NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market is holding near its record high Thursday as Wall Street waits for more clues about what will happen in the Iran war before making its next big move.
The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1%, a day after topping its prior all-time high set in January for its 10th gain in 11 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 66 points, or 0.1% after the first half-hour of trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% lower.
Stocks have leaped more than 10% since hitting a low in late March, driven by hopes for an end to the war or something that could avert a worst-case scenario for the global economy. Now, the wait is on to see if such hopes were prescient or just wishful thinking.
Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war.
Advertisement
Oil prices climbed, showing that caution still remains in financial markets. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 3.1% to $97.83. It’s gone from roughly $70 before the war to as high as $119 at times on uncertainty about how long the war will keep oil stuck in the Persian Gulf area and away from customers.
“The key upside risk for the market is that peace talks between the US and Iran break down,” ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote Thursday. “This isn’t an unrealistic scenario, given that US and Iranian demands remain fairly wide apart.”
In the meantime, big U.S. companies are continuing to deliver growth in profits for the start of 2026 that’s even better than analysts expected. Such growth is the lifeblood of the stock market, whose level tends to follow the track of corporate profits over the long term.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services rose 5.7%, and Marsh & McLennan climbed 3.4% after both delivered stronger results than expected.
Technology stocks also broadly got some support after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an industry heavyweight, reported stronger revenue and profit for the start of 2026 than analysts expected. TSMC’s Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said the company expects strong demand to continue into the spring.
On the losing end of Wall Street was Abbott, which fell 4.4% even though it reported slightly better results than analysts expected. The health care company cut its forecast for profit over the full year, mostly because of its purchase of cancer-screening company Exact Sciences.
Advertisement
Sign up for Morning Wire:
Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.
Advertisement
Allbirds slumped 28.7%, but that gave back only a portion of its 582% surge from the day before. The company formerly known for sneakers is pivoting to the artificial-intelligence industry and hopes to rent out the use of high-powered AI chips as a service.
In stock markets abroad, indexes climbed across much of Europe and Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.4%, South Korea’s Kospi rallied 2.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7% for some of the world’s larger moves.
China on Thursday reported 5% economic growth for the January-March quarter, an acceleration from the previous quarter. While economists say China has largely shrugged off the initial impacts of the Iran war, some are warning its massive export engine could be hit more significantly in the coming months on slower global economic growth.
Liam Rosenior’s side have won just one of their last six games in all competitions, slipping to sixth in the Premier League and crashing out of the Champions League.
Merson believes United’s winless run to continue at Stamford Bridge, backing Chelsea to clinch a crucial 2-1 win to boost their hopes of Champions League qualification.
The Arsenal legend expects Enzo Fernandez to come back into the Chelsea team following his recent absence but says Sesko should be dropped and allowed to ‘make an impact from the bench’ as he has does effectively in the second-half of the season.
Chelsea are struggling under Liam Rosenior (Picture: Getty)
‘Chelsea were atrocious of the highest level in the second half against Manchester City,’ Merson told Sportskeeda.
‘Luckily for them, they now face Manchester United, who were also terrible in the loss to Leeds!
Advertisement
‘This is a must-not-lose game for United and a must-win game for Chelsea. After this, Chelsea face Brighton away, Nottingham Forest at home, Liverpool away, Spurs at home and Sunderland away.
Manchester United summer signing Benjamin Sesko (Picture: Getty)
‘If they lose this game, I don’t see them playing Champions League football next season.
‘As long as Manchester United avoid defeat, they are at an advantage for Champions League qualification because Chelsea will play Liverpool.
‘I would be shocked if Enzo Fernandez is not back in the line-up for this game.
Man Utd were stunned by Leeds last time out (Picture: Getty)
‘I still can’t get my head around the fact that Chelsea banned him for two matches! They were crying out for someone like him to get on the ball and pass to break lines during the defeat to City.
‘Manchester United were poor against Leeds and have a few injuries to deal with.
Advertisement
‘I don’t know why Bryan Mbeumo did not start that game though. And Casemiro is nowhere near the same player without Kobbie Mainoo next to him!
‘I would probably leave Benjamin Sesko out of the line-up against Chelsea. He’s someone who they can bring on to make an impact off the bench.
‘The other day against Leeds, they had no one who could do that as a substitute because Sesko was in the starting XI.
