Oscar-nominated actor Adam Driver, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink and Obsession breakout Inde Navarrette have been cast in the new X-Men reboot.

Marvel chief Kevin Feige unveiled the new set of actors on Friday at the Disney fan convention D23, according to a report in Variety.

Sink, 24, has landed the part of Jean Grey, the boundlessly powerful psychic and telekinetic who at times assumes the nefarious alter ego Dark Phoenix.

Jean was played by Famke Janssen in the beloved 2000 film X-Men, in which Hugh Jackman immortalized the role of Wolverine.

Meanwhile Driver, 42, is playing the villainous eugenicist Dr Nathaniel Essex, aka Mister Sinister, who has previously never been committed to live-action cinema.

Navarrette, 25, has been tapped to portray Rogue, who siphons off other people’s energy by touching them and was played in the 2000 version by Anna Paquin.

Oscar-nominated actor Adam Driver, who is pictured at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, has also been tapped to play the villainous Mr Sinister

Girls heartthrob Christopher Abbott, 40, will feature as Charles Xavier, the wheelchair-bound psychic who as Professor X assembles the titular squadron of mutants.

In the 2000 movie X-Men, directed by Bryan Singer, Professor X was played by Patrick Stewart, while his nemesis Erik Lehnsherr, whose ability to manipulate metal earned him the sobriquet Magneto, was embodied by Ian McKellen.

The new reboot has also cast Heartstopper star Kit Connor, 22, as Scott Summers, known as Cyclops because of the lasers that shoot uncontrollably from his eyes unless he keeps a special set of sunglasses on at all times.

James Marsden became a star in the original 2000 X-Men as Cyclops, who is shown to be locked in a love triangle involving Wolverine and Jean.

In the new version, Samara Weaving will play Emma Frost, a psychic who can assume diamond form, while Maya Boyd will feature as Storm, the weather-controlling mutant unforgettably portrayed by Halle Berry in the original cast.

Directed by Jake Schreier, whose previous work includes Thunderbolts*, the new X-Men movie is scheduled for release on May 5, 2028. 

The 2000 movie X-Men dramatically expanded the comic book franchise’s global popularity and resulted in two sequels, the 2003 picture X2: X-Men United, also directed by Singer, and 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, helmed by Brett Ratner.

In the original trilogy, Rebecca Romijn played the shape-shifter Mystique, Kelsey Grammer stepped into the role of Beast and Alan Cumming played Nightcrawler.

Sink, 24, has landed the part of Jean Grey, the boundlessly powerful psychic and telekinetic who at times assumes the nefarious alter ego Dark Phoenix

Jean was played by Famke Janssen in the beloved 2000 film X-Men, in which Hugh Jackman immortalized the role of Wolverine

Navarrette, 25, has been tapped to portray Rogue, who siphons off other people’s energy by touching them and was played in the 2000 version by Anna Paquin

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(from left) The original cast of Patrick Stewart, Anna Paquin, James Marsden, Shawn Ashmore, Famke Janssen, Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman are pictured in X2: X-Men United

(from left) James Flemyng, Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Kevin Bacon are pictured for X-Men: First Class

Jackman became an international household name in that cycle of pictures as Wolverine, a role he most recently reprised in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan Reynolds in his final blockbuster before the It Ends with Us scandal.

In 2011, the franchise was revived for a set of prequel films fronted by a younger cast that began with Matthew Vaughn’s picture X-Men: First Class.

James McAvoy starred as Professor X, with Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, January Jones as Emma Frost and Kevin Bacon as the antagonistic Sebastian Shaw.

In the 2014 follow-up X-Men: Days of Future Past, the old and new casts collided in a time-travel plot that proved to be catnip to the fanbase.

Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner was added to that cast for the 2019 picture Dark Phoenix, which emerged as a titanic flop at the box office.

This year’s upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe picture Avengers: Doomsday, starring Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Doom, will feature several of the original 2000 cast.

Among them are Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer and Alan Cumming. 

Guiding us round the original Jackson family home in Gary, Indiana, flicking nostalgically through family photo albums, fooling around with assistants in his personal limousine… these never-before-seen videos show a pop superstar at the peak of his fame.

