A critically acclaimed period drama film from one of America’s greatest directors is now available on Netflix

Netflix is presently showing one of the most highly praised films from the past decade, created by one of Hollywood’s leading directors.

Drawing from an extraordinary true account of determination against racial prejudice in 1970s America, BlacKkKlansman is broadly regarded as amongst director Spike Lee’s finest works.

John David Washington portrays real-life police officer Ron Stallworth, who became the first Black officer recruited by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Following persistent harassment from his racist workmates, Stallworth rises to detective and joins forces with his Jewish colleague Flip Zimmerman (portrayed by Adam Driver ) to penetrate a local branch of the Ku Klux Klan. Whilst Stallworth impersonates a white member over the telephone, Zimmerman participates in gatherings personally to dismantle the extremist organisation from the inside.

BlacKkKlansman initially premiered in 2018 and garnered widespread critical acclaim and significant awards recognition, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards, whilst securing victory for Best Adapted Screenplay, reports the Express.

Audiences have remained captivated by this revealing historical drama throughout the years since, owing to its blend of outstanding acting, witty dialogue and nail-biting suspense.

One Letterboxd critic commented upon release: “The film of the year. A powerful, horrifying & scathingly funny masterpiece.”

A different viewer enthused: “Absolutely haunting, Spike Lee does not hold back and nor should he.”

Another viewer penned in a five-star review: “Overall, BlacKkKlansman is an entertaining, hilarious, powerful and just all around an amazing film that tackles its messages extremely well.

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“The direction from Lee is incredible and as my first film I’ve watched [by] him he killed it and I’m excited to see the rest of his stuff. The performances are also excellent, especially from Driver & Washington and yeah I would highly recommend checking this one out!”

Praise poured in on IMDb, where one person awarded BlackKklansman 10/10, writing: “Thank you, Spike Lee. Your film should be required viewing for ages 0 to 100 and not just by Americans.

“Any American history teacher on the planet should urge his/her students to open their eyes, ears, minds and hearts and learn from your masterpiece.”

A different fan commented: “Perfect blend of humor and drama to tell this incredibly important story. Racism is so stupid. The last 5 minutes is a nice reminder of where we’re at as a nation unfortunately.”

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One final reviewer noted: “Too often true stories drag out the story line with clutter of facts. Not so here. The pace kept us involved to the end.

“Lee and [producer Jordan] Peele provide a troubling reminder of the past and a cautionary tale of the present. Many in our theater laughed, cheered and left humbled and disturbed. Powerful movie.”

Whether you’re about to experience it for the first time or fancy a rewatch of one of the standout film releases from the last decade, ensure BlackKklansman is added to your Netflix watchlist post-haste.

BlackKklansman can be streamed on Netflix.

Doctors found the dormant chickenpox virus in Isla’s system, which is believed to be the underlying trigger of the stroke

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A four-year-old girl was left unable to speak or stand after suffering a stroke at pre-school. Isla Parrott fell ill on January 22 and was swiftly taken to hospital where an Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed.

Since then, she has been undergoing intensive treatment at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, and is on several medications to control inflammation and prevent infection. Doctors discovered a dormant chickenpox virus in Isla’s system, which they believe triggered the stroke.

This virus is known to be associated with paediatric vasculopathy, disorders that affect blood vessels, and strokes. The news has left Isla’s parents, Kitty-Mae King and Dan Parrot from Stowupland, Suffolk, along with other family members, in a state of shock.

Isla’s aunt, Maddie King, 28, expressed her disbelief: “My reaction was: ‘She’s four years old, what do you mean she had a stroke?’ None of us has really made sense of it. I’m still shocked and I feel absolutely awful about it all. It’s been by far the worst week of my life. Seeing a child who was once vibrant and constantly active, suddenly lose so much of herself, has been deeply heartbreaking.

“It’s been really distressing for her. We’re all so proud of her as she’s been so brave.”

The stroke affected the right side of Isla’s body, particularly affecting movement and strength in her right hand. She has begun to walk again, albeit unsteadily and with fatigue, and the treatment has induced nausea.

The family acknowledges that recovery is likely to be a lengthy process. Kitty-Mae, 30, and Dan, 28, have had to put their jobs on hold as they care for Isla and strive to maintain a sense of normality for her two sisters Ava, eight, and Raya, one.

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Maddie expressed how overwhelmed they’ve been by the support received and mentioned that they have set up a GoFundMe to alleviate financial strain.

