Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

Stormont to host soapbox race as Rebull event to return to Belfast

Published

on

Ipso logo

It is back at Belfast’s parliament buildings 18 years to the day since the event last took place in NI

Red Bull Soapbox Race is set to make a return to Belfast this May.

Stormont Estate has been confirmed as the stage for one of the “world’s most entertaining sporting spectacles” once again, after hosting the event in 2008.

Taking place on May 17, the free-to-attend and watch event is a unique downhill race that will see 40 teams go head-to-head in a gravity-powered “dash for glory”.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Toy Story 5 never-before-seen clip to be shown for first time at Belfast RENDR FestivalREAD MORE: The NI artists and events nominated for annual Ticketmaster Awards

Teams will pilot their own homemade soapbox machines down a purpose-built course in the “shadow of one of Belfast’s most historic landmarks, just like it did previously, nearly 18 years ago, to the day”.

Applications are now open and Red Bull is calling on the bold, the brilliant and the brave to submit their design for a chance to take to the Red Bull Soapbox Race start line for this “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.

Teams must be 18+ and made up of four people (up to two drivers and two support crew). You can visit Red Bull Soapbox Belfast for the design manual, rules and application details.

Advertisement

Applications close on Wednesday, March 11 at 11am, with successful teams contacted by Friday, March 20.

A spokesperson said: “Red Bull Soapbox Race is as much about creativity and showmanship as it is about speed.

“Teams will be judged on showmanship, creativity and speed, with competitors encouraged to go all-out on costumes, storytelling and outrageous vehicle builds as they attempt to impress the judges and complete the course.

“In addition, Red Bull will run a Young Constructors Programme , an initiative designed to give ‘wiiings’ to students and apprentices by providing resources and an incredible Red Bull Racing mentorship opportunity to help bring their ideas to life.

Advertisement

“While competitors battle it out on the track, spectators will be treated to a festival-like atmosphere, packed with outrageous crashes, heroic finishes and unforgettable moments.

“With no tickets required, Stormont Estate will be transformed into a must-visit destination for a fun-filled day out in Belfast this spring.”

Red Bull Soapbox Race has been held in cities all over the world and is famous for delivering laughter, drama and jaw-dropping creativity in equal measure.

For entry details, event updates and all the latest announcements, visit redbull.com/soapboxbelfast

Advertisement

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Breakfast food recalled from Tesco, Sainsbury’s & Waitrose over mouse contamination risk

Published

on

Daily Mirror

A new food recall has been issued at major UK supermarkets

Earlier this month, MOMA Foods initiated a recall on various porridge pots and sachets. These pots and sachets are available in supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons. The firm stated the recall was due to potential “mouse contamination” at the production site.

Advertisement

This recall has been expanded today to encompass more best-before dates. If anyone possesses these items, they are encouraged to return them to the supermarket where they were bought for a complete refund. This food recall is specific to England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

This update broadens the recall to all products with a best-before date between 24 April 2026 and 12 March 2027, and excludes the 8-pack size for the MOMA Almond Butter & Salted Caramel Porridge pot 55g, which was mistakenly included in the original notice, reports the Express.

Product details:

MOMA Almond Butter & Salted Caramel Porridge Pot 55g

Pack size: 1pk, 12pk

Advertisement

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Porridge Pot 65g

Pack size: 1pk, 8pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

Advertisement

MOMA Cranberry & Raisin Porridge Sachets 6x40g

Pack size: 1pk, 5pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Cranberry & Raisin Instant Porridge Sachets 70g

Advertisement

Pack size: 5pk, 30pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Plain No-added Sugar Instant Porridge Sachets 65g

Pack size: 5pk, 15pk, 30pk

Advertisement

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Jumbo Oats 450g

Pack size: 1pk, 6pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

Advertisement

MOMA Raspberry & Apple Overnight Oats 400g

Pack size: 1pk, 6pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Banana & Peanut Butter Protein Porridge 65g

Pack size: 1pk, 8pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Blueberry & Vanilla Porridge Pot 65g

Advertisement

Pack size: 1pk, 8pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Cranberry & Raisin Porridge Pot 70g