‘Chelsea could be ninth in the league by the end of the week, if they don’t win this game. But I actually think they can trouble United. I’m backing Chelsea to get a 2-1 win.’
The actress, who is originally from York, said the proposal would mean replacing a “living, growing woodland created through patience, care and public spirit” with industrial development.
A final decision on Harrogate Spring Water’s (HSW) plans- which has received more than 1,000 objections – will be made by North Yorkshire Council on Friday.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Advertisement
The scheme would require the removal of hundreds of trees from Rotary Wood, a community woodland planted 20 years ago by children and volunteers.
In a letter addressed to councillors and officers, Dame Judi said: “I am sorry not to be with you in person, but I wanted my support for Rotary Wood and for the local community defending it to be heard clearly at this planning meeting.
“Rotary Wood is not an empty plot waiting for a better use. It is a living, growing woodland created through patience, care and public spirit.”
Other public figures who have voiced opposition include Sam West, and environmentalist Sir Jonathon Porritt, and Dame Joanna Lumley – who called the decision to potentially cut down the trees ‘dreadful in so many ways’.
Advertisement
Dame Judi added: “Local families, volunteers, schoolchildren and community supporters helped plant it and watch it take root. Over the years it has become part of Harrogate’s natural fabric and part of the area’s shared sense of place.”
“At a time when the country is talking so urgently about biodiversity loss, climate pressure and the need to protect nature close to where people live, it is deeply troubling that a healthy community woodland could be treated as disposable.”
“I respectfully urge the committee to recognise Rotary Wood for what it is: a meaningful community woodland, a haven for wildlife and a symbol of what local people can achieve when they invest in nature. It deserves protection, not destruction.”
North Yorkshire Planning officers have recommended that the scheme be approved.
Advertisement
Danone – the company behind HSW – said only 500 trees would be affected by the expansion, not the 1,000 claimed by campaigners, and has pledged to plant 491 new trees nearby and a further 3,000 across the district.
It said it had originally planned to plant around 1,500 trees in its new community woodland, next to Rotary Wood, but reduced this to 491 after advice from North Yorkshire Council’s arboriculturist.
A spokesman for HSW said: “Throughout the planning process, we have worked constructively with council officers and listened closely to community concerns.
“These plans are consistent with Danone’s commitments globally to sustainable, responsible development, including its Renewed Forest Policy.
Advertisement
“Ultimately our goal remains to balance sustainable development and economic growth with care for the local environment and community.”
Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, the trade union which represents vetting officers at UKSV, said: “It is deeply unfortunate that following the resignation of Morgan McSweeney, Downing Street allowed the impression to circulate that the vetting of Peter Mandelson had not been done correctly by UK Security Vetting.
The judge said he was not prepared to sentence the defendant until he knew his true age and demanded he attend court and confirm his age on oath
16:24, 16 Apr 2026
Advertisement
A judge told a defendant he must attend court and go into the witness box to testify on oath as to his true date of birth.
Anthony Maughan was due to be sentenced for a spree of burglaries of cafes, restaurants, and shops across Swansea, Neath, Bridgend and Cardiff, but the judge said he was not prepared to pass sentence on a “persistent offender” with 26 different dates of birth recorded on his antecedent record without knowing his true age.
The judge adjourned the hearing and ordered Maughan, who was appearing in court via a videolink, to be brought to court in person so he could go into the witness box.
Matthew Comer, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that over an 18-day period in January and February this year Maughan burgled 10 business premises, namely the Giggling Squid restaurant, a Tesco Express shop, Castle Welsh Crafts shop, Total Asia restaurant, and Cote Brasserie – all in Cardiff – Costa Coffee in Bridgend, Kumar Stores in Neath, and an Aldi supermarket, Fresco Cafe, and Green Room restaurant all in Swansea.
Advertisement
The barrister said that over the same period Maughan also committed theft from a vehicle, an offence which saw him entering the cab of a lorry while the driver was making a delivery in Cardiff.
The court heard that a number of burglaries saw the defendant entering staff only areas while the businesses were open, but that on a number of occasions he had forced entry to premises through rear doors or fire exits while they were closed.
Among the haul of items stolen by Maughan during the spree were bank cards, North Face jackets, keys, iPhones, meats and cheeses, bottles of Johnnie Walker whisky, Smirnoff vodka, and champagne, and a pair of new Adidas trainers.
