
Irish government announces RTÉ examination
Minister Catherine Martin announces an independent, root and branch examination of broadcaster RTÉ.
1970-01-01 08:00

Idris Elba doesn't know who Colin the Caterpillar is and he's gone down in everyone's estimations
Idris Elba has confessed he doesn't know who Colin the Caterpillar is, and has never had the pleasure of indulging in one at a birthday party. Gasp. The actor, who follows an all-vegan diet and has a personal chef on the road with him, landed himself in hot water when he was asked about the sweet treat during a new interview, and whether he'd had one at his own birthday. "Can I ask you a question. Who is Colin the Caterpillar? Is that bad?", he said, before quipping: "If you have to Google him then I don’t know who he is." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
1970-01-01 08:00

Machine Gun Kelly makes a fan's dream come true by punching him in the face
Machine Gun Kelly received an unusual request from a fan who asked the singer who was performing to punch him in the face. In the clip shared on the 33-year-old's Instagram, Machine Gun Kelly was on stage at the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium on 1 July where he can be seen asking the fan: "Why do you want me to punch you in the face so bad?" Good question - to which the fan simply replied: "I love you!" Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Though Machine Gun Kelly did warn the guy that it could hurt as he told him: "I got rings on dude that s***'s gonna hurt." "I don't know it's a lose/lose for me," he added. "I don't if I'm gonna do it, I'll consider it." The video then cuts to Machine Gun Kelly who left the stage to go interact with the crowd and lifted the sign the fan-made to the camera that reads: "I just came from Mexico 4 u 2 punch me in the face." And with that, he fulfilled the fan's request since he came all the way over from Mexico and Belgium for this - though mindful of his rings, the 'Emo Girl' singer landed a softer punch. "I love you!" Machine Gun Kelly proceeded to scream afterwards. For the post caption, the singer wrote: "making dreams come true." In the comments section, fans appeared to be entertained by the interaction. One person was inspired by a Mean Girls quote and said: “One Time Machine gun kelly punched me in the face… it was AWESOME "Boy might be missing teeth and still be smiling," another person wrote. Someone else added: "Bro bouta file a life changing lawsuit." "It’s the way he was happy as hell," a fourth person commented. 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
1970-01-01 08:00

Adele says she will 'kill' anyone who throw objects at her while on stage
Adele has told her fans she would "f*****ing kill" them if they tried to throw an object or something at her while on stage. During one of her Las Vegas residency shows, Adele spoke on the topic, after singers such as Bebe Rexha and Kelsea Ballerini were recently hit by objects fans launched at them from the crowd, with Rexha even having to go to the hospital to get stitches. Meanwhile, Ava Max was slapped on stage by a supposed fan. All of these incidents have caused discussions on social media about concert etiquette. And now the 'Easy On Me' singer hasn't hold back with her thoughts on the issue. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "Have you noticed how people are, like, forgetting f**king show etiquette at the moment? she asked the audience. "Throwing s**t on stage, have you seen them? I f**king dare you, I dare you throw something at me, I'll f**king kill you," the singer warned. But she then jokingly pretended to be an audience member: “Stop throwing things at the artist but you can shoot things at the audience," referring to the fact she launches t-shirts into the audience with a large t-shirt cannon. (Though the audience appeared to love seeing Adele's t-shirt cannon firing skills). @mikesnedegar One of the best things about seeing Adele live is her chats with the audience. She always makes you laugh. #weekendswithadele #adele #lasvegas Fans of the singer who watched the brief clip found Adele's threat amusing and agreed with her stance. One person said: "I believe Adele would come off stage and smack someone!!!! Wouldn't blame her!!!!" "I love being British because of this womanaudience, she's f***ing hilarious," another person wrote. Someone else added: "Lmao. She said you won’t be doing that sh** here." "'Don't underestimate the things that I will do' lol," a fourth person commented referencing a lyric from Adele's song 'Rolling in the Deep'. Elsewhere, read all about why are fans throwing random objects at pop stars. 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Hugh Grant confesses he's a 'rabid' Blackpink fan after being spotted at K-pop concert
After Hugh Grant was spotted at K-Pop group Blackpink's London show, the actor has confessed he's actually a huge fan. The 62-year-old was spotted in the VIP section at their British Summer Time show, but insists he was taken there by 'three 11-year-olds' - even wearing merchandise for the occasion. "Am rabid Blink now. Slept with my heart hammer", he later joked on Twitter, referencing the band's fanbase name, and their signature light-up hammers that fans use at concerts. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
1970-01-01 08:00

UK's Hunt backs regulator to ensure banks pass on better rates to savers
LONDON British finance minister Jeremy Hunt gave his backing to the country's financial regulator FCA to ensure banks
1970-01-01 08:00

1 player Cowboys would love to steal from each NFC East rival
Even if the Dallas Cowboys have no chance of trading for them, they'd love to be able to steal these players from the Eagles, Giants and Commanders.Talent has rarely ever been an issue for the Dallas Cowboys, which is one of the biggest reasons that the lack of playoff success over the past...
1970-01-01 08:00

