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Healey’s subdued Budget speech draws little reaction in Commons
- Letts describes Healey’s Budget speech as unusually flat.
- Badenoch mocked the measures as “4p off gherkins”.
- The article notes a gas-field slip and a £100 energy measure.
John Healey delivered a Budget speech in the Commons that Quentin Letts portrays as subdued and dull, with Labour MPs appearing distracted and the chamber offering little reaction. The article’s main point is that Healey’s delivery and the Budget’s announcements lacked drama, even at a moment Letts describes…
Shell’s quarterly profit more than doubles as Iran war lifts energy prices
- Shell’s quarterly profit doubled to $10.8bn.
- Refining margins climbed to $42 per barrel.
- The company plans $5bn in share buybacks.
Shell’s adjusted profits more than doubled in the July to September quarter as the Iran war disrupted energy supplies and pushed up oil and gas prices. The results beat analysts’ expectations and prompted the company to increase its planned share buybacks, while drawing criticism from climate campaigners. Shell…
Florida toddler’s football session dispute prompts questions over viral videos
- Police records complicate the viral account.
- No arrests were made after the dispute.
- The toddler was drawn into a vast online audience.
A viral video portrayed a Florida toddler being asked to leave a football session because he was “too good”, prompting widespread criticism and support from celebrities. Records reviewed by the Guardian give a more complicated account: the organiser told police the boy had pushed other children and his…
Moyes seeks cup progress as Everton face financial uncertainty
- Everton face Newcastle with a League Cup run offering a route to silverware.
- The Friedkin Group is seeking a sale and has curtailed squad investment.
- Moyes’s contract expires this season as Everton’s trophy drought nears 32 years.
Everton’s Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle gives David Moyes a chance to move towards a trophy, a stated aim for the season, and to lift the mood after two consecutive defeats. But the Friedkin Group has halted squad investment and is looking to sell the club, leaving Moyes…
Tottenham’s Chelsea win raises hopes of a climb up the table
- Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
- The result may signal a turnaround after a poor start.
- Mateus Fernandes impressed in his first start in a deeper role.
Tottenham’s 2-0 win at Chelsea could mark a turning point after a poor start to the season. It was only their second Premier League victory at Stamford Bridge, and came as the team began to show more of the confident, possession-based football Roberto De Zerbi wants. Spurs had…
The ‘NME The Cover 2025-2026’ coffee table book is now on sale – don’t miss the launch discount
- NME has published its third annual Cover collection.
- The 300-page book features 50 emerging-artist stories.
- A 20 per cent launch discount is available before dispatch begins.
NME has released *The Cover 2025-2026*, a 300-page hardcover coffee table book collecting 50 stories from its weekly feature on emerging artists. The collection highlights musicians from around the world and brings together interviews, bespoke artwork and previously unseen photography. This is the third annual edition of the…
This Underrated 5-Season Fantasy Series Is Basically Harry Potter for Adults
- The Magicians blends magical graduate school with a perilous storybook world.
- Its five seasons balance adult themes, mystery and comedy.
- The series shows that magic cannot solve every problem.
The Magicians, a five-season television adaptation of Lev Grossman’s novels, combines a demanding graduate school for magicians with the dangerous fantasy world of Fillory. Its story follows Quentin Coldwater, a philosophy student who finds that the magic he longed for can bring wonder and adventure but cannot fix…
5 Forgotten ‘Peanuts’ Characters That Charles Schulz Abandoned in the Comic Strip
- Schulz gradually phased out early Peanuts characters.
- Shermy’s last speaking role came in 1969.
- Patty and Violet’s final strip ran in 1997.
Charles Schulz gradually sidelined several early Peanuts characters as he developed the strip and introduced better-defined personalities. The article looks at five characters whose roles faded, showing how the comic’s familiar cast emerged over time. Shermy and the original Patty appeared in the first Peanuts strip, but their…
Black Nights Stars: What You Need to Know About the 10 Up-and-Comers in the Tallinn Spotlight
- Ten emerging actors will take part in Black Nights Stars in Tallinn.
- The 2026 selection drew more than 200 applications.
- Iceland and Norway were included for the first time.
Black Nights Stars has selected 10 emerging actors for its 2026 showcase in Tallinn, held from 16 to 21 November alongside the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The programme connects talent from the Baltic Sea region and Nordic countries with international casting directors, agents, producers and filmmakers, aiming…
Headgirl: The story of how Motörhead and Girlschool first crossed paths
- Lemmy heard Girlschool’s self-released single and invited them on tour.
- The bands’ 1979 tour began a lasting friendship.
- Headgirl released a collaborative EP in February 1981.
Girlschool’s independently recorded single ‘Take It All Away’ reached Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, who invited the little-known band to support Motörhead on tour in 1979. Their meeting began an unexpected friendship that later led to the joint project Headgirl and the 1981 EP *St Valentine’s Day Massacre*. Girlschool…
Wales make five changes as Lynn rewards bench
- Wales have made five changes for the second Japan Test.
- Bethan Lewis earns her first start of the campaign.