Advertisement
He also took various quantities of cash.
Anthony Paul Maughan, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to 10 counts of non-dwelling burglary and one count of theft from a vehicle when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Judge Huw Rees said that, looking through the defendant’s antecedent record, it was clear he was a “persistent offender” and he noted that over the years he had provided 26 different dates of birth.
He said he was not prepared to pass sentence until the true date of birth was established, and he directed the prosecution to make its own enquiries.
Advertisement
And he told the defendant that he would be required to attend court in person and to testify as to his true date of birth on oath.
Sentencing was adjourned to April 29 and Maughan was further remanded into custody.
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
Frank Lampard played down speculation linking Coventry with Chelsea’s Jesse Derry (Picture: Getty)
Frank Lampard has distanced himself from rumours linking Coventry with a loan move for Chelsea’s Jesse Derry, insisting his focus remains on the club securing a return to the Premier League.
Coventry are within touching distance of sealing automatic promotion from the Championship, with a draw away to Blackburn Rovers enough to send Lampard’s men up on Friday night.
The Sky Blues have been dominant in the English second tier under Lampard and hold an imperious ten-point lead over second-placed Ipswich with three games remaining of the campaign.
But while promotion is all but confirmed, the club’s hierarchy recognise it will take a monumental effort to survive next season given the strength and financial might of those teams competing in the top flight.
Advertisement
With summer recruitment set to be key, Lampard is said to have identified Chelsea youngster Derry as a loan target in preparation for Coventry’s first appearance in the Premier League following a 25-year hiatus.
According to talkSPORT, Lampard plans to utilise his deep Stamford Bridge connections to get a temporary deal over the line for the highly rated 18-year-old forward, who can play on the left and through the middle.
Derry, the son of former QPR and Crystal Palace midfielder Shaun, made his senior Chelsea debut as a substitute in the side’s FA Cup victory over Hull City in February and has been tipped for a bright future with the Blues.
Derry has emerged as a possible target for Coventry (Picture: Getty)
The teenager has made two appearances for Chelsea this season (Picture: Getty)
Asked about the rumours surrounding Derry and, more generally, how far along Coventry are in planning for next season, Lampard told reporters: ‘Not that far, if I’m honest, because of the jeopardy of the season.
‘I know it feels like in the last week or so things have felt more apparent but at the same time, me personally, I’ve been focusing on the job in hand.’
Advertisement
‘I’m not stupid. I know that this may happen and there’s a lot of work to do at the football club, whether it be things at the training ground to try and get the levels to what I know is the Premier League, because I’ve been there in different forms.
The England U19 international has been tipped for a bright future (Picture: Getty)
‘So those are all things that the football club has to really broach quickly, and we’re all aware of that.
‘But in terms of individual players, I’m not saying all those rumours [regarding Jesse Derry] are false, but they’re definitely not true as a fact.
‘And that’s one of the difficult things now in football, recruitment, because you’re as good as it, to a degree, because you need good players. And I think the club has done a really good job in terms of that at where we are in the Championship because you can see where we are in terms of what we spend etcetera.’
Coventry will go up should they avoid defeat at Blackburn on Friday (Picture: Getty)
Lampard urged both supporters and those in the media not to give too much weight to rumours linking Coventry with potential incomings and outgoings at this stage.
‘It’s not a parachute team but we’ve had our way of doing it and that’s going to change this summer, if we get to where we want to get to because the level will go up,’ he added.
Advertisement
‘So there’s a lot of work to be done but the rumours that are whirling around now, I wouldn’t hold too much to them, with respect.’
Advertisement
Derry, who has scored eight times in 15 appearances for the England Under-19s, is tied into a contract with Chelsea until June 2029.
The teenager joined Chelsea on a four-year deal from Crystal Palace last summer and has played the vast majority of his football in Premier League 2 this season.
Facing the media prior to Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round victory win over Wrexham last month, Liam Rosenior revealed how Derry had ‘really impressed’ him with his application on the training ground.
‘Ryan [Kavuma-McQueen] and Jesse will travel with the group, so they will be part of the squad for Wrexham,’ Rosenior told reporters.
Advertisement
Derry has shone for Chelsea in Premier League 2 this season (Picture: Getty)
‘Jesse has really impressed me, Ryan’s impressed, but it’s not just those two. There have been a few that I’ve got to see in training when they’ve been brought up that I’m really happy with.
