Welsh city, modern admin hub and historic market centre
The Guardian and BBC report on adaptations and performances featuring Welsh actors embracing regional roots. Tremain’s Extra Geography is adapted for film, while Catherine Zeta-Jones returns to Welsh roots in a new thriller, highlighting strong local accents and performances.
The Office of Rail Regulation has rejected additional West Coast Main Line services to London and other routes, citing limited timetable resilience. ORR argues space must be kept to recover from disruptions, keeping delays and cancellations in check.
Wrexham has confirmed a high-profile pre-season tour to the United States, with fixtures against Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland. The team is focused on training and results as injuries shape squad selection ahead of the Championship campaign.
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.
BBC and Independent investigations reveal claimed PCB dumps linked to Monsanto in the 1980s, with residents near sites testing high PCB levels. Michael Sheen addresses public health concerns as whistleblowers push for accountability. The BBC documents trace alleged historic dumping and calls for fresh statutory testing
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.
The bank holiday weekend is marked by widespread rail disruption due to a Birmingham power outage affecting CrossCountry’s control centre. Plans for a near-normal service on Monday are in flux as rail routes face cancellations, rail replacement buses are in place, and tickets remain valid across operators amid disruption.
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.