- Freya Bell faces a lengthy lay-off with a knee injury.
Wales have made five changes to their starting line-up for Saturday’s second WXV Test against Japan, after winning the first meeting 17-0 in Tokyo. Head coach Sean Lynn says the selections reward players who helped finish that match, as Wales aim to end their campaign strongly. Bethan Lewis…
Chancellor claims Labour WILL bring down benefits bill amid outcry at failure to act in Budget… but won’t say how and admits it might not happen for years
- The Chancellor pledged to reduce benefits spending before the next election.
- No detailed plan or timetable was set out in the Budget.
- Welfare spending is forecast to be £6 billion higher in 2030-31 than expected in March.
The Chancellor said Labour would reduce the benefits bill before the next election, after its Budget offered no new measures to do so. The pledge came amid criticism from the Conservatives and forecasts showing welfare costs rising, while he gave no timetable or specific plan. Forecasts indicate welfare…
Japan IP Market to Return to Cannes in 2027 as Tokyo Partnership Continues
- Japan’s IP Market returns to Cannes on 14–15 May 2027.
- Cannes Film Market and TIFFCOM will continue their partnership.
- The event connects Japanese rights holders with international producers.
The Japan IP Market will return to Cannes on 14 and 15 May 2027, extending the partnership between the Cannes Film Market and TIFFCOM. The event aims to connect Japanese rights holders with international producers and partners, turning interest in Japanese stories into adaptation deals and wider global…
Award-winning psychic, 44, died after falling down flight of stairs unexpectedly, inquest hears
- Kate Golby died after a fall at her Norwich home.
- An inquest recorded her death as accidental.
- She was a mother of three and an award-winning author.
Kate Golby, a 44-year-old psychic and coach, died two days after falling down a flight of stairs at her home in Norwich, an inquest heard. The coroner concluded that her death was accidental, with no evidence of another person’s involvement. Her son found her unresponsive at the bottom…
Sanrio ends Vivant merchandise deal after backlash in China
- Sanrio ended its Vivant merchandise partnership after criticism in China.
- The backlash centred on the drama’s portrayal of Chinese agents.
- Sanrio says it will strengthen checks on future collaborations.
Sanrio has ended its merchandise partnership with the Japanese spy drama Vivant and apologised after the collaboration drew criticism in China. The reaction reflects heightened sensitivity around portrayals of Chinese people amid strained China-Japan relations, and has prompted Sanrio to say it will strengthen its checks on future…
Charity recipient’s post spectacularly backfires as he criticises free parcel with items he ‘didn’t request’
- A recipient criticised a donated food hamper online.
- More than 1,000 locals rebuked the complaint.
- The charity says donations limit its ability to meet every request.
A man’s complaint about a free food hamper from Echuca Neighbourhood House in northern Victoria drew strong criticism on a local community page. The episode highlighted the difficulty of tailoring food relief to individual preferences when charities depend on donated supplies. The hamper included fruit, canned tuna, long-life…
Resolution Foundation says £4.4bn energy support is poorly targeted
- The Foundation says £4.4bn of support is spread too thinly.
- The poorest half gain only £14 more than the richest half.
- Typical energy bills are forecast to exceed 2022-23 levels.
The Resolution Foundation says the £4.4bn cost of living package in John Healey’s budget is poorly targeted. It estimates that support will leave typical energy bills higher in real terms than during the 2022-23 energy price shock, even for households receiving help. The poorest half of households are…
Busan Winner ‘Birds in the Dark’ to Close Dharamshala International Film Festival, Varun Grover’s ‘Damned’ Among New Titles
- “Birds in the Dark” closes the festival after winning two Busan prizes.
- The event runs from 29 October to 1 November in Dharamshala.
- Seven Himalayan filmmakers are taking part in a feature-film fellowship.
Shashank Walia’s “Birds in the Dark” will close the 15th Dharamshala International Film Festival with its India premiere. The film follows a call centre executive mistaken for a suspect by a police informer, and recently won two prizes at the Busan International Film Festival. The festival runs from…
‘The more you earn, the less you keep’: readers react to the budget
- A first-home scheme offers buyers a route with a 2.5% deposit.
- Rent and bills are limiting one young chef’s ability to save.
- A business owner says rising costs and tax thresholds squeeze take-home income.
Readers described how the government’s budget measures could affect their finances, with some welcoming help for first-time buyers while others said housing and business costs remain difficult. Their accounts highlight concerns that rising living costs and tax thresholds can leave people with little extra money, even when they…
Toho CEO Matsuoka Hiro On The Company’s Decision To Self-Distribute ‘Godzilla Minus One’ In The U.S. — Tokyo
- Toho’s US release of *Godzilla Minus One* was an experiment, Matsuoka said.
- The film earned more than $11.4 million in its US opening weekend.
- Toho says the release brought profits directly to the company.
Toho chief executive Matsuoka Hiro said the company’s decision to distribute *Godzilla Minus One* itself in the United States in 2023 was “all a coincidence”, rather than a planned strategy. The film’s success mattered because Toho had previously struggled to distribute its films beyond Japan, and the release…