Welsh city, modern admin hub and historic market centre
The Doctor Who screenwriter has spoken about his husband Andrew Smith’s death from glioblastoma in 2018. He says caregiving was hard but he would have done it for 50 more years. Smith and Davies were together 20 years, married in 2012, and Davies is dating Oliver Cole. Davies will publish a memoir about his career this year.
New research using canopy lasers has mapped earthworks across the Amazon, suggesting the Anquiry civilization supported 1.25 to 3 million people at its peak and built a network of geoglyphs and roads with ceremonial centers. The findings challenge the idea of an untouched rainforest and imply a long and complex precolonial society.
Four young women have told the BBC they experienced sexual assault and harassment while at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, prompting calls for an independent inquiry and reforms to the military crime process.
Michael Sheen’s two-part BBC/Independent documentary investigates claims that polychlorinated biphenyls were dumped across Wales and nearby England. The programme finds residents near waste sites with elevated PCB levels and several cancer cases, prompting renewed calls for accountability from authorities and polluters.
The Welsh election ends Labour’s 26-year hold on the Senedd, with Plaid Cymru forming a minority government alongside Reform UK. The new coalition faces internal clashes over policy, from refugees to devolved powers, as it sets out its first days in power.
CrossCountry’s Birmingham power outage has crippled rail services nationwide, with near-normal operations only for Peterborough–Cambridge–Stansted. Tickets remain valid across operators, and rail replacement buses are in place as major routes face ongoing cancellations and delays.
A band of thunderstorms and heavy rain has prompted yellow weather warnings across much of England and Wales. The Met Office warns of disruption to transport and potential flooding, with 81 areas under warning and multiple flood alerts. Homeowners in Perry Barr have already seen flooding, as forecasters anticipate further downpours over the bank holiday weekend.
BBC reports that actor Michael Sheen has pressed MPs to back a national PCB testing and cleanup programme after tests showed elevated contamination at sites linked to Monsanto. The Welsh government calls contaminated land a key priority, amid questions over who should fund testing and cleanup. The Welsh Affairs Committee is also hearing from researchers and journalists who documented findings.
Catherine Zeta-Jones has embraced a Welsh accent for a new Prime drama, filmed in Wales and based on The Price You Pay. The series flips the male lead from the original US novel, introducing a Welsh Jackie Price as she confronts hitmen and a high-tech security setup inspired by Tom Jones. Zeta-Jones also serves as an executive producer and has spoken about her roots and fan reception.