Rob McElhenney's wife hilariously confirms rumour that he 'cheated' on her
The wife of Rob McElhenney has hilariously trolled gossip sites that claimed her husband cheated on her while in Wales. Actors Kaitlin Olson and McElhenney have been married since 2008 and share two children together, with McElhenney recently making headlines after becoming the co-owner of the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC with fellow actor Ryan Reynolds. It is during one of his trips to Wales that the gossip site PerezHilton.com published the rumour that McElhenney cheated on his wife. Olson shut down the rumours with hilarious a comeback, jokingly writing that it was she who had an affair with an actual whale (yes, the animal). Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter On Twitter, she joked: “It was me who had the affair. But it was not with someone from Wales. It was with a whale. “I’ve always loved whales. They’re the bosses of the ocean and I’m attracted to power. We ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult time.” The tweet sparked a whole host of marine-related puns as people praised Olson and McElhenney for mocking the baseless rumours. One person responded: “I wish you both whale.” Another reasoned: “I have to deduct points for not closing with ‘as we navigate these rough waters’.” “Was it a Sperm Whale?” someone else asked. McElhenney also got in on the action, after sharing his wife’s tweet and jokingly adding: “Sad to admit that the rumor is true. However, some of the details are…. Incorrect.” The USA fan account for Wrexham replied: “Something tells me they are not fin-ished… moar to this story I’m shore.” 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Arnold Schwarzenegger believes he had a part in the rise of AI
Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he believes The Terminator had a role in AI development. Speaking in Los Angeles at ‘An Evening with Arnold Schwarzenegger’, the 75-year-old discussed the state of AI in 2023. Schwarzenegger said “today, everyone is frightened of it, of where this is gonna go.” He then goes on to say, “and in this movie, in ‘Terminator,’ we talk about the machines becoming self-aware and they take over.” Because of this he took a moment to commend the “brilliance” of James Cameron, the writer and director of the 1984 movie, because at that time they had only “scratched the surface of AI.” And it seems that the former governor of California attributes this development to The Terminator and James Cameron saying: “Now over the course of decades, it has become a reality. So it’s not any more fantasy or kind of futuristic. It is here today. And so this is the extraordinary writing of James Cameron.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “I wish I could take credit for this movie,” Schwarzenegger added, continuing to praise Cameron, “he’s just such an extraordinary writer and he’s such an unbelievable director.” “I can only take credit of the character that i played and the way I played it,” he added. “But I mean, he has created this character.” Back in May a Twitter user at the Dell Tech World conference shared that Cameron had begun writing a new Terminator movie but “wants to see how #AI shakes out before he goes any further.” At the Los Angeles event, Schwarzenegger said that whilst The Terminator franchise will continue, it will do so without him. “The franchise is not done. I’m done. I got the message loud and clear that the world wants to move on with a different theme when it comes to The Terminator.” He added that he looks at the franchise “very fondly,” attributing it to much of his success. 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Taylor Swift sends shock reply to fan who missed out on tour tickets
A Taylor Swift fan who messaged the pop star's official Instagram account got the shock of her life when she received a response. The Swiftie named Amina shared her frustration with Swift at the ticket information not being updated in Australia. Frontier Touring was providing updates on ticket availability for The Era Tour, but Amina wrote to Swift saying that updates were not being added to the official website. "Hey Taylor, Australia tickets are on sale at the moment," Amina wrote. "And I don't know if you're aware but there has been promotions on Twitter getting a message out to let people know there is actually limited spaces available in Sydney and only tickets available on the Sunday night." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "But on the actual Ticketek website, it is saying general public is on sale for Sydney, on the website it doesn't say that. "Many of us are missing out on tickets due to this. Just letting you know about this inconvenience," she added and then expressed her excitement to see the singer in Australia. Amina then couldn't believe her eyes as she noticed her message to Swift's Instagram had been opened, and a reply was being typed. She then shared what message she received. "Hey Amina, I can get my team to look into it," the reply began. "I'd like to give every one of my fans an opportunity to see me live - I can see why this would be an issue. "Sorry so-so-so much. Love you, hope to see you in Sydney," the message concluded. @amnxa_18 I made this way to dramatic #taylorswift #taylorswiftedit #taylorswifttok #taylorswifterastour #taylorswiftaustralia2024 #taylorswiftsydney #erastour #fyp #fypシ Since then, the video has gone viral with and 5.1m views 691,000 likes, One person wrote: "I’m sorry but if i ever received a message from mother herself I would go FERAL." "SHE SAID “LOVE U” AND SENT U A HEART YOU WON AT LIFE GIRL," another person said. "This was on IG? Not me checking and she hasn’t read mine from 2013," one added. "NO FREAKING WAY," another wrote. Meanwhile, others weren't so convinced and believe it was edited by the fan. One person said: "There is no way." "This is very much edited," another person added. Someone else wrote: "It’s probably her team who replies." In a follow-up video, she addressed those who accused him of being "fake," by sharing her screen to show that it was Swift's account. 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Brighton admit defeat in Levi Colwill chase and eye new target
Brighton are ready to move on from their pursuit of Chelsea defender Levi Colwill and are now in talks with Ajax over Calvin Bassey.
1970-01-01 08:00

