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From ‘Kneecap’ to a Karlovy Vary Hit to Mia Hansen-Løve’s Next Film: Ireland’s Wildcard Makes Instant Splash as Producer
Dublin-based company Wildcard, long known as an Irish film distributor, has made a rapid and successful entry into film production, spotlighting a growing indigenous Irish filmmaking scene. Having added production to its remit in 2023 (dropping “Distribution” from its name), the company’s first feature was the acclaimed “Kneecap”, which became a breakout hit at Sundance…
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Killjoy council orders father to tear down the ‘magical’ treehouse he built with his autistic nine-year-old son
A father in Cheltenham has been ordered by his local parish council to demolish a treehouse he built with his autistic nine-year-old son, which the pair describe as their “special safe place”. Pete Phipps, 51, an artist and sign writer from Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, constructed the structure with his son Cooper to encourage the boy, who…
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EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’
The European Commission has issued an official charge sheet accusing Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of failing to address the physical and mental health risks posed by the “addictive design” of its platforms. Regulators say features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll “shift the brain into autopilot mode”, contributing to unhealthy habits…
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Passenger is ‘sucked out of Ryanair plane window up to his shoulders and has to be pulled back in by other travellers’ during flight to Germany
The Daily Mail reports that a passenger was reportedly partially sucked out of a window on a Ryanair flight bound for Germany, becoming lodged up to his shoulders before fellow travellers managed to pull him back inside the aircraft. The incident is presented as a dramatic mid-flight emergency, though the accompanying page text does not…
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California seizes 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth $104 million in major crackdown
California authorities have seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth over $104 million during a three-month crackdown on organised criminal networks operating across the state. The operation, which ran between April and June, also netted firearms and cash, and forms part of a wider effort by Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration to disrupt the…
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Fans’ fury as millions at work face missing British wildcard Arthur Fery’s historic Wimbledon semi-final after BBC led calls to show match at 1.30pm to avoid clash with World Cup
British wildcard Arthur Fery is due to play the biggest match of his career, a historic Wimbledon semi-final against Alexander Zverev, but the fixture has been rescheduled to an earlier slot and moved many fans into an outcry. Rather than occupying the second Centre Court slot from around 5pm, the match will now open proceedings…
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Sheffield MP Louise Haigh says Starmer tried to ‘knock my character down’ after she left Cabinet
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Xbox leader Asha Sharma has joined a US government task force for employment, days after announcing restructuring that has left thousands of people without jobs
Xbox chief Asha Sharma has been appointed as an external adviser to the US Federal Reserve, where she will help lead a task force on productivity and jobs — including assessing the impact of AI on the workforce. The appointment has drawn attention because it comes just days after Sharma oversaw a restructuring of Xbox…
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Moment drivers repeatedly smash into bollards too slim for cars – as fed-up homeowner calls for slimmed-down road to be widened
Ring doorbell and CCTV footage has captured drivers repeatedly crashing into bollards on Woodmere Avenue in Watford, Hertfordshire, where a long-standing width restriction was installed to stop lorry drivers using the road as a rat run. Resident Tim Vigor, who overlooks the restriction, has now called for the slimmed-down road to be widened, saying the…
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Exit strategies: how and why 25% of World Cup coaches have left their jobs
A quarter of the 48 head coaches at the 2026 World Cup — twelve in total — have either been sacked or left their posts, an unusually high turnover that underlines the pressure and volatility surrounding international management at the tournament. The departures span teams eliminated in the group stage and the knockout rounds, and…