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Kylian Mbappé dropped by Chinese brands for ‘offending national sentiments’
- Dongpeng and Mengniu ended their deals with Mbappé.
- The move followed a video referring to Mao as a dictator.
- The video’s authenticity had not been verified.
Kylian Mbappé has lost endorsement deals with two major Chinese companies after a video circulated in which he appeared to describe Mao Zedong as a dictator. The episode matters because jokes about Mao are considered taboo in China, and the companies said his remarks offended Chinese people. Dongpeng…
Netflix Docuseries ‘The One About Matthew Perry’ Is a Tragic, Mournful Portrait of Addiction: TV Review
- The series traces Perry’s addiction through accounts from people close to him.
- It adds personal testimony rather than major new revelations.
- Perry died from a ketamine overdose in 2023.
The three-part Netflix series portrays Matthew Perry’s decades-long struggle with addiction through accounts from his family, friends, former partners and fellow addicts. It presents his talent, humour and fame alongside the chronic illness that led to his death from a ketamine overdose in 2023, showing how the series…
‘The One About Matthew Perry’ Review: Netflix’s Intimate and Sincere but Overly Padded Docuseries
- A sincere look at addiction and celebrity from those around Perry.
- His famous co-stars and major *Friends* creatives are absent.
- The review finds the three-part series overly padded.
Netflix’s three-part *The One About Matthew Perry* is a sincere, mostly non-exploitative examination of addiction and celebrity, told largely through people outside Perry’s circle of famous co-stars. The review says its focus on those left grappling with what they knew or could do gives the series emotional weight,…
Ministers consulted businesses on AI datacentres, but no environmental groups
- Officials met 137 businesses and no environmental groups on datacentre policy.
- They met just two community groups.
- The plans’ energy and job claims face scrutiny.
An investigation found that UK ministers and senior civil servants developing plans to expand AI datacentres met 137 businesses but no environmental organisations. The findings raise questions about whose interests shaped the policy and whether communities were consulted on the potential environmental effects. The nonprofit Spotlight on Corruption…
‘Romeo + Juliet’ at 30: the soundtrack that made Shakespeare feel like the 1990s
- Luhrmann set Shakespeare’s tragedy in a stylised modern Verona Beach.
- The 1990s soundtrack blends romance, angst and alternative music.
- Songs by Des’ree, Radiohead and others became part of the film’s identity.
Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film Romeo + Juliet brought Shakespeare’s tragedy into a vivid modern setting while keeping the original dialogue. Its mix of contemporary imagery and Elizabethan language helped make the story accessible to a new generation, and its music became central to the film’s emotional impact. The…
Downing Street clarifies Starmer’s position on EU free movement after Burnham’s remarks
- Burnham’s openness to free movement conflicts with his 2016 position.
- Downing Street says the Prime Minister is not proposing its return.
- Closer EU ties could put free movement back in focus.
Andy Burnham’s comments on restoring free movement with the EU have prompted confusion over Labour’s Brexit position. The Prime Minister said a referendum would be needed, but Downing Street later suggested the public might not be asked to vote and said he was not proposing a return to…
‘A way to escape’: Fan excitement as new ACOTAR book hits shelves
- Around 30 fans attended a midnight ACOTAR book launch in Carrickfergus.
- The sixth novel arrived after a five-year wait.
- The seventh book is due on 12 January 2027.
About 30 fans braved heavy rain and high winds to attend a midnight launch for Sarah J Maas’s newest ACOTAR novel at an independent bookshop in Carrickfergus, County Antrim. The event celebrated the sixth instalment, released after a five-year wait, and showed how readers use fantasy and romantasy…
Documentary traces Kwame Brathwaite’s role in Black Is Beautiful movement
- Kwame Brathwaite’s archive captures the Black Is Beautiful movement.
- Handel’s Messiah casting helped restore Susannah Cibber’s career.
- Tonight also features drama, true crime and unseen sitcom outtakes.
A documentary on BBC Four follows Harlem photographer Kwame Brathwaite and the images he made over seven decades, many of which helped shape the Black Is Beautiful movement. His photographs of prominent figures and everyday African American life form the centre of the film, with his family and…
Man runs across Australia to help exploited children
- Nathan Maufe completed a 3,100-mile run across Australia.
- The 86-day challenge raised more than £157,881.
- The campaign has helped rescue 145 children.
Nathan Maufe, 27, has completed an 86-day, 3,100-mile run across Australia with three friends to raise money for Destiny Rescue, a charity that works against the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children. The team raised more than £157,881, and Maufe said the challenge showed him what he and…
Mothers face accused driver at trial over fatal e-bike collision
- Battiloro pleaded not guilty to two murder charges.
- Prosecutors allege he drove at 70mph in a 25mph zone.
- His lawyers plan an insanity or diminished-capacity defence.
