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Politics

Sydney Sweeney Praises ‘Cool’ Euphoria Season 3 ‘Cassie-Zilla’ Scene

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Sydney Sweeney said what she described as the "Cassie-zilla" sequence was among the "coolest" things she's ever done

As critics remain split down the middle about Sydney Sweeney’s Euphoria character’s season three journey, the actor who plays her has heaped praise on one scene showcased in the drama’s latest episode.

In Monday’s instalment, viewers saw Cassie continuing on her ascent to fame, culminating in a scene in which Sydney was seen destroying a miniature city in the style of Godzilla or Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman.

“The Cassie-zilla sequence was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” the Emmy winner enthused in a behind-the-scenes video.

Sydney Sweeney said what she described as the "Cassie-zilla" sequence was among the "coolest" things she's ever done
Sydney Sweeney said what she described as the “Cassie-zilla” sequence was among the “coolest” things she’s ever done

As Euphoria creator Sam Levinson opened up about how it took around a year to accurately recreate Los Angeles in miniature form, Sydney added: “The details were unbelievable. There were trees and cars and the buildings were my size.”

She added: “I think, for Cassie, she knows what she’s chasing and what she’s going to sacrifice to give herself over to Hollywood.”

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After a time-jump since season two, Euphoria fans were reintroduced to Cassie earlier this year at a very different stage of her life, having turned to OnlyFans modelling to pay for her wedding to Jacob Elordi’s Nate.

Over the course of the season so far, Cassie’s OnlyFans shoots have become increasingly more extreme, which has been met with alarm from some critics, who have branded them “degrading”, “horrible” and comparable to a “humiliation ritual” for the former White Lotus star.

Sydney herself has long defended Euphoria’s on-screen nudity and sex scenes, calling out the “double standard” around the way male and female actors who have appeared naked on screen are treated.

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“I don’t think as many people took me seriously in Euphoria because I took my shirt off,” she told Cosmopolitan in 2022. “There’s such a double standard. I really hope I can have a little part in changing that.”

During another interview with The Independent, she noted: “When a guy has a sex scene or shows his body, he still wins awards and gets praise. But the moment a girl does it, it’s completely different.”

“I’ve never felt like Sam has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show,” she also insisted. “When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”

Euphoria continues on Mondays on Sky, Now and HBO Max in the UK.

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The Gross Way Singers Handle Needing To Pee While Performing

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The Gross Way Singers Handle Needing To Pee While Performing

We’ve written before about how the sounds singers hear in their earpieces differ from what you’d expect.

But the rockstar revelations don’t stop there ― if (like me) you’ve always wondered what a singer is meant to do if they feel the urge to go mid-show, unfortunately, we’ve found some answers.

In a revolting but riveting video, TikTokker and pop culture lover John Joseph revealed how celebs handle the “if you gotta go…” problem.

Responding to another TikTokker’s comment which read “If Taylor can hold it, so can I,” the creator said, “Well, that’s because Taylor [Swift] is most likely not holding it during her three-hour show.”

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They went on to explain that the singer’s Era’s tour set was three hours long, and while he “doesn’t know if this is Taylor’s tactic, there is such a thing called a pee bucket.”

A what now?

I regret to inform you that it’s exactly what you think it is. Again, there’s no proof Taylor uses one ― but other celebs and singers have gone on record for having used one in the past.

“You see, at most concerts, there are two different dressing rooms for the artist,” Joseph shared. There’s “the one that they get ready in,” which “usually has a bathroom connected to it.”

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But then, there’s the second makeshift dressing room (also known as a trap) which is “usually under the stage so that artists can do their quick change” and refresh their hair and makeup without being seen.

This is usually closer to the action than the singers’ fully-kitted dressing rooms, so, Joseph warns, it’s a likely spot for a pee bucket.

Who’s admitted to using these?

Katy Perry, the Jonas brothers, Kelly Clarkson, and even Kendall Jenner have admitted to using the makeshift loo.

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“You walk on stage feeling like Mary Poppins but really you’ve just had your skin zipped, peed in a bucket and been dry-heaving over the trash can,” Katy told The Sun.