‘Reggie Watson has trained with us a few times, he’s really impressed me. It’s scary the age that he is. Young Mahdi [Nicoll-Jazuli] has been up a few times, he’s an outstanding talent as well.
‘There are some outstanding young players in the group. We just need to make sure we put them in at the right time and they get the experiences that they need to continue their development.’
Derry is a ‘ridiculous’ talent, according to Manchester United great Ferdinand (Picture: Getty)
A month earlier, Rio Ferdinand named Derry as one of four young English talents to keep an eye on in the Premier League, along with Rio Ngumoha, Max Dowman and JJ Gabriel.
‘You know the four, right now, if I was going to put money on and going these four, and you know what, it probably won’t even be these four that go and dominate the Premier League and do crazy things,’ the legendary ex-Manchester United defender said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.
‘If you were going to put your money on four kids right now, in the Premier League to do their thing, based on what you’re seeing now, you’ve got Rio at Liverpool, you’ve got Max Dowman, you’ve got JJ Gabriel at Manchester United and Jesse Derry at Chelsea.
Advertisement
‘Jesse Derry, I know his dad, Shaun, he’s an ex-player, but I know the kid, wow, ridiculous, not only a talent, but an actual, like, as a kid who loves, loves the game.
‘You know, certain kids, they just love football and live and breathe. All the time, he makes that and the balls that you see, like, still, one of those kids.’
When people think about censorship, they often imagine an obvious ban: a book prohibited, an exhibition closed, or a speaker silenced.
But the recent revelation that London’s Victoria and Albert Museum changed exhibition catalogues at the request of its Chinese printer points to something subtler. It suggests that Chinese censorship is increasingly capable of shaping cultural production beyond China’s borders through reliance on foreign companies.
The V&A agreed to remove or replace images from at least two exhibition catalogues after objections from its Chinese printer. This included a historical map in a new exhibition, The Music Is Black, and an image of Lenin in a publication linked to the 2021 exhibition Fabergé: Romance to Revolution.
A V&A spokesperson told The Conversation: “We carefully consider, on a case-by-case basis, where we print all of our books. We sometimes print in China but maintain close editorial oversight. We were comfortable making these minor edits, as they did not affect the narrative, and would obviously pull production if we felt any requested change was problematic.”
Advertisement
The museum may see the changes as minor, but their significance lies less in the scale of the edits than in the mechanism through which they occurred.
Nothing in British law required these changes. No UK official ordered them. Yet the content of a British museum publication was altered because parts of its production process took place within a system governed by Chinese state censorship rules. That is why this matters. It reveals a form of externalised censorship that does not need to arrive as a direct prohibition. It can operate instead through contracts, deadlines, cost pressures and infrastructural dependence.
This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.
Advertisement
This controversy tells a wider story about the heritage sector. Museums, galleries, libraries and publishers are all under pressure to control costs. If Chinese printers can produce catalogues at roughly half the price of British or European firms, the economic logic is obvious. Once an institution becomes reliant on a supply chain situated within an authoritarian censorship system, the practical conditions of cultural expression begin to change, even if the legal environment at home remains formally free.
In countries such as the UK, free speech is often understood in legal terms: are people formally allowed to publish, speak or exhibit? But the V&A case is a reminder that formal freedom is not the same as institutional resilience. A society may remain free on the surface while its institutions become increasingly susceptible to outside pressure.
Why the censorship matters
Museums matter especially because they are not ordinary commercial actors. They are memory institutions. They help shape public understanding of history, culture and identity. Their catalogues are not mere retail products but part of how knowledge is framed, archived and circulated. A “minor” change to an image in this context is therefore not politically neutral.
The deeper issue is that this is not only about suppressing taboo topics such as Tibet, Taiwan or Tiananmen. It is also about controlling the positive narrative.
Advertisement
Chinese information governance has long worked through both prohibition and projection. The 2020 Provisions on the Governance of the Online Information Content Ecosystem, issued by China’s internet regulator, encourage the production and dissemination of material that helps increase “the international influence of Chinese culture” and presents to the world a “true, three-dimensional and comprehensive China”. This forms part of a broader Party-state project, repeatedly articulated by Xi Jinping, of “telling China’s story well”.