In 2001, defying lingering allegations of child molestation, Michael Jackson decided to make a fly-on-the-wall-style documentary which would show him chatting to celebrities, meeting ‘real’ fans and travelling back into his past.

There’s certainly no shortage of confidence as Jackson gives words of reassurance to a 19-year-old Beyonce, then emerging as a star in her own right. He even laughingly tells cameras he’s glad that ‘dirty pictures’ have been removed from the bedroom he once shared with his brothers and fellow performers in the Jackson Five.

Yet his world soon came crashing down.

In November 2003, with the new documentary still filming, officers from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s department raided the star’s Neverland ranch in California, part of a criminal investigation into sex abuse.

It was a shattering blow. Two years later, he would be acquitted but for Jackson – who fled the US for Bahrain in the wake of the verdict – the doors were slamming shut.

TV networks lost interest in the documentary, leaving Jackson’s friend and producer Marc Shaffel with a mountain of unused footage.

Yet that might soon change. For, while his reputation has been battered in the 15 years since his death, the King of Pop is having a posthumous renaissance.

Included in the footage shot as part of the film, Jackson was seen meeting with a 19-year-old Beyonce

Filmmaker Marc Shaffel helped interpret a bizarre episode in another of the clips, in which Jackson is sprayed with perfume in his limousine

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The new biopic, Michael, has been a huge success and, grossing more than $1billion, has created a new generation of fans. A sequel is already in production.

Now Mr Shaffel believes that his own footage – one of the last sustained portraits ever made of Jackson – is relevant once again and plans to release a new film portrait of his own, tentatively titled The Real Michael.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, the producer said: ‘During the time these clips were shot Michael was about at the pinnacle of his second half of his career. The 1993 allegations made by Jordan Chandler had passed. He was in a great mood and the fans were very welcoming to him.

‘The material was originally shot to be a reality show I was making about Michael.

‘It was my long personal friendship with Michael that made filming this series possible. I own and have shot and paid for the footage and production.’

Now Mr Shaffel wants his film to see a wider audience.

‘This footage is a perfect real-life account of his life – and perfect to accompany the massive theatrical release of the Michael film.’

The clips he has shared with the Daily Mail are certainly striking – although not without their puzzles.

Now Shaffel wants his film to see a wider audience following the recent success of the biopic Michael

Explaining the extraordinary clutter on view in the Jackson family home Shaffel explained that, by the early 2000s, it had been occupied by an older relative who had been given little notice of the filming

Jackson relaxes in the back of a limousine, where he would later be sprayed with perfume

Explaining the extraordinary clutter on view in the Jackson family home, for example, Mr Shaffel explained that, by the early 2000s, it had been occupied by an older relative who had been given little notice of the filming.

Mr Shaffel also helped interpret a bizarre episode in another of the clips, in which Jackson is sprayed with perfume in his limousine.

‘Michael, being the consummate prankster with the people closest to him would over-do the cologne and perfume,’ recalled the producer.

‘At the time, he liked this very expensive perfume. His nickname for cologne was “smells” so when he asked for smells his cousin, who was his assistant on that trip, brought out the perfumes and started over spraying as a prank but unfortunately for all of us in the limo with him [it] was so strong we couldn’t breathe.’

• Daphne Barak is a senior interviewer and documentary film maker. Daphne is also a cancer survivor who has a fast-growing charity with the University of California, San Diego. www.gamechangerevents.org 

The two-year-old’s parents said they take each day as it comes

The family of a young girl from Co Down diagnosed with a rare heart condition are on a mission to raise awareness and funds for charity to help others.

Lily Thompson was born 13 weeks premature on March 22, 2024, weighing just 750g. She spent 126 days in the NICU at both the Royal Victoria Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital, overcoming infections and blood transfusions.

As her parents, Laura and Alan, were preparing to take their little one home after a gruelling hospital stay, they got the devastating news that Lily was diagnosed with pulmonary vein senosis, an extremely rare heart condition.