Taylor Swift fans most extreme strategies to get UK tour tickets
Taylor Swift recently announced international tour dates for her highly anticipated The Eras Tour - and the demand is through the roof for tickets. Fans looking to buy tickets will have already signed up during Ticketmaster's registration period (which is now closed) with the hopes of being the lucky ones to receive a code and link to the sale for a chance to see Swift live. Looking at the stats, many fans will certainly be left disappointed as more than 70 per cent of those who registered will not get tickets. Sign up toby our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Buzz Bingo calculated there are an estimated 750,076 tickets available across the 11 UK tour dates and 2.9 million people are predicted to attempt to buy tickets, meaning 2.1 million will miss out, based on Ticketmaster data from ticket sales in the US. Earlier this year, the US Ticketmaster sale for Taylor Swift led to the website crashing due to demand, leaving thousands of fans disappointed and empty-handed after being in online queues for hours, and resulted in a Senate hearing about the event. So UK Swifties are understandably anxious and are researching all of the different methods to secure their tickets. Here are some of the most extreme strategies they are adopting: Finding someone with Liverpool FC season tickets As soon as Swift announced she was playing two dates in Liverpool's Anfield Stadium, Swifties were quick to notice that those who are season ticket holders, seasonal hospitality members and LFC Official Members at the Premier League football club have exclusive access to pre-register for the online ticket sale taking place from Wednesday 21st June at 9 am. So Swifties who are not members have been asking online for those who are members to help them secure tickets - with some even joking that they are searching for Liverpool fans on dating apps for this cause. Booking hospitality packages Swifties looking to get ahead of the competition and secure tickets before the Ticketmaster sales begin have been able to get tickets by purchasing hospitality packages advertised on the venue's website and making a phone inquiry. (Although these tickets are on the pricier side). @kylalian_ cried like a baby when i got the tickets #erastour #murrayfield #edinburgh #taylorswift @morgan @Taylor Swift @georgia.blush.social Replying to @Katy (taylor’s version) ?? not mentioned is me crying to the guy on the phone when he said the tickets have been confirmed… Camping overnight at the box office for tickets Rather than leaving your fate in the hands of the online sale to decide whether you're going to The Eras Tour, some Swifties in Australia decided to camp out overnight at the box office to get their tickets in person. "Camping overnight at Ticketek office for Taylor Swift tickets because that's legitimately easier than getting them online," fan Bec (@becsammut) said. Footage shows fans wrapped up warm, and sitting on camp chairs as they wait for the office to open. @becsammut Still 3 hours until the box office opens, but the vibes are immaculate ? #taylorswift #swiftie #theerastour #ticketek #taylorswiftaustralia Judging by the comment section, many were unaware that this was something you could do. One person said: "I DIDN'T EVEN REALISE YOU COULD STILL DO THIS! WHAT!!" "I didnt realise you could still do this, it looks so much easier," another person wrote. Someone else added: "Omg I was talking to someone about how you used to be able to line up at Ticketek stores or Westfield desk where they sold tix. Love this!" @theageaustralia Woul you camp outside for 30 hours to get tickets to the Eras Tour? #taylorswift#ticketek#erastour#swifties #melbourne Clearly, this method has caught on as there are long lines outside in Melbourne as @theageaustralia filmed, reporting that fans camped out for 30 hours. Manifesting tickets Some have decided to manifest Taylor Swift's tour last-minute. This is where people visualise what they want to achieve with fans creating Swift-themed shrines to strengthen their manifestations. Getting last-minute tickets on the day While it is highly likely that tour dates will sell out, in some instances as shown in the US, there are a couple of tickets available at the box office or online on the day of the concert. (Though, tickets may be on the expensive side). @taylorteasterr best night of our lives ? #taylorswift #erastour #speaknowtaylorsversion #nashville #nashvilleerastour Some fans have waited outside the venue waiting for ticket prices to drop as Swift comes on stage, but this doesn't guarantee tickets. @stephaniewilliamson_ Confidence is key ??? #erastour Listen to the concert outside venue If all else fails, ticketless Swifties have been showing up to venues anyway to hear the concert in person even if they can't see Swift perform. Clips on TikTok have circulated showing tons of fans in the US singing along to the musician's hits, and experiencing a concert-like atmosphere regardless. @benjiethehorse Crowd outside Philly Eras Tour 5/13! GREASE THE POLES #taylorswift #erastour #erastourphilly @Taylor Swift @Taylor Swift: Eras Tour UK fans who registered for tour tickets will be informed via email on July 5 whether you have been chosen to participate in the sale or if you will be placed on the waitlist. 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.
1970-01-01 08:00