Spyware targets U.S. officials via Signal and WhatsApp pairing tricks

A U.S. cyber defense alert says commercial spyware vendors and state-aligned operators are abusing linked-device features, including malicious QR pairing and some zero-click exploits, to monitor sensitive communications. Targets include U.S. government and military personnel and other high-profile users. Convenience met security, the QR code laughed, and your secondary device turned into a concierge for your stalker. Audit paired sessions, limit device linking, and remember that not every square on your screen is a good idea.

UK lawmakers push software liability and secure-by-design requirements

A parliamentary committee wants secure by design to become law, not a sticker on a press release, with fines for publishers who keep treating the public as unpaid QA. The plan would empower regulators to monitor compliance and levy penalties, putting a price on the ship-now, patch-later habit. If that makes a few executives rediscover testing and threat modeling, consider it a public health win.

HHS prepares to enforce information blocking rules at last

Nearly a decade after Congress told everyone to share patient data, regulators look ready to enforce it. Priorities are taking shape, and counsel like Nan Halstead of Reed Smith are flagging the compliance steps organizations should already be implementing. If you are still hoarding patient information like proprietary secret sauce, the bill for that menu item is on its way, and it will not be payable in buzzwords.

Amazon SageMaker adds EAGLE-based adaptive speculative decoding

SageMaker now supports EAGLE 2 and EAGLE 3 across six model families, including Llama, Qwen variants, and GPT OSS, letting a model draft its own next tokens from hidden layers instead of relying on a second helper model. Reported results include roughly 2.5x throughput and faster time to first token while preserving baseline quality, which is what you need if waiting for text like it is dial-up is not your business plan. You can start from JumpStart or bring S3-hosted artifacts, train on curated open datasets or your own ShareGPT or OpenAI-format logs, tune iteratively via Data Capture so behavior tracks real traffic, auto-export benchmarks, and deploy through the usual SageMaker inference interface. Pricing tracks standard SageMaker training for optimization and standard inference for deployment, net result, fewer wasted milliseconds and more actual work.

FBI arrests Florida man accused of plotting a neo-Nazi terror attack

Federal agents arrested 20-year-old Lucas Alexander Temple, who is charged with distributing information related to explosives and possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Investigators say he discussed plans to livestream an attack and shared violent extremist materials in encrypted chats. Agents linked online aliases to Temple using personal details and records, and a search recovered propaganda and a sawed-off shotgun. A magistrate judge ordered him detained pending trial, citing danger to the community. This is disturbing and serious, and the focus belongs on prevention, accountability, and the safety of targeted communities.

OpenAI lets enterprise customers keep data closer to home

OpenAI rolled out in-region data at rest options across ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Edu, and the API platform. Eligible customers can pick where data is stored, which gives compliance teams a brief moment of serenity and regulators one fewer reason to fan themselves. Translation, your bits can finally sleep in their own time zone.

Senators urge probes of Meta over alleged profits from scam ads

After a Reuters review of internal documents, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley asked the FTC and SEC to investigate Meta. The materials reportedly suggested Meta anticipated up to 16 billion dollars this year from ads that include scams or banned goods, roughly 10 percent of revenue, and that users see about 15 billion higher risk ads a day. The senators want disgorgement, civil penalties, individual accountability, and a binding fix for scam ads. They cite Meta staff assessments that the company was tied to a third of successful U.S. scams and was unmatched by peers, plus examples like fake Elon Musk investments, a bogus 710 dollars for everyone Trump benefit, deepfake porn, and ads selling legal help to scam victims. A quick scan of Meta's Ad Library still turns up illicit gambling, payment scams, crypto cons, AI deepfake sex services, and fake federal benefits, they say. Meta calls the reporting distorted and says it fights fraud, while internal papers reportedly forecast up to 1 billion dollars in fines as U.S. and U.K. probes continue. The corporate vibe, the house swears it hates gambling while quietly expanding the casino floor.