While in Kelly’s case, the bucket was actually a trash can backstage rather than a bucket under the stage, it was used for even more ~nefarious~ purposes than peeing after she ate some dodgy food.

“Well, I’ll tell you right now, there was one time – it wasn’t pee, my friend,” she revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show

“I got some kind of wrecked up from some kind of food. We were in an arena – and I shouldn’t tell this story, but like I said, my man, I don’t have a filter. I had to run backstage to my quick-change. I grabbed this poor trash can, and boy, I destroyed it. It was bad,” she shared.

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Well, that’s changed how I view concerts forever…

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Labour announces plan to nationalise British Steel after election defeat

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Labour set to nationalise British Steel

Labour set to nationalise British Steel

Labour has announced it may nationalise British Steel following a ‘public interest test’. That’s after the Greens came second in the local elections when it comes to national vote share. The Green party received 18% compared to Reform’s 26% and Labour’s 17%.

Nationalising UK steel

Clement Attlee’s 1945 Labour government brought steel into public ownership, along with 20% of the economy. But Margaret Thatcher privatised steel in 1988.

The industry has issues nowadays, notably high energy costs and old infrastructure. Public ownership would deliver lower borrowing costs to invest in infrastructure, failing the use of debt free fiat currency.

Further, a government could deliver cheaper energy costs for steel through a publicly owned Green New Deal. Renewables are cheaper, while public ownership removes profit from an essential. And a Green New Deal stops inflationary pressure from volatile international markets.

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What’s more, electric powered furnaces are established.

Labour: Public ownership is entirely possible…

Campaign group We Own It said:

So this government can nationalise. And they can do it quickly

Public ownership of steel brings about the question of why utilities cannot be nationalised.

We Own it also said:

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Why, then, are we not announcing emergency legislation to bring our water into public ownership?

Labour claims that nationalising water would cost too much, at £90bn. But the privatised water industry funded that research. Ewan McGaughey, professor of law at King’s College London, has claimed that bringing the water industry into public ownership would actually cost nothing.

Indeed, we had water in public ownership in the 1800s. That’s how far neoliberalism—the ideology of privatisation, austerity and deregulation—has taken us into the past.

And it is ideology because public ownership of an essential is by definition more efficient than wasting money in profit. Whereas, management can be inefficient in either the public or private sector.

But it appears that Labour is feeling the pressure from the Greens and may bring about some nationalisations. All the more reason for the Greens to keep campaigning.

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Featured image via Unsplash / the Canary

By James Wright

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Starmers Leadership Under Pressure As Rivals Stall

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Starmers Leadership Under Pressure As Rivals Stall

Keir Starmer is tonight locked in a Mexican stand-off with his Labour leadership rivals after refusing to quit despite four ministers so far resigning in a bid to force him out.

The prime minister told his cabinet to “get on with governing” rather than plotting his downfall.

“The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families,” Starmer told them at the weekly cabinet meeting

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.”

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Starmer made his remarks and then said there would be no discussion of the leadership issue or the fallout from last week’s elections, when Labour were humiliated in England, Scotland and Wales.

Dozens of Labour MPs have now called on the PM to set out a timetable for his departure.

Junior ministers Jess Phillips, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Alex Davies-Jones and Zubir Ahmed also resigned after deciding they could no longer serve in Starmer’s government.

However, cabinet loyalists Steve Reed, Pat McFadden, Liz Kendal and Peter Kyle put on a dramatic display of support for the prime minister.

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Leaving 10 Downing Street after this morning’s cabinet meeting, they took the unusual step of addressing the waiting media to say they were backing the PM.

Meanwhile, leadership hopefuls Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham remained tight-lipped as they weighed up their options.

It is understood Streeting, the health secretary, tried to speak to Starmer after the cabinet meeting but was rebuffed.

A government source said: “Keir said in cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually. Then after the meeting he refused to see cabinet ministers individually.”

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Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, travelled to London but it is still unclear if he has identified a seat to stand in to give him the chance of becoming an MP again.

Despite speculation that a Labour MP in a safe seat has agreed to stand down for him, no announcement is thought to be imminent.

