Category: 5. Entertainment

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following the roaring success of its annual winter Comedy Tour over the last decade, one of the UK’s leading humanitarian aid charities, Human Appeal, today announces its first ever summertime Comedy Tour.

Taking place across three major UK cities – London, Manchester and Birmingham – Human Appeal’s summer Comedy Tour will feature some of the biggest names in the international comedy circuit: American actor and comic Omar Regan, who appeared in Hollywood films Rush Hour 2, American Sharia, and Five Thirteen; Ali Official, writer and comic best known for BBC Three show Muzlamic and for presenting the BBC 3 film Being British Bangladeshi; and Aatif Nawaz, writer and star of BBC Three comedy Muzlamic, who joins the Comedy Tour for the 9^th year running.

Whereas Human Appeal’s winter Comedy Tour reaches every corner of the UK at large capacity venues, the summer Comedy Tour features intimate shows for a much more personal audience experience.

Proceeds of the ticket sales for the summer Comedy Tour will support the charity’s Gaza Emergency Appeal.

The dates and times of the summer Comedy Tour shows are as follows:

• 20^th August, London: Coliseum Suite, 300-310 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1QW
• 21^st August, Manchester: Vermilion, Lord N St, Hulme Hall Ln, Manchester M40 8AD
• 22^nd August, Birmingham: The Eastside Rooms, Woodcock Street, Birmingham, B7 4BL

Early bird tickets are available from13^th June 2025 at just £7. Standard tickets will go sale on 13^th July at £10. Further ticket information, including ticket bundles and VIP packages can be found here.

Announcing the news, Razwan Faraz, UK Director of Fundraising at Human Appeal, adds, ‘Our annual winter Comedy Tour has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and following its success spreading festive cheer year on year, we felt it was time to expand our much-loved event. This is the first time we are bringing the Comedy Tour to smaller venues for much more intimate shows, during the summer months and bring comedy cheer all year round.’

Tickets are available to purchase here.

About Human Appeal

Human Appeal is a fully independent British humanitarian charity based in Manchester, UK. It was established in 1991 as a registered and regulated UK charity that runs targeted aid relief programmes in collaboration with recognised global organisations such as the UN. Its purpose is to save and transform lives through emergency aid response and sustainable development programmes at home and abroad across 25 countries worldwide.

Media Contact

Grace Tucker

grace@mediafoundry.london

humanappeal@mediafoundry.london

02030111023

Movie franchises come and go, but The Twilight Saga is truly immortal.

The supernatural drama series, an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling young adult novels, follows the against-all-odds romance of high schoolers Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

Unlike most teen love affairs, the couple’s relationship is complicated by the reality that Edward is secretly a centenarian vampire with a thirst for blood. Bella’s life is thrown into further disarray when she befriends Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a fledgling werewolf who descends from a pack that has an uneasy relationship with the Cullen clan.

‘Twilight’ turns 20: Here’s your refresher on the iconic vampire books

Following the 2008 debut of “Twilight,” the franchise exploded into a pop culture phenomenon, raking in $3.4 billion worldwide across five films. Bella and Edward’s star-crossed romance, which includes an angsty love triangle with Jacob, inspired legions of “Twihards” to declare their allegiance to “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob.”

In honor of the third installment “Eclipse,” released 15 years ago on June 30, 2010, we take a fresh bite and rank the movies from worst to best:

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5. ‘Breaking Dawn – Part 2’ (2012)

How do you say goodbye to a group of vampires who live forever?

The conclusion of The Twilight Saga makes a mighty attempt, focusing on Bella’s long-awaited transformation into a vampire and the raising of Bella and Edward’s half-human, half-vampire daughter Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy). Despite the cuteness of it all, that CGI face of newborn Nessie was … a choice.

The thrill of Bella exploring her vampiric powers is truly a treat; the lamb becomes the lioness thanks to her own super-speed, inexhaustible strength and nifty force field-generation. On the parenting front, Bella and Edward are thrust into a race against time, albeit a sluggishly paced one, as they gather family witnesses to prove to the Volturi that Renesmee is not a threat to vampirekind.

4. ‘Twilight’ (2008)

Arizona transplant Bella attempts to acclimate to life in Forks, Washington, after moving in with her divorced father (Billy Burke), only to become captivated by aloof classmate Edward and his equally enigmatic group of siblings.