Researchers find credentials leaking through free web tools

Security researchers say popular online JSON beautifiers were fed live authentication keys, database logins, and customer PII from banks and government agencies. The tools make code prettier, the internet gets a peek at your backend. It is the predictable result of convenience-first culture, not a clever new exploit. If it opens in a browser and costs nothing, treat it like a billboard, not a vault.

Albany hits the brakes on free NYC buses

New York State delayed Zohran Mamdani's fare-free bus proposal, and the next steps are murky. The plan would replace roughly 700 million to 800 million dollars in lost MTA fare revenue, and if New York City rides free, Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany will ask for the same, ballooning the bill into the billions. Mamdani also pitched universal child care, a rent freeze, a higher minimum wage, public groceries, and billions for housing, funded by raising corporate taxes to about 11.5 percent and hiking rates on millionaires. Nearly all require Albany's approval, and Gov. Kathy Hochul is disinclined to raise taxes. Looming in the background is the New York Financial Control Board, a reminder of 1975's near default, ready to yank the cord if City Hall tries to paper over operating costs with borrowing. Even supporters suspect the 9 billion dollar ask is an anchor to land less. With a lagging post-pandemic recovery and high earners still trickling out, state leaders seem to be saying, bring funding or a very convincing map. For now, the magic bus is idling behind caution tape.

Stretchable, Gelatin-Based Battery Aims to Cut E-Waste

Researchers at McGill’s Trottier Institute have built a flexible battery that swaps toxic materials for citric or lactic acid and gelatin, making it bendable and potentially implant friendly. It promises greener power for wearables and less electronic waste. Look at that, innovation behaving itself for once.

Ukraine Peace Plan Pushes Forward, Plus Washington's Seasonal Poultry Pageant

Kyiv has agreed to core components of a U.S.-backed framework, with security chief Rustem Umerev signaling President Volodymyr Zelensky plans a White House visit before month’s end for further talks. Meanwhile, in a ritual of bipartisan symbolism, President Trump will pardon turkeys Gobble and Waddle, because nothing says geostrategic resolve like ceremonial clemency for birds.

Foot Locker Closures Coming Under New Owner

Foot Locker will close some stores in 2026 under its new parent, Dick’s Sporting Goods, which says it plans to clean out the garbage in a post merger purge. Finally, a corporate strategy statement that skips the buzzwords and heads straight for the broom.

Mother and 4-Year-Old Son Diagnosed With Cancer the Same Day

A mother and her young son received separate cancer diagnoses on the same day and are now undergoing treatment on parallel paths. It is a profound hardship that demands immense strength, and their resolve deserves attention and support, not spectacle.

Orbán Courts Moscow as Ukraine Talks Advance

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is reportedly seeking a sit down with Vladimir Putin while urging the EU to back a U.S.-led plan and open direct talks with Russia. He is casting himself as Europe’s self appointed envoy, also known as the Kremlin’s most punctual plus one inside the bloc.

O’Hare Braces for Record Thanksgiving Rush

Chicago expects more than 1.63 million passengers over the seven day holiday window, a 9.5 percent jump from last year and the busiest Thanksgiving week in the hub’s 70 year history. The city says it is ready, and travelers should be too, with patience, portable chargers, and expectations set to standing room only.

ULTRARAM Faces the Factory Test

In a University of Adelaide analysis, Dr. Dominic Lane examines whether the much hyped III–V memory concept ULTRARAM, billed as DRAM fast and flash persistent, can leap from elegant physics to scalable, reliable, economically sane production. Translation, can it survive anywhere beyond a press release.

