Author: Eleanor Price

Environmental campaigners have condemned Amazon’s decision to render approximately two million functioning e-readers effectively useless next month, warning the move could generate over 624 tonnes of electronic waste from devices whose only failing is running outdated software rather than experiencing hardware failure. The controversy centres on Amazon’s 20 May deadline, after which twelve Kindle models—some dating back to 2007’s original launch—will lose access to the digital bookstore that forms their core purpose. Whilst existing downloaded titles remain readable, affected users cannot acquire new content, transforming what were fully-functional reading devices into static libraries frozen in time. “However, that’s hardly a…

Deep-fried products will be eliminated from English school canteens under government proposals billed as the “most ambitious overhaul of school food in a generation,” though headteachers have warned additional funding will prove essential implementing the restrictions amid existing budget pressures. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s Department for Education plans—subject to nine-week consultation before September announcement and September 2027 implementation—will prohibit deep-fried options whilst limiting sweetened desserts to weekly servings as ministers attempt addressing childhood obesity and tooth decay crises. The restrictions will prevent schools offering daily “grab and go” items like sausage rolls and pizza, with fruit replacing “sugar-laden treats” for…

GB News has confirmed veteran broadcaster Eamonn Holmes remains hospitalized following a stroke suffered last week, with the 66-year-old’s anticipated Monday return to his Breakfast with Eamonn and Ellie programme now postponed indefinitely whilst he receives treatment. The channel issued a statement revealing Holmes “is currently responding well to treatment” and requesting privacy as he “focuses on getting better,” with colleagues wishing him “a speedy recovery” before welcoming him back to “the People’s Channel when he is ready to return.” The hospitalization follows Holmes’s mysterious absence from GB News throughout recent weeks after sparking viewer alarm during an 11 March…

A Muslim contestant’s religious refusal to handle pork during MasterChef Spain has ignited fierce online controversy after judges responded by placing her into elimination rounds, with viewers sharply divided over whether the programme should have accommodated her beliefs. The viral exchange saw Gambian-born nurse Soko inform the judging panel she would not cook pork under any circumstances, stating: “If something is haram, if it’s forbidden, then if you can’t eat it, you shouldn’t handle it either. For me, my religion is more important than anything else.” Judges responded bluntly by telling her “Here, you come to cook everything” before handing…

University Challenge host Amol Rajan has revealed he may relocate his family to India as part of broader life reassessment coinciding with his September departure from Radio 4’s Today programme, citing England’s declining dynamism compared to his birthplace’s “exciting and energetic” atmosphere. The Calcutta-born broadcaster expressed profound concern about whether England remains “the best place for my four kids to grow up” during an appearance on Gyles Brandreth’s Rosebud podcast, acknowledging “big, big problems” facing what he described as “my country.” Mr Rajan, 42, characterised modern England as no longer representing a location “where history is being made”—contrasting sharply with…

Apple has deployed an emergency software patch after frustrated developers overwhelmed company forums with complaints about catastrophic iCloud data synchronisation failures preventing changes made on one device automatically appearing on others. The iOS 26.4.1 update addresses what developers characterised as a critical regression introduced by the previous 26.4 version, with Apple’s shared passwords feature amongst services directly impacted by the lag preventing proper cross-device translation. Developer forum threads documented mounting exasperation as users discovered modifications made on Mac computers failed appearing on iPhones despite Apple’s ecosystem typically delivering near-instantaneous synchronisation across all registered devices. “Make a change on the Mac,…

Sotheby’s International Realty has listed a meticulously restored 18th-century County Kildare mining settlement for €20 million (£17.5 million), with the 20-acre estate’s 47-bedroom capacity and five-star hotel operations positioning it as what agents predict will attract “an ultra-high-net-worth individual” seeking either an Irish estate or investment opportunity. David Byrne of Sotheby’s anticipates the Village of Lyons—currently operating as luxury hotel Cliff Lyons—will appeal to wealthy buyers recognising the property’s dual potential as both private retreat and commercial hospitality venture, with the rose-clad Georgian cottages arranged around “intimate squares and gardens” just 30 minutes from Dublin. Current owner Barry O’Callaghan acquired…

Joe Rogan has accused President Donald Trump of launching the Iran war to divert public attention from recently released Epstein documents, marking the popular podcaster’s dramatic pivot from 2024 endorser to vocal critic since hostilities commenced. “Look, the Epstein files comes out—we go to war with Iran. It’s a good way to get people to stop talking about certain things. You give them a new problem to think about,” Rogan stated during Wednesday’s podcast episode featuring guest Arsenio Hall. The claim represents Rogan’s latest criticism of “Operation Epic Fury” following previous warnings the campaign could trigger World War III alongside…

A judge has imprisoned an intoxicated airline passenger for ten months following behaviour described by a senior police officer as “effectively the worst he had to endure” throughout two decades of service, with the defendant’s aggression forcing the captain to abandon an initial landing attempt at Bristol Airport. Stephen Blofield, 61, from Haverfordwest, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday where Judge Euan Ambrose declared custody the sole appropriate response to his November 11 rampage aboard a Ryanair service from Krakow. “This is a case where only a custodial sentence can be justified. It is so serious that no other…

The BBC’s executive complaints unit has found the broadcaster seriously breached editorial guidelines by leaving a racial slur shouted during February’s BAFTAs ceremony available on iPlayer for over 12 hours despite the “highly offensive” content having “no editorial justification.” Investigators determined “lack of clarity among the team as to whether the word was audible” resulted in the prolonged delay before the programme was finally pulled for editing, with viewers encountering the message “This episode will be available soon” after removal. The ECU characterised the extended availability as “a serious mistake, because there could be no certainty that the word would…