It took no time at all for the authoritarian Turkish government to turn the failed coup into a PR victory for the regime. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's unbelievable claim that Turkey's 'democracy' has won the day is as grounded in reality as Donald Trump's ideas about Mexicans. The crackdown has already started. Literally hundreds of judges have been suspended with a cull of military personnel not far off. Turkish citizens' fragile civil rights face further attacks as Erdoğan and his AKP...

The traditional British holiday has had its day in the sun, according to new research. A study of 2,000 families exploring old and new holiday pastimes revealed that games like beach cricket and wheelbarrow-racing are in decline. Just a third of families played I-spy on their last family holiday, less than that sat in a deck chair and under four per cent used a beach hut. Smartphones may have all but killed off the postcard as we happily snap 81 photos on...

A new centre-left party is a "real possibility", according to Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron. As Labour MPs become increasingly frustrated by Labour isolation and the Lib Dems try to claw back lost seats from the last General Election, the possibility of a new alliance to oppose the Tories is becoming increasingly likely. Talking to the Independent, Farron said he has already held "off-camera" conversations on the issue with politicians from other parties. He said: "There are loads of people out...

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has been ridiculed after his plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Luton leading to delays. The former Mayor of London's plane made an unscheduled stop at Luton shortly after leaving London and was met by five fire engines on the tarmac. He was forced to continue his journey to Brussels by other means  when the RAF passenger aircraft had “technical issues”. ALERT Boris Johnson plane makes emergency landing at London Luton https://t.co/i4dvPa3C5N — AIRLIVE...

Review By Leslie Byron Pitt Steven Spielberg's first Disney branded film (it's weird that it's taken so long), is a rather wistful adaptation of the beloved Roald Dahl book The BFG. The novel, which is over 30 years old, tells a light-hearted tale of an orphaned little girls relationship with a benevolent giant, as they work together to stop a group of man-eating giants who look to invade the human world. This is not the first time that the Big...

Review by Leslie Byron Pitt The movie River involves a young American doctor (Rossif Sutherland) who doesn't know when to stop, intervening a sexual assault while on sabbatical in Lao. His violent intrusion leads to the assailant's body being found in the Mekong river the next day. This leaves the guilt-ridden doctor open to charges of murder, causing him to make the decision to flee Thailand and look towards making it back to the U.S. What transpires is a beautifully...

Review by Leslie Byron Pitt The often main theme that is heard at the beginning and end of The Trust, is a welcoming and funky track but it does little to perk up the bland existence of this laborious heist film. The Trust opens with one of its main characters; David Waters (Elijah Wood) in the middle of an act toneless, vapid intercourse with a faceless prostitute. It’s a moment that is meant to suggest the disengagement the character feels...

Star Trek was in dire need of a reboot as book office returns dwindled with each new outing and in 2009 JJ Abrams did an admirable job bringing the series back to the forefront for a new generation. Sure, die hard Trekkies were frustrated at the lack of the philosophical edge the series was known for but the balance of action and comedy made the series relevant once more. After the middling Into Darkness, Abrams left to direct a small...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Tying in with Waterloo Food Festival, The Sky Bar at the H10 Waterloo hotel will host a series of gin master classes this month. With two more master classes taking place in July, the gin bar will focus on both Portobello Road Gin and Voortrekker Gin, and what’s more – the £5 entry fee also includes a cocktail on arrival. Offering a taste of what’s to expect from The Sky Bar’s gin master classes, this...