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Villanelle talk new music and huge plans for 2027: “Some might say we are locked in”
Grunge four-piece Villanelle have told NME they feel more “locked in” as a band than ever, with new music on the way and big ambitions for 2027. Speaking backstage at Mad Cool 2026, frontman Gene Gallagher and bandmates described a breakout year of festival slots and touring that has left them feeling part of a…
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State Department fires back after Walz doubles down on pardon of convicted child rapist
The US State Department has publicly criticised Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after he defended his pardon of a convicted child rapist who was also an illegal immigrant, reigniting controversy over the decision. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic officials over immigration enforcement and criminal justice, with critics accusing Walz of…
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Netflix Says Part Of Its Games Business Is Up 600%, But It’s Still Early Days
Netflix says its games division is showing early signs of growth, particularly in cloud-based television games and children’s mobile titles. The results matter because they suggest the streaming company’s gaming strategy may be gaining traction after earlier uncertainty, although Netflix stresses that the business remains small and experimental relative to its wider content spending. The…
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Claims about GTA 6 pre-orders are incorrect and “absurd”, analyst firm says, but it’s still had the “strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded”
Analyst firm Newzoo has pushed back on viral social media claims that GTA 6 pre-orders have already exceeded $1bn, calling the figure “absurd” and impossible given typical pre-order patterns some 21 weeks before launch. The clarification matters because it corrects an inflated narrative while still confirming that Rockstar’s forthcoming sandbox game is on track to…
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A24 Is Reportedly Copyright-Striking Backrooms Content It Doesn’t Own
A24 has reportedly been issuing copyright strikes against independent artists and developers who have created content inspired by the “Backrooms”, the eerie liminal-space internet phenomenon that the studio adapted into a film. Because the Backrooms originated as collaborative online folklore rather than a piece of owned intellectual property, many affected creators and observers have questioned…
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Is wind power partly to blame for near-blackouts? Experts say increasing reliance on Net Zero energy could leave UK’s energy security at risk
The article’s headline raises the question of whether the UK’s growing reliance on wind power and other Net Zero energy sources could be contributing to recent near-blackout incidents, citing unnamed experts who warn this shift may pose risks to national energy security. However, the article text supplied does not contain the actual body content of…
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South East Water warns over survival as funds dry up
South East Water has warned of “material uncertainty” over its ability to continue as a going concern, saying it only has enough funds to operate until July 2027 without securing new loan facilities. The disclosure comes after a torrid year for the lossmaking supplier, which paid millions in fines and saw both its chair and…
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Millions of drivers face extra hammering at petrol pumps as incoming PM Andy Burnham looks for cash to fund his rush to build more council houses, it is feared
Andy Burnham, who is set to become the next prime minister, is reportedly considering higher fuel duty as a way to raise funds for an expanded council house-building programme. The move, still at the speculation stage, has raised concerns that motorists could face additional costs at the pumps just as Burnham pushes ahead with a…
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Trump is selling high-speed access to his market-moving Truth Social posts
Trump Media, the company behind Truth Social, is selling Wall Street faster access to the “most market-moving” posts on the US President’s social media platform. On Thursday, Trump Media announced plans to launch “Truth API,” a licensed real time data feed for businesses that provides “the fastest access to Truth Social’s most influential accounts.” It…