Amid all the turmoil, tomorrow’s King’s Speech will set out the Starmer government’s plans for the parliamentary year ahead.

But it remains highly unlikely that he will be prime minister long enough to deliver it.

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Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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How did the media class get Starmer so wrong?

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How did the media class get Starmer so wrong?

‘It’s nice isn’t it. The quiet.’

These were the words tweeted by political writer Andrew Scott – aka Otto English – shortly after Keir Starmer’s election as UK prime minister in 2024. In the centrist imagination, Labour’s return to power represented a long-awaited return to ‘normalcy’ after 14 years of chaos at the hands of Brexiteers and Conservatives. Like hobbits being delivered from the fires of Mordor, the people of Britain were finally back in the Shire.

Scott’s statement sounds utterly preposterous now, as Starmer’s premiership disintegrates in the wake of last week’s disastrous local elections. So far, three of his ministers have resigned. At the time of writing, 89 MPs have called on him to step down.

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In fact, those now widely mocked remarks went out of date barely a few months after Starmer came to power. Such talk of ‘quiet’ seemed risible when three little girls were murdered in Southport, sparking riots across the UK. Indeed, summer 2024 shaped up to be the biggest wave of unrest the nation had experienced in more than a decade. What followed was a series of unprecedented crackdowns on civil liberties and on free speech.

Public anger has repeatedly boiled over during Starmer’s tenure, as the PM has sought to gaslight the nation over everything from the rape gangs to the never-ending outrages linked to illegal immigration. If the 2024 election had in fact ushered in a period of peace and quiet, this was certainly over well before the rest of us could take stock.

Scott, of course, was not the only member of the media class to wildly overestimate Keir Starmer. Labour’s victory prompted a nauseating stream of gushing from the media establishment. The arrival of this mediocre, personality-free PM was treated as akin to the second coming of Christ.

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‘After years of personality-driven and chaotic, shallow politics coverage across much of the media’, intoned Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, ‘we now have a government with [a] massive majority, widespread internal agreement and no likelihood of massive instability anytime soon’. Appearing on Question Time on the day after the General Election, ex-BBC man Andrew Marr insisted: ‘For the first time in many of our lives, Britain actually looks like a little haven of peace and stability.’

‘This is how serious government behaves’, sighed i paper columnist Ian Dunt, one day after Starmer took office, adding that:

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‘Know-nothings have been replaced by people with expertise. Ignorance has been replaced by specialism. Incomprehension has been replaced by deep domain knowledge.’

Such statements seem more than a little jarring in light of recent events, as Starmer – the most unpopular prime minister in UK history, no less – is defending his premiership with the passion of a wet flannel. Whatever his ‘expertise’, ‘specialism’ or ‘domain’ knowledge may have been, none of it seems to have helped him in the job.

Boldest among Starmer’s early cheerleaders was surely The Times’ Caitlin Moran, who reported gleefully that the PM’s ‘competency’ had ‘turbocharged [her] arousal levels’. ‘All my friends were watching these arrivals as if we were watching Magic Mike Live’, she wrote of Starmer’s first Cabinet appointments. ‘We were rubbing our thighs.’ Each to their own, I suppose. Many of us will be similarly tingly about seeing the back of the man.

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There is a reason why Brits have grown increasingly weary of mainstream journalism in recent years, especially since Brexit. Contrasting the premature Starmer-gasm of the liberal establishment to the howls of anguish that followed the 2016 Leave vote should go some way to explaining things. For centrist media types, Starmer represented a win for the sensible, the moral-minded, the people who ‘know better’. As such, any journalistic duty to scrutinise his policies or his capabilities went out of the window. Instead, we got smug hand-rubbing at the prospect of sticking it to the thicko Brexiteers.

Let’s hope the media aren’t as quick to pull out the pom-poms for whichever lacklustre Labour apparatchik next ends up in Downing Street. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.

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Georgina Mumford is a content producer at spiked.