Pack size: 1pk, 8pk, 12pk

Advertisement

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Golden Syrup Porridge Pot 70g

Pack size: 1pk, 8pk, 12pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

Advertisement

MOMA Plain No-Added Sugar Porridge Pot 65g

Pack size: 1pk, 12pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Almond Butter & Salted Caramel Porridge Sachets 6x40g

Advertisement

Pack size: 1pk, 5pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Porridge Sachets 7x40g

Pack size: 1pk, 5pk

Advertisement

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

MOMA Blueberry & Vanilla Porridge Sachets 7x40g

Pack size: 1pk, 5pk

Best before: All dates from 24 April 2026 to 12 March 2027

Advertisement

If you have purchased the above products, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that you “do not eat them”.

Some of the affected products are available at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Waitrose. Be sure to look where you made your purchase.

Rather, return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For additional details, drop an email at getintouch@momafoods.co.uk.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Iran faces bombs and uncertainty a month into the war

Published

on

Iran faces bombs and uncertainty a month into the war

CAIRO (AP) — Iranians were already reeling from a shattered economy and the mass killing of protesters when the first U.S. and Israeli bombs slammed into Tehran a month ago.

Now they are struggling to get by through a war with no end in sight, wrestling with lost livelihoods, damage to homes and the stress of explosions. Many wonder where it is leading — to the destruction of their homeland, the chaotic fall of the theocracy or its survival, wounded but more extreme.

“I think we’ve experienced everything bad possible,” said a 26-year-old designer in Tehran, “from the terrible atmosphere of January and the killings and arrests to the war.”

Daily explosions, near and far and unpredictable, shake and damage homes. Businesses are struggling. An unprecedented internet blackout since January has largely cut people off from the outside world and made communication within Iran more difficult.

Advertisement

The trauma of war comes on top of the shock from January, when hundreds of thousands across Iran marched in the biggest protests against the theocracy in decades — only to be met by security forces opening fire, killing thousands. Tens of thousands were detained, and arrests have continued.

The AP spoke to 10 people across Iran, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for their security.

Businesses crumbling

The designer, who with a partner runs a factory making leather fashion products, said her business was on the verge of closing.

“When the economy gets bad, nonessential goods are the first thing to be removed from the shopping cart,” she said. Much of her sales are online, and the internet blackout practically reduced “the small sales to zero.”

Advertisement

Since the January protests, she has had to live off her meager savings, and the violence of the crackdown upset her so much she has not been able to return to work.

When the war began on Feb. 28, she moved to her parents’ house. A few days later, the blast from a nearby strike damaged her apartment that she had just left. Like most Iranians, she doesn’t have home insurance, so she will have to pay for repairs herself.

She only leaves her parents’ house to buy necessities.

Trying to track strikes

The terrifying cadence of airstrikes shapes daily life in Tehran.

Advertisement

An engineer living in Tehran tries to find a pattern in strikes – are certain times safer? Recent nights saw explosions light up the skies. One evening, a blast shook his home as he had guests over. They climbed up on the roof and tried in vain to figure out where it hit. “We didn’t see any visible fire,” he said.

He thinks the strikes are less frequent now, or maybe “our perception of it has changed,” as everyone gets used to bombings.

He feels anxious when family or friends go out on the streets, and struggles to sleep. He had a job offer before the war but does not know if it is still there. Soon, he says, many will struggle with rent and bills.

Government workers, who make up a large part of the workforce, are still getting salaries. But private businesses are struggling to pay employees as they close for days on end or reduce hours.

Advertisement

The collapse of Iran’s currency, largely caused by U.S. and international sanctions over its nuclear program, triggered the protests late last year.

Strained resources in the relatively unscathed north

Many Iranians have fled to the north, which has been relatively unscathed. One of the main cities, Rasht, has been packed with Iranians who fled from Tehran and elsewhere, straining local resources.

A doctor at a pediatric hospital said the number of patients has nearly doubled. Medicines are running out, he said, and patients now are asked to buy some basic supplies, including antibiotics or IV fluids, from the market.

The internet blackout is affecting his ability to access his patients’ history and check correct dosages online, he said. It has also forced the doctor to set aside his own personal effort to document the casualty toll from the January crackdown because witnesses are unreachable and the online database is inaccessible.