“Life can be really hard and unfair,” she admitted. “We didn’t expect to receive all these donations and it’s been lovely to see so many people support someone they don’t even know. Strokes in children are rare and support for families is extremely limited, so the costs can be scary and add up really quickly.”

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Maddie also expressed gratitude to Osier Cafe in Stowmarket for their assistance, as they provided ample food for Isla and her family. Both Kitty-Mae and Dan aim to raise awareness that strokes can occur in children, regardless of age.

Symptoms to watch out for include sudden weakness on one side of the body, facial drooping, and speech difficulties among others.

You can contribute to Isla’s recovery here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-isla-the-road-ahead.

Her daughters, Amy, then 10, and Alice, then six, were devoted to him and were struggling to understand what was happening, especially when he became reluctant to see them.

“It was a really tough time,” recalled Anne. “We were all so upset, but it was worse when the girls couldn’t see him.”

What happened next compounded Anne’s high opinion – initially created 12 years before when her mother passed away in the Hospice – that here was a very special place, populated by “angels”.

The lady in charge of arts and crafts at the Wellbeing Hub managed to get the girls together with their grandfather, Anne, and husband Steve to create a special fingerprint picture.

“It was just lovely,” said Anne. “The girls were so close to their Grandad, and this made all the difference to both him and them.

“It’s very difficult when you are caught up in your own grief to help effectively in the grief of your children so I was really grateful for what they did.”

This was also just a part of the Hospice’s care for Anne and her family, both before her father passed away and afterwards.

“People just think the Hospice is somewhere people go to die, but it’s not like that,” insisted Anne. “There is also this wonderful care for the family, and it goes on afterwards when you also need them.”

Ever since then, Anne, Steve, and the girls have backed Hospice fundraising events whenever they can, including Hike the Pike, and are now getting behind Making Every Moment Count.

“We want to help the Hospice as much as we can because we really appreciate how they helped us,” added Anne.

“People don’t always know what an amazing place it is – but we do.”

Prosecutors in France have been unable to tell which of a pair of identical twins on trial for murder pulled the trigger in a fatal shooting, because DNA found on a gun is a match to them both.

Identified in reports as 33-year-old brothers Samuel and Jeremy Y, the pair are suspected of being involved in a double gang murder in September 2020 and several attempted murders the following month.

The pair are accused over the killing of a 17-year-old, named in reports as Tidiane B, and a 25-year-old, identified as Sofiane M.

But DNA on an assault rifle used in one of the later gun battles could only be from one twin, French newspaper Le Parisien said.

Forensic experts couldn’t say which of the brothers had been definitively implicated, a police officer told the court.

One investigator is quoted as telling the trial that “only their mother can tell them apart”.

They are among five defendants on trial at a court in Bobigny, a suburb to the northeast of Paris, until the end of February.

Police believe they have taken advantage of their resemblance to cover their tracks, the paper said.

It claimed the pair frequently exchanged clothes, phones and identification documents, quoting a senior police officer.

Identical twins happen when a single egg (zygote) is fertilised, the NHS says on its website.

The egg then divides in two, creating identical twins who share the same genes.

Identical twins are always the same sex.

Because the pair came from the same egg and sperm, they share exactly the same DNA, making forensic identification extremely difficult.

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With genetic data unable to distinguish between them, investigators relied on phone records, surveillance footage, wiretaps and efforts to corroborate their whereabouts and movements, according to Le Parisien.

But the crucial question of who fired the recovered weapon remains an open one.

The true crime series has been dubbed one of the ‘best’ amongst ITV viewers

ITV viewers have branded the series the “best ever” and tonight’s episode will no doubt leave them in tears.

A grisly true crime series delving into brutal and distressing murders is available to watch tonight (February 9), with episodes still “haunting” viewers.

First airing back in 2021 on ITV, The Social Media Murders saw three standalone episodes, each featuring a shocking real life crime that involves young people.

With links back to social media, viewers are plunged into real life dangers young people are faced with when it comes to online use. A third series was released last year, with more heartbreaking stories, putting the victim at the centre of the narrative.

Tonight (February 9), ITV will air one of those episodes, which is a must watch for fans of true crime and documentaries. Social Media Murders: The Murder of Olly Stephens will be available to watch on ITV at 10.45pm.

The episode, which is the latest episode in the series first released in 2024, plunges viewers into the real life case of 13-year-old Olly Stephens who was fatally stabbed just metres from his own home.

