutes:

16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (25 Tests) – #918; Southern Districts.

17. James Slipper (151 Tests) – #843; Bond Pirates.

18. Taniela Tupou (68 Tests) – #917; Brothers Rugby.

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19. Lachlan Shaw* – uncapped; Ipswich Rangers.

20. Tom Hooper (22 Tests) – #964; Bathurst Bulldogs.

21. Tate McDermott (50 Tests) – #936; Flinders Rugby Club.

22. Ben Donaldson (19 Tests) – #962; Clovelly Eagles.

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23. Tom Wright (43 Tests) – #939; Clovelly Eagles.

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