Bella and Edward’s meet-cute is fraught with painfully awkward conversations, sullen stares and a near-death by runaway van. The exposition required by their oil-and-water dynamic means the film isn’t as action-heavy as its sequels (with the exception of a rogue trio of murderous vampires, of course).

But the suspenseful mystery packed into Bella’s pursuit of Edward’s true identity, enhanced by cinematographer Elliot Davis’ eerie visuals, makes for a riveting introduction to the franchise. And with an immaculate soundtrack boasting moody alternative-rock, “Twilight” is a haunting you won’t want to exorcise.

3. ‘Breaking Dawn – Part 1’ (2011)

For a paranormal love story, “Breaking Dawn − Part 1” is probably as close as Twihards will ever get to a feel-good flick. The film kicks off in a haze of marital bliss as Bella and Edward prepare for their wedding, after Edward proposes marriage as a condition for turning Bella into a vampire (leave it to an undead bloodsucker to keep tradition alive.) 

Unfortunately, the couple’s newlywed fun is cut short when Bella unexpectedly finds herself pregnant on their honeymoon. Shockingly, Bella successfully gives birth in a body-horror extravaganza that is both gut-wrenching and mesmerizing. And if your heart wasn’t pounding already, Edward saves Bella from a post-delivery death in a nail-biting finale.

2. ‘New Moon’ (2009)

Bella hits rock bottom in this somber yet action-packed follow-up to “Twilight.” After Edward abruptly breaks up with her − in a cloaked effort to shield her from the dangers of the vampire world − grief-stricken Bella copes with a rebellious adrenaline junkie phase and her deepening friendship with Jacob.

Jacob, who has secrets of his own as he comes to terms with his werewolf power, is a shaft of earthy sunshine compared to Edward’s often icy veneer. Don’t get me wrong: The intense smolder of a bloodthirsty vampire would make my heart flutter, too. But Jake is cut from a softer cloth, and his warmth is an emotional salve for our distraught heroine Bella.

Bella’s brewing situationship with Jacob is thwarted by a whirlwind reunion with Edward in Italy. The happy ending is undoubtedly a win for the hopeless romantics (and not to mention Team Edward stans), but the pragmatist in me can’t help but root for the underwolf and his grounded charm.

1. ‘Eclipse’ (2010)

It’s not just the anniversary talking, folks. “Eclipse” is the soapy, hormonally charged climax of the franchise that solidifies the trifecta of Bella’s intense bonds with Edward and Jacob.

Bella’s reconciliation with Edward reaffirms her desire to become a vampire, while Jacob, futilely, maintains his dogged pursuit of her affections. The push and pull lends itself to some juicy dramatic tension, with Jacob even taking a punch to the face after a spur-of-the-moment kiss goes awry.

The impending invasion of Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) and her army of newborn vampires inspires an unlikely alliance between the Cullen coven and Jacob’s Quileute pack, setting the stage for some kickass action sequences. In the afterglow of their victory, Bella tells a battle-injured Jacob that she’s chosen Edward as her partner in a finale that’s as heartbreaking as it is infuriating.

As Formula 1 continues to have discussions about the future of its U.S. media rights, the racing property is hoping the strong opening for a new feature film starring Brad Pitt may be just the thing to help push those talks over the finish line.

F1: The Movie took in some $55.6 million in its domestic rollout, which is quite a haul for a non-sequel, adult-oriented film that isn’t constructed around superhero IP. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the Apple Original Films offering stars the septuagenarian Pitt in the unlikely role as a washed-up racer who breaks back onto the circuit after a 30-year layoff.

The film booked another $88.4 million overseas, although it will have to generate a much greater windfall if it is to earn back an estimated $300 million in production and marketing expenses. The stateside summer release calendar may put the kibosh on a profit, however, as this weekend marks the launch of yet another Jurassic Park sequel—the seventh release in the series arrives on the heels of 2022’s $1 billion blockbuster Jurassic World: Dominion—while Warner Bros.’ Superman hits the multiplex on July 11.

If the F1 flick continues to draw a crowd here in the U.S., that enthusiasm could spill over to the televised racing product. While ABC’s broadcast of the Miami Grand Prix delivered the third-largest domestic F1 audience with 2.17 million viewers, that marked a 29% decline from the year-ago race (3.07 million), which was boosted by a lead-in from Game 7 of the Magic-Cavaliers NBA playoff series (4.32 million).