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The pathological vanity of Keir Starmer

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The pathological vanity of Keir Starmer

So this is how technocracy ends – not with a bang but with the whimpering of one of its chief proponents as he hunkers down, hiding from the judgement of the people. This is the vision we now have of Keir Starmer: alone, reviled, skulking in his bunker at Downing Street. He’s a dead man blathering, talking about staying the course even though the people and much of his party would rather he didn’t. He’s ‘resolute’, say his dwindling band of apologists, but to the rest of us it just looks like pathological vanity.

These are extraordinary events. Following last week’s local and devolved elections – in which Labour lost vast swathes of territory to Reform UK and others – the heat has been on Sir Keir. As if it wasn’t humiliating enough to lose council seats across England, and control of the Senedd in Wales, and four seats in the Scottish parliament, polls now suggest 70 per cent of Brits view Starmer ‘unfavourably’. Things feel so parlous for Labour that you find yourself wondering who the hell the 30 per cent are – what have they smoked?

Knives are being sharpened. Scores of Labour MPs have called on Starmer to set out a timetable for his vacation of Downing Street. Party aides have resigned. In a highly rare act with at least a faint whiff of political principle, Jess Phillips, Labour’s safeguarding minister, has resigned. Even the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, thinks Sir Keir needs to set out a plan for slinging his hook. Yet in his echo chamber of one, cloth-eared to criticism, he clings on.

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The reason being given by his half-hearted backers is that the last thing Britain needs is the ‘chaos’ of a Labour leadership election and the ‘disorder’ of a potential General Election. So he’s only being stubborn to save us from yet more mayhem. There’s a deep streak of anti-democracy in this cosplaying as a modern-day Louis XV, staying put to stave off the ‘deluge’ that would inevitably follow his departure. Picking a new party leader is not chaos. An early General Election is not bedlam. It’s democracy. If Starmer’s only justification for staying is that the devil you know is better than a democratic process you can’t predict, then he really does need to bugger off.

He is now the physical embodiment of the technocratic philosophy, which is to insulate politics from the grubby reach of the masses. His bunker mentality is managerialism repeated as farce. The only thing that might save his skin is the moral cowardice of the knackered party he leads. Limp as it is, the pro-Starmer wing of Labour is an inglorious exercise in arse-covering – these MPs know working-class voters are biting at the bit to replace them with someone from Reform. They rally around a deeply unpopular PM to avoid facing the demos. They prefer the safety of stasis to the horror of public decision-making.

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One doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry reading about the apparent showdown at the Cabinet meeting this morning. Henry Zeffman at the BBC says Starmer’s message to his ministers was essentially ‘Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough’. But it was ‘directed at one person’ in particular, says Zeffman – Wes Streeting, the health secretary, who’s said to be behind much of the anti-Starmer plotting. Can you think of anything lamer than a clash for the throne between the tweedle dee and tweedle dum of technocracy?

What an ignominious end to the historic English taste for intrigue. The country that gave the world regicides and revolutions and factional spats of real depth now gives it Starmer vs Streeting. A contest between the two wettest men in British politics, almost as if Starmer had gone back in time to scrap with his younger, plumper self. It’s Shakespearean skullduggery but completely bereft of character, poetry or substance. It’s proof that Labour’s problems extend far beyond Sir Keir. This is a party without vision, without shame, and without serious contenders. Putting a ‘fresh’ face in Downing Street would be the political equivalent of buffing a turd.

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Some are now saying they feel sorry for Starmer. He’s getting too much flak, back off, say media saps. Nah, you’re all right. I think I’ll save my concern for the pensioners he forced to choose between heating and eating, and the victims of the rape gangs whose gruelling ordeal he called a ‘far-right bandwagon’, and the young women abused by illegal arrivals that he did nothing to stop, and the Jewish communities who’ve been beleagured by hate on his watch. Just go, Sir Keir – feel sorry for yourself on your own dime.

Brendan O’Neill is spiked’s chief political writer and host of the spiked podcast, The Brendan O’Neill Show. Subscribe to the podcast here. His latest book – After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation – is available to order on Amazon UK and Amazon US now. And find Brendan on Instagram: @burntoakboy.

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EU to impose sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank

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west bank

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The European Union (EU) has agreed to impose sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

This comes after Hungary’s new government lifted the country’s veto, which Viktor Orban, the former Prime Minister, had imposed.

According to the Peace Now settlement watchdog, the organisations the EU will sanction are: Amana, HaShomer Yosh, Regavim, and Nachala. Alongside these organisations, the EU is also sanctioning three settlers who lead these groups – Avichai Suissa, Meir Deutsch, and Daniela Weiss.

Weiss is already sanctioned by the UK and is known as the “godmother” of the settler movement.

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The US sanctioned Suissa in 2024; however, Donald Trump removed them from the sanctions list.

All four organisations, and their respective leaders, are collectively responsible for the dispossession, expulsion and murder of Palestinians. Additionally, the organisations work to promote ‘settlements’ in both the West Bank and in Gaza, organising groups and openly boasting about the establishment of new illegal outposts.

West Bank settlers

As expected, Gideon Saar, Israel’s Foreign Minister, slammed the decision.

He would, though, given that he previously lived in both ‘Mitzpe Ramon’ and ‘Sde Boker’, both of which are illegal Israeli settlements in the Negev desert in Occupied Palestine.

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Similarly, Ben-Gvir, a seasoned war criminal, claimed the EU was “antisemitic”. Again, he himself is an illegal settler-terrorist. He lives in the occupied West Bank and is known for his extremist views and actions. He has numerous criminal convictions, including eight for offences related to racism, and has promoted racist ideologies against Arabs. Ben Gvir is also arming settlers and calling for the execution of Palestinian prisoners.

In Israel, the rot starts at the top.

An illegal terrorist state

Since Israel launched its genocide on Gaza, illegal settlers have murdered more than 1,000 people in the West Bank.

However, occupation and stealing Palestinian land are a core part of Israeli government policy.

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In December 2022, in a post on X, Benjamin Netanyahu stated:

These are the basic lines of the national government under my leadership:
The Jewish people has an exclusive and indisputable right to all spaces of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop settlement in all parts of the Land of Israel—in the Galilee, in the Negev, in the Golan, in Judea and Samaria.

There are currently more than 737,000 illegal Israeli settlers living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They have the full backing of the state – both ideologically and materially. They are armed by the government and protected by the IOF and the Israeli police.

As the Canary previously reported:

These settlers only aim is to force Palestinians off their land, so their colonial settlements can be built there instead, and they do this by storming villages and terrorising residents, burning homes, killing livestock, and destroying crops and trees.

Currently, Israel is perpetrating its biggest expansion of Jewish settlements in decades across the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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Settlements are illegal under international law.

Article 49 of the Geneva Convention states:

The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.

Additionally, the Hague Regulations (1907) prohibit the seizure and destruction of private property. This means that both the building and the expansion of settlements breach international humanitarian law.

Increasing violence

From settlers expelling an entire Palestinian village, to murdering a farmer, harassing Palestinian shepherds, and stopping children from playing football, there is a clear conscious effort among Israeli settlers to cause physical, emotional, and mental suffering to Palestinians.

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The systematic attempts to expel Palestinians from their native land are colonialism with a ‘do not touch, antisemitic’ label plastered to them.

Even the former head of Mossad has compared settler violence to the Holocaust, and who are we to argue with such a man?

Featured image via Al Jazeera English/YouTube

By HG

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Stormzy Is Producing A New Biopic About Ian Wright’s Life Story

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Stormzy Is Producing A New Biopic About Ian Wright's Life Story

Ian Wright is to be the focus of a new biopic executive produced by Stormzy.

On Tuesday afternoon, it was announced that a film chronicling the football legend’s journey from a South London housing estate to becoming one of British sport’s most recognisable faces was in the works, produced by Stormzy’s #Merky Films production company.

The currently-untitled movie has been written by Tom Wilton, who is also attached to direct.

Ian enthused: “Telling my story in full for the first time feels surreal and, in some ways, a long time coming. There are parts of my life that will be familiar because they’ve been talked about over the years, but this film is the first time we’re bringing it all together.

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“Retelling my story to Tom has also made me realise how much Britain has changed from my parents arriving here on the Windrush, what that meant for me and my brothers, and the experiences that will never leave me. I hope it shows how complicated life can be for a young person and the influence people around you can have – good and bad.”

