Entertainment

21-year-old Russian soccer star Aleksey Batrakov is tearing up the Champions League for Galatasaray. Turkish fans are even serenading him with ‘Kalinka.’

• Batrakov has scored four goals in four Champions League appearances.
• Galatasaray fans have embraced the 21-year-old Russian midfielder.
• His summer move followed a 17-goal, 12-assist season at Lokomotiv.

Aleksey Batrakov, a 21-year-old Russian midfielder, has made an immediate impact since moving from Lokomotiv to Galatasaray at the end of the summer. His Champions League goals have made him a fan favourite in Turkey and drawn attention across European football, at a time when Russian players rarely…

Artist creates world’s biggest soil painting

• Phil Lambert’s soil painting measures 61,000 sq cm.
• It surpasses the previous record of 59,458 sq cm.
• Save Soil hopes it will raise soil health at COP31.

Artist Phil Lambert has created the world’s largest soil painting, verified at 61,000 sq cm, to draw attention to soil health and the need to restore degraded land. Save Soil says the artwork supports its call for soil regeneration to be prioritised at the UN climate conference COP31.…

Ole Miss student apologises; Senate backs permit bill as Shakira announces Venezuela return

The student acknowledged making racist gestures outside a flat shared by three Black students. A Senate-backed bill would set firmer deadlines for project challenges, while Shakira is set to return to Venezuela in 2027.

Jamie Dornan Admits He ‘Cried’ When He Was Cast as Aragorn in ‘Lord of the Rings: Hunt for Gollum’ and Says Filming Was ‘Incredible’: ‘Hopefully We’ve Done a Good Job’

• Dornan says he cried when cast as Aragorn.
• He calls filming an incredible experience.
• The film is due in cinemas in December 2027.

Jamie Dornan said he cried when he learnt he had been cast as Aragorn in *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum*, describing the role as a dream and an honour. He praised Viggo Mortensen’s original performance and hopes audiences will welcome the new film into…

‘Unforgiven’ Meets ‘Kill Bill’ in Quentin Tarantino’s Western Masterpiece

• *Django Unchained* is streaming free on Pluto.
• Tarantino’s first Western is set in the antebellum South.
• Django’s bounty-hunting journey centres on rescuing his wife.

Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 film *Django Unchained* is now streaming free on Pluto, prompting a renewed look at his first Western, which he described as a “Southern”. The article argues that the film brings together influences from spaghetti Westerns and *Kill Bill* while giving its genre story a focus…

The 10 Greatest Fantasy Books Released Since ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ Ranked

• The article ranks ten fantasy books published since Tolkien’s landmark trilogy.
• The examples range from epic fantasy to comic science-fantasy.
• The supplied excerpt ends partway through the ranking.

The article ranks ten fantasy books published after J. R. R. Tolkien’s *The Lord of the Rings*, arguing that later writers have built on Tolkien’s influence with distinctive worlds and stories. It presents the books as notable successors to a series widely regarded as foundational to modern high…

Potential ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Reunion? Lucy Hale Says Cast Is “Willing and Would Want to” Reprise Roles

• Lucy Hale says the cast would be willing to return.
• A revival would need the right script and storyline.
• The original series ran for seven seasons, ending in 2017.

Lucy Hale says the *Pretty Little Liars* cast would be open to reuniting, but a revival would depend on their schedules and a strong script and storyline. Her comments have renewed interest in the possibility of returning to Rosewood, though no reunion has been announced. Hale, who played…

5 Funniest Quotes from ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Babysitter Rosalyn

• Rosalyn’s rivalry with Calvin fuels the comedy.
• Her pay demands become a running joke.
• A game of Calvinball reveals a warmer side.

The article celebrates Rosalyn, Calvin’s babysitter in *Calvin and Hobbes*, as one of the people best able to match his mischief with sharp retorts and theatrical threats. Their combative relationship drives much of the humour, while Rosalyn’s repeated demands for higher pay explain why she keeps taking the…

“That’s absolutely the biggest factor”: When might King Crimson offshoot Beat make new music?

• Beat will reassess its future after next year.
• New music has not been attempted because members are busy.
• Belew expects to decide his own plans by January.

Adrian Belew says Beat will decide its future after the end of next year, once members’ existing commitments allow them to consider what to do next. The King Crimson offshoot has so far focused on touring music from the band’s 1980s era, and it remains undecided whether Beat…