The documentary instalment explores the harrowing online plan which had been carried out by two teenage boys, which left one family devastated.

The ITV synopsis reads: “The Murder of Olly Stephens – True crime documentary. When 13-year-old Olly Stephens was ambushed in a park by two teenage boys, the evidence points to the attack having been planned on social media.”

The heartbreaking episode hears first hand from Olly’s family and friends, who were seen in tears, as they share their devastating experience.

Over the last few years, many fans have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the true crime series, with some dubbing it the “best” documentary from ITV.

One person wrote on X: “Social media Murders is also v good , itvx.”

Another said: “I’ve watched the social media murders on ITV X some of them are horrific.”

A third penned: “Not sure if anyone’s seen the series Social media murders on itv x but it is so f**** up.”

A fourth added: “#SocialMediaMurders on @ITV WOW…… The murder of Ashley Wadsworth is such a sad story. The warning signs were there but sadly it was too late.”

Another said: “One of best shows on itv2!!” One viewer agreed: “So distressing indeed! #themurderofgracemillane #socialmediamurders is so so sad!! Poor girl! #ITV.”

Over on IMDb, one viewer said: “The documentary provides key insights into the darker aspects of social media and its influence on individuals and relationships.

“The documentary highlights how social media can amplify dangerous behaviors. In some cases, the pressure to conform to online trends, gain followers, or maintain a digital persona can push individuals to commit extreme acts. Whether its luring victims, escalating personal conficts, or acting harmful challenges, social media becomes an enable or even a catalyst forcriminal behavior.”

Over on TikTok, one viewer described the series as “haunting” as another said one specific episode was “messed up”.

All three seasons and all episodes are also available to stream online on ITVX for anyone wanting to watch the true crime series in one go.

Social Media Murders: The Murder of Olly Stephens airs tonight on ITV at 10.45pm. All episodes are also available to stream on ITVX.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn knows the Olympic downhill course better than anyone.

She’s won a record 12 World Cup races on the Olympia delle Tofane track — split evenly between six downhills and six super-Gs — and has a total of 20 podium results there, stretching back to her very first podium on the entire circuit in 2004.

So how did the 41-year-old American standout lose control just 12.5 seconds into her run and crash so spectacularly at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Sunday?

Here’s what happened and why:

Critical early section

The highlight of the downhill course is the Tofana schuss, a narrow chute between two walls of Dolomite rock where the skiers accelerate to 80 mph (130 kph).

But the real key to the Olympia delle Tofane track comes above the schuss, where there’s a key right turn that includes an uphill stretch. That’s where Vonn went down.

“It’s incredibly reverse banked,” said Kristian Ghedina, the Cortina native and former racer who grew up in a home just below the finish line. “That’s where your speed for the rest of the course gets determined and if you don’t take the right trajectory it makes a huge difference because you end up going uphill.”

Bumped into the air and clipped a gate

Vonn was fighting that reverse bank and trending slightly uphill when she got rocked into the air by a bump, causing her to clip the fourth gate with her right side.

That’s when the real disaster started to unfold.

Hours later, Vonn underwent surgery for a broken left leg and was in stable condition.

“It’s super flat after it so the goal is to be as close to that gate as possible and she really nailed the turn but she was too close to it so she got hooked into it,” Norwegian skier Kajsa Vickhoff Lie said of the gate. “But that’s how it is with the Olympics, you really want to be on the limit and she was a little bit over the limit.”

While it’s always bumpy in that section, this year the final bump is “more of a kicker,” Lie noted, which is why Vonn got popped up suddenly into the air.

“I watched the video, and probably like anybody else, saw that she went through that panel, that uphill double, and for sure kicked her in the air and there was a pretty significant fall after that,” head U.S. ski coach Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press.

Organizers defend course preparation in section where Vonn crashed

Women’s race director Peter Gerdol said the section where Vonn lost control was “not really more different than other years.”

“This is the Cortina downhill and this year we’re talking about the Olympics,” he told AP. “It’s awarding Olympic medals so has to be somehow challenging.”

Had attention been paid to controlling the size of that bump?

“Not severely,” Gerdol said. “Because actually today, all the athletes went through quite easily. Lindsey made a mistake and it happens. It can happen in any section of the course. It happened there but it could have been in another.”

Mandatory air bag inflated under Vonn’s racing suit

When she came to a stop, Vonn’s skis were facing in opposite directions, still attached to her bindings. She then moved her left arm toward her body and was lying there alone and virtually immobile until help arrived after some tense moments. She received care for long minutes before she was airlifted away by helicopter.

The mandatory safety air bag inflated under her racing suit during the crash, supplier Dainese confirmed to the AP. The air bag, which is triggered by a complicated algorithm when racers lose control, may have softened her landing.

It was evident that the air bag had opened, because Vonn’s chest appeared puffed out when she was lying on the snow.

Marco Pastore, who works on the safety system for Dainese, said the air bag deflates after about 20 seconds, so that likely happened while Vonn was lying on the snow after her crash. Eventually, Dainese will try to retrieve a sort of “black box” sensor that could reveal data on the fall.

“She was wearing it when they took her away in the helicopter,” Pastore said. “So we haven’t gotten the data yet.”

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AP Sports Writer Steve Douglas contributed to this report.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

HONG KONG (AP) — The sentencing on Monday of Hong Kong’s onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai raised concerns from international governments and rights groups. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities defended it, saying it reflected the spirit of the rule of law.

Lai, a 78-year-old prominent democracy advocate, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles. His co-defendants, who entered guilty pleas to the collusion-related charge, received prison terms ranging between six years and three months, and 10 years.

Some foreign governments and rights groups condemned the sentencing and called for the release of Lai, a British citizen. But China’s Foreign Ministry maintained that Lai is a Chinese citizen, and urged other countries to respect its sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Here’s what they said:

United Nations

The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Türk, deplored the sentence, saying Lai was punished for “exercising rights protected under international law” and that the sentence must be quashed. His office raised concerns that the broad scope of the charges risks criminalizing legitimate activities of civil society organizations and journalists.

“This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong’s national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations,” Türk said. “This is part of a broader repressive trend in Hong Kong, where hundreds have been arrested and prosecuted under these laws.”

The European Union

The EU reiterated its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Lai, citing his advanced age and health condition.

“The politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai and the former Apple Daily executives and journalists harms Hong Kong’s reputation,” it said in a statement. “The EU calls on the Hong Kong authorities to restore confidence in press freedom in Hong Kong, one of the pillars of its historic success as an international financial center, and to stop prosecuting journalists.”

Australia

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country’s government is gravely concerned by the sentences handed down to Lai and his co-defendants, saying its thoughts are with their family members and supporters at this difficult time.

Wong said the prosecutions have had a chilling effect on free speech in Hong Kong. She called on China to stop suppression on freedom of expression, media and civil society, as well as repealing the security law, under which Lai was convicted.

Britain

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Lai was sentenced for exercising his right to freedom of expression after a “politically motivated prosecution.” She was concerned for Lai’s health and called on the Hong Kong authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds so that he may be reunited with his family.

“For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence,” she said, adding that her government will “rapidly engage further” on the case.

The British government said Monday that it is expanding an immigration route to more residents of Hong Kong, a former British colony, “amid continuing deterioration of rights and freedoms in the territory.” It estimated that some 26,000 Hong Kongers could relocate to the U.K. in the next five years.

China

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a daily briefing that Lai is a Chinese citizen, calling him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong.

Lin said the judicial cases are purely Hong Kong’s internal affairs, urging “relevant countries” to avoid interfering in Hong Kong’s judicial affairs or China’s internal affairs.

Beijing’s office in Hong Kong affairs said Lai’s sentence reflected Hong Kong’s determination in safeguarding national security and demonstrated the spirit of the rule of law.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai’s crimes are heinous and that he had used Apple Daily to “poison” residents and incite hatred. He said Lai deserved the sentence because he openly asked for foreign sanctions against China as well as Hong Kong and harmed their interests.

“His heavy sentence of 20 years in prison demonstrated the rule of law, upheld justice, and brought great satisfaction to the people,” he said in a statement.

Taiwan

Taiwan’s mainland affairs council condemned the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for suppressing human rights in the name of national security, urging for Lai’s release. It reminded Taiwanese people to take Hong Kong’s painful experience as a warning to safeguard its hard-won free way of life.

Rights groups

Amnesty International said the sentence marked “another grim milestone” for Hong Kong.

“Imprisoning a 78-year-old man for doing nothing more than exercising his rights shows a complete disregard for human dignity,” Sarah Brooks, Amnesty’s deputy regional director, said.

Reporters Without Borders’ Director General Thibaut Bruttin said the court decision underscores the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities’ contempt for independent journalism.

“We have already witnessed press freedom defender Liu Xiaobo die in prison due to insufficient international pressure. We cannot allow Jimmy Lai to suffer a similar fate,” he said.

As Wetherspoons opens a new branch in Spain, many people will be wondering just how much it costs for a pint and pub grub

Punters visiting Wetherspoons’ new pub in Spain face paying more than they would at home.

While many of the dishes and drinks are still decent value, they are typically above what they are in the chain’s high street branches.

The reason, say bosses, is that it costs more to operate pubs in airports. They point out that its prices at the new Spanish pub are comparable to its existing sites airports and railway stations in the UK.

A large breakfast is 10.25 euros (£8.84) in Spain but just £5.09 on average in the UK.

To see how they stack up, the Mirror compared other prices at the Alicante pub with those at Wetherspoons’ Solihull pub in the West Midlands, and at Gatwick Airport.

To complicate matters, some of the products are not exactly the same in terms of size and ingredients.

Here are some examples

FOOD

Margherita pizza

• Spain (11 inch) – 11.95 euros (£10.42)
• High street ( 8 inch) – £6.21
• Airport (11 inch) – £13.85

All day brunch

• Spain (without drink) – 12.95 euros (£11.30)
• High street – (with soft drink) – £10.02
• Airport (without drink) £14.40

Classic burger

• Spain (without drink) 12.95 euros (£11.30)
• High street (with soft drink) – £8.29
• Airport – £14.42

Chicken, eggs and beans

• Spain (without drink) 11.95 euros (£10.42)
• High street – (with soft drink) £8.03
• Airport (not available but ham, egg and chips – £14.05

DRINKS

Pint of Stella Artois

• Spain – 5.95 euros (£5.19)
• High street – £3.99
• Airport – £6.90

Asahi beer

• Spain (330ml) – 3.50 euros (£3.05)
• High street (660ml) – £4.63
• Airport – N/A

Pint of Greene King Abbot Ale

• Spain (550ml can) – 5.95 euros (£5.19)
• High street – £3.20
• Airport – £5.15

Guinness 0.0

• Spain (440ml can) – 4.95 euros (£4.32)
• High street (538ml) – £2.73
• Airport (538ml) – £4.50

Coca Cola/Pepsi (398ml)

• Spain – 2.95 euros (£2.57)
• High street – £1.89
• Airport – £3.10

Police have reportedly used pepper spray and tear gas as thousands of people held protests in Australia over the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog.

Mr Herzog is in the country this week after an invitation from Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in December that killed at least 15 people.

But some people have criticised the trip, accusing Mr Herzog of being “complicit” in the large number of civilian deaths in Gaza and angry at how Israel has waged the war against the militant group Hamas.

In Sydney, ‍thousands gathered in a square, listening to speeches and shouting pro-Palestine slogans.

Police used pepper spray and tear gas to push back groups of people who ​were trying to breach the line and several arrests were made, Reuters news agency reported.

Protests were also held in Melbourne, where Mr Herzog is due to visit later this week.

Jackson ‌Elliott, a 30-year-old protester from Sydney, told Reuters: “The Bondi massacre was terrible but from our Australian leadership there’s been no acknowledgment of the Palestinian people and the Gazans.

“Herzog has dodged all the questions about the occupation and says this visit is about Australia and Israeli relations but he is ‌complicit.”

The Palestine Action Group, which organised the Sydney protest, had unsuccessfully mounted a legal challenge in a court on Monday over restrictions placed on the demonstration.

Authorities in Sydney had been authorised to use rarely invoked powers during the visit, including the ability to ‍separate and move crowds and restrict their entry to certain areas.

The Jewish Council of Australia, a vocal critic of the Israeli government, released an open letter on Monday signed by over 1,000 Jewish Australian academics and community leaders, urging Mr Albanese to rescind ‍Mr Herzog’s invitation.

Other Jewish groups have welcomed the visit of Mr Herzog, saying it will “lift the spirits of a pained community”.

At the beginning of his visit, Mr Herzog met the families of victims and survivors of the attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach on 14 December.

At the site, he said: “This was also an attack on all Australians.

“They attacked the values that our democracies treasure, the sanctity of human life, the freedom of religion, tolerance, dignity and respect.”

He also laid a wreath and two stones he had brought from Jerusalem.

Along with his visits to Sydney and Melbourne, Mr Herzog is also due to arrive in the capital Canberra before he returns to Israel on Thursday.