He added: “My story is one that truly shows how the company you keep can break you down and build you up. There are hard-hitting moments but in the end I want it to give people hope and joy.”

An official press release for the project teased: “Ian’s journey begins on the Honor Oak Estate in Brockley, south London, where football is the young boy’s only escape from his tough home life.

“Schoolteacher Sydney Pigden recognises Ian’s struggles and dares him to believe in who he could be. Despite this spark of hope, by his teens, Ian’s dreams of becoming a footballer are falling apart as rejection, oppression and his own internal rage take their toll.

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“By the time he is in his early twenties, Ian’s hope has faded, not least because he strives to be the parent he never had. But with his raw talent finally causing a stir, Ian faces a life-altering choice – risk the only security he has ever known, or take one last shot at the big time.”

Stormzy said of the project: “Wrighty’s journey goes far beyond football – it’s about resilience, family and believing in yourself against the odds.

“He’s inspired generations on and off the pitch and we’re so proud to help bring such an important and powerful story to the screen.”

Over the course of his football career, Ian was best known for playing for Arsenal, Crystal Palace and England’s national team.

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Since retiring in 2000, he has become a prolific football pundit and TV personality, and was awarded an OBE for services to football and charity in 2023.

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Peace & Justice Project: We stand with the Allianz6

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Composite image with the Peace & Justice Project logo added to a picture of Allianz logo flags

Composite image with the Peace & Justice Project logo added to a picture of Allianz logo flags

The following is a statement from the Peace & Justice Project. It concerns the actions of insurer Allianz relating to pro-Palestine activists.

The Peace & Justice Project condemns Allianz and its abhorrent use of legal intimidation against pro-Palestine activists it alleges targeted the company over its insurance of Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems in Britain.

Allianz is claiming nearly £300,000 total in a civil suit against two groups of activists it alleges damaged the company through separate Palestine Action protests in Guildford and London in 2024 and 2025.

In December 2025, Allianz had requested a lower sum before tacking on a further £200,000 in symbolic damages which the six activists have branded a “protest licence fee”, raising the total to £289,604 plus legal representative costs.

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The increased demand came after activists wrote to Allianz’s lawyers asking them to wait for criminal proceedings to conclude before continuing their civil case.

Renée Eshel, a tutor who is one of the Allianz6, said:

Allianz ordering us to civil courts while our criminal cases are pending indicates they are using intimidatory fear tactics to bully us into submission and to deter future activists from exposing their complicity in war crimes through Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.

The defendants cannot afford legal representation in the civil case, where the standard of proof required is lower than in criminal proceedings. The Allianz6’s lives would be torn apart if forced to pay the enormous symbolic damages, with the money taken from savings and future salaries – potentially causing lifelong financial distress, despite Allianz reporting a 2025 operating profit of £15.2bn.

Featured image via the Canary

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By The Canary

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Lawyer defeats contempt charge for defending Palestine Action clients

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A corporate head shot of Palestine Action barrister, Rajiv Menon

A corporate head shot of Palestine Action barrister, Rajiv Menon

Barrister Rajiv Menon has defeated a judge’s attempt to prosecute him for doing his job of defending Palestine Action activists.

Menon was charged with contempt of court for reminding jurors in his closing speech of their legal right to acquit according to conscience. Mr Justice Johnson had ordered this information to be withheld.

In 2024, Judge Saini threw out an attempt to imprison a pensioner for holding up a sign reminding jurors of this ‘jury equity’ right during a different trial. He derided the idea that informing someone of the law could possibly be contempt of court.

However, this has not stopped the Starmer regime and “rogue judges” from continuing to treat the law as an inconvenience to be prevented and prosecuted.

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The appeal court’s ruling this morning is a slap to the Starmer regime and its war on our rights to protect Israel.

Defend our Juries has summarised the Menon case, its outcome and its significance on X.

The regime suffered another blow this week with the refusal of a jury to convict anti-genocide activist Majid Freeman. The government has ordered a retrial and is likely to attempt the same tactic of banning mention of jury equity, despite the clear legal precedent.

The Starmer regime is a police state and a rogue one.