Oscar Piastri’s win in Miami also trailed a competing NASCAR Cup Series race on FS1, a basic-cable network that reaches approximately 30 million fewer homes than ABC. Despite the relatively restricted delivery system, the May 4 race at Texas Motor Superspeedway averaged 2.56 million viewers.

As much as F1 ratings zoomed to previously unimagined heights during its first few years as a Disney media partner, the TV growth effectively maxed out in 2022, when ESPN and its broadcast sibling averaged 1.21 million viewers per race. The following year saw F1’s deliveries slip 8.5% to 1.11 million viewers, an average delivery that carried over to the 2024 season. By way of comparison, NASCAR served up 2.9 million viewers per race over the course of its two most recent seasons.

The fact that NASCAR draws an audience that is two-and-a-half times the size of the F1 crowd likely goes a long way toward explaining why the latter group is getting pushback in its talks with prospective media partners. F1’s parent company, Liberty Media, is looking to double the value of its current $90 million/year deal with Disney, and that big ask has prompted the Mouse House to allow its exclusive negotiating window to lapse without a renewal. (ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has demonstrated his unwillingness to overpay for even a Big Four league, opting out of the final two years of the company’s legacy $550 million/year MLB deal in February.)

While Apple is among the list of digital disruptors said to be kicking the tires on an F1 rights pact, a paywall will all but certainly prevent F1 from achieving the sort of rapid growth it enjoyed on cable and broadcast TV. (Disney’s ratings nearly doubled between 2018, the first year of its F1 stewardship, and 2022.) As illustrated by the 10-year, $2.5 billion Apple-MLS deal, all the money in the world can’t buy a bigger audience when fans have to shell out $99.99 for a season pass.

F1 still has plenty of time to work out the particulars of a new U.S. rights deal (its ESPN contract expires when the 2025 season runs out in December), and there’s an outside chance enthusiasm for the feature film might help boost the televised product just as the talks start heating up. ESPN will carry three F1 races between now and early August, with the British Grand Prix set to roar into view on July 6.

The 2024 race averaged 1.29 million viewers, which should provide a solid baseline for any post-theatrical comparisons when the holiday-delayed official Nielsen data for this year’s event drops on July 9.

Key Facts

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Further Reading

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He added that Diljit’s global recognition made him a target, while the director remained unknown. Shah praised Diljit for agreeing to the casting decision, stating his “mind is not poisoned”.

He further asserted, “What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan.”

Naseeruddin Shah also expressed affection for his “close friends and relatives” in Pakistan.

He wrote, “I have close relatives and some dear friends there and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever I feel like it.” He defiantly concluded his statement to those who might tell him to “Go to Pakistan” with, “GO TO KAILASA.”

Naseeruddin Shah is known for not shying away from statements critiquing government policies or societal issues in India.

He has, for instance, expressed concerns about safety in India, described Anupam Kher as a “clown” for endorsing the BJP government, and made contentious remarks on Mughal history.

The core reason for the backlash against Hania (and by extension, Diljit and the film) is that she allegedly made remarks against India’s Operation Sindoor and Armed forces.

Diljit and the film’s co-producer, Gunbir Singh Sidhu, have stated that Sardaar Ji 3 wrapped production during a stable political situation. The film hit theatres internationally, except for those in India.

British police have announced that the weekend performances by rap-punk duo Bob Vylan and the Irish-language band Kneecap at the Glastonbury Festival are subject to a criminal investigation after they led crowds in chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military and a “free Palestine”.

Police on Monday said the performances at the United Kingdom’s largest summer music festival “have been recorded as a public order incident”.

Rapper Bobby Vylan, who until the weekend was relatively unknown, led crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death” to the Israeli military.

The BBC said it regretted livestreaming the performance and it should have pulled it off the air.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other UK politicians condemned the chants, saying there was no excuse for such “appalling hate speech”. Starmer added that the BBC must explain “how these scenes came to be broadcast”.

Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said it was “very concerned” about the BBC livestream and said the broadcaster “clearly has questions to answer”.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of State said it has revoked the visas for Bob Vylan to perform in the US after its “hateful tirade at Glastonbury”.

“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a social media post.

Israel’s genocