A Corby Cub has been presented with a top Scouting honour as well as a donation for a charity close to his heart.Leo from the 10th Corby Scout Group recently took centre stage to receive his District Commissioner Award.It is local recognition given out at the discretion of the district commissioner to recognise outstanding local support or achievements.And it’s no surprise that Leo received this honour after climbing three mountains in 12 months for a fundraiser inspired by his second cousin Florence Bark.Leo receiving his award (left) and pictures from his Three Peaks Challenge with dad Adam GoodesLeo took on the Three Peaks challenge with dad Adam Goodes, scaling Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis during the past year.And his fundraising has been further boosted with a cheque for £100 presented to Leo on behalf of his Scout group when he received his award.Read MoreCorby boy climbs three mountains in 12 months for Be More Fab fundraiserLeo has been inspired to do all this fundraising in support of Florrie, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in May 2022.Florrie underwent treatment and while she has been cancer free since October 2022, complications from her stem cell transplant meant she needed a double lung transplant.But Florrie, who was named the Pride of Britain Child of Courage 2025, is now recovering well after having a successful lung transplant.Leo is a member of the 10th Corby Scout Group on the Beanfield estate.Continue Reading
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Corby Cub presented with top Scouting honour and donation for Bemorefab charity
£5 million of ‘surfacing work’ could be coming to major Cambridgeshire roads
The huge investment, to prepare the county’s roads for the winter, will be considered by Cambridgeshire County Council’s extra-ordinary Highways and Transport Committee on July 28.
The planned work will include road patching, sealing and surfacing work.
Last winter, extended cold snaps and heavy rainfall led to a sharp rise in potholes and road defects across Cambridgeshire’s roads.
The planned programme will deliver an extra 30km of preventative highway maintenance across the county, ahead of the colder, wetter weather expected this winter.
The proposed works include additional maintenance to the A1307 Hills Road Cambridge, the A1301 Cambridge Road in Great Shelford, the A142 Ely Road in Soham the A1123 Hill Row Causeway in Haddenham, the A605 in Elton and the B1099 Upwell Road in March.
The council plans to use techniques including large-scale mastic screed repairs, and structural patching as well as crack sealing to protect roads before defects form.
If approved, the programme will run from August 2026 to March 2027.
Councillor Robin Wyatt, Vice-Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee, said: “Residents have been clear that improving the condition of our roads is priority and we hope this proposal for further investment shows we are listening to people’s concerns and learning from previous years.
“By acting now—before winter hits—we can protect our roads and make journeys better for everyone.
“This extra investment combined with our refreshed, prevention-focussed approach to asset management is a way we can deliver better value for money and help create a fairer and more sustainable Cambridgeshire for everyone.
“Highways across our area have been underfunded for decades.
“This is why we’re making record levels of investment in our road network and tackling the issue of Cambridgeshire’s aging roads through innovative solutions and preventative works.”
The Council will also run a pothole innovation trial in October, which will test new equipment and materials to identify the most effective approaches for future highway maintenance.
The Council has said they will be creating a dedicated webpage which will provide regular updates on the scheme.
‘We’ve only got this one chance’: how Newcastle-under-Lyme seized the regeneration opportunity
When one thinks of regeneration projects it is tempting to look solely at the biggest cities, combined mayoral authorities and metro mayors. After all, there are schemes involving tens of thousands of homes, swathes of land and seriously huge levels of investment and collaboration shaping the future of our regions.
If however the United Kingdom is to seize the regeneration opportunity, it is vital that imaginative regeneration happens at a smaller scale also.Regeneration can also be used by smaller borough or district councils to revitalise town centres and reshape places, creating economic and social value.
One town that is showing just what regeneration can do is Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, which has embarked on an £85m strategy to revitalise its town centre with Capital & Centric, the Manchester-based developer known for taking disused buildings and regenerating them.
The plans involve the re-use of three inter-linked town centre sites: redevelopment of a shopping centre, a multi-storey car park being turned into housing and an old civic centre being demolished for a new car park and homes.
As part of our Regen Connect series, Building spoke to Simon McEneny, deputy chief executive of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, while at UKREiiF to find out more about the plans.
