List of All Articles with Tag 'a'

Ahead of the cinema release of his black comedy ‘Hit Man’, Richard Linklater has said he cast ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star Glen Powell as the main character as he thought he had a shy side that leads to him wanting to hide behind roles.

Decades after his ‘Pink Flamingos’ shocked audiences, John Waters has declared he believes the world has finally caught up with his movie gross-out tactics.

Callum Wilson has signed a new contract extension with Newcastle that will run until 2025.

Britain has a new biggest night in fashion, as Vogue World pulled out all the stops for an evening full of glitz and glamour. Dubbed the UK capital’s answer to the Met Gala, London’s very first Vogue World took place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Thursday night (15 September), after its 2022 launch in New York. The star-studded extravaganza was helmed by American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and featured a live performance overseen by Billy Elliot and The Crown director Stephen Daldry, as well as a dramatic catwalk show spotlighting British labels on the eve of London Fashion Week. Proceeds from the production will go to London-based performing arts organisations, including the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet, Southbank Sinfonia and Rambert. Famous faces from the UK and around the world brought their best to the event. Here’s a rundown of some of the evening’s standout looks... Sienna Miller All eyes were on Sienna Miller at the event, as the British actor showed off her baby bump in a crop top and voluminous satin skirt from Schiaparelli. The Extrapolations star, 41, already has an 11-year-old daughter with her ex-boyfriend Tom Sturridge. The Sandman actor also attended Vogue World with his new girlfriend, Alexa Chung. Miller is currently dating actor Oli Green. Jodie Turner-Smith Queen and Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith turned heads with her Viktor & Rolf look: a daring black sash top, paired with a black thong and long-sleeved gloves. The actor completed the look with Jimmy Choo shoes. Kate Winslet Kate Winslet opted for a chic white Paul Smith suit for the occasion, worn with nude-coloured lingerie visible beneath her jacket. AJ Odudu Future Big Brother host AJ Odudu gave the crowds some sea anemone realness in her purple look: a minidress with a large ruffle behind her head and shoulders. Ncuti Gatwa Soon-to-be Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa made his toned torso the main event for his look, as he wore a black sheer long-sleeved top with black trousers and Louboutin heels. Princess Beatrice Richard Quinn was the designer of choice for Princess Beatrice, who wore a black caped dress adorned with a yellow flower print. She attended with her husband of three years, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie kept it simpler than her sister with her look: a green Fendi dress with a wraparound effect across the shoulders. Rita Ora Championing sustainability, Rita Ora took to the red carpet in pre-loved wear, all courtesy of eBay. The pop star and actor chose a black fishtail gown with a sheer back, finished with columns of metal pins. Gemma Chan Gemma Chan stunned in a floor-length Louis Vuitton dress, paired with pulled-back hair and a classic red lip. Twiggy Fashion icon Twiggy also went down the pre-loved route, standing out with a red velvet Tom Ford for Gucci suit, paired with a Louis Vuitton bag. Emilia Clarke It was mesh all the way for Emilia Clarke, who stunned the crowd in a floor-length black Dior gown, combined with sparkling jewellery by Chopard. Damien Lewis and Alison Mosshart Damien Lewis and Alison Mosshart hit the red carpet in a couples’ coordinated look, in suits. Wearing Lanvin, actor Lewis paired bright yellow trousers with a black blazer, while singer-songwriter Mosshart kept things uniform in pink. Tom Daley Tom Daley stuck to a grey and silver palette for his look: an asymmetrical top with a draped jacket, paired with matching trousers and a silver clutch bag. (Check out the attention to detail on the silver nail polish, too.) Little Simz Musician and Top Boy actor Little Simz chose a Prada look for the night, pairing a black cardigan with a matching A-line skirt. She topped off the look with silver and gold accessories. Stormzy When we talk about British men’s fashion, Stormzy is never far from the conversation. He proved why with his choice for the night: a black Ferragamo suit with a white shoulder panel. Simone Ashley Bridgerton star Simone Ashley looked like the belle of the ball in her standout Tamara Ralph look. The actor wore a white bodysuit topped with a fitted dress, netted with pearls, and Jimmy Choo shoes to finish. Joe Locke Heartstopper’s Joe Locke brought a welcome shock of colour to proceedings, wearing a fuchsia short suit and matching shirt by Valentino. Winnie Harlow Winnie Harlow was yet another big favourite of the night, in a monochrome look by Zuhair Murad. The model wore a low-cut black velvet dress, accentuated by white ruffled floor-length draping. Here’s a look at all we knew about the event, in detail. Read More Sienna Miller bares baby bump at celebrity and royal-studded Vogue World Everything we know about Vogue World, London’s answer to the Met Gala Celebrities mingle with royals at glam Vogue World party in London

The mother of a young man caught joining the mile-high club on an EasyJet flight has spoken out against his antics. The viral clip, which has made rounds across social media, shows a flight attendant opening the plane's toilet door and revealing two travellers at it to the entire plane. Fellow passengers can be heard cheering and laughing, as the staff member stands there in utter shock. The 23-year-old has since been identified as Piers Sawyer, who was travelling to Ibiza to celebrate his birthday. According to his mum, Elaine, he had only met the woman at the airport before boarding the flight. "I was watching Loose Women and they were talking about it on there, and some of Piers’s friends started sending me the clip," the 51-year-old told The Sun. "It’s not something a mum wants to see." She went on to say that her son "doesn't want to talk about it," and that "he probably just wants to forget it." Elaine continued: "You’re aware these things are going to happen at the holiday destination but you don’t expect it to happen on the flight." "But he’s a 23-year-old single lad on his birthday, going to Ibiza. It’s a party plane," Elaine added. "You just don’t think about stuff sometimes. Yes, it’s embarrassing but I don’t think they were doing anyone any harm." She went on to suggest that the member of staff "shouldn't have just opened the door," adding: "The whole flight was egging him on and even he was laughing." A spokesperson for EasyJet said: "We can confirm that this flight from Luton to Ibiza on 8 September was met by police on arrival due to the behaviour of two passengers onboard." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Having a bad day? Mercury in retrograde. Broken your phone this morning? Mercury in retrograde. Had a sudden and unexpected breakup? Mercury in retrograde. It only takes a quick swipe through social media to see this cosmic event taking the blame for pretty much everything – and according to the age-old astrological theory, we are all influenced by its effects. Astrologers have been examining Mercury retrograde for thousands of years, but it wasn't until 2010 when Google searches started to spike. Now, with the help of Instagram and the drive towards self-care and mindfulness, interest in astrology has heightened to a whole new level. While Mercury retrograde is far too often viewed as a negative thing, it is also said to be the perfect time for self-reflection and growth. Laura Hayes, certified astrologer and founder of the online astrology community, @astrohuns, spoke with Indy100 to break down this astrological phenomenon. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter What does Mercury retrograde mean? To put it simply, Mercury retrograde occurs when the planet Mercury – which takes 88 days to orbit the Sun, as opposed to Earth's 365 – appears to go backwards in its orbit. In Astrology, Mercury – named after the Roman deity who served as a messenger to the gods – is the planet of communication and the mind. Hayes explained: "Its placement in your birth chart affects how you think and communicate. Additionally, Mercury's transits at any given time will also have an impact on our thoughts and way of communicating." How long does it last? It tends to last around three to four weeks a time. However, there is also a "shadow period" – or retroshade – before and after Mercury Retrograde. This can apparently make things "a little rocky." "This Retroshade period lasts about 2-3 weeks and is almost like a diluted form of the retrograde itself," Hayes said. "Therefore, you may begin to feel the effects of Mercury retrograde a few weeks before it begins and still feel its lingering effects for a few weeks afterwards." How can it 'impact your life'? Astrologically speaking, when Mercury is in retrograde, the areas of life associated with the planet are said to be affected. "You are said to have verbal communication difficulties at this time, causing you to mishear someone or say the wrong thing, leading to arguments and misunderstandings," Hayes explained. People can find themselves "stumbling over their words, saying the wrong thing, or struggling to think coherently altogether." "Phones can lose signal; steamy texts to bae get sent to your boss instead, or your laptop breaks down when you're in the middle of writing your memoirs," she added. "Travel is another area that gets messed up during Mercury Retrograde, so be careful on the road and make sure to double-check flight details before you book." What can people do to deal with said 'effects'? According to KJ Atlas, consulting astrologer, writer, and artist of the human aura, you shouldn't put your life on hold purely because Mercury is retrograde. Instead, she says it is a time to significantly slow down. "You're more likely to make mistakes during this period, but if you listen to the call to take it easy, spend more time in self-care, go out less, and prioritize your mental and physical health, you'll be just fine," she explained. "If you need to sign contracts, purchase something significant, or have a deep talk, just do so mindfully and do your due diligence." Atlas acknowledged one positive rule of thumb: People are encouraged to do anything with the prefix 're'. "If you’re in a situation that you don’t enjoy, you can use this period for reevaluation or rekindling, but wait to take action until the cycle has ended. This includes the pre and post shadow periods. "People often jump right back into things that might be warnings during Mercury retrograde on the day that it’s technically over, but it’s good practice to wait a few days." When does Mercury retrograde occur? Mercury retrograde occurs three to four times per year. It tends to occur roughly around the same time each year. The dates* for this year are: January 14th - February 4th May 10th - June 3rd September 10th - October 2nd December 29th - January 18th (2023) *dates based on GMT, so they may vary slightly in other time zones. It's worth noting that astrology is not the same thing as astronomy. Astrology is a belief system that the stars and planets allow us to 'read a person', predict the future or have the ability to alter our daily lives, as above. Astrology can be important to some cultures, but it is not based on scientific evidence. Astronomy, however, is backed by data. David J. Helfand, Professor of Astronomy and Columbia University Chair, slammed the astrological theory as "arrant nonsense." Helfand explained that the retrograde motion of Mercury is a "simple consequence of the fact that we observe the sky from a moving platform we call Earth as it orbits the Sun. The other planets also orbit the Sun, all in the same direction." "The apparent motion of any planet as observed from Earth is a combination of the orbit of the planet and the orbit of Earth," he added. "Simple geometry shows that roughly three times a year (for Mercury – less often for other planets on longer orbits), these combined motions give the Earth-bound observer the illusion that the other planet has reversed its direction of motion compared to the background stars." He stated that the orbit of Mercury is governed by laws of gravity and is completely unchanged, which has "been well-understood for over 400 years – it's hardly a new idea." "But apparently, some people prefer 2000-year-old views of the world in which the planets govern their lives – no need to take any personal responsibility then, is there?" "In fact, the gravitational force of Mercury on an Earth-bound you is less than the force of your dog on you when you pat him or her on the head," Helfand explained. "Indeed, patting your dog on its head is likely to have a positive influence on your mood. Maybe people should try that instead of contemplating arrant nonsense about the planets." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

With less than a week to go before the Federal Reserve announces its next interest rate decision, Wall Street has reviewed a bevy of economic indicators released this week.

Global equity funds attracted substantial inflows in the week ending Sept. 13, buoyed by hopes the Federal Reserve

About 13,000 U.S. auto workers have stopped making vehicles and headed for the picket lines

A ‘talking’ dog who can express their feelings and needs by pushing buttons has gone viral on TikTok – but users are worried she may be “too intelligent”. Three-year-old, red fox Labrador Retriever, Copper uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate with its owner, Tia Herrell, 52. The buttons cover everything from wanting to eat, drink, play, go to the toilet, and even help Copper express feelings, such as worry. In a video that has gone viral on TikTok with 19 million views, Copper uses her buttons to show she is concerned moments after Tia was coughing. The clip shows Copper use a button which shouts ‘Worried’, to which Tia uses a button that says ‘Why’. Clever Copper moves to another button and says ‘Mommy’. Tia says: “You’re worried about Mommy?’ and taps the buttons for ‘Why? Worried. Mommy.’ Copper repeatedly clicks a button that says ‘Sound’ – and Tia immediately puts two and two together that she is concerned by her coughing. @thechattylab Want stranger? I think Copper wanted to be the center of attention. #talkingdogsoftiktok #dogtok She quickly taps the button for ‘Ouch’, but assures Copper she is fine. Tia has been teaching Copper how to communicate after reading about a speech-language pathologist using a similar method with her pet. She ordered some recordable buttons online and built the talking board. “Copper started with buttons when she was four months old and it really helped her with potty training,” Tia, a fellow speech-language pathologist from California, US, told NeedToKnow.co.uk. “She took to it very quickly and started using the buttons the first week. “Since then she has learned to use the buttons to request different toys, ask where family members are, ask for a treat, tell how she's feeling, tell someone if she's worried, ask to go for a ride, ask where her human sister Savannah is, and more. “It's been really fun and surprising to see Copper's personality change over time. “When she was younger, she talked about her toys and playing a lot of the time. Now she talks way more about her family and how she feels. “I think that Copper is very emotional and loves her family immensely. “I would say that Copper is extremely emotionally intelligent. “She's able to identify her own emotions and sometimes others’ emotions.” @thechattylab When you gotta go, you gotta go! #dogtok #smartdog #talkingdogsoftiktok Over two million people liked the video, taking to the comments section to share their thoughts – with some dubbing Copper the “Einstein of dogs” and others expressing concern over her skills. One user commented: “It's getting too intelligent.” “HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE, I MADE ME SIT UP IN MY BED,” another person said. “This is so wild,” another user agreed. Someone else said: “Now that is pure love.” “I’d be getting that cough checked.. that fur baby looks like he’s lost a best friend. But seriously, this is so sweet & hope ur 100% okay!” said another viewer. [sic] “Ok that’s the Einstein of dogs right there lol,” added one fan. Someone else commented: “If this is not the sweetest thing.” “The fact that dogs can understand the meaning and concept of worry is what surprises me,” said another user. “Their so much smarter then we realize,” another person added. [sic] Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A ban on imports of Russian diamonds is expected to be agreed to by Group of Seven nations

By Abhijith Ganapavaram Strike by U.S. auto workers hit the shares of Ford Motor, General Motors and Chrysler-owner