Suspected Islamist extremist seeks UK asylum after questioning over bombing

Suspected Islamist extremist seeks UK asylum after questioning over bombing: an anonymous Sri Lankan man questioned over the 2019 Easter attacks that killed 269 people, including six Britons, is renewing his asylum bid after his initial application was rejected. He says he fears persecution if returned, denies involvement, and left Sri Lanka in September 2022 after being released under reporting conditions; an arrest warrant was issued after his departure. The Home Office refusal was overturned at the Upper Tribunal, where Deputy Judge Claire Burns found legal errors in the original decision, including misreading documentary evidence and the timing of the arrest warrant; she rejected claims of judicial bias. The case will be reheard. The bombings, claimed by Islamic State and linked by Sri Lankan police to National Thowheeth Jama’ath, were the country’s deadliest attacks since the civil war.

Council unanimously votes to rename Prince Andrew Way following local backlash

Council unanimously votes to rename Prince Andrew Way following local backlash: In Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, Mid and East Antrim councillors voted unanimously to rebrand the street formerly honoring Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—because when even a road wants to socially distance, you take the hint. The move follows the removal of his titles over ties to Jeffrey Epstein; Andrew denies all allegations, but councillors from the Alliance Party and DUP said keeping his name on the map was “sad but necessary” to end.

Officials will now draft the formal process, including a public consultation—because unlike certain palaces, the council plans to ask the locals first. There’s no existing policy for renaming streets, but the council does have the power; a report will cover logistics, potential costs (there are about 10 addresses), and whether the council can foot the bill for residents who’ll be updating bank accounts and licenses.

Suggestions to keep a royal link are already rolling in: Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Catherine (the Baroness of Carrickfergus), or even Prince Edward Way. One thing’s certain: Carrickfergus would prefer its street signs not double as PR liabilities.

Labour Minister Backs Reeves's Misogyny Claims

Labour Minister Backs Reeves's Misogyny Claims as Health Minister Karin Smyth defends the Chancellor’s remarks to the PLP, where Rachel Reeves vowed not to let critics “beat” her and conceded she hadn’t fully recognised how much misogyny still lingers in public life—Westminster’s belated epiphany that sexism exists, and she’s not playing along.

GB News finance expert urges Britons to act fast to claim £400 payment

GB News finance expert urges Britons to act fast to claim £400 payment—because, in a rare plot twist, the banks are briefly paying you to leave them. Temie Laleye says millions could pocket easy cash by switching via the Current Account Switch Service, which moves salaries, direct debits and standing orders in seven days. Barclays is dangling up to £400, while Santander and NatWest are offering £175–£200 to new customers. She cautions: read the small print—eligibility and deposit rules vary—and with Black Friday and Christmas looming, these deals can vanish faster than your festive budget, so move quickly if you want the extra pre-holiday cash.

U.S. imposes visa restrictions in response to gang violence in Haiti

The U.S. imposes visa restrictions in response to gang violence in Haiti, targeting Haitian government officials the Trump administration accuses of backing gangs and other criminal organizations. Translation: bankroll chaos, lose your Miami weekends. It’s a pressure play to squeeze alleged enablers of Haiti’s insecurity by hitting them where it hurts—their passports.

Atlassian’s tabletop disaster recovery drill revealed extensive dependency problems

Atlassian’s tabletop disaster recovery drill revealed extensive dependency problems—nothing like a fake crisis to expose the real one—prompting the Australian collaborationware firm to spend four years turning a spaghetti tangle of services into a more robust, recoverable cloud layer cake. The company rebuilt its PaaS to strip out dangerous internal dependencies; issues remain, but Atlassian says they’re now manageable—fewer tripwires, more guardrails.

Medik8 discounts anti-ageing cream by £19, touted to reduce wrinkles and fine lines

Medik8 discounts anti-ageing cream by £19, touted to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, with one fan claiming, “Each application leaves my skin plump and well hydrated without any signs of dryness.” Fewer creases promised—on faces and receipts.