Advertisement

He plays video games or watches television to pass the time. In a week-old binge, he is five seasons into “The Walking Dead,” the American postapocalyptic horror drama series.

Anxiety over the future

Throughout, Iranians have been wrestling with widely mixed feelings over the war, the ruling theocracy and the future.

Authorities continue to organize pro-government street rallies, aiming to show public support. The feared paramilitary Basij, charged with internal security, has stepped up patrols even as it is targeted in airstrikes.

The engineer said decades of misrule have been hard on Iranians. But he said that doesn’t justify the U.S.-Israeli attacks. He was angered by the deaths and the damage to infrastructure and military capacities.

Advertisement

He’s trying to channel that anger into determination to rebuild. “I’m going to be stronger after this war. I will be damaged, just like my country. But that’s it. This is life. We’re going to make it better.”

At the start of the war, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iranians to overthrow their leaders. Now, he says he is negotiating with senior Iranian officials who he claims are “begging” for a deal, without naming them. Iran has denied any such talks are underway.

Some Iranians fear the war will leave behind a wounded but even more oppressive Islamic Republic.

One woman in her 40s said she feared negotiations more than war. “This is what our situation has come to — we are willing to endure war in the hope of being freed from them,” she said.

Advertisement

The doctor in Rasht said he viewed the war as “the last remaining option” for getting rid of the ruling clerics. But he fears the way that the U.S. and Israel are conducting it. If the U.S. strikes a deal now, he said, it would only entrench the theocracy.

“We now have the Islamic Republic on steroids,” he said. “We are afraid they will take this revenge out on the people, which they very openly see as the enemy from inside.”

In southwestern Iran, a lawyer who has represented detainees and women’s rights defenders — and has herself been imprisoned — spoke to the AP earlier in the war, saying she dreamed of the day the Islamic Republic would crumble. She spoke about the power of collective action and self-determination.

After a month of bombings, she seemed more introspective, taciturn, exhausted by isolation and uncertainty.

Advertisement

“There is no sign of hope, no dreams, no joy,” she said. “Worry about the future has taken over.”

___

El Deeb reported from Beirut.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Jeffrey Epstein begged by agent to have sex with teenage model and young women

Published

on

Daily Mirror

Model agent Ramsey Elkholy emailed Jeffrey Epstein for nearly a decade about young women and investments into magazines or modelling competitions

A model agent who connected young women to Jeffrey Epstein begged the paedophile to have sex with a woman, according to shocking emails.

Advertisement

Hundreds of emails between US-based model agent Ramsey Elkholy and the convicted paedophile, for over nearly a decade, were uncovered in the Epstein Files. Elkholy had suggested to the paedophile that they invest in modelling and the fashion industry in Brazil.

Another shocking email between the pair saw the modelling agent make a disgusting plea to the paedophile to have sex with a woman in her 20s who was “desperate for cash”, in 2011. Elkholy wrote: “Dear Jeffrey PLEASE just try her in bed.”

READ MORE: Epstein victim describes how paedophile raped her and used her as ‘doll’ from 14READ MORE: Jeffrey Epstein guards shown wandering just feet from prison cell

Advertisement

Elkholy had worked as a US-based agent in the 2010s. Emails from the Epstein Files appear to show he spoke with the sex offender from 2009 and just before Epstein was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019.

Most of their emails related to female models and showed how the horrific paedophile had strong links with the industry. Several modelling agents have been accused of recruiting and introducing young women to the vile criminal. Elkholy, speaking to the BBC, said he regretted the language used in some of the emails and his links to Epstein, but said he was not aware the financier had been abusing women.

Elkholy added that he was not close to Epstein. A email from the modelling agent to the paedophile, from 2009, said: “I don’t need to tell you that I also value your friendship. The reason I never ask for anything in return for introducing you to models is because I consider it more of a favor and I know that you are also good for favors.”

Advertisement

The agent added: “You’re a solid person Jeffrey and that means the world to me. Let me know when you want to see [redacted] or any of the other girls, and I’ll set it up.” This email was sent months after Epstein had been released from prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

On the woman the agent begged Epstein to have sex with, he later emailed the paedophile to say he hoped the sex offender was “getting some milage” out of the woman “being all alone” in New York. Epstein responded and wrote: “zero”.

