State TV has started broadcasting matches, albeit with heavy-handed intervention of Pyongyang regime’s censors
TV viewers in North Korea have to endure more than their fair share of war films – in which there can be only one victor, news reports delivered with revolutionary gusto and breathless Kim dynasty propaganda.
But even for a country as wary of outside influences as North Korea, it appears unable to resist the lure of Premier League football – the most-watched sport on the nation’s TV screens. Just don’t expect to see any live action, let alone Gary Lineker presenting in his underpants.
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© Photograph: Courtesy of 38 North
© Photograph: Courtesy of 38 North
Prime minister addresses nation to pay tribute to those ‘who wanted to contribute to a better society’
Most of the people killed by a gunman in the Swedish city of Örebro last week had an immigrant background, police have said, after the prime minister paid tribute to the victims as “people who wanted to do something good, who wanted to contribute to a better society”.
Among those understood to have been killed in Sweden’s deadliest mass shooting, which took place at an adult education centre on Tuesday, were two Syrian men, both refugees, an Eritrean woman, an Iranian woman and a female teacher from Kurdistan.
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© Photograph: Johan Nilsson/Reuters
© Photograph: Johan Nilsson/Reuters
US president says 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to be introduced this week as Chinese tariffs come into effect
European stock markets have opened fairly calmly, despite the latest tariff threat lobbed by Donald Trump from Air Force One yesterday.
In London, the FTSE 100 share index has risen by 0.2% or 16 points to 8716 points.
There could be a problem - you’ve been reading about that, with Treasuries and that could be an interesting problem.”
“It could be that a lot of those things don’t count. In other words, that some of that stuff that we’re finding is very fraudulent, therefore maybe we have less debt than we thought.”
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© Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Reuters
© Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Reuters
Can a small-screen spin-off ever better the original? From Daria to Endeavour, here are the 10 that came closest – and a few that actually managed it
Sometimes on TV, the second time’s a charm. If the broadcasting stars align, a spin-off can breathe new life into familiar intellectual property and become beloved in its own right. Or else it can be Joanie Loves Chachi. Or HolbyBlue. Or Baywatch Nights. Or insert any number of best-forgotten flops.
Whether it’s a sequel or a prequel, creating something new from a previous hit is a risky business, but it can reap rewards. In the week that the BBC successfully launched Amandaland, an offshoot of Motherland, and the Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul celebrated its 10th anniversary, we’ve selected the 10 best TV spin-offs of all time.
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© Photograph: pr
© Photograph: pr
Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean are firing Atalanta and Fiorentina up the table and themselves into Spalletti’s plans
It feels like only yesterday that Roberto Mancini was lamenting the scarce selection of centre-forwards available to him as Italy manager. He returned to the theme repeatedly through his final few months in the job, highlighting how few domestic players were even starting up front for the nation’s top clubs. “It makes things difficult for us,” he said. “Let’s hope it’s not an irreversible phenomenon.”
Luciano Spalletti has not dwelled on this subject since he succeeded Mancini in the role, but plenty of others were ready to say it for him as Italy crashed out early from Euro 2024. Starting up front in their last-16 defeat to Switzerland was Gianluca Scamacca, making his 20th appearance for Italy and yet to score his second goal. The only other recognised No 9 in the squad was Mateo Retegui, who had struck a modest seven times in his first Serie A season with Genoa.
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© Photograph: Paolo Giuliani/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
© Photograph: Paolo Giuliani/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
NFL confirmed person was part of the 400-member cast and ‘will be banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events’
A performer in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl half-time show was detained on the field and could face charges after unfurling a combination Sudanese-Palestinian flag with “Sudan” and “Gaza” written on it.
The NFL confirmed the person was part of the 400-member field cast. The New Orleans police department said in a statement that “law enforcement is working to determine applicable charges in this incident”.
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© Photograph: Frank Franklin II/AP
© Photograph: Frank Franklin II/AP
Charismatic lead aside, a sketchy script and surfeit of stereotypes blight this tale of a secret gay love affair among New York’s Latino community
The opening scenes of this film, written and directed by Dennis Shinners, have the sensorial feel of a city symphony; the sights and sounds of New York’s Brooklyn are all here. From the gentle chugging of a cargo barge along the East River to the clanking jingle of an ice-cream truck, the rhythm of life in this diverse neighbourhood bursts with vibrancy.
From this panoramic view of the city, Barrio Boy closes in on a hair salon, where Quique (Dennis Garcia) works as a barber. The place is charming: airy, full of light, yet also witnesses the paradoxes that exist in the local Latino community. Quique shares a strong camaraderie with his male peers, but as a closeted gay man is forced to put on a macho front, especially to his homophobic, drug-dealing cousin (Keet Davis). A love affair with Kevin (James Physick), a handsome stranger from Ireland, threatens to send Quique’s life into chaos.
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© Photograph: Publicity image
© Photograph: Publicity image
Delicious, chewy, cheesy, crisp on top … slam it in the oven and it’s ready in half an hour
Baked gnocchi is my go-to for a hassle-free dinner, and this version with leeks and a fiery kick from the harissa is a simple, store-cupboard win. You could just as easily use your favourite goat’s cheese or feta instead of mozzarella, if that’s what you have in the fridge. Either way, this is dinner in about half an hour.
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© Photograph: The Guardian. Food styling: Rosie Reynolds. Prop styling: Louie Waller.
© Photograph: The Guardian. Food styling: Rosie Reynolds. Prop styling: Louie Waller.
John Cooney, the young Irish boxer who has died after a title fight in Belfast, has been described by the former world champion Barry McGuigan as a “lovely sweet kid” whose life was “snapped away”.
As a condolence book was opened at Belfast’s Ulster Hall, his manager Mark Dunlop said the death was “a complete tragedy”.
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© Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
© Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Emmanuel Macron’s tech envoy warns delegates current trajectory of artificial intelligence is unsustainable
The impact of artificial intelligence on the environment and inequality has dominated the opening exchanges of a global summit in Paris attended by political leaders, tech executives and experts.
Emmanuel Macron’s AI envoy, Anne Bouverot, opened the two-day gathering at the Grand Palais in the heart of the French capital with a speech referring to the environmental impact of AI, which requires vast amounts of energy and resource to develop and operate.
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© Photograph: Michel Euler/AP
© Photograph: Michel Euler/AP
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