That phrase may sound benign. But in practice it is tied to a political and legal project in which China is not merely defended from criticism, but represented abroad under conditions increasingly shaped by party-state priorities. Seen in that light, the V&A controversy is not just a matter of avoiding sensitive content. It sits within a broader effort to structure the terms under which China may be portrayed at all.
Recent developments in the digital sphere show the same broader pattern in a more aggressive form. In February 2026, OpenAI reported that it had disrupted an operation linked to a Chinese law-enforcement official who allegedly used ChatGPT to document efforts aimed at intimidating dissidents abroad. This included fake official communications and forged documents. That is different from the V&A catalogue dispute. But both illustrate a new stage of transnational control in which the Chinese party state and its affiliated actors can use a range of mechanisms at once: political security logic, economic leverage, platform manipulation, bureaucratic pressure and technological tools.
These cases should not be collapsed into one another. A museum changing an image under pressure from a company in China is not the same as a dissident being targeted through deceptive digital operations. But they belong to the same ecology. One is the hard edge of transnational repression. The other is its quieter institutional face. Together, they show that the challenge is no longer confined to dramatic diplomatic incidents or overt bans.
That has implications far beyond museums. Universities, publishers and now cultural organisations in the UK increasingly operate in environments where external authoritarian influence may be felt not through formal legal obligation, but through partnership structures, procurement decisions, market access, technological dependency and reputational caution.
Advertisement
Liberal institutions are often poorly equipped to recognise these pressures because they expect censorship to appear as a clear legal command. Increasingly, it appears instead as a request to make one small change, to avoid delay, to save money, to keep things moving.
The lesson of the V&A controversy, then, is not simply that one museum made a questionable decision. It is that Britain needs a more serious conversation about cultural sovereignty under conditions of asymmetric interdependence.
If institutions rely on companies governed elsewhere by censorship, then freedom of expression at home becomes more fragile. The real question is not whether British museums are free in theory. It is whether they are independent enough in practice to prevent authoritarian preferences from quietly entering the production of public culture.
Fake tan season is officially here. (Picture: Metro/Getty)
The sun is finally starting to show its face – and with it comes the slow return of lighter layers, shorter hemlines and those strappy dresses we’ve been patiently waiting to wear again. As spring wardrobes make their long-awaited debut, it also means one thing: a little more skin on show.
If, like many of us, your legs and arms have spent the past few months hidden under jumpers and denim, you might be feeling in need of a quick glow-up before stepping out. Thankfully, fake tans make it easier than ever to cheat that just-back-from-holiday radiance.
From gradual lotions that build a believable glow to instant mousses that deliver bronzed results in hours, the latest formulas are streak-free, natural-looking and far removed from the orange disasters of the past. Whether you’re a tanning novice or a seasoned pro, these are the best fake tans on the high street to help you glow into spring.
Shop the best fake tans:
Isle of Paradise Gradual Self-Tan Lotion Light/Medium
Perfect for fake tan beginners, and when you’re in need of a little boost between tanning time, this hydrating gradual lotion builds a believable glow over a few days rather than overnight.
Advertisement
It’s infused with colour-correcting actives and nourishing ingredients like avocado, chia seed and coconut oils, so it hydrates while subtly deepening your skin tone.
Apply like a normal moisturiser and let the glow build naturally.
If you want a tan fast, this express mousse delivers bronzed results in as little as an hour.
The lightweight foam from Bondi Sands develops gradually depending on how long you leave it on.
Advertisement
One hour will give you a light glow, then leave it longer for a deeper bronze. It’s quick-drying, easy to blend and gives that holiday-style tan without the need for sunshine.
St. Moritz Advanced Gradual Self-Tanning Face Mist
Sometimes all you need is a quick top-up on your face rather than your whole body, so tanning face mist is easy to use and fuss-free.
Spritz over as you usually would a face mist, and then you can leave to work its magic with no buffing required.
It is formulated with hydrating ingredients and a gradual buildable colour, it’s perfect for adding a subtle glow to your complexion without clogging pores or disrupting your skincare routine.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re about to head out of the door and realise you either missed a spot, or you’re looking like Casper the friendly ghost?
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. This Skin & Tan Instant Tanner is brilliant to give you a tan instantly, whilst being able to be washed off at the end of the day.