Elkholy then sent a response a horror response which said: “Jeffrey PLEASE just try her in bed… I really need that so I can feel whole about all this because she’s such a pain in the ass. I also think it would be good to get her to know what it is like to get really [expletive].” The agent claimed he had the woman’s permission to email Epstein.

Advertisement

In another email, from 2009, Elkholy messaged the paedophile about a “very hot blonde” woman, before adding: “I know 23 is on the old side for you.” More emails appeared to show the agent emailing ideas to Epstein from Brazil, suggesting they invest in agencies, magazines and a competition in the South American country.

In a message, from 2016, the agent wrote: “This would be a good investment if you wanted to build on an already established brand, and of course many opportunities to meet models, but I guess not the same direct access as the contest, where the girls are mostly country bumpkins and not experienced models.”

He added: “I’m assuming you are more interested in the access to [emoji of a woman].” He had also flagged to the US paedophile that a Brazilian fashion magazine was up for sale but it appeared Epstein was not interested.

Advertisement

In his last email to Epstein, from 2019, the agent spoke about a Russian woman and potentially flying her to the US. Elkholy said: “She will be in London if you want to import her.” Epstein replied that getting a visa for her would be tricky. Epstein was arrested three months after this.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Fresh start for Bolton young people as NESTA opens

Published

on

Fresh start for Bolton young people as NESTA opens

The Navigators Education Skills and Training Academy (NESTA) has been set up to help Bolton’s young people who may have struggled otherwise on their journey into adulthood and work.

Supporting learners aged 14 to 25, Navigators has opened the new space on North Bolton Business Park.

On Monday, March 23, community leaders and businesspeople were invited to visit the centre and see what’s on offer.

The Bolton News toured the facilities, including the Independent Life Skills room, designed like a studio apartment where learners can practise “soft skills” such as making the bed, ironing clothes and cooking simple meals.

Advertisement

Independent Life Skills room (Image: NQ)

There is also a gym area, construction space and hair and beauty room.

Despite the large rooms, class sizes remain small to allow personalised training.

NESTA centre manager Tahira Hussain told The Bolton News: “We have an afternoon session and a morning session, with around 19 learners in the morning, and 10am to noon.”

Offering Level One and Level Two courses, learners can change pathways depending on their needs.

Advertisement

Learner at NESTA, Micky (Image: NQ)

In the hair and beauty room, we met student Micky, 18, from Great Lever, who explained why he switched courses.

He told The Bolton News: “Construction wasn’t for me; there was too much going on.

“Here, it’s nice and relaxed and chilled.

“I practise on my sister’s hair at home and think I’d like to become a professional hairdresser someday.”

Advertisement

Explaining how learners discover NESTA, Ms Hussain said: “Our referrals tend to come directly from the local authorities.

“The authority will be informed about people in NEET (not in education, employment or training) or with certain requirements, and then a referral is made for that learner.”

She added that discussions are held with each learner to find the best path.

Construction room (Image: NQ)

Founded in 2014 by CEO Anthony Thompson, Navigators supports young people whose needs are not met in traditional education.

Advertisement

The new hub offers courses in construction, fitness, vehicle maintenance, and hair and barbering.

The organisation has seen strong results in engaging hard-to-reach learners.

During the first half of the spring term, attendance rose to 77 per cent from 13.9 per cent, with many previously at zero per cent.

After the tour, guest speakers included the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and Anthony Thompson.

Advertisement

Mr Burnham praised the hub and the work being done to support Bolton’s future.

As of the end of 2025, nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are NEET.

When asked by The Bolton News what more can be done in Bolton, Mr Burnham said: “Navigators is still growing, but there is more that I need to do.

“One thing I am doing is working on getting a 45-day work placement in Bolton for every young person who wants one.

Advertisement

“What we’ve found is when they are of that length and high quality, they work for the young person and the employer as well.”

Mr Burnham highlighted the importance of an equal playing field between vocational and academic pathways (Image: NQ)

He added: “It’s a plan that we’re working on towards the end of this decade; unfortunately, it can’t be done overnight.

“I want to get very soon to a position where there is a guaranteed offer for every young person in Greater Manchester of a placement once they turn 16.”

Mr Burnham also celebrated Bolton-based employer Seddon for supporting the work placement programme.

Advertisement

Founder Anthony Thompson interviewed by Matt White (Image: NQ)

Mr Thompson said: “We are thrilled that we have opened our first NESTA centre in Bolton.

“Our ambition is for this learning centre to be central to the local community – it will bring together young people and employers and will be our first centre completely dedicated to employment-focused training and pathways.

“We have already established some fantastic partnerships with local businesses and are excited to see how NESTA thrives in Bolton.

“We are delighted to welcome our first students, to help them gain the skills and confidence they need to thrive in adulthood, from entering the workforce to living independently.”

Advertisement

Cllr Safwaan Patel, Cllr Martin Donaghy, CEO Anthony Thompson and Cllr Rabiya Jiva (Image: NQ)

Asked about expansion, he said: “This is just the start of a vocational centre for the core things that young people have discussed with us.

“We want to look at more things, like sports and hospitality, based on what is going on around the town.”

He added: “We need to help the children in Bolton who haven’t had access to an apprenticeship or the job market, getting them on the right pathway.

“That’s our shared vision.”

Advertisement

Navigators team with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (Image: Phil Tragen 07739840188)

The centre can support around 80 students in total.

The day ended with remarks from Cllr Martin Donaghy, followed by Bolton’s Carrs Pasties being enjoyed by visitors.

NESTA is located at Unit 12, North Bolton Business Park on Rossini Street.

To find out more, visit: https://navigators.org.uk/

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Itauma vs Franklin: Fight time, undercard, prediction, ring walks and odds tonight

Published

on

Itauma vs Franklin: Date, fight time, undercard, prediction, ring walks and latest odds

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Ben Stokes: England captain’s return delayed by recovery from cheek injury

Published

on

Ben Stokes working as part of the coaching team with England Lions

Stokes has not played since the end of England’s dismal Ashes defeat. He sustained an adductor injury on the penultimate day of the series in Sydney and was severely hampered.

Stokes was expected to feature along with many England players in the early rounds of the County Championship amid competition for places in the Test XI.

He has been retained as captain despite the 4-1 Ashes loss, while coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key have also been kept on in their roles.

After those decisions were confirmed this week, Stokes said the past three months have been “the hardest period” of his England captaincy, and backed the current regime to take the team forward.

Advertisement

“He has been training so hard to be ready,” Campbell said.

“He has a lot to prove. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know the Ashes didn’t go so well and he is a proud man who wants England to be the best team in the world.

“He, as a professional, is working at getting right and ready to go.”

Campbell also revealed Stokes plans to play for his county in the One-Day Cup this summer.

Advertisement

The 50-over competition is played alongside The Hundred, with counties often fielding second-string sides.

Stokes has not played in the 50-over format since the 2023 World Cup in India and has not featured in the competition for Durham since 2014.

But with Stokes having opted out of The Hundred and not currently in England’s white-ball sides, the One-Day Cup would provide him with some cricket between England’s Test series.

The series against New Zealand ends in late June and a three-Test content against Pakistan begins on 19 August.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Woodland Trust launch monthly walks for public at Smithills Estate

Published

on

Woodland Trust launch monthly walks for public at Smithills Estate

Join the Woodland Trust’s volunteer-led walks every first Wednesday of the month, with relaxed routes designed to help people explore the countryside.

The Smithills Estate is the largest site the Woodland Trust has ever acquired in England, steeped in history and offering a wide variety of scenic walking routes.

With picturesque woodlands and expansive open spaces, the Estate attracts visitors from across Bolton and beyond.

Eddee Endley, events and communications officer for Smithills Estate, told The Bolton News: “We work with guided walk leaders on-site, who are all volunteers.

Advertisement

“They have been trained to confidently lead their own walks with groups.

“However, in the past few months, they haven’t had the opportunity to do so due to the winter weather.

“So, we wanted to establish a new monthly group that will run consistently.”

Smithills cows (Image: Richard Cooke)

The walking group is called Step Out at Smithills and is hoping to encourage more Bolton residents to take part.