Scientists develop simple technique to break down PFAS on activated carbon

Scientists develop simple technique to break down PFAS on activated carbon—and for once, “forever” looks negotiable. Clarkson University researchers report that PFAS trapped on granular activated carbon can be completely destroyed by simply milling the carbon in stainless steel ball mills at room temperature, with no added chemicals, heat, or solvents. The steel-ball collisions generate triboelectrons that drive PFAS breakdown via reactions with the carbon, working across multiple PFAS types in both lab-made and real-world samples. After treatment, no PFAS leached under landfill-like tests, suggesting the spent carbon can finally be disposed of without turning the environment into a chemistry set. Published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, this could unclog one of the nastiest bottlenecks in PFAS cleanup.

Two Philadelphia holiday traditions return to the Wanamaker Building, the former Center City Macy’s

Two Philadelphia holiday traditions return to the Wanamaker Building, the former Center City Macy’s, as the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village flicker back to life despite Macy’s exit—because in Philly, the lights don’t dim on our watch. A donor preview Monday night celebrated the community effort that saved the historic displays, with the Philadelphia Visitor Center’s Kathryn Ott Lovell thanking supporters. Families who feared a final curtain—like the Sugarmans, who arrive with an eagle-and-snowman tattoo, yearly pins, and a decade of dates-turned-babies—packed the atrium alongside siblings in matching sweaters and maximal nostalgia. Macy’s may have left the building; Philadelphia didn’t.

Ithan Elementary students disappointed after Eagles' loss to Cowboys

Ithan Elementary students were disappointed after the Eagles’ loss to the Cowboys, as Monday’s school spirit sagged under a classic NFC East letdown—a crash course in Philly fandom: big hopes on Friday, heartbreak by Sunday night.

Gallup: 10% of U.S. adults report having been diagnosed with cancer

Gallup: 10% of U.S. adults report having been diagnosed with cancer, the highest share since the pollster began tracking the disease 17 years ago—an alarming marker that underscores a growing health burden and the stakes for screening and access to care.

Mob Insider Reveals Decades of Organized Crime Secrets

Mob Insider Reveals Decades of Organized Crime Secrets as Gianni Russo, 81, the perennial plus-one to mobsters, movie stars, and politicians, unloads in his memoir, Mafia Secrets: Untold Tales from the Hollywood Godfather. He alleges Pope John Paul I was murdered in 1978 for trying to shut down a Vatican Bank laundering pipeline run by Archbishop Paul Marcinkus—claims that include Russo himself couriering Vegas skim to Rome until the pope said stop, and, days later, was dead; a former Swiss Guard allegedly told him the pontiff got an “untraceable” injection. Russo’s Hollywood reel features a years-long, oddly chaste connection with Marilyn Monroe that culminates at Cal-Neva, where he says she erupted over the Kennedys and an abortion, while mob bosses warned she wouldn’t live to file a complaint. He places Lee Harvey Oswald walking out of Carlos Marcello’s private bathroom days before JFK’s assassination, watches Tony “the Ant” Spilotro meet his end, and tours Pablo Escobar’s Medellín spread—cocaine, cash, and hippos, because subtlety isn’t a cartel virtue. Never officially “made,” Russo casts himself as the Zelig of bad neighborhoods and shrugs off retaliation: “Everybody’s dead.” He signs off with a flourish only a lifelong almost-mobster could love: “I am a made man—only by God.”

A Look Back at the History of the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade

A Look Back at the History of the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade: Philadelphia, the city that kicked off the nation’s first Thanksgiving Day parade, revisits the festivities that grew from a hometown tradition into a broadcast staple—now caffeinated by Dunkin’ and carried by 6abc—launching generations of gratitude with unmistakable Philly pride.

White House postpones unveiling of new health care cost plan

White House postpones unveiling of new health care cost plan: The administration delayed a Monday rollout of its proposal to curb rising healthcare costs—just as Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year. Because nothing says “urgent” like hitting snooze when the meter’s still running.