Sol de Janeiro GlowMotions Copacabana Bronze Glow Body Oil
Whilst this isn’t technically a self-tan, this shimmering body oil gives skin an instant sun-kissed glow as soon as you apply.
Packed with nourishing oils and light-reflecting shimmer, it smooths onto the skin to create a bronzed, glossy finish that looks incredible on shoulders, legs and collarbones.
Advertisement
Think: beach holiday glow in a bottle with Sol de Janerio’s signature summer scent.
This lightweight serum from Coco & Eve blends anti-ageing skincare ingredients with gradual tanning actives to create a radiant glow while hydrating and smoothing the skin.
Ideal for anyone who wants their tan to work a little harder.
Simply apply 3-5 pumps to your face and neck every other day to build up to your desired glow.
Rose & Caramel Purity Reset 4-in-1 Self Tan Removing Gloves
We’ve all been there when we think we’ve perfected the tan to only be left with patches, dark spots or dry areas.
Thankfully, Rose & Caramel have developed tan-removing gloves so you can easily correct and help remove stubborn tan build-up whilst smoothing and prepping the skin for the next application.
They’re brilliant to use before your tanning sessions and to have in the bathroom cupboard if you’re an avid tanner.
An official statement said the tour will also incorporate ‘private meetings and special projects,’ including Meghan’s controversial £1,400 girls weekend, dubbed ‘Meg-stock.’
So far, Harry and Meghan have enjoyed a tour around Melbourne, Australia’s unofficial cultural capital, and visited the Australian War Memorial with indigenous veterans.
Advertisement
Harry’s bombshell statement came during his keynote speech at the $1,000-a-head InterEdge Summit in Melbourne Park.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking Newsalerts the moment it happens.
Advertisement
Harry and Meghan are currently completing a four-day private tour of Australia (Picture: Getty Images)
Telling the audience that he felt ‘lost, betrayed, or completely powerless’ in his youth, Harry claimed that he had his ‘head in the sand for years and years’ until he stepped down from royal duties — alongside Meghan — in 2020.
Harry suggested that his decision to leave the royal family was also something his mother would have wanted for him.
‘After my mum died just before my 13th birthday I was like “I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role. Wherever this is headed, I don’t like it”.
‘It killed my mum, and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.
‘Eventually, I realised well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?
Advertisement
‘And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royal family members in 2020 (Picture: Getty Images)
She passed away following a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France, which took place shortly after midnight while photographers were pursuing her car.
Diana had a complex, love-hate relationship with the press throughout her life. While she frequently expressed frustration with the paparazzi and the constant scrutiny under the spotlight, she was also able to leverage it to gain public support and highlight humanitarian causes.
Harry says he considered what his mum would want him to do (Picture: Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan shocked the world back in 2020 when they announced they would no longer be senior members of the royal family.
Revealing their plans to move across the Atlantic to California, the couple cited a ‘really difficult environment’ as their catalyst for leaving the ‘firm.’
On January 18 that year, the Duke and Duchess released a joint statement explaining their decision. It read: ‘We intend to step back as “senior” members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.’
They said they planned to balance their time between the UK and North America while ‘continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.’
It added: ‘This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.’
Advertisement
Queen Elizabeth II said that Harry remained a ‘much-loved’ member of her family (Picture: Getty Images)
In her message, the former monarch said that ‘following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.’
She also said that ‘Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.’
At the time, the couple only had one child, Prince Archie, six. Harry and Meghan later went on to welcome Prince Lilibet, four, in the US, who was affectionately named after Queen Elizabeth.
How much money do you spend on free-to-play games like Fortnite? (Epic Games)
The most popular PC games are typically free-to-play multiplayer titles, but gamers on all formats are increasingly moving away from them.
It’s already well known that the most popular video games nowadays are long-running older titles, with the likes of Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft holding a monopoly on player retention.
That’s unlikely to change in 2026 but a new report has unearthed some interesting statistics; namely that on PC, the top 20 games generated less than half of the platform’s revenue for all of 2025. Which is a good thing.
Advertisement
According to a Newzoo report, the 20 most played PC games consist almost entirely of multiplayer exclusive games. There are some exceptions, but those still offer multiplayer functionality and/or receive consistent updates, such as GTA 5 (which persists through the GTA Online multiplayer mode) and Genshin Impact.
However, the amount of money those games have generated has declined since 2022, where they made up 52% of all PC revenue made that year. That percentage went up to 57% in 2023, only to drop to 51% in 2024, and then 44% in 2025.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
Advertisement
The same can’t be said for consoles, though. Most of the revenue made on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles has come from their top 20 games, which aren’t identical to the PC list but are very similar.
Revenue from the most popular games has declined in general but more so on PC (Newzoo)
Furthermore, PC play time in general has only grown since 2022, with games outside of the top 20 seeing an increase of 44%. Basically, most of the platform’s growth isn’t coming from any of the usual suspects.
‘On PC, the space below the top 20 is becoming more economically meaningful. That doesn’t make the market unconcentrated, but it does make games below the very top more commercially relevant than before,’ says analyst Tianyi Gu.
Advertisement
She adds that outside of the top 20, player engagement comes mostly from premium and back catalogue games, whereas the top 20 is dominated by free-to-play ecosystems: ‘That does not mean new releases do not matter. But it does suggest that once a title is outside the very top tier, longevity and depth often matter more than novelty alone.’
Those top five games have been the same since 2023, with only the order shifting (Newzoo)
Given how many of those top 20 games are free-to-play, this seems to suggest that even the people who are spending money on those games aren’t outspending those looking for premium experiences.
On one hand, this wouldn’t be that surprising. Just last month, Epic Games admitted Fortnite, despite its popularity, wasn’t turning a profit and is losing player attention, which resulted in over 1,000 layoffs.
In fact, of the top 20 franchises across all platforms, most of them have seen declines in play time. Fortnite in particular, saw its play time drop by 29% by the end of 2025, losing its top spot to Roblox, which saw its play time grow by 52%.
The continued success of Roblox is no doubt why there’s been a vested interest in player-made content. Fortnite’s been pushing this for a while, allowing players to also make money off their content, and GTA 6 is rumoured to follow suit.
Advertisement
Even with its decline in play time, Fortnite was still one of the most played games of 2025 (Newzoo)
It is understood the assailant was carrying a kettle which had been boiled elsewhere in the courthouse.
15:54, 16 Apr 2026
Advertisement
A man was attacked at Strabane Magistrates’ Court ahead of a committal hearing in a murder case.
An ambulance attended after the man was scalded on his face, neck and shoulder when he was doused in boiling water at the doors into the courtroom.
It is understood that the assailant was carrying a kettle of water which had been boiled elsewhere in the courthouse.
The case related to the death of Stephen Holmes, who suffered serious injuries during an alleged incident in Strabane on 3 February 2025.
Advertisement
The thirty-one-year-old was treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he passed away from his injuries five days later.
Following the attack, Dylan McCrossan (32) from Beechmount Village, Strabane, who is the brother of SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan, appeared in court charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Following Mr Holmes’ death, the PSNI issued a statement advising that a murder investigation had commenced and the charges against McCrossan would be reviewed.
He was then brought back to court and charged with murder.
Advertisement
There has been no bail application at any stage, and the circumstances of the incident have never been fully disclosed.
Today (Thursday), as a committal hearing to transfer the case for trial was due to take place, a commotion occurred at the door of the court, causing District Judge Alana McSorley to immediately halt proceedings.
Seconds later, a court official dashed into the courtroom, grabbed a jug of water from one of the benches, and rushed back out.
Advertisement
This was used to cool the wounded man’s scald injuries while awaiting an ambulance.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment of burns. It is understood he is a relative of McCrossan, but Belfast Live understands the victim is not SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan.
Around two hours later, the court resumed, but Judge McSorley said, following consultation with the Office of the Lady Chief Justice, in view of what had occurred, the committal in court was adjourned until May 14.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police responded to an incident at Strabane Magistrates’ Court, in which a man was left injured and requiring hospital treatment.
Advertisement
“At 10.52am it was reported a man had thrown hot water over another man, causing burn injuries to his face and upper body. NI Ambulance Service also responded and took the victim to hospital for treatment.”
Detective Inspector Ballentine said: “The suspect is reported to have run away from the scene, and police efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspect. We are liaising with the NI Courts and Tribunal Service in regard to the incident. In the meantime, as enquiries continue to establish exactly what occurred, I am appealing to anyone with information, or footage which may have captured the suspect leaving the scene, to get in touch with police by call 101 quoting reference 409 of 16.04.26.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login