The condition means the veins carrying blood from the lungs to the heart become narrowed or blocked, with a stark survival rate of just 50% in the first year. Lily is the only child in Northern Ireland with the condition, that we know of.

Speaking to Belfast Live, her parents, Laura and Alan, explained how it was passionate consultants in Belfast and Dublin advocating for their daughter that has helped her treatment.

Laura explained: “Being born prematurely can trigger the condition, but medics or consultants don’t know very much about treating it, and the prospects of it are not great at all.

“The best way to describe it is it’s similar to cancer in the veins between her heart and lungs, her pulmonary veins. It is essentially eating away and closing down those veins. When we found out about the condition, within a week she lost two out of four of her pulmonary veins.

“They can’t treat it surgically in Belfast so we went down to Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin. She goes for a cardiac catheterization, which is a kind of surgical intervention to assess the situation closely. When she went in there we were given the worst diagnosis, that basically she wasn’t going to survive, and there wasn’t anything that could be done for her.

“But by complete and utter chance, a consultant down there had just come back from specialising in the condition in America. We were coming to terms with the news this was going to be the end for Lily, and the next day the consultant came into us and has been really transformational in the care for Lily.

“Trying to help her survive is beneficial because everything outside of her heart and lungs function is pretty good. The consultant in Dublin told us she wanted to give her a chance, and it’s because of her and our consultant in Belfast that Lily is still with us.

“It took us to have passionate consultants to really advocate for her, which was amazing, and we appreciate how fortunate we are.”

Despite her diagnosis, her parents said Lily is still a “fun loving two-year-old who loves to make us laugh.”

Throughout their campaign, a main aim has been to highlight that not all sick children may look stereotypically “unwell”, something the family have found themselves coming up against.

They said: “It can make things quite difficult as people don’t understand how cautious they need to be around them with germs.

“We have lost some friends as they haven’t understood why we’ve said no to so many invites, as we’ve ended up in hospital, or couldn’t bring our child to birthday parties or soft plays as we can’t risk our child getting sick.”

They said Lily is currently “really stable”, with the summer months posing less risks than the cold winter months. Laura added: “They say a magic number is if you get to three years old and this disease has sort of died out, there is hope.

“At the minute she is two and doing very well, the summer is a lovely period of time where she can thrive and grow. But the winter is very difficult, we go back to what you would know as lockdown days. If she gets the cold, she will be hospitalised.

“She’s a real trooper, she takes quite a bit of medication and during the winter she needs oxygen to sleep at night, and she’ll tire very easily. But they’re very small things in the grand scheme of what we thought her prospects were, the fact we still have her with us is amazing.”

Throughout their journey learning about the rare condition, the family said they have had invaluable support from the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, a charity providing practical support to families of children and young people with congenital heart disease across Northern Ireland.

Last year, a golf day raised £30,000 for the charity, with the event returning on August 21 alongside a raffle to win a luxury Mulberry handbag.

Laura said: “Last year we had a conversation saying we wanted to turn a negative story into a positive. Through our experience, a lot of friends, families and colleagues have asked what can they do to help, but there’s nothing, nobody can help the situation. So we thought we would do a fundraiser to give back to the charity.

“My husband Alan is really into golf so I organised a golf day, and we were blown away by the support we received. I have that addictive personality and now want to continue to thrive and do better with it, especially as I know the impact of those funds.

“We are continuing the event this year and as not everyone is into golf, we’ve also set up a giveaway of a Mulberry handbag in a raffle.”

As for the impact support from the Children’s Heartbeat Trust has had on them, Laura added: “After three months in NICU we were in a period of real unknown and fear when we moved back to the Clark Clinic cardiology ward, and in came the Children’s Heartbeat Trust to help.

“They are literally on the ward the minute you arrive. They’re introducing themselves, giving out a little teddy bear, and it feels like there’s a weight lifted off your shoulders. They’re there for counselling support, to share experiences, to even just take you for a cup of tea.

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“When we were making our first trip to Dublin, they gave us a booklet on the smallest things like what the room will look like and where you’ll go and what will happen. I love to organise things, so to have that done for us meant we could relax a bit.”

