News worth talking about.
Explore news from different sources, follow the topics that matter to you and join the conversation. Discover stories on the map, find your communities and make the feed your own.
- 1 Pick your topics
- 2 Join communities
- 3 Vote and discuss
Star Flops and Slowing Investment Help Explain China’s Thin Festival Presence, Says Tokyo Programming Director
- Chinese cinema’s festival profile has weakened amid industry pressures.
- Star-led box-office flops and slower investment are factors.
- Tokyo is seeking more support for emerging filmmakers.
Tokyo International Film Festival programming director Ichiyama Shozo says Chinese films have had a reduced presence at international festivals this year amid box-office failures for star-led films, slower investment and a reportedly more complex censorship process. He says these pressures have left some films unreleased and reflect a…
What will a pedestrianised Oxford Street mean for transport?
- Nearly 0.6 miles of Oxford Street will become vehicle-free.
- Buses will divert to Wigmore Street.
- Plans for further pedestrianisation depend on the scheme’s success.
Nearly 0.6 miles of Oxford Street, between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, will become vehicle-free from 26 October under a £150m government-backed scheme. The change is intended to improve the area as a shopping and public space and supports London mayor Sadiq Khan’s clean-air plans; its scale…
A Sugababe reveals her hardcore system for dating: best podcasts of the week
- Keisha Buchanan shares her 90-day dating screening system.
- Five podcasts cover relationships, AI, parenting, crime and politics.
- Hillary Clinton and Kara Swisher discuss the US midterms.
The article reviews five podcasts, highlighting a new conversation series featuring Sugababe Keisha Buchanan and four other women of colour. Its lively discussions range from dating and marriage to mental health, parenting, a disappearance and US politics. Buchanan describes screening potential partners for 90 days, while TikToker Tara…
The iconic 1987 role Rutger Hauer wanted nothing to do with: “I didn’t see that happening”
- Hauer declined the lead in Verhoeven’s 1987 *RoboCop*.
- Peter Weller took the role.
- Creative differences had strained their partnership.
Rutger Hauer turned down the lead role in the 1987 science-fiction film *RoboCop*, despite his earlier success in *Blade Runner* and his close working relationship with director Paul Verhoeven. Their creative disputes during the making of *Flesh and Blood* contributed to a difficult period between them, while Hauer…
Melbourne man faces new fraud charges alongside cocaine trafficking case
- Doree faces a cocaine trafficking charge and two fraud charges.
- Police allege they seized cocaine worth about $100,000.
- A phone allegedly contained records of drug debts.
Jesse Doree, 28, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on a commercial-quantity cocaine trafficking charge, while prosecutors and his lawyer continue negotiations over a possible resolution. He also faces two fraud charges linked to an insurance claim, and his lawyer said he needs more information about those allegations. Police…
Vikings are last unbeaten team as Chiefs lose – NFL week seven
- Minnesota are the NFL’s last unbeaten team at 6-0.
- Seattle beat Kansas City 20-3, limiting Kenneth Walker to 36 yards.
- San Francisco lost for the first time, falling to 6-1.
Minnesota are the NFL’s last unbeaten team after the Kansas City Chiefs lost 20-3 to the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers suffered their first defeat. The Vikings’ continued winning run stands out because they were not widely tipped as Super Bowl contenders, and their 6-0 start…
Anime’s Pay Divide Runs Between Studios That Take Risks and Those That Don’t, Says Tokyo Festival Advisor
- Pay gaps reflect studios’ differing willingness to take financial risks.
- Better pay can help studios attract talent and make stronger work.
- Original films face funding and distribution challenges.
Anime companies willing to invest their own money and take greater business risks are better placed to pay staff properly, attract talent and make successful work, says Tokyo International Film Festival animation advisor Fujitsu Ryota. He argues that this growing divide helps explain uneven pay and conditions, and…
UK women build emergency food reserves to support families and neighbours
- UK women are building household emergency supplies.
- Ana keeps provisions for at least two months.
- A researcher says preparedness should include community support.
The article describes a rise in UK women preparing household supplies for emergencies, amid government advice to keep food, water and cash for a national crisis. The women interviewed say practical preparation can help families cope with disruption and reduce pressure on emergency services, while challenging the stereotype…
Plans to create a wildflower meadow take shape
- Hundreds of native wildflower plugs were planted in King’s Lynn.
- The meadow aims to support insects, birds and other wildlife.
- The council hopes to use the project’s lessons elsewhere.
A wildflower meadow project at Fairstead Recreation Ground in King’s Lynn has moved forward, with council staff and volunteers planting hundreds of native wildflower plugs. The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk says the work aims to improve biodiversity and create habitat for local wildlife. The…
Family Dramas Dominate Tokyo Festival’s Asian Lineup Amid ‘Geopolitical Volatility’
- Family dramas feature prominently in Tokyo’s Asian selection.
- Asian Future showcases 10 emerging filmmakers.
- Festival exposure can lead to distribution and co-production.