Builidng finds McEneny on the local authority’s UKREiiF stand, surrounded by pictures and diagrams of projects and pipeline opportunities in his borough. There is an ambitious message for such a small local authority with small urban centre – the population of Newcastle-under-Lyme itself would almost fit into Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
McEneny starts by reflecting on multiple grant funding awards made to the authority in a short space of time back in 2020 and 2021, which he saw as an unprecedented opportunity for the borough. The council received £11.4m in from the Future High Streets Fund in 2020 and then followed this up by securing £43m from the Town Deals Fund (since consolidated into the Local Regeneration Fund) along with £4m of revenue funding through the Shared Prosperity Fund. Last year it secured a further £18.9m for land remediation through Homes England.
An unprecedented funding opportunity
“Newcastle-under-Lyme has never had any real government grant funding in its history, since 1974 [when it was founded],” says McEneny.
“We realised we needed to do something to change the nature and feel of the high street because it is just dead, we’ve got very few national brands. We’ve got a few little artisan shops but it was sort of dying.
“How do we create something which is really quite exciting with the money we’ve got? Because we’ve only got this one chance, we’re probably not going to get this money again.”
The approach taken by the council and McEneny shows how multiple sites can be used together as part of a cohesive regeneration plan for a town centre, with each site’s usage impacting others.The Ryecroft site: hotel, car parking and new homes
McEneny says he realised the town needed a hotel as it was missing out on attracting visitors. “We don’t have a decent three-star offer in the area, even though we’re about an hour away from Alton Towers, which is one of Staffordshire’s biggest tourist attractions.”
But McEneny says he could not get a hotel brand interested unless there was sufficient car parking space. Therefore the council purchased the vacant Ryecroft site and demolished some 1960s municipal offices. It is now working with Capital & Centric to build a new 455-space multi-storey car park and the hotel, along with 130 flats in three blocks, with later living units built by McCarthy & Stone and affordable housing managed by housing association Aspire Housing.
McEneny says that the provision of a brand new car park left the council with a disused Brutalist Midway multi-storey car park built in the 1960s.
McEneny says: “The frame is still strong, it’s concrete and I didn’t want to knock it down because it will cost a fortune and will only have to rebuild the site with something else.”
Instead McEneny spoke to Tim Heatley, boss of Capital & Centric who he says found the concept of converting the car park into housing “interesting.”The five-storey car park is now being transformed into 110 flats designed by architect Shedkm. The project, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, will also see rooftop extensions, communal gardens, and a three-floor atrium with a social hub, gym, and mini-cinema.
Reimagining the town’s shopping centre
The third of the three linked projects at the heart of Newcastle-under-Lyme’s regeneration plans is the old York Place shopping centre. The 1960s building is currently being revamped, again by Capital & Centric.
The centre will retain the existing structure. It is being refurbished to include shops, bars and cafes, a new public square, 42 homes and a new music venue. McEneny says the centre will be renamed “Astley Place” after Philip Astley (the father of the modern circus) who grew up in the town.
McEneny says the former circus owner, who pioneered the circus ring, is of “cultural importance” to the town, so the three projects include circular public spaces or “rings” as a homage.“Tim [Heatley of Capital & Centric] and his crew have taken our idea of the circles and created these three developments that are interlinked, but there are urban parks or places of interest where people can populate and own the space across the town and just make it make people’s interactions with the town a lot different to just walking through,” he says. The shopping centre is due to complete by Christmas, the Midway car park by next May and the Ryecroft scheme by the end of 2027.
McEneny sounds confident about these timelines. He also sounds confident about the council’s risk level in the schemes.
De-risking the deal
Under the deal, Capital & Centric will buy the scheme back off the council upon completion for whatever the council has spent or the value of the development, which ever is higher.The three schemes
The three inter-linked projects will deliver 328 homes, 8 new bars, restaurants and cafes and a community use music venue in addition to landscaping.
Developer: Capital & Centric
Contractor: AC1 Construction, Clegg Construction and HBC Construction
Architect: ShedKM
Start on site date: December 2025
Expected completion date: The shopping centre is due to complete by Christmas, the Midway car park by next May and the Ryecroft scheme by the end of 2027.This, plus the £18.9m funding from Homes England means the council has “de-risked the investment.”
