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Variety and CNN Expand Programming Partnership to Deliver Exclusive Awards Season Coverage
Variety and CNN have unveiled an expanded content partnership that will see the two organisations develop, produce and distribute exclusive programming throughout the forthcoming awards season, covering ceremonies from the Emmys to the Golden Globes to the Oscars. The deal builds on what both sides describe as a successful prior collaboration and reflects a broader…
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EU approves Saudi Arabia’s $55bn acquisition of EA, clearing path for largest private leveraged buyout of all time
The European Union has approved the $55bn (£43bn) acquisition of Electronic Arts by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, clearing a major hurdle for what would become the largest private leveraged buyout in history. The European Commission said its standard merger review found no competition concerns, meaning…
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India’s Tips Music grew revenues 21% in calendar Q2 – but profit fell 4% as content spend jumped 90%
India’s Bollywood music company Tips Music reported 21% year-on-year revenue growth for the quarter to 30 June 2026, its first quarter of fiscal 2027, but after-tax profit fell 4% as spending on new content surged 90%. The divergence matters because it signals the company is investing heavily in new releases even as this squeezes near-term…
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Recapping the World Cup in Pop Stardom, Including Shakira, Justin Bieber and ‘Wonderwall’: Greatest Pop Stars Podcast
A new episode of Billboard’s “Greatest Pop Stars” podcast reviews the music surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in the final on 19 July. Host Andrew Unterberger and Billboard UK’s Thomas Smith discuss the tournament’s musical moments, from the official theme songs to the first-ever star-studded halftime show,…
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Marmozets part ways with bassist Sam Macintyre due to “relationship becoming unworkable”
Marmozets have announced the departure of bassist Sam Macintyre, saying their working relationship had become “unworkable” despite efforts to resolve it. Macintyre, who originally joined as a guitarist before switching to bass, is the brother of singer Becca Bottomley and drummer Josh Macintyre, and had been part of the Yorkshire band since it formed in…
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Alonso optimistic about Aston Martin upgrade – will it decide his future?
Fernando Alonso says he is “optimistic” about Aston Martin’s first major upgrade of the season, being introduced at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, though he has urged caution about expecting an immediate step forward. The revised car features a new, lighter chassis and significant aerodynamic changes, and matters because Aston Martin have fallen progressively further…
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Shane Bieber’s strong Rays splits make Toronto Blue Jays the smart first 5 innings MLB bet
An OutKick sports betting columnist recommends backing the Toronto Blue Jays to win their game against the Tampa Bay Rays over the first five innings, citing struggling Rays starter Shane Bieber’s poor home splits this season. The piece is a betting tip rather than a straight news report, aimed at readers following the writer’s ongoing…
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After months of surprising stability in graphics card prices, apparently Nvidia is now raising the cost of its GPU kits for AIB partners
Nvidia is reportedly increasing the price it charges its add-in board (AIB) partners for GPU kits, ending a period of unusual stability in graphics card pricing that had lasted several months. This matters because AIB partners such as Asus, MSI and Gigabyte build and sell the retail graphics cards gamers buy, so a rise in…
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The ‘mistake’ that finally led to charge of French ‘love rival’ more than a year after murder of British expat Karen Carter at her Dordogne home
Nearly a year after British expat Karen Carter was murdered at her home in the Dordogne, France, a woman described as a “love rival” has finally been charged in connection with the killing, following what investigators have called a “mistake” that unravelled the case. The development matters because it brings a long-stalled inquiry into a…
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Google hit with $1B fine in Europe
The European Commission has fined Google €890 million (about $1 billion) for breaching the EU’s Digital Markets Act. It said Google unfairly favoured its own services in search results and restricted competition through its Play app store, a decision that reinforces the bloc’s effort to regulate major technology platforms. The penalty comprises €460 million over…