Trump accepts invitation to visit Beijing in first call with Xi Jinping since trade truce

Trump accepts invitation to visit Beijing in first call with Xi Jinping since trade truce, setting an April trip that pairs nicely with a promised state visit for Xi to the U.S. later in the year. The White House confirmed the morning call but kept the details under tighter wraps than a luxury handbag in customs; Trump, however, announced on Truth Social that they discussed Ukraine/Russia, fentanyl, soybeans and other farm products—because nothing says superpower détente like legumes—and touted “a very good” deal for farmers. China’s Xinhua signaled Taiwan was raised, with Xi calling it a core concern and invoking World War II to argue both countries should safeguard the “victorious outcome”—diplomatic history as cudgel, always a crowd-pleaser. The conversation followed their late-October meeting in South Korea, where both sides agreed to a one-year pause on tariffs and export controls. Adding pressure, Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned Tokyo could deploy forces if Beijing sparked a cross-strait conflict, framing it as a threat to Japan’s survival. For now, Washington and Beijing are back to talking often; whether that’s progress or just better choreography remains to be seen.

Two House of Lords members face suspension over lobbying

Two House of Lords members face suspension over lobbying: Lords Richard Dannatt and David Evans are set to be sanctioned for breaching conduct rules, including lobbying—because nothing says “public service” like turning the red benches into a concierge desk for influence.

Sex Pistols set to headline Cardiff Castle punk celebration as 50th anniversary nears

Sex Pistols set to headline Cardiff Castle punk celebration as 50th anniversary nears, with the re-energised lineup—Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock, now fronted by Frank Carter—topping TK Maxx Presents Depot Live on Saturday 1 August 2026 in what’s being billed as Wales’s biggest punk moment in decades. They’ll be joined by The Stranglers and The Undertones, with Cardiff’s own Panic Shack opening—punk’s golden jubilee, now with a sponsor tag and, presumably, safety barriers. Presale opens 10am Thursday at depolive.co.uk/sexpistols; general sale 10am Friday via depolive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk. The date caps a thumping 2025 comeback run through Europe, Australia and Japan—highlighted by a riotous Royal Albert Hall and a star-clogged 100 Club—and nods to 50 years since their 1976 Lesser Free Trade Hall shockwaves lit the North. Or, as Steve Jones put it: “If it ain’t fun, I ain’t doing it. I’m too old for bullshit.”

Permit Records Contradict L.A. Times Palisades Fire Rebuild Report, Prompting Criticism

Permit Records Contradict L.A. Times Palisades Fire Rebuild Report, Prompting Criticism: The Los Angeles Times proclaimed the “first home” had been rebuilt after January’s Pacific Palisades fire, but city permit records show the project’s application was filed Nov. 8, 2024—two months before the blaze—suggesting a pre-fire Thomas James Homes spec build, not a post-fire rebuild. Critics pounced, with Spencer Pratt flagging the November filing and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey calling the piece “pure propaganda.”

City Hall, meanwhile, did its own ribbon-cutting-by-press-release: Mayor Karen Bass celebrated the certificate of occupancy as “an important moment of hope,” while pledging to keep expediting rebuilds. On the ground, residents still report a maze of red tape and steep costs, even as the city cites more than 1,200 plan approvals across 600-plus addresses and roughly 1,000 permits issued; some say fees can hit $70,000.

Context worth keeping sober: the fire killed 12 people and destroyed 6,837 structures; a 29-year-old suspect was later arrested. Hope is welcome. But rebranding a pre-fire, larger replacement as the “first rebuild” is less resilience and more PR cosplay—time travel still not included in LADBS services.

Judge Halts Sacramento Utility Surveillance, Tells SMUD to Stop Data Dumps

A Sacramento County judge ruled that SMUD violated California privacy law by handing police granular smart meter data for years, letting officers trawl for high usage homes across roughly 650,000 customers and forwarding more than 33,000 names. The court called it fishing, not investigation, and ordered the utility to stop sharing customer info without concrete evidence. The case, brought by EFF and co counsel for the Asian American Liberation Network, Khurshid Khoja, and Alfonso Nguyen, also flagged disproportionate impacts on Sacramento’s Asian community. The judge declined to deem the program an unconstitutional search based on monthly totals, while petitioners argue the real issue is continuous, high resolution monitoring that maps life inside the home. The ruling shutters a decade of cozy surveillance, reminding utilities that your power bill is not a police shortcut. Smart meters are for keeping the lights on, not deputized snooping.

