Author: Rhys Gregory

A county councillor from Llanbister has been appointed as the new Chair of Powys County Council. Cllr Geoff Morgan, who represents the Ithon Valley ward, was elected to the role during the council’s annual general meeting on Thursday, May 14. He succeeds Cllr William Powell, the local member for the Talgarth ward, who previously held the position. At the same meeting, Cllr Danny Bebb, local member for Churchstoke, was elected as Vice Chair of the council. Cllr Peter James, local member for Llanwrtyd Wells, was also elected as Assistant Vice Chair.

A Cardiff man has been sentenced to more than 14 years for manslaughter after assaulting a Tredegar man outside a pub in Ebbw Vale. Kyle O’Callaghan, 30, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 37-year-old Marcus Lee Carpenter, who died following the assault on Bethcar Street in February this year. O’Callaghan received a sentence of 10-and-half-years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years, at Newport Crown Court on Friday 15 May. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Blyth, the senior investigating officer, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to the friends and family of Mr Carpenter who showed great strength and…

Dean Edwards has been jailed for a rape committed almost 20 years ago. The victim bravely came forward in 2023 after learning Edwards was serving a prison sentence for another rape. He protested his innocence but was found guilty following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. On Monday, May 11, 2026, Edwards was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to eight years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. The 48-year-old was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a restraining order indefinitely. The court heard the rape was committed in the woman’s house while Edwards was…

A bride swapped the traditional wedding car for a train journey on the South Wales Metro last weekend, as she travelled to her ceremony in Penarth alongside her bridal party. Bethan boarded the “Love Train” from Birchgrove to Penarth on Saturday ahead of her wedding to Chris at Penarth Pier Pavilion, turning heads among fellow passengers travelling on the Coryton line. The couple, who are regular users of the route, said they wanted to include the railway service in their big day after seeing the transformation of the South Wales Metro network in recent years. Bethan said: “Right from the…

Drivers are being warned of planned overnight closures on the A40 at Maesgwyn later this month and again in June, with diversions set to be in place for traffic travelling between Llandovery and Sennybridge. According to Traffic Wales, the A40 will be closed in both directions at Maesgwyn from 8pm until 6am across two separate periods to allow works to take place. The first closure is scheduled from Tuesday 19 May until Thursday 21 May 2026, with the road shut overnight between 8pm and 6am. A second overnight closure will then take place from Monday 1 June until Tuesday 2…

The first few days rarely cause problems. You have: small bases simple crafting stations limited storage only a few active Pals So even weaker setups can survive that stage. But then somebody unlocks electricity. And that changes everything. Now mining Pals never stop working. Conveyors move resources all day. Furnaces stay active constantly. Players start hoarding materials because everybody suddenly needs ingots, ammo, polymer, and high-tier gear at the same time. So what happened? The server starts tracking way more actions behind the scenes. Not all at once. Slowly. At first it’s tiny lag spikes during combat. Then players start…

As UK property investors face rising stamp duty, tighter regulations, and compressed yields, Dubai has emerged as a premier alternative. The city offers compelling capital appreciation, high rental returns, and a tax-efficient structure that appeals to savvy British buyers looking for international diversification. The Tax Advantage: A Game-Changer for UK Investors Dubai’s tax-free environment is a major draw. Unlike the UK, where buy-to-let investors face income tax, capital gains tax (CGT), and stamp duty, Dubai levies no tax on rental income or property disposals. Investors only pay a one-time 4% Dubai Land Department (DLD) transfer fee. Strong and Consistent Rental…

Crowds of watch collectors and eager shoppers descended on Swatch stores across the UK today as the launch of the new Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Collection sparked huge queues and forced multiple branches to close, including in Cardiff. Swatch confirmed it had shut stores in London “in light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff” as overwhelming demand for the limited edition watches caused disruption in several cities. A notice posted to Instagram by the brand read: “In light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff, CARDIFF store will be closed for…

A teenage footballer from Newport is preparing to step inside one of the world’s most dangerous circus stunts in a bid to raise money for women’s grassroots football during Circus Extreme’s Cardiff run. Eighteen-year-old Wattsville Ladies FC player Carly Buchanan-Thomas will take on the challenge inside Circus Extreme’s famous Globe of Death at Cardiff FC Stadium on Sunday 17 May at 7pm, following the show’s 5pm performance. In a stunt that combines football skill with high-speed adrenaline, Carly will attempt to complete as many kicky-uppies as possible while motorcyclists race around her inside the enclosed steel globe. The fundraising challenge…

Circus Extreme is set to bring a high-octane mix of live rock music, jaw-dropping stunts and family entertainment to Cardiff later this month as its brand-new production ROCK IT OUT arrives under the Big Top at Cardiff City FC. The internationally renowned touring circus promises its “most electrifying production yet”, blending modern circus acts, extreme stunt performances and a full live rock band into one adrenaline-fuelled experience. Launching exclusively in the UK for 2026, the new show has been years in the making and aims to combine the atmosphere of a live rock concert with the thrills of a traditional…