Advertisement

“We have a walk on May 6, part of Greater Manchester’s Walking Festival, and there’s still space to come along.”

During the walk, guided leaders Pete Hargreaves and Alex Lidis will share insights into the Estate’s rich history.

“It’ll be quite a relaxed hike, so it’s not too strenuous,” said Eddee.

“We’re trying to bring both new and returning visitors to the site to establish a community of local walkers.”

Advertisement

The guided walks can accommodate between 15 and 20 walkers in total and will cover approximately 5km, running from 11am until 1pm.

There are some areas of slightly uneven footing, which participants should be mindful of.

“It’s a really exciting opportunity to meet people and be led by an experienced guide.”

Places can be booked via Eventbrite or by emailing SmithillsEstate@WoodlandTrust.org.uk.

Advertisement

Upcoming walks are April 1st with Pete Hargreaves and May 6th with Alex Lidis exploring the history of Smithills, scenic views, habitats and wildlife!

Walks are ~5k on footpaths and partly on uneven ground. Its moderate with some slightly challenging parts and may not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Pope Leo XIV uses visit to Monaco to urge it to use its wealth for good

Published

on

Pope Leo XIV uses visit to Monaco to urge it to use its wealth for good

MONACO (AP) — Pope Leo XIV visited the cosmopolitan Mediterranean principality of Monaco on Saturday to encourage its people to use their Catholic faith and wealth for good.

As a cannon boomed, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met Leo at the Monaco heliport, just down the coast from the marina that is home to the megayachts of the rich and famous.

A brilliant sun made the Mediterranean sparkle as Leo emerged from the Italian military helicopter that had ferried him from the Vatican for the nine-hour stay. It’s the first papal visit to Monaco since Pope Paul III came in 1538.

At the palace, members of the royal family stood in the courtyard, the women dressed in black and with lace head coverings, waiting for Leo to arrive.

Advertisement

Leo is aiming to show how small states, such as the Holy See and Monaco, can punch above their weight on the global stage, especially in times of war, to uphold traditional Catholic values on the sanctity of all human life.

Monaco is one of the few European countries where Catholicism is the official state religion. And Prince Albert recently refused a proposal to legalize abortion, citing the important role Catholicism plays in Monaco society.

The decision was largely symbolic, since abortion is a constitutional right in France, which surrounds the coastal principality of 2.2 square kilometers (about 1 square mile).

But in refusing to allow it in Monaco, Albert joined other European Catholic royals who have taken a similar stand over the years to uphold Catholic doctrine on an increasingly secular continent. When Pope Francis visited Belgium in 2024, he announced he was putting the late King Baudouin on the path to possible sainthood because he abdicated for a day in 1990 rather than approve legislation to legalize abortion.

Advertisement

The visit includes a private meeting with Albert and Princess Charlene at the palace, a meeting with Monaco’s Catholic community in the cathedral and Mass in the sports stadium.

A coastal playground for the rich and famous, Monaco is renowned as much for its tax-friendly incentives and Formula 1 Grand Prix as its glamorous royal family. The son of the late American actress Grace Kelly, Albert spoke in perfect, unaccented English when he greeted Leo at the heliport. Leo was heard noting that he landed three minutes late.

Monaco’s population of 38,000 is heavily Catholic and also multinational, with only a fifth of the population actually citizens of the principality.

___

Advertisement

Winfield reported from Rome.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Ethical non-monogamy? New comedy Splitsville is more about two flawed couples getting messy

Published

on

Ethical non-monogamy? New comedy Splitsville is more about two flawed couples getting messy

Is it by accident or design that Dakota Johnson has become the star for zeitgeisty sex and romance films? Johnson’s breakthrough role was as Anastasia Steele in the enormously popular Fifty Shades of Grey (2015). Adapted from the book series by E.L. James, it spawned a franchise that, for better or worse, has come to define BDSM in the mainstream cultural imagination.

In Celine Song’s recent film, The Materialists (2025), Johnson plays Lucy, a high-end matchmaker who enables wealthy individuals to bypass the random scrolling and swiping of dating apps and experience a hand-picked romantic match. Although in my review for The Conversation I suggest that the film is muddled in its message, The Materialists makes an effort to address the cynical business of marriage in our modern age – and the dangerous outcomes that can befall women when blind dating goes wrong.

Enter Splitsville, a new comedy film written by and starring Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino, with Covino also directing. This latest film is about open marriages.

While polyamory, ethical non-monogamy and private arrangements have existed for many years, these practises have recently come to the attention of the mainstream. This has happened alongside other identities, sexual orientations and practices that do not fit squarely into the rigid heterosexual monogamous norm.

Advertisement

Open relationships frequently attract everything from morbid curiosity to disbelief and ridicule in the media. Rarely, however, are they taken seriously. The time is ripe, then, for a film that explores open relationships as a legitimate lifestyle and practice.

How to be polyamorous (and flawed)

In Splitsville, Carey (Marvin) is married to Ashley (Adria Arjona). Ashley is unhappy in their marriage and is especially dissatisfied by their sex life. After Ashley announces that she wants a divorce, heartbroken Carey consoles himself in the company of his friends Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino).

Julie and Paul reveal to Carey that they are in an open marriage. Carey, while shocked, is also curious and asks about the rules of their arrangements: can they sleep with anybody, even someone they both know? “Yes,” Julie says, “there are no rules.”

Advertisement

Carey takes this proposition back to Ashley. Why go through the complications of a divorce when they could open up their relationship instead? The rest of the film follows the comedic fall-out of their sexual dalliances. But opening up their relationship doesn’t provide an easy solution to their problems.

Let’s return to our question. Does Splitsville take open relationships seriously? Well, no. The answer is easily found in Julie’s response to Carey’s question: there are no rules. Look at any guidance on open relationships and the best practice is clear: there must be agreed upon rules (or at least expectations), boundaries and communication between all parties.

The couples in Splitsville adhere to none of these things. Yes, this is not a didactic manual for how to be an ethnically non-monogamous couple. This is a fictionalised work about flawed couples whose bad practising of open relationships leads to trouble. But this is also another example of a film using a non-normative sexual practice as a metaphor for something else.

The aforementioned Fifty Shades of Grey isn’t really interested in BDSM. It uses BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism) to symbolise Christian Grey’s childhood abuse and his warped sense of power – something practitioners of BDSM take issue with as it reinforces the idea that BDSM is a form of abuse. Similarly, Splitsville isn’t really about open marriages as it uses this as a plot device to allow the couples simply to get messy.

Advertisement

So what is the film interested in? Men getting into scrapes, maybe? After Carey sleeps with Julie (yes, of course this happens), Paul rages (even though technically this hasn’t broken any of his and Julie’s non-rules). Carey and Paul start fighting, which turns into an extended set piece.

Although this got laughs in my screening, I found it indulgent. The men destroy Paul and Julie’s house, kill the pet goldfish and singe off Carey’s eyebrows. Later, Paul becomes involved in some dodgy dealings, including taking out loans in the name of his son, Russ (Simon Webster). This ends badly for Paul and his family. Even Russ gets in on the bad behaviour, stealing a jet ski and breaking another kid’s arm.

And what about the beleaguered wives? They have some fun. Ashley has a string of partners who provide some laughs. But the women certainly don’t behave as badly as the men. I doubt they’d get away with a destroying a home, stripping their marriage of assets, or committing fraud. Although perhaps the real loser in all this is ethical non-monogamy.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Liverpool FC Legends vs Borussia Dortmund Legends: Kick-off time, who is playing, squads and how to watch today

Published

on

Liverpool FC Legends vs Borussia Dortmund Legends: Kick-off time, who is playing, squads and how to watch today

Confirmed Liverpool Legends Squad: Pepe Reina, Jerzy Dudek, Sander Westerveld, Sami Hyypia, Martin Skrtel, Ragnar Klavan, Martin Kelly, Fabio Aurelio, Gregory Vignal, Steven Gerrard, Thiago, Yossi Benayoun, Vladimir Smicer, Igor Biscan, Mark Gonzalez, Jay Spearing, Louise Schillgard, Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel, Jermaine Pennant, Albert Riera, Florent Sinama Pongolle, Natasha Dowie

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025