Author: Rhys Gregory

In a league that thrives on spectacle—where buzzer-beaters echo like cannon fire and sneaker-squeaks are the pulse of prime-time—the real drama of the NBA in 2025 isn’t playing out on the hardwood. It’s unfolding in courtrooms and federal investigations, in statements from league executives and quiet whispers from sportsbooks. Once on the periphery, gambling has become the dark subplot of basketball’s modern era. And the question we now confront isn’t just whether players bet on games. It’s whether the sanctity of the game itself is being slowly gambled away. In this moment of algorithmic fandom, where fans dissect player stats…

A  company of vertical dancers are set to take to a North Wales stage – and audience members can get roped into some of the fun if they’re up for it. Hedydd Dance Company use rock climbing equipment including ropes and harnesses to perform their innovative high-flying act. The members will be staging two performances at 2.30pm and 7pm on August 16 at Galeri in Caernarfon of their show Hiraeth, Lost Roots. Before each performance, the public can enjoy a taste of what it takes to be a vertical dancer  – even being suspended in the air if they’re brave enough.…

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Maes-Y-Felin Care Home in the market town of Llanybydder, South West Wales. Maes-Y-Felin Care Home is an exceptionally well-run, cosy home accommodating up to 19 residents. It occupies a quaint, detached property with a well-maintained interior that is surrounded by a lawned garden. It is nestled behind a private drive, in a convenient and accessible location just off the busy A475 road. It has been owned by Nalini Parmar and Katherine Bray since the 1990s. The pair recently decided to sell to allow them to retire. Following a…

The award-winning Vale Resort, nestled in the heart of Vale of Glamorgan countryside, has completed the final phase of its extensive £100,000 refurbishment of the Vale Spa, just in time for guests to indulge in summer relaxation. The culmination of this significant investment is the unveiling of brand-new luxury relaxation zones, carefully designed to elevate the spa experience by offering guests an inspiring choice of tranquil and sociable spaces. The resort has also launched a new online booking system making it even easier for visitors to plan their perfect escape. The newly completed relaxation areas include The Silent Cwtch: a…

Leading UK finance specialists Annie Ropar and Paul Oldham have joined the Board of the Development Bank of Wales as Non-Executive Directors. Annie is Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of the National Wealth Fund. She was previously one of the first employees of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), joining as its inaugural Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer. Annie also spent five years with Aequitas NEO Exchange Inc. (now CBOE Canada), and nine years with Royal Bank of Canada’s Capital Markets arm, where her career spanned finance, private equity and the institutional equity trading business. Paul Oldham is…

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to market The Beaufort Arms Hotel on the high street in Raglan, Monmouthshire. Dating back to the 16th century, The Beaufort Arms Hotel is a historic coaching inn, known for blending traditional charm with modern comforts and creating a welcoming atmosphere for both locals and visitors. The inn comprises fifteen individually styled en suite bedrooms. Those in the main hotel building feature medieval-inspired décor, with deep, sumptuous colours, while those in the Coach House offer a lighter “New England” aesthetic. Family suites and studios are also available, providing flexibility for…

Swansea University experts are lending their support to an ambitious scheme to revive the waterways of the city’s industrial past. The Centre for Heritage Research and Training (CHART), based at the University, has been working with the Swansea Community Boat Trust with its aims to identify a blue/green waterway corridor along the Swansea Valley from Clydach to Port Tennant. Thanks to funding from MEDR – the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research – and guidance from the CHART team, the Trust has now published a feasibility study and benefit analysis. Inspired by long-standing waterways volunteer John Davies, the study has…

A Cardiff couple who committed numerous child sex offences have been jailed. Tracy Turner from Roath, and Stuart Compton of Cathays, sent messages to each other discussing their sex lives and arranging to sexually abuse three named children. As part of the investigation, detectives reviewed 96,000 messages between the defendants who were discussing what they wanted to do to the child victims. Turner, 51, admitted six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences, and two charges of making indecent images of a child. Compton, 45, also pleaded guilty to six charges of arranging the commission of child sex…

Rail passengers can use their Transport for Wales tickets to unlock big discounts at some of Wales and the borders best attractions this summer. Top destinations including the Welsh Mining Experience, Chester Zoo, the Vale of Rheidol Railway and the National Football Museum offer reduced entry for visitors travelling by train. There’s also a chance to bag cheaper accommodation with Pembrokeshire Coastal Cottages, who have linked up with TfW to offer £50 off full price stays when travelling by train. Victoria Leyshon, Partnership Marketing Manager at Transport for Wales, said: “Our Big Days Out campaign offers savings at a wide…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has worked with Llantwit Major Town Council and local people to create a new Placemaking plan for the town’s future. Placemaking is about working together to improve the places where we live, work and spend time. It means listening, and using new ideas to make towns and neighbourhoods more attractive, welcoming and useful for everyone. This new plan aims to build on those strengths and make the town an even better place to live, work and visit. The plan is based on ideas and feedback from residents, local groups, and businesses, with many people getting…