Zelenskyy May Visit U.S. as Trump Touts Big Progress

After talks in Geneva, Ukraine’s president is expected to head to the United States for more substantial negotiations. Translation, the breakthrough is that they scheduled the meeting about the breakthrough. Diplomacy, now with extra calendar invites.

Namibian Politician Named Adolf Hitler Poised for Fifth Term

Adolf Hitler Uunona, a SWAPO district administrator in Ompundja, is expected to win again. He says his father chose the name without understanding its grim history and rejects any connection to that ideology. Voters appear to judge his record, not the moniker, a rare victory for substance over branding, and a reminder that context matters far more than shock value.

Rescuers Free Pennsylvania Fox from Plastic Pipe

A red fox finally got relief after an animal rescue team tracked it down and removed a drainage pipe stuck around its neck since October. Score one for compassion, and maybe retire the human habit of turning wildlife into accidental wearable art.

Counterfeit Labubu Toys Seized, Shoppers Warned

Authorities nabbed hundreds of fake Labubu collectibles and cautioned that knockoffs could be dangerous. Nothing says holiday spirit like a phony figurine with a side of safety hazards. Maybe stick to gifts that do not come with a chemical mystery.

Royal Navy Shadows Russian Intel Ships Near the Channel

Britain says its Navy intercepted and monitored two Russian intelligence gathering vessels near the English Channel. Another round of maritime peekaboo where Moscow snoops, London shadows, and everyone reenacts retro spy theater with better cameras.

U.S. Labels Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Washington designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles an FTO, opening the door to expanded sanctions and asset freezes. It is the diplomatic equivalent of putting your name on the naughty list, then locking the cookie jar, the bank account, and the back door.

New Jersey Sets April 2026 Special Election After Sherrill Resigns

With Rep. Mikie Sherrill vacating her U.S. House seat ahead of inauguration, the current governor set the special election dates for April 2026. It is political musical chairs with a calendar invite, and as always, the music stops right as voters are asked to find a chair.

Philadelphia Frozen-Meat Heist, Four Cars, Zero Shame

A truck driver armed with a baseball bat confronted masked suspects, but police say four men in separate vehicles still fled with a large haul of frozen meat from a tractor-trailer. Authorities are now hunting the cold-cut crew, who apparently think supply chain management means bring your own getaway car.

Donald Glover Says He Suffered a Stroke

On stage at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles, Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, said he suffered a stroke. No jokes here. Hoping he has the care he needs and the time to recover fully.

Iberia Alerts Customers to Data Breach After Hacker Boast

About a week after a threat actor claimed to have swiped 77 GB of data, Iberia notified customers of a breach. The airline arrived late to its own crisis, then asked passengers to believe the delay was part of the flight plan.

Houlahan Blasts Speaker Johnson’s Tepid Reply to Trump’s Execution Post

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan called Speaker Mike Johnson’s response to Donald Trump’s post suggesting six Democratic lawmakers be put to death mealy-mouthed. Johnson offered that the words used were not the ones he would use, which is Washington dialect for I saw the fire, then complimented the flames.

Lawmakers Demand Answers After San Antonio Nightclub Raid

Two Democratic congressmen from Texas want details from a new regional Homeland Security Task Force after it raided a San Antonio nightclub and arrested 140 people. They are asking what triggered the operation, what charges exist, and whether this task force serves public safety or press conferences. Officials have yet to explain the raid.

Trump’s Sudden Praise For Mamdani Lands With a Pirouette

In a notable White House meeting, President Trump lauded Zohran Mamdani as rational after previously branding him a communist. From boogeyman to buddy in record time, a pivot so fast it should come with a spotter and a waiver.

Old Coal Mines, New Clean Energy in British Columbia

In Cumberland, B.C., abandoned coal works are being tapped for cleaner energy, turning a carbon-soaked past into a greener future. Credit where due, this is the rare plot twist where the mine shaft leads upward.

Pam Bondi Moves to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Transcripts

Florida’s former attorney general filed an expedited motion to release grand jury transcripts in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as lawmakers push for full transparency. Sunshine is long overdue, and the shadows have had a very long run of good press.

UK Covid-19 inquiry says early pandemic surveillance lagged by weeks

UK Covid-19 inquiry says early pandemic surveillance lagged by weeks, finding that a lack of effective data flows and years of reduced scientific investment left the country flying blind just when speed mattered most. Confirmed cases took up to three weeks to appear in the national health database, hampering decision-makers and blunting the early response to Covid-19.

Revisions Announced for Major Regeneration Project

Revisions announced for major regeneration project: Swansea’s £28.7m Lower Swansea Valley Programme has been “re-profiled” in a closed cabinet session to funnel the money into the former Hafod‑Morfa Copperworks, where physical refurbishment is due to start in the coming months. Translation: one site gets the cash, the others get mood boards and optimism. The museum expansion (with the much-teased cafe), retail units at The Strand’s Victorian arches, improved links, and two River Tawe pontoons will now hunt “alternative funding,” though design work is done. The scheme was kickstarted by a £20m Levelling Up grant in 2023 plus £8.7m from the council, with rising costs cited. Planning permission to restore two engine houses at Hafod‑Morfa was approved in February; completion is targeted by March 2028, with some elements earlier.

Council approves £20m regeneration funding for seaside town

Council approves £20m regeneration funding for seaside town, as Denbighshire’s cabinet unanimously backs a 10-year plan to revitalize Rhyl from 2026—starting with a four-year push on high streets, heritage, housing, jobs and skills, health and wellbeing, plus transport, safety, education and opportunity. The cash comes via the UK Government’s Pride in Place programme, with an “independent” community-led Our Rhyl board setting priorities while the council receives the funds and officers sign off—bureaucracy meets actual local input, a rare duet. Officials admit £20m won’t remake the town, but pitch it as a catalyst to leverage more public, private and community investment, with ongoing engagement to keep the programme community-led.

Udo Kier, prolific German actor and frequent Lars von Trier collaborator, dies at 81

Udo Kier, prolific German actor and frequent Lars von Trier collaborator, dies at 81: The magnetic performer, whose career encompassed more than 250 films—including memorable turns in Suspiria, My Own Private Idaho, and multiple von Trier projects—has died, leaving a singular imprint on international cinema.

Toddler’s visit to Selfridges’ Disney display leads to an unexpected moment

Toddler’s visit to Selfridges’ Disney display leads to an unexpected moment of wonder, as journalist Samantha Bartlett’s London lights outing turned into a wide-eyed pause at the department store’s lavish, genuinely magical windows—proof that, for once, retail spectacle actually delivered the holiday sparkle it keeps promising.

Welsh Conservatives unveil plans to support farmers

Welsh Conservatives unveil plans to support farmers, rolling into the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells with a pledge-a-thon led by party leader Darren Millar and shadow rural affairs chief Samuel Kurtz. The package promises a £100m boost to the farming budget, a campaign against the UK Government’s agricultural property relief reforms that would tax inherited farm assets over £1m at 20% from April 2026, and the outright axing of Wales’ Sustainable Farming Scheme—despite Labour already binning its most contentious 10% tree-cover rule. In its place, the Tories tout a food security–first model, a science-led TB eradication programme targeting disease in livestock and wildlife, and the scrapping of the all-Wales Nitrate Vulnerable Zone in favor of targeted catchment rules. They’ll also push new procurement rules to put more Welsh food and drink on the public menu. Translation: fewer blanket green mandates, more cash and market muscle—plus a swipe at Cardiff Bay and Westminster in one go.