He says: “The council didn’t want the financial responsibility of it. So, we have been de-risking that, because Capital & Centric have got a tried and tested model and they own it after [completion].”
We move on to talk about other regeneration strategies. McEneny has a vision of turning Merrial Street, which runs through the middle of the three schemes, into an “independent artisan street”.“We’re not going to get big brands back on our high street […] we’ve tried, but they’ve left and they’re not coming back,” he says. Instead the council is looking at incentives, such as time-limited reductions in rent or paying for new window fronts to incentivise shopkeepers.
Local government reorganisation
Newcastle-under-Lyme council’s new Reform leadershipn is an obvious topic of interest. Reform UK locally campaigned on stopping greenbelt development.
McEneny says there is a shortage of brownfield sites to develop on, which is problematic for an administration opposed to green belt development but which nevertheless is expected to deliver homes to its local plan.
All of this, however, may well be a moot point as far as Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is concerned.
After a long period of uncertainty and what McEneny described as “limbo”, the government last week finally confirmed Newcastle-under–Lyme will be merged with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands to create a new unitary council covering North Staffordshire expected to be established in 2028.
Quite what this means for the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme remains to be seen. But it would seem that, as far as the borough council’s concerned, McEneny’s decision to jump at the opportunity to regenerate the town presented by the funding in 2020 and 2021 was astute.Regen Connect
Through ongoing analysis and expert commentary, Regen Connect highlights the policies, funding streams and local priorities that matter most to the construction and development sector.
This coverage will culminate in a special report to be published at our Building the Future Live Conference in London on 7 October.
How you can get involved:
Throughout the year, our team will be gathering insight from across the sector to inform editorial features, debates and events. We welcome contributions from practitioners who want to share experience or shine a light on emerging trends.
Click here for more on the campaign
Be part of the conversation – contact us to contribute or get involved by emailing our deputy editor at dave.rogers@building.co.uk and to find the campaign on social media follow #regenconnec
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Here’s What We Expect on July 22
Samsung’s last Galaxy Unpacked event was in February in San Francisco.Samsung/Screenshot by CNET
Samsung’s summer Galaxy Unpacked event happened earlier Wednesday in London, with CNET on the ground to see all the new devices the company unveiled. Samsung usually showcases new foldable phones at its midyear event, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, but this year things took, let’s say, a different shape.
The company revealed its wide-format Galaxy Z Fold 8 alongside the taller Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, as well as the clamshell Z Flip 8. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9 were also shown off, plus the XR glasses Samsung developed with Google.
If you’re ready for what’s next, you can experience Samsung Unpacked as it happened, either through CNET’s live blog coverage or the official stream of the event on YouTube.
Unpacked comes just months before Apple’s annual fall event, giving Samsung time to flex its foldable phone prowess ahead of the rumored launch of the foldable iPhone in September. Though Apple’s been rumored to have been working on an iPhone Fold for years, I’ll believe it when I see it. It’ll be interesting to watch what Samsung does with its latest generation of foldables in the meantime.
Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event was in London on July 22.Samsung
Ahead of the event, the rumor mill was churning with predictions about which new devices might be revealed, like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide and Z Fold Ultra, and even the Galaxy smart glasses.
How to watch Galaxy Unpacked
Samsung’s event was livestreamed on Samsung’s website and Samsung’s YouTube channel. You can watch the company’s livestream below:
Galaxy ‘wide’ foldable
The Galaxy Z TriFold isn’t the only odd-shaped foldable Samsung has been apparently working on.Patrick Holland/CNET
Samsung was on its seventh generation of Galaxy Fold devices, and ahead of Wednesday’s event, we expected that both the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 would be refreshed with new processors, a few other tweaks and the number eight on their packaging. But it seems that the company’s designers might be getting bored, as they’ve experimented with the folding form factor enough to bring new designs to market.
We’ve already had the wild Galaxy Z TriFold with its tablet-sized display released back in January, and rumors suggested a wide version of the Fold that packs a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. That’d make it wider and narrower than the squarish, almost 1:1 aspect ratio of the Z Fold 7’s internal screen, which would theoretically make the new foldable’s inner display better for watching movies, with less wasted space for black bars at the top and bottom.
We expected a more “regular” version of the Z Fold 8, which was said to follow the proportions of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. However, rumors suggested it would be rebranded with the “Ultra” moniker to differentiate it from its wider-format (and potentially less powerful) sibling.
Galaxy XR Glasses
Samsung and Google’s glasses had already been announced, but we were still waiting on more details.Scott Stein/CNET
Google talked for some time about its mixed reality glasses at its I/O event earlier in the summer, including showing off Samsung’s upcoming glasses made in partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. But details about the glasses themselves were a bit thin, with the extent of Samsung’s role held back – likely for the summer Unpacked event.
So while we knew the glasses existed – and CNET’s Scott Stein has already tried some prototypes on – we were excited to hear more details. The glasses will feature cameras and microphones (how else will you interact with Google’s Gemini AI?), but we didn’t yet know how much they’ll cost or exactly when they’ll go on sale.
There was more talk about features and usability at Unpacked, and I was hoping it’ll have a fancy try-on section where I can pop some on my face and see whether my wife can still stand the sight of me.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 was said to be unveiled at Samsung’s event.James Martin/CNET
Rumors fueled by firmware updates and certification filings suggest Samsung would showcase two new smartwatches at this year’s Unpacked event. The Watch Ultra 2 – the company’s more rugged, outdoor-focused model – is rumored to get a huge battery boost up to 800 mAh. That’d be the biggest of any Wear OS watch and should help it keep on tracking your wilderness hikes long after your legs have given up from exhaustion.
The Galaxy Watch 9 is also rumored to get a bit of a battery boost, along with both models featuring new processors and potentially refreshed designs.
Galaxy Ring 2 – eh, probably not
Samsung has confirmed it is working on a new Galaxy Ring, but it was too early to see it this summer.Andrew Lanxon/CNET
According to Forbes, Samsung has confirmed that it is working on the Galaxy Ring 2, the follow-up to its 2024 finger-based health tracker. The company’s next ring is expected to get a boost in battery life, feature more advanced tracking and likely come with a refreshed design.
But while the ring might be in active development, it wasn’t likely to be launched at July’s Unpacked event. While I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a teaser of some kind, it’s likely that Samsung would unveil its next Galaxy Ring either at CES at the beginning of 2027 or at Mobile World Congress shortly after.
Andrew Lanxon
Editor at Large; Lead Photographer, Europe
When he’s not testing the latest phones or phone cameras, Andrew can normally be found with his own camera in hand or behind his drums or eating his stash of home-cooked food — sometimes all at once.
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Off-duty Bedfordshire Police officer charged after death of teenage boy in collision
Notts Police file pictureAn off-duty Bedfordshire Police officer has been charged after the death of a teenage boy in a collision involving two cars and an electric bike in a Nottinghamshire village.The bike rider, 16-year-old Ryley Hutson, was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services were called to Chilwell Lane in Bramcote around 10am on Sunday, September 28, 2025.Daniel Cartwright, 31, who is a serving police officer with Bedfordshire Police and was off-duty at the time, has now been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.He is expected to appear before magistrates in Nottingham on 6 August 2026.”Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, of Nottinghamshire Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “This was a tragic incident which has had a devastating impact on Ryley’s family.”They have been updated about this important step in our investigation and our thoughts remain with them.”Continue Reading
Police issue CCTV after taxi driver assaulted after picking up fare in Northampton
Do you recognise this man? Police officers are appealing for help to identify him following an assault in the Semilong area of Northampton.Do you recognise this man? Police officers are appealing for help to identify him following an assault in the Semilong area of Northampton.Between 3.15am and 3.25am on Thursday June 18, a taxi driver was assaulted after picking up a fare in St Paul’s Road, according to Northants Police. A force spokesperson said: “Officers believe the man in the image may have information which could assist them and are appealing for him or anyone who may recognise him to get in touch.”Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.Information can also be submitted online at www.northants.police.uk/RO and crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information.Please quote incident number 26000358354 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.Continue Reading
Two off to court – Cambridge News
Deb Hann
Starting with some arrests from last week, Te Awamutu Police attended two separate family harm assaults in situations where Protection Orders were already in place. Two men were arrested and respectively charged for both the assault and breaching the protection orders. They have both appeared in court.
Deb Hann
In another incident, staff spoke to a male in a vehicle and detected the smell of cannabis. The vehicle was searched under the Search and Surveillance Act, resulting in police locating not only the drug, but also an offensive weapon. The male driver faces related charges in court.
In Cambridge, staff responded to an alarm activation at a retirement village. They located a vehicle parked outside the fenceline with signs indicating someone had walked from it over into a fenced area. A police dog handler successfully tracked from the vehicle and located a male inside the property. He has appeared in court. Also in Cambridge a female was arrested for breach of bail and appeared in court.
Last week I mentioned speed in relation to the pedestrian crossing on Shakespeare street, Leamington. I want to spread the message about pedestrian crossings a bit wider this week. The presence of pedestrian crossings is usually marked by a diamond painted on the road, the presence of mounted orange lights or disks on a pole either side and a white line showing where to stop.
The raised crossing between the Town Hall and the Town Clock. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
When approaching any pedestrian crossing, drivers need to be aware of anyone that is approaching or wanting to cross, ensuring they are prepared to stop. If there is a raised island in the middle of the crossing, you must give way to pedestrians on your side only, if the crossing goes across the full road width, you must give way to pedestrians on any part of the crossing.
Given the potential for driver visibility of crossings to be affected by parked cars or road features, any pedestrian using a crossing should equally be aware of approaching vehicles. Check that the road is clear before stepping out. Cyclists should dismount and walk their bike across to ensure drivers can stop in time.
Finally, yet another reminder that police scams persist. We will not text you about payment of fines and require you to click a link. We have also heard of a scammer phoning their victim, pretending to be a police officer investigating a fraud case and asking their victim for bank account details and attempting to solicit a payment. Again, not a legitimate police approach. Be scam aware.
Planned Spudman event in Rugeley cancelled and rearranged
The event featuring the viral TikTok star was due to take place at the weekend, but has been moved to August.An event featuring one of the internet’s biggest viral sensations and a Staffordshire native has been cancelled and moved to another date.Viral TikTok star Spudman was set to visit Rugeley on Saturday, July 25 to hand out free jacket potatoes and exclusive prizes to celebrate London Northwestern Railway’s (LNR) new Class 730 trains on the line connecting Rugeley to London.However, the event organisers have told the Express & Star that the event on Saturday has been cancelled and, instead, will take place on Saturday, August 22.Spudman will be giving away free baked potatoes and prizes as part of the appearance. Photo: London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway | London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands RailwayBen Newman, known to his online following as Spudman, rose to fame after uploading interactions with customers queuing for loaded spuds at his van in Tamworth.In June, five towns across the region battled it out in a competition to win a pop-up from Spudman in their area, with the winning town, Rugeley, securing 41 per cent of the total votes. Continue Reading
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked preview: Everything we expect today
Update, July 22, 10:50 AM EST: Now that Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 has wrapped, here’s everything announced at the event. For all the details, check out our Galaxy Unpacked Live Blog.Samsung is set to capture the tech world’s attention next week when it hosts its next big mobile launch event.The Korean tech giant is hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, and Mashable will be there, reporting live on all of the big announcements. We’re fully expecting to see at least five new devices from Samsung, including the latest batch of flagship foldable phones. As per usual with Samsung, these devices haven’t been leaking so much as flooding.So, as we prepare for the big show, here’s everything we know (and everything we think we know) about the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event.When is the next Galaxy Unpacked?The next Galaxy Unpacked Event takes place on Wednesday, July 22 in London. The livestream will begin promptly at 9 a.m. ET. We expect all the new devices to be available for pre-order immediately after the event.Mashable will be attending the event and hosting a live blog, so check back next week to unpack all of the day’s news with us.
SEE ALSO:Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: What’s actually new (and what’s not)
Three new foldables are arriving, including the Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra.
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Samsung’s new foldable phones typically debut during a summer Galaxy Unpacked event, and Samsung recently confirmed that it will be announcing new details about its next-gen foldables on July 22. We don’t have official confirmation on which devices will be announced, but all reports indicate that three new foldable phones will arrive at Galaxy Unpacked 2026:This is where things get a little confusing. You’d think the Z Fold 8 Ultra would be the new addition to the lineup, but recent reports indicate that the Z Fold 8 is actually a new device this year. Rumors for months have pointed to Samsung releasing a wider foldable this year, and it sounds like that phone will take the Z Fold 8 name, while a true successor to the Z Fold 7 will be called Z Fold 8 Ultra. The new phones will probably arrive with price increasesAgain, we don’t have any official details, but it’s very likely the successors to the Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 will indeed cost more. Most early reports and leaks indicate a price increase of $100, which is in line with the price increases we’ve seen from Motorola. The global memory crisis has led to price hikes for laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and virtually every product that requires memory, and Samsung probably won’t be the exception.Recently, South Korean outlet SEDaily reported that the starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be $2,099, a $100 price increase over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The same outlet reported the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide model will start at $1,899.99. Finally, according to leaker Lanzuk (as reported by PhoneArena), the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 will likely have a starting price of $1,199, or $100 more than its predecessor.
Mashable Light Speed
TL;DR: Thanks to RAMageddon, do not be surprised to see year-over-year price increases for all of the new devices.A new Z Fold 8 to compete with the iPhone Ultra FoldRumors indicate that the new Z Fold 8 will potentially have a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display when unfolded. With a 4:3 aspect ratio, it will be a book-style foldable. These dimensions are very similar to the rumored design of the still-unannounced foldable iPhone, suggesting Samsung wants to introduce this third foldable as a direct competitor to Apple’s upcoming device. It’s the latest salvo in the ongoing Apple iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy battle for smartphone dominance.
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More Folding iPhone Reports and Rumors
The Z Fold 8’s rumored specs, via PhoneArena:Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for GalaxyRAM: 12GBStorage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TBMain display: 7.6 inchesCover Display: 5.5 inchesCameras: 50MP primary lens, 50MP ultra-wide lens, 10MP selfie lensThe new flagship: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 (pictured here) was surprisingly thin and lightweight.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableAs mentioned above, we think the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will actually be a successor to last year’s Z Fold 7, which we enjoyed testing. This new foldable should have a new chip and a stronger 200MP main camera on the back. Samsung is also said to have done some work to make the crease on the folding display less visible this year. Finally, a Korean news report indicated the Z Fold 8 will be slightly lighter than the Fold 7, which was already impressively thin and lightweight.At this point, pretty much all of the specs for the upcoming devices have leaked. So, while none of these details are official, we think the Z Fold 8 Ultra will have the following specs, via PhoneArena: Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for GalaxyRAM: 12GB or 16GBStorage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TBMain display: 8 inchesCover display: 6.5 inchesCameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephotoThis week, Samsung revealed that its new foldables (which it didn’t mention by name, unfortunately) will feature a new Flex Titanium technology. In short, a titanium-alloy film and a titanium plate will better support the phones’ flexible display, creating a more durable device and a less noticeable crease. Samsung said more details will be revealed on July 22.The new Z Flip 8 will look very familiar
Last year’s Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 on display.
Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableIf the rumored specs for the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 are correct, this year’s flip phone-style foldable will look a lot like the Z Flip 7, but with a better processor and a less visible crease.Until recently, the rumor mill indicated that the Z Flip 8 would get a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. However, leaker WinFuture (as reported by 9to5Google) claimed that instead, the flip phone will get a new Samsung Exynos 2600 processor.
And here are the rumored specs:Processor: Samsung Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5RAM: 12GBMain Display: 6.9 inchesCover Display: 4.1 inches Storage: 256GB or 512GBCameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfieNew Galaxy Watches are also on the waySamsung usually uses this summer event to showcase its latest smartwatch advancements, and 2026 looks no different. This year, we expect to see two new Samsung watches:It’s generally accepted that both of these watches will see fairly incremental changes from before. There will surely be new health-tracking features, and some small design changes, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in particular said to incorporate classic numbers on the watch face, a thinner bezel, and better side buttons. Most importantly, for some, it sounds like Samsung is skipping out on a new Galaxy Watch Classic this year. You’ll get a base model and a premium model, and that’s it, as far as anyone can tell. Finally, don’t forget that Samsung is all-in on artificial intelligence, so we expect major upgrades to the Samsung Health app and the watches’ overall health-tracking features.Could we see Galaxy Glasses make their big debut?The upcoming Galaxy smart glasses as designed by Gentle Monster (left) and Warby Parker (right).
Credit: SamsungLastly, Samsung’s long-awaited smart glasses could also make their debut at Unpacked in July. Most likely called Galaxy Glasses, we expect these specs to work similarly to the ones Meta has been releasing for a few years now. We saw a preview of these specs at Google’s recently developers’ conference, and we know Samsung is working with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on the designs.These smart glasses will not include any augmented reality or heads-up display features, focusing instead on on-board cameras and a built-in AI assistant, courtesy of Google Gemini, to provide information about what you’re seeing, should you ask. We expect the first generation of these glasses to arrive in 2026, and we’re holding out hope that the glasses will get a shoutout or even a proper introduction at the London Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22.It should be a pretty packed showcase, so stay tuned for all of our coverage as we get closer to Galaxy Unpacked. Remember: Mashable will be attending the live keynote in London, and we’ll have a live blog with real-time updates on all the day’s news. Don’t miss it!
Batman sequel officially shooting in Liverpool City Region
The old entrance to the Birkenhead tunnel on Rendel Street was covered by large fencing earlier this month as teams were seen on site. The LDRS has confirmed official photography took place around the tunnel last night, with additional shots being taken throughout this week.
Within the closed site, a white car with blue trim bearing the markings GPD – thought to represent Gotham Police Department – could be spotted. The Liverpool Film Office is facilitating the production, which is only expected to be around the tunnel for this week.
It has not been confirmed if crews will return for additional scenes. Shot during the height of the covid-19 restrictions, The Batman went on to be a smash hit for DC and Warner Bros. Starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego caped crusader, it grossed around £578m worldwide when it was released in 2022.
The sequel was officially confirmed to be in cinemas for October 2027 before being pushed back to 2028. Trade publications have listed Liverpool as a filming location for the long-awaited DC Comics sequel.
In May, various vehicles were spotted outside St George’s Hall, including cars mocked up to appear as Gotham Police cruisers and yellow US-style taxis. The Birkenhead tunnel was also used in the dead of night with the police cars while Robert Pattinson’s stunt double was also spotted on top of a moving car.
Aside from the Merseytravel bus stop that escaped post-production, one of the most striking images to come out of the city in the last few years was the sight of Batman swooping down from the Liver Building, doubling as the Gotham City Police Department building.
Shooting also took place at Anfield Cemetery for a scene involving Batman and Catwoman. Stunt doubles were seen on location for a motorbike shot.
During their day in Liverpool earlier this summer, cameras were spotted on location outside St George’s Hall with the Bat symbol adorned on them. The LDRS understands that visit was part of a technical recce by the studio, rather than a full formal shoot.
Principal photography was confirmed to have begun by director Matt Reeves and members of the cast via social media. After completing work at the tunnel, the shoot will move onto the Jubilee Bridge in Runcorn over the weekend.
The Batman is the latest in a series of major productions to have been secured for the city in the last seven years through the Liverpool Film Office. Since 2019, more than 1,600 productions have said This City Is Ours and set up shop here, generating £150m for the local economy.
The Liverpool Film Office is part of Liverpool Council and is funded by the city budget, earned income and external grants. To date, it has invested £2.8m, with fund-supported productions receiving more than 60 award nominations and 19 industry awards, including four BAFTAs and two International Emmys.
It has now launched a new training and work experience programme with the Andy Taylor Foundation named Foot in the Door Liverpool, designed to help young people who are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET) access careers in the rapidly growing digital media sector. Launching this Autumn, the seven-week programme will support 12 Liverpool residents aged 18-21 through a combination of intensive skills training and work experience placements with leading employers across the region.