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Featured image via Garden Court Chambers

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Best Critical Illness Plans in India for UK-Based NRI Families

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Best Critical Illness Plans in India for UK-Based NRI Families

For those living in the UK and looking to create a Safety Net for their families back home (in India), the planning process should include both the day-to-day Health Care Costs that come with common chronic/acute Health Conditions and the catastrophic Financial Impact associated with Critical Illnesses. Although generic Health Insurances generally cover the Cost of Hospitalisation in the event of a Health Condition, generic Health Insurance does not account for the Financial Impact created when a Critical Illness is diagnosed (lost income & ongoing rehabilitation, experimental treatments, etc.). Therefore, Critical Illness Plans India (also known as CI Insurance India) provides an added layer of Protection by providing a lump sum payment upon diagnosis of a covered Critical Illness, which can be used as immediate Liquid Money, as well as for any expense incurred at such time.

Decoding the Core Features of a Superior CI Plan

When considering Critical Illness Plans India from the UK, it is essential to not only look at the Premiums and Sum Insured amounts, but to also focus on the following specifics:

Comprehensive/Defined list of covered ailments: The policy should have a comprehensive list of Illnesses (typically covering 15-30+) that are classified as Major types, i.e. Cancer, Heart, Neurological, Organ Transplant. Ultimately, it is mandatory to review the specific Medical Definitions of the various ailments listed in the Policy Document. Many policies have restrictive definitions, which could delay or deny the payment in case of Critical Illness Diagnosis due to having been diagnosed with an ailment that is not specifically defined.

Payment Structure with Lump Sums: It features upon diagnosing a covered illness that matches the policy’s severity level (e.g. Stage 1 cancer), an insurance provider will pay the entire sum to you as a lump sum with no further tax liability when your claim is paid out as per its terms and conditions. This is considered the most beneficial aspect of having these types of products.

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Providing Partial Payments: The best Critical Illness (CI) policies in India provide for initially paying out a portion of the sum (25% – 50% depending upon how many years a person has had coverage) for early (or intermediate) stages of any critical illnesses; such as cancer in situ (early stage) where these patients will require added support to assist with the financial impact during the time they must recover from their critical illnesses.

Survivorship Clause: The majority of critical illness plans include a “Survivor Clause” which generally states that once a person has been diagnosed, they will receive their full amount provided they live for a particular number of days after that diagnosis. Receiving the payouts sooner (or at all) if diagnosed early can be very beneficial for those patients, as it will help them start to recover financially.

Waiver of Premium Payments: Upon having a valid claim, the insurance provider should not charge premium payments for the rest of your family’s life while assisting them through recovery.

Lifelong Renewal Options: When purchasing critical illness products, look for companies that offer options for lifetime renewals. This assures you that as your parents/mother/father continues to age, these options will remain in force.

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Leading Providers in the Indian CI Market

Numerous insurers in India have strong critical illness plans in place that support NRIs from the UK. These insurers are those that have strong digital infrastructures and a market reputation.

HDFC ERGO (Critical Illness Plan) – Offers comprehensive coverage, policy wordings, and an advanced digital claims experience, which makes this policy a great selection for NRIs.

ICICI Lombard (Critical Illness Protector) – Has a range of plans that include staged payouts and a solid service network. They would make great critical illness plans for NRIs in the UK.

Bajaj Allianz (Critical Illness Care) – Very well established and provides critically structured plans with staged payouts for certain illnesses.

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Max Bupa (now Niva Bupa) and Star Health both provide critical illness riders and standalone critical illness plans. Both have received positive feedback for their high level of customer service.

Conclusion 

For NRIs living in the UK, planning ahead for potential critical illnesses is a vital step in protecting family well-being in India. Choosing the right critical illness plans in India ensures your family is financially prepared, allowing them to focus on care and recovery rather than the burden of medical expenses during a health crisis.

Within the framework of NRI health insurance, a thoughtfully selected critical illness insurance policy in India provides a lump-sum benefit that gives families true financial agency. This support enables access to the best possible treatment options while also covering ongoing living expenses, ensuring stability and dignity regardless of the diagnosis outcome.

By Nathan Spears

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