-
Alan Ritchson Is Officially Crowned Netflix’s Streaming King
Alan Ritchson’s drama *Ordinary Angels* has reached the top of Netflix’s domestic streaming chart, adding to a run of successes that has strengthened his position as a major streaming star. The achievement comes as Ritchson expands beyond his established action roles, while preparing for the cinema release of *Motor City*. Ritchson is best known for…
-
‘The crude language of Maga folks’: Joyce Carol Oates criticises Emily Wilson for criticising Nolan’s Odyssey
Joyce Carol Oates has criticised classicist Emily Wilson for the tone of her attack on Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of The Odyssey, saying Wilson used language resembling that of “Maga folks”. Oates argued that Wilson should have been more respectful towards Nolan, particularly as the film may have increased sales of Wilson’s acclaimed 2017 translation…
-
WNBA suddenly wants to stick to basketball after years of making politics part of the product
The article argues that some WNBA media figures have recently urged players and commentators to focus on basketball, despite the league having previously embraced political and social issues as part of its public identity. It presents this as an inconsistency, particularly when players speak about sex-based eligibility in women’s sport. The piece centres on Sophie…
-
Knats Present Their Guide To Newcastle
Knats, a Newcastle jazz collective nominated for the Mercury Prize, share a personal guide to places, people and cultural touchstones in their home city. The feature highlights how Newcastle’s independent identity has shaped the group, while also noting concerns about the loss of distinctive local venues and businesses. – The Black Swan Jazz Jam at…
-
Peak District is accused of ‘selling out’ by furious visitors over paid partnership with car firm
The Peak District National Park has faced backlash from visitors and campaigners after launching a paid partnership with Skoda, which temporarily renamed the park “the Peaq District” to promote the Czech manufacturer’s new electric SUV. The collaboration has sparked criticism that the cash-strapped park is compromising its environmental mission by partnering with a fossil fuel…
-
Grammys CEO says he’s ‘saddened’ by BTS decision to skip the 2027 awards – and defends new Asian pop category
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said he was saddened but respectful of BTS’s decision not to submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards. The move removes the group’s comeback album, ARIRANG, from consideration and has heightened debate over the Grammys’ new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which BTS appeared to criticise indirectly by…
-
Moment pro-Palestine activist firebombs McDonald’s, Starbucks and BBC offices as she faces prison for violent anti-Israel campaign in town
Martha Goddard, 51, has been convicted of damaging a McDonald’s, two Starbucks premises and a BBC office in Norwich during a five-month campaign of anti-Israel protests. She used homemade incendiary devices and left pro-Palestinian posters at the sites; the case matters because the attacks caused significant damage and involved explosive substances. Police linked Goddard to…
-
4 Best Budget Smartwatch Models for Less Than $250 (2026)
WIRED recommends four smartwatches priced at $250 or less, arguing that rising prices have not removed affordable options for notifications, fitness tracking and health monitoring. The selection spans general-purpose, Apple-compatible, running-focused and Fitbit devices, with compromises varying by model. – Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro ($79): WIRED’s overall budget choice, offering calls, a ChatGPT-integrated assistant,…
-
‘Woke’ Smithsonian exhibit lionizes embattled Fauci amid conservative scrutiny of museum’s messaging
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has prominently featured former US COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci in an exhibit, presenting him as a major figure in the pandemic response. The display has drawn criticism from conservative commentators and politicians, who argue that it overlooks disputes over Fauci’s pandemic-era advice and broader concerns about the museum’s…
-
Expanded edition of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul includes a previously unreleased John Lennon song that was hidden in the vaults for decades
An expanded edition of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul will include a previously unreleased John Lennon song, Little Girl, after the demo was found in the Lennon Estate’s archives. Its release is significant because it adds a newly uncovered Lennon recording to one of the band’s most celebrated albums. The reissue is due on 2 October…