At a Growth, Infrastructure & Housing Select Committee on Tuesday, councillors said Bucks is ‘on track’ despite the ‘tight’ timetable which was ‘forced’ upon them. It is aiming to publish the full local plan in July for a six-week consultation – and must submit this by December 31 to meet Government deadlines. Some councillors are concerned that if any potential housing sites are passed over, the local authority will simply not be able to meet its targets. Cllr Waters said he thought infrastructure links, eg roads, are ‘the biggest concern’ as communities get larger. On the housing subject, Cllr Morgan said she thought it was a ‘mistake’ that Bucks council is not looking at building its own housing.

If you have HBO Max or made small talk this holiday season with someone who does, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about the TV show Heated Rivalry. [1] Heated Rivalry didn’t quite crack Nielsen’s top-ten for streaming originals, but it came close. [2] And while its viewership started at roughly fifty-fifty men-women, by the finale, Heated Rivalry viewers were two-thirds female. As for specific praise, I’ve received a bevy of quotes from watchers who adore Heated Rivalry specifically. In Heated Rivalry’s finale week of December 22-28, the top three spots were occupied by Stranger Things (6,887 million minutes), Landman (1,643 million minutes), and Fallout (918 million minutes).

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing on January 28, 2026, for an official visit to China through Saturday. Photo: VCGAccompanied by around 60 British business and cultural leaders, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday.Addressing business delegates in the lobby of their hotel in Beijing, Starmer was quoted by BBC as saying that "on this delegation, you're making history. "Starmer continued that "We are resolute about being outward-looking, about taking opportunities, about building relationships ... and always being absolutely focused on our national interest. Chinese experts said the surge reflects a desire to deepen cooperation with Beijing and seek stability amid a turbulent global landscape. Rather, they are more inclined to pursue horizontal cooperation to safeguard their interests and preserve elements of the existing global order.

LIVERPOOL manager Arne Slot has called up 19-year-old defender Amara Nallo for tonight’s crunch Champions League clash against Qarabag. The Reds host the Azerbaijani champions at Anfield and will be looking to seal their place in the top eight of the league phase that leads straight into the last 16. That leaves Virgil van Dijk as the only fit central defender for the important match against the Champions League’s biggest surprise package. However, both of the young centre-back’s games against PSV Eindhoven and Crystal Palace in the Champions League and Carabao Cup respectively ended with him getting sent off. “At his age, constantly being ready to play another 90 is something we should not take for granted.”

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is welcomed upon his arrival at an airport in Beijing, China, Wednesday. Earlier, he told reporters on his plane that he would balance engagement with China with national security concerns. He is the first U.K. prime minister to visit Beijing since Theresa May in 2018. Trump has threatened to put a 100% tariff on Canada if it reaches a trade deal with China, prompting a swift response from Carney. AdvertisementChris Patten, the British governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, said Starmer should be firm in raising disagreements over Lai’s imprisonment and other human rights issues.

Richardson Hitchins will defend his IBF super lightweight (140 lbs) title against Oscar Duarte. Gary Antuanne Russell will defend the WBA super lightweight title against Andy Hiraoka. Former lightweight titlist Frank Martin (19-1, 13 KO) will return to face Nahir Albright (17-2, 7 KO) in another 140 lb bout, this one set for 10 rounds. Martin fought in early December, beating Rances Barthelemy after 18 months on the sidelines following his loss to Tank Davis in 2024. So this will be the first time in nearly three years that Albright has fought someone outside of the Davis family.

The Cumbria Constabulary Nuclear Estates Team (CCNET) stopped the car, which was driven by a 34 year-old male, at High Harrington, Workington. The male was reported at the roadside for the offence and the vehicle was uplifted under section 165 of the Road Traffic Act. A spokesperson said: "Cumbria Police take driving offences seriously and will continue to target drivers who are breaking the law, to keep Cumbria's roads safe."

They are the areas that gave Boris Johnson his majority in 2019, then went Labour in 2024, and are now being targeted heavily by Reform UK. This group is outside the labour force because they are not looking for or available for work, distinguishing them from the unemployed. Receiving support is not helping those in these supposed mission-critical locations, is the very clear message of this report. The policy failure this chart exposes is not an accident; it will be achieved by Labour by design. Unless its priorities change now (which seems very unlikely), expect Reform to win in these places in 2029.

SynopsisUK universities experienced a significant drop in international student enrollments last year. Postgraduate numbers saw the steepest decline. Indian student numbers also fell. Meanwhile, domestic student numbers saw a slight increase. This downturn impacts even top universities and affects financial performance across the sector.

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AI-generated photoCMA recomends an 'Opt-out' optionGoogle responds: 'Don't Break Search'The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is moving to significantly loosen Google’s alleged control over the digital landscape. The watchdog has proposed new regulations that would grant publishers power over how their content can be used by the tech giant’s AI feature – AI Overviews. The tech giant has also been asked to demonstrate that its search and AI rankings are "fair and transparent" for businesses. Ron Eden, Google’s Principal for Product Management, defended the company’s existing model.“For years, we have provided web publishers with a range of controls based on open standards . to manage how their content appears in Search,” said Ron Eden, Google’s principal for product management.“Any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people,” Eden warned.

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When Heated Rivalry – the Canadian gaymance about two brickhouse athletes navigating the heterosexual terrain of ice hockey – hijacked water cooler conversations, one question became inevitable: which fashion brand would be first to claim its leads, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, as their own? François Arnaud at the Saint Laurent spring/summer 2026 show. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images Connor Storrie at the Saint Laurent spring/summer 2026 show. Kristy Sparow/Getty ImagesNor should it have come as a shock that Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello – a designer who summarised his spring/summer 2026 collection with the line, “because I’m gay” – would be the one to get Storrie. “When you tie that with his hair, you get this man who you can style from multiple reference points and from different decades, and not with a costume element, because it’s never that, but with a nod to leading men from Hollywood history.” And what does every great leading man in Hollywood have?

Chelsea are reportedly set to wrap up an exciting double transferChelsea are reportedly set to beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City to an exciting double deal. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTRangers left-back Ashton Scally and Hearts midfielder Boyd Fraser are the players in question, according to The Sun. Chelsea, however, are in pole position to snap up the duo after beating the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and City in the race for their signatures. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTScally has been making waves at Rangers, excelling for the club's academy sides as well as playing for Scotland at youth level. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTThat never materialised, though, due to SFA competition rules banning players under the age of 16 from being included in matchday squads.