Family relationships and sibling bonds are prominent themes in the Asian films selected for this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. Programmer Ishizaka Kenji says filmmakers are turning to the family as a way to examine life amid geopolitical volatility, while the festival’s Asian Future competition offers emerging directors…
Cash-strapped firm kept ageing server running with improvised fans
- Staff kept an old server running with improvised cooling.
- Two external fans balanced over its exposed components.
- A replacement was bought after the third fan failed.
A nearly bankrupt media monitoring company kept an ageing server running by placing larger, non-standard fans on its exposed components after its internal fans failed. The improvised cooling worked, but staff had to avoid shaking the server, and the story shows how financial pressure can lead businesses to…
RisingJoy Signs International Distribution Pact With NTT DOCOMO
- RisingJoy will distribute NTT DOCOMO Studio’s vertical titles internationally.
- The pact includes anime licensed title by title.
- RisingJoy aims to produce 30 vertical anime titles by early 2027.
Singapore-based RisingJoy has signed a pact with Japan’s NTT DOCOMO Studio to distribute the Japanese company’s vertical content internationally, including anime. The agreement allows titles to be licensed individually on a non-exclusive basis, with terms negotiated for each release. Separately, RisingJoy plans to produce 30 vertical anime titles…
Fed-up driver builds AI litter tracker
- An AI app tracks and grades litter spotted from vehicles.
- It has logged over 28,000 reports across the UK.
- Shropshire Council is exploring improvements on the A5 and A49.
Fed-up Shrewsbury software developer Robin Bennett has built an AI-powered app that records and grades roadside litter from a vehicle. He hopes its data will show where rubbish is concentrated and encourage councils and campaigners to take action. The app takes a photograph every 10 seconds and assesses…
Documentary recounts Uganda’s 1972 expulsion of its Asian community
- Amin gave Uganda’s Asian population 90 days to leave in 1972.
- Survivors recall curfews, threats and violence.
- A two-part documentary shares childhood testimonies of the expulsion.
A documentary revisits Idi Amin’s 1972 order forcing Uganda’s Asian population to leave the country, giving them 90 days to do so. People who experienced the expulsion as children describe its lasting impact, making the programme a record of displacement and the threats and violence families faced. The…
Tokyo Festival’s Women’s Empowerment Lineup Follows Those Who ‘Fall Through the Cracks’
- TIFF’s seven-film section explores people excluded by social and political systems.
- “Her Gaze” highlights women cinematographers from Japan and Taiwan.
- Organisers hope to expand the programme in future years.
The Tokyo International Film Festival’s Women’s Empowerment section centres on people displaced or excluded by political instability and social systems, a theme programmer Shimizu Yu says reflects those who “fall through the cracks”. Now in its third year, the programme aims to affirm viewers’ experiences through detailed portrayals…
‘Smells and dust’ concern over asbestos waste site
- Finningley residents report dust and odours from a landfill.
- The local motocross track has closed amid health complaints.
- The Environment Agency is investigating possible permit breaches.
Residents and businesses near a landfill in Finningley, near Doncaster, say dust and strong odours from the site are making people feel unwell. Doncaster Motoparc has closed its motocross track after riders and staff reported symptoms including headaches, nausea and dizziness, raising concerns about the effects of the…
The dump detectives on the trail of the fly-tippers
- Investigators search dumped rubbish for clues to fly-tippers.
- Syringes and identifying documents were found near Grimsby.
- Waste crime is estimated to cost the public £1bn a year.
Council investigators in North East Lincolnshire sift through fly-tipped rubbish for evidence that could identify those responsible. Their work matters because illegal dumping can harm communities and leave landowners or councils with the cost of clearing waste. At a site near Grimsby, the team found numerous syringes and…
Veteran ‘forced out’ of Army seeks scheme amendment
- Louise Lingard-Snape wants constructive dismissal included in the scheme.
- The scheme offers eligible veterans payments of up to £70,000.
- The MOD says some may qualify for impact payments up to £20,000.
Army veteran Louise Lingard-Snape is asking the Ministry of Defence to amend its LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme so it covers people who were constructively dismissed. She says bullying linked to the historic ban on LGBT personnel forced her to leave, and argues that veterans in her position are…
▶Palace pressure mounts after Newcastle defeat as knife arrest disrupts Miami Vice set
Pierre Sage faces growing pressure after Crystal Palace’s 2-0 loss left them in the Premier League’s bottom four. A man was arrested after brandishing a knife near crew on the Brooklyn set of Miami Vice ’85.
Ted Sarandos Swoops Into Seoul as Netflix Celebrates 10 Years in Korea
- Sarandos marked Netflix’s tenth year in Korea at a major fan event.
- More than 10,000 fans attended, with 3.58 million online views.
- Korean productions generated over 12 billion viewing hours in a year.
Ted Sarandos visited Seoul for Netflix’s two-day celebration of a decade in Korea, praising the country’s creative community and previewing new Korean productions. The event highlighted how Korean entertainment has become one of Netflix’s strongest international successes, even as the company faced leadership changes and around 1,000 job…