The family said fundraising and raising awareness is a “positive distraction”, and helps them pass on the support they have received over the years.

Looking to the future, they said: “We don’t know from each day or month if this is the month it all goes downhill, we just take each day as it comes.

“The thing we have really learned throughout this is all those little things you thought were going to be the end of the world really don’t matter. The things that would maybe frustrate you before all of a sudden are absolutely menial.

“We really want to raise awareness of the amazing healthcare system we have and that it doesn’t always have to be the sickest looking child that is sick. We want to educate people on that – you don’t know how serious it can be behind closed doors.”

Find out more about Lily Tee’s Golf Day here. You can also enter the raffle for a Mulberry handbag by clicking here.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The ‘severe’ alert was to warn of the high risk of wildlife, and triggered at the request of firefighters.

The Government sent the emergency alert on Friday evening, which began appearing on mobile devices from 7pm in “the most extensive use” of the UK’s mobile phone alert system.

While many said the loud alarm made them jump, others never received the alert at all.

Using official Government information, we’ve explained how the system works, why some phones did not receive the alert and whether the Government has access to your mobile number.

How emergency alerts work and who receives them

Emergency alerts are sent to compatible mobile phones and tablets during serious incidents where there is a risk to life.

When an alert is issued, mobile phone masts in the affected area broadcast a message to nearby devices.

Every compatible phone or tablet within range of the mast will receive the alert, regardless of whether it is connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi.

The system works across all UK 4G and 5G mobile networks and is free to use.

People do not need to sign up for alerts or download an app.

Why you might not receive an alert

Some devices will not receive alerts, including those that are:

Turned off

Connected to a 2G or 3G network

Wi-Fi-only devices

Not compatible with the emergency alert system

Devices placed in airplane mode may also fail to receive alerts.

Which devices are compatible?

Emergency alerts work on:

iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later

Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

Some devices running older versions of Android may also be able to receive alerts.

Users can check by searching their settings for “emergency alerts”.

Other mobile phones that do not use iOS or Android may also be compatible.

Can you view an alert again?

People who want to revisit an alert can check the government’s current and past emergency alerts pages or search for emergency alerts in their device settings.

Android users may receive more than one reminder about the same alert.

These reminders can be switched off in the device’s emergency alert settings.

What about privacy?

The emergency services and UK Government do not need a person’s phone number to send an alert.

No personal information is collected or shared through the system, and data about a user’s device or location is not stored.

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our
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Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local
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These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local
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It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need
as much support as possible during these challenging times.

Fans may recall the summer night in 2022 when York became the setting for a full-scale fan frenzy.

The Hollywood Vampires play Scarborough Open Air Theatre this evening, Saturday, August 15. (Image: Cuffe & Taylor)

The celebrity was in the city to play a sell-out York Barbican show with guitar legend Jeff Beck, just days after winning his US defamation lawsuit against his former wife, Amber Heard.

Depp and Beck had previously collaborated on a version of John Lennon’s Isolation, released in 2020, and their York concert formed part of their UK tour.

Johnny Depp signed autographs outside York Barbican in York when he performed in the city in 2022. (Image: Picture Katie Masiak)

But, for many, the biggest event happened outside the venue.

Long before the concert finished, fans had gathered outside the Barbican to try and catch sight of the Pirates of the Caribbean star.

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Some had arrived early, while others waited for hours behind security barriers after the show, clutching photos, posters, and memorabilia in the hope of getting an autograph.

A fan waiting to catch sight of Johnny Depp outside York Barbican back in 2022. (Image: Submitted)

Among them were Captain Jack Sparrow lookalikes in honour of the actor who made the swashbuckling pirate one of cinema’s most recognisable characters.

For brothers Toby, then 11, and Rhiece Rhodes, then 23, the day turned into an experience they said they’d never forget.

Johnny Depp seen stepping out of the Principal Hotel in York during his 2022 visit to York. (Image: Submitted)

The family, from Queensbury near Bradford, saw Depp’s tour bus outside the Principal Hotel, where the actor had been staying.

