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The war on Pokemon scalpers now includes facial recognition checks in some stores in Japan
The Pokémon Company is introducing facial-recognition checks at some Japanese Pokémon Card Store locations to stop scalpers exploiting entry and purchase limits. The move shows how severe demand and resale activity have become in the Pokémon trading-card market, while raising privacy concerns because customers must provide biometric data to shop. The system will apply to…
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David Anthony Burke to stand trial for teenage girl’s murder
A Los Angeles judge has ruled that US musician D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, will stand trial for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found in a Tesla registered to his address last September. The ruling followed a five-day preliminary hearing in which prosecutors called a dozen witnesses…
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Saudi Arabia stares down Trump whiplash on nuclear deal
Saudi Arabia has given no sign that it will accept President Trump’s subsequent demand to establish diplomatic relations with Israel as a condition for a US nuclear-energy agreement. The dispute matters because it casts doubt over an agreement announced only last week and highlights the difficulty of linking Saudi civil nuclear co-operation to the wider…
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Trump says Iran war talks taking place during lull in strikes
US President Donald Trump has said “very friendly negotiations” are under way with Iran, as the two sides went a third consecutive day without exchanging strikes. The apparent lull comes after nearly two weeks of daily US strikes and retaliatory Iranian attacks that had unravelled a ceasefire agreed in June, and any de-escalation would matter…
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As the US pauses the war with Iran, is Trump really running out of weapons?
US President Donald Trump has urged American defence manufacturers to build weapons faster, even as questions grow over whether the war with Iran has significantly depleted US munitions stockpiles. The concern matters because a tenuous ceasefire, which began on 8 April, has left the Pentagon needing to replenish sophisticated, hard-to-manufacture weapons whilst also considering further…
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Ministers face pressure to legislate against early prisoner releases
The Conservatives have called on Andy Burnham to introduce emergency legislation permanently ending the early release of serious offenders, including convicted paedophiles and rapists, after the Prime Minister paused the scheme following pressure from the family of murdered police officer Andrew Harper. Burnham said no prisoners would be released until an urgent review, expected to…
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Sean Woods Launches Management & Production Company Intangible
Sean Woods, a Hollywood manager and producer, has launched his own management and production company, Intangible, based in Los Angeles. The company will represent writers, directors and actors, with a particular focus on creatives working across the boundary between traditional media and newer forms of storytelling, marking Woods’ move to independence after nearly eight years…
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Glamorous woman who’s had green card for two decades is held in grimy ICE jail for a YEAR after being arrested while gardening
A woman named Beata Siemionkowicz, who has held a US green card for two decades, has reportedly been held in an immigration detention facility for a year after being arrested while gardening. The case has drawn attention because of the length of her detention and the conditions described at the facility, raising questions about how…
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Marcus Mumford Recalls This ‘Real Confidence’ Move Kendrick Lamar Pulled When They Met in a Dressing Room
Marcus Mumford has shared a memorable story about the first time he met rapper Kendrick Lamar, describing a backstage encounter at Bonnaroo Music Festival that left a lasting impression. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, the Mumford & Sons frontman recalled being summoned to Lamar’s dressing room after a set, only to find the rapper mid-change…
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Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2026
Billboard’s photo tribute rounds up notable musicians who have died in 2026, opening with a run of high-profile losses early in the year, including country songwriter Jim McBride, Colombian singer Yeison Jiménez, Grateful Dead founder Bob Weir, Fugees collaborator John Forté, Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Oliver “Power” Grant, and pop legend Neil Sedaka. The piece then…