Vincent Battiloro, 18, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both 17, who were killed while riding an electric bike in Cranford, New Jersey. His first in-person court appearance brought the girls’ mothers face to face with him, more than a year after the…
From Wath to Westminster: John Healey prepares his first Budget
- Healey is preparing his first Budget as Chancellor.
- He plans a road map for fiscal devolution.
- Former mining communities want more support with living costs.
John Healey, the Chancellor and MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, is preparing his first Budget in the role, drawing attention to the needs of South Yorkshire’s former coalfield communities. He says he will set out a road map for fiscal devolution, arguing that giving regions lasting powers and…
Disturbed to Play ‘The Sickness’ in Full on Australia and New Zealand Tour
- Disturbed will play *The Sickness* in full on their 2027 regional tour.
- The seven-date run begins in Auckland on 22 April.
- A second set will feature songs from across the band’s career.
Disturbed will return to Australia and New Zealand in 2027 for their first headline tour in the region in more than a decade. Each of the seven arena dates will feature two sets: the band’s 2000 debut, *The Sickness*, performed in full, followed by a selection of songs…
True scale of Reform UK’s donations from overseas donors revealed
- Nearly four-fifths of Reform UK donations came from recently overseas-based donors.
- Two later donations of £36m each were outside the analysis period.
- The government is considering tighter residency rules for political donations.
An analysis of Electoral Commission data found that 79.41 per cent of donations received by Reform UK in 2025-26 came from people or companies based abroad in the previous two years. The figure is far higher than the shares reported for Labour and the Conservatives, and has prompted…
Shoppers welcome Oxford Street’s new traffic-free stretch ahead of Christmas shopping
- Almost a kilometre of Oxford Street is now traffic-free.
- Shoppers praised the extra space and improved experience.
- A £150m wider transformation is planned from spring 2027.
Oxford Street has become traffic-free along almost a kilometre, with buses, bikes, taxis and other vehicles rerouted. Many shoppers welcomed the extra room to walk and browse, saying it makes the street more pleasant and may encourage them to visit; the change is a major step in a…
Burnham urged to raise taxes on banks in first budget
- Burnham is urged to raise taxes on banks.
- The four biggest banks made £13bn in half a year.
- A previous bank levy raised £2.3bn in four months.
The article argues that Andy Burnham should use his first budget to raise taxes on banks, which the writer says have not repaid the public for the damage caused by the 2008 financial crash. Burnham’s proposed tax rise would reverse earlier cuts to the bank levy and profits…
20 years ago, Amy Winehouse turned her hardships into exquisite art with ‘Back to Black’
- *Back to Black* transformed heartbreak into enduring music.
- Winehouse’s lyrics drew on personal experience and candid self-reflection.
- She kept the title track’s words true to how they first came to her.
Amy Winehouse’s 2006 album *Back to Black* turned personal heartbreak and hardship into candid, enduring pop and soul music. The article argues that its self-portrait quality and willingness to leave pain unresolved helped make it a major cultural work. Winehouse contrasted the album with her debut, *Frank*, saying…
Litten and Knowles in for England as O’Neill drops out
- Litten and Knowles start against Papua New Guinea.
- England’s men need a win to stay in contention.
- The women also face a must-win match against Samoa.
England have reshuffled their men’s team for a must-win Rugby League World Cup match against Papua New Guinea, with Jez Litten and Morgan Knowles entering the starting line-up and Brad O’Neill left out. England need a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive after losing to Tonga and…
Sinister new details reveal how the family of teenage girl gunned down in boxing night drive-by shooting was previously targeted in a mystery attack at their home
- A 19-year-old is critically injured after a shooting near a Brisbane boxing event.
- Police believe she was an innocent bystander.
- Her family’s cars had six tyres slashed in an earlier attack.
Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, 19, is in a critical condition after being shot in the face during a drive-by attack outside a boxing event in Loganholme, near Brisbane. Police say they believe she was an innocent bystander, and are investigating whether the shooting was linked to an attempted gangland execution;…
Bill Kramer Says AMPAS Plans To Expand List Of Festivals That Can Serve As Qualifiers For The International Oscar Category
- The Academy plans to add festivals that can qualify films for the International Oscar.
- Six festivals currently offer an automatic route through their top awards.
- A quarter of Academy members live outside the US.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences plans to add more festivals whose top-award winners can qualify for the International Film Oscar category. CEO Bill Kramer said the change is part of a broader effort to widen global participation and representation in the category. Under rules introduced…
Elvis rights-holders seek up to $41.1m from Anthropic over AI training claims
- Elvis rightsholders allege Anthropic used songs without permission.
- The lawsuit covers 274 songs.
- Plaintiffs seek up to $41.1 million in damages.
Elvis Presley’s rightsholders have sued Anthropic in a US court, alleging it used copyrighted songs to train its AI models without permission. They also say Anthropic’s Claude chatbot can produce Elvis lyrics when prompted, and that AI-generated material “in the style of” artists can cost rights-holders income. The…