Toby had bought chocolates and a birthday card for Depp using his pocket money.

After the family spoke to a security guard, Toby was unexpectedly given the chance to hand the gifts over himself.

Depp told the young fan he was “the sweetest,” shaking his hand and posing for a photograph.

Ruby, then 11, from York, with two Captain Jack Sparrow lookalikes, while waiting to see Pirates of the Carribean star Johnny Depp in York in 2022. (Image: Picture Katie Masiak)

York fan Katie Masiak and her daughter Ruby, then 11, arrived at around 8pm to secure a good spot.

The crowd grew to about 300 people, including fans who had travelled from far and wide.

Depp emerged shortly before midnight, just ahead of his 59th birthday.

The crowd broke into a rendition of Happy Birthday, while he blew a kiss towards the waiting fans.

Katie recalled a packed and noisy scene, with people pushing forward in their excitement.

Ruby also had her own pirate-themed souvenir after getting an autograph from one of the Captain Jack Sparrow lookalikes.

Fans queued all day to see Hollywood’s Johnny Depp in York in 2022 – including Fan Nick Hale who had been waiting for hours. (Image: Picture Nick Hale)

Another fan, Nick Hale, had been trying to catch sight of Depp since 10am.

When the actor left at around 11.40pm, he was among those who managed to get close enough for a signature on his guitar.

Johnny Depp signed Nick Hale’s guitar while greeting fans outside York Barbican in 2022. Picture Nick Hale (Image: Picture Nick Hale)

Amanda Monaghan, of Thor’s, whose SOL AST bar had opened in the grounds of the Principal Hotel (now the Milner), was working at the tipi when he arrived.

She said she realised something was happening when fans started to arrive.

“He came out with his entourage, and was a lovely guy.

“He spent lots of time with fans; there were lots of children there and people who had travelled from all over.

“It was really exciting for something like that to happen in York – a superstar!”

Super fan Lucy Brumby with Hollywood star Johnny Depp in 2022. (Image: Picture Lucy Brumby)

Amanda’s colleague, Lucy Brumby, confessed to being a super fan since childhood, and was delighted to meet her idol outside the Principal.

“It is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she said, after having a selfie taken with him.

“You never know you are going to meet these people. He is a Hollywood superstar. He lives in America. And here he is staying at the Principal Hotel in York. It was amazing.”

A round up of some of the latest food and product recalls

Details have been provided on the latest food product recalls. The Manchester Evening News regularly publishes stories on foods and products that have been recalled by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other regulatory bodies.

The FSA issues recalls for a variety of reasons, including when products contain allergens that are not disclosed on the packaging or if plastic is detected in the item. Shoppers are being urged to check their kitchen cupboards, fridges and freezers for any of these items bought from the various supermarkets and retailers.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

When a product is recalled for any reason, the we share details on what you should do if you have bought the item, as well as the reasons the item has been pulled from sale.

This week’s round-up includes chocolate bars, soft drinks, nuts and frozen desserts that have all needed to be taken off supermarket shelves for reasons stated below.

Here are the Food Standards Agencies latest product recalls below.

Asda and Morrisons

Greencore is recalling three pasta products because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. They are Asda Cheese & Tomato Pasta Salad; Asda Nacho Cheese Pasta Salad; and Morrisons Chicken and Bacon Pasta.

Symptoms caused by Listeria monocytogenes can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.

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Asda Cheese & Tomato Pasta Salad

• Product code Asda Cheese & Tomato Pasta Salad Code 5063089221990
• Pack size 300g
• Use by 10 August 2026

Asda Nacho Cheese Pasta Salad

• Product code Asda Nacho Cheese Pasta Salad Code 5063717198311
• Pack size 500g
• Use by 09 August 2026

Morrisons Chicken and Bacon Pasta

• Product code Morrisons Chicken and Bacon Pasta Code 5010251790587
• Pack size 300g
• Use by 07 August 2026

If you have bought the above product, do not eat it. Instead, return it to your nearest store where you will be given a full refund. You do not need your receipt. For further information Asda customers can contact Asda Customer Relations 0330 053 0111 and Morrisons customers can contact Customer Services 0345 611 6111.

Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover – Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings

A.Vogel Ltd is recalling Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings because E. coli (STEC) has been found in the seed. This recall also applies to Scotland and has been issued separately by Food Standards Scotland.

Symptoms can include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain and occasionally haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should stay away from work, school or nursery until you have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing it on to others.

Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover – Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings

• Pack size 30g – Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover – Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings
• Batch code 11293
• Best before December 2028

If you have bought the above product, do not grow it or consume the sprouts or seedlings. Instead, return it to where you bought it from for a full refund.

The city has lost many beloved boozers that no longer exist over the years

For generations of Scots, Glasgow city centre has been the place to go for a lively and memorable night out.

While times may have drastically changed when it comes to modern day pubs and bars, the love for a night out in Glasgow has not.

It’s no secret that enjoying a tipple or two in Scotland is a big part of our culture. As Glasgow is the biggest city in the country, there have been plenty of beloved pubs and bars to choose from over the years.

However, many of these celebrated boozers are now just a distant memory, replaced with newer establishments, though many will still fondly remember the nights out they spent in them.

Much like the lost Glasgow restaurants that have closed their doors over the years, many of these old historical pubs and bars that were once so important in the city no longer exist.

This is with the exception of very few who have managed to withstand the test of time including Sloans on Argyle Street and the Saracen Head on 209 Gallowgate.

Rewinding back to simpler times, here are some popular Glasgow pubs around in the 1980s that are sure to evoke some nostalgia. Do you remember any of them?

The Jedi Bar

The Jedi Bar, better known as Bar Jedi, was Glasgow’s first Star Wars themed boozer that fans will certainly remember.

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The revolutionary ‘space bar’, which opened in the 80’s on North Street in the Charing Cross area of the city, came after galactic city neighbour Buck Rogers’ Burger Station, which promised visitors the chance to ‘Eat in the 25th century’.

On the outside were two huge ‘starship’ engines and inside, a 20ft Darth Vader Helmet with TV screens showing stars whizzing past that were hooked up to game consoles.

The Jedi Bar used to have a weekly house night on a Saturday called Bughouse, as well as an afternoon jams open stage featuring music, poetry and comedy.

The bar shut its doors in 2002 and was replaced with the The Halcyon Bar. Today, it is now known as Chinaski’s.

Old College Bar

The Old College Bar was claimed to have been the oldest pub in Glasgow when it shut its doors in 2021 and it’s safe to say it was a tough one for the locals to take.

Located on High Street since the early 19th century, the historic pub tragically sustained damage during a fire which ripped through several buildings in May 2021 and was demolished shortly afterwards.

On the front of the building was a plaque that claimed the title of Glasgow’s oldest pub, dating back to the 1570s.

However, this was said to be a false date which was put in place simply to “boost business”. Nonetheless, it’s a very missed drinking joint.

The Iron Horse

The Iron Horse on West Nile Street was once one of the oldest bars in Glasgow.

The historical pub, which first opened in the 1870s and was previously known as The Empire, had an incredible 148-year run up until it shut its doors in February 2020, just weeks before the Covid pandemic broke out.

The demolition of the bar which was frequently visited by the Tartan Army to celebrate Scotland games was a huge loss to the city.

At the time, football fans ran petitions to save it but it was ultimately knocked down to make way for a £30M hotel development.

The hotel was never built and there is still no confirmation of what will take its place.

The Burns Howff

Located on West Regent Street in the city centre, years before other live music venues like the Hydro and 02 Academy, this was Glasgow’s original and best live music joint.

The Burns Howff opened its doors on Fair Friday on July 28 in 1967 and had an amazing 17 year run until it closed its doors back in 1984.

At the time, it was among a circle of popular music pubs in Glasgow such as Archies, Rock Garden and Amphora.

It also served as a vital cultural launchpad for Scottish musicians and bands during the 60s, 70s and early 80s.

While it’s now been shut for over three decades, the Howff’s legacy lives on thanks to a dedicated Facebook group where plenty of former regulars keep the bar’s memory alive with stores and photos of the beloved Glasgow insitution.

The Admiral

The original Admiral Bar on Waterloo Street shut its doors forever in 2023 after it was announced developers had submitted plans to turn the much-loved pub into a café, leaving locals devastated.

The bar had been operating for over 60 years after first opening in 1969. Thankfully, the bar reopened down the road and now operates as the much-loved bar, the Admiral Woods.

However, like they say, you can never really beat the original.

In a summer with much discourse about a Greek mythical figure (Odysseus), here is the translation of a book that uses another, Medea. In this instance Medea is relocated to contemporary Mexico. A powerful presence who rolls up in a custom-painted modified car, dressed in black with snake tattoos, Medea is an “iconic, queen of the barrio” there to motivate, impel, and facilitate characters who find themselves at major turning points.

Medea Sang Me a Corrido by Mexican writer Dahlia de la Cerda is translated by Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary. The book is made up of six interconnected narratives. The last of which is a concluding reflection by Medea on what she has just intervened in, witnessed, and experienced. Each story is riven with complexity and told with compelling efficiency by the characters themselves. To understand this lively, powerful book it is useful to know two key terms: Aztlán and corridos.

The six stories are set in a fictional mid-sized city, San Miguelito, in Aztlán. A mythical space, Aztlán is seen by some as a spiritual homeland. Since the 1960s, Mexican-American activists have used the idea of Aztlán to express their shared cultural identity and to argue that Mexican-Americans in the US remained connected to people and communities in Mexico, despite the border separating them. This idea has a basis in historical truth, the territory is believed to have been inhabited by the Aztecs and covered large parts of modern-day southern US down to central Mexico.

This specificity of place combined with mythical elements is evocative and powerful at a moment of wall-building and violent separations in the region. Medea finds in Aztlán a place of “violence and resistance in equal measure” and of healing where she can speak openly:

“In Aztlán, a woman can cry or scream in pain or sing from happiness; she can feel everything or nothing, and there will always be someone there to validate her experience.”

Medea is a figure in all of the stories and the final story is her corrido (ballad) of sorts. This story pulls out the key beats, teachings, and takeaways from the preceding five stories and interweaves them with her biography and stay in Aztlán.

Corridos are a ballad form with Spanish medieval roots. Conventionally, they are heroic narratives and a distinctly Mexican style that evolved after independence in the 19th century and were valuable fireside listening for troops during the Mexican revolution. They are often centred on wily Robin Hood-esque underdogs fighting for the common good who get the better of corrupt authorities. Some corridos address women, but few are by women.

De la Cerda compares Medea’s corrido to the epic form in how it explores the human impact of violence by homing in on the particular. She is not interested in emulating narcocorridos, which tend to glamorise criminal drug-related activities. Instead, she tells the stories of how ordinary people survive under systems of such violence. For Medea, to sing a corrido indicates her agentic role in these stories as a roving non-conforming figure outside of society’s conventions and norms.

The recurrence of Medea in each story has led some to refer to this book as a novel. This is not accurate because each story could stand alone, but it is a testament to the narrative coherence that de la Cerda aspires to in her writing.

The connecting thread is woven together using a version of the Medea myth centred on her being a mala madre (bad mother) who murdered her own children and refuses to let their father, Jason, bury them.

Medea is an unsettling figure. The murder and disappearance of children have impacted so many and caused deep trauma in Mexico, which makes Medea a compelling figure for de la Cerda. Therefore, this Medea, who has capacity for terrible violence, acts as an uneasy companion to the characters. In the stories there are births, abortions, and deaths, loss and hope.

It is a book that is deliberately layered with references. There is a rich musical score that is intended to conjure a precise soundscape as the stories name nostalgic hits to contemporary popular music. This is an integral part of the world building of the stories and gives a sense of its intended primary readership.

In interviews, de la Cerda has described her work with prisoners on literacy and reading programmes and has asserted that she has written these stories with those new learners in mind. That is, the references are accessible and so too is the language. That is not to say it is simplistic, but it has a clarity of purpose and is a lively evocation of authentic lived experiences.

The translators, Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary, have spoken about how they have met the challenge of de la Cerda’s stylistic and linguistic dexterity through their work on this and on her previous collection, Reservoir Bitches (2005).

The books is written using raw, informal Mexican street slang and vernacular in order to capture the real voices the people she represents. Sanches and Cleary have adeptly conveyed the original using equivalences where appropriate, or retaining Spanish language words to invite the reader towards the specificity of the people and places of the stories in Medea Sang Me a Corrido.

De la Cerda lands the character’s voice brilliantly and precisely locates them in their place, time, and cultural milieu. These are realist stories full of tragedy and comedy, mutual aid and compassion, love and death. They all make for compelling reading.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something, The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Keeley Hawes shared some rare snaps with her husband Matthew Macfadyen as they holidayed in Turkey. 

The couple enjoyed a stay at the five-star hotel The Peninsula in Istanbul, with the actress, 50, sharing highlights from her trip on Instagram.

In one photo, the couple put on a cosy display as they headed out to sea on a boat trip. 

Keeley looked effortlessly stylish in a white and blue patterned co-ord and kept cool with a baseball cap and sunglasses. 

The Bodyguard star also uploaded a photo of Matthew, 51, as they had a romantic dinner date. 

The couple met on the set of Spooks 24 years ago in 2002. 

Keeley looked effortlessly stylish in a white and blue patterned co-ord and kept cool with a baseball cap and sunglasses

In November, the pair celebrated 21 years of marriage, with Keeley taking to Instagram with a selection of loved-up snaps, in what became one of her most liked posts, as she penned: ’21 years. No notes. Love you with all my heart.’

Speaking to You Magazine, she said: ‘It doesn’t feel like 21 years, by any means. We just sort of have a nice time. And also, you become more relaxed [as you get older]. 

‘It would be weird to have a marriage where things don’t go up and down occasionally in 21 years, but we’re very happy.’ 

Explaining it is the simple things that have resulted in their lasting relationship she said that now their children have left home they make sure to do things together, particularly travelling and spending time with each other. 

Yet their road to happily ever after was by no means smooth sailing, with Matthew previously describing the moment he fell in love with Keeley as ‘awful’.   

At the time Keeley, who was then 26, was newly married to DJ Spencer McCallum, with whom she shares 25-year-old son Myles. 

Speaking to the Mail On Sunday in 2005, Matthew confessed he was in turmoil when he first met Keeley as he realised he had feelings for a married woman. 

He explained: ‘It was awful because I realised I’d fallen for her. We weren’t having an affair and it was a slow process. But I knew the effect she had on me. She’s gorgeous. Everyone who meets her will tell you the same thing.’

The couple enjoyed a stay at the five-star hotel The Peninsula in Istanbul, with the actress, 50, sharing highlights from her trip on Instagram

Keeley also shared a snap of fishermen 

At first Keeley and Matthew struck up a friendship, with the actress also insisting that nothing happened between them until her marriage ended, saying: ‘I’m sure nobody would believe we never had an affair but we really didn’t.’ 

Speaking about the fairytale moment they first said the L word, Keeley recalled: ‘Matthew just came straight out with it and said “I love you” in the rain one day. I thought, “Oh dear, here we go.”’ 

Choosing to leave her marriage, Keeley’s divorce from Spencer was finalised in 2004 but Keeley has revealed there is no bad blood with her ex, explaining: ‘Spencer and I were best friends before we married, and we’ve managed to stay that way. 

‘Happily, both my husband and my ex-husband get along brilliantly. They are both generous people, to each other and to the children.’

In November 2004, she wed Matthew after the pair eloped. 

Matt recalled: ‘We rang a mate each to come along as witnesses and people brought little throwaway cameras to take pictures. 

‘I read a poem and Keeley cried her eyes out. It was wonderful and romantic.

‘Keeley was heavily pregnant with our daughter and the whole thing seemed perfect to me… To get married, celebrate my 30th and then become a father, in quick succession, was fantastic.’

They welcomed their first child, daughter Maggie, the following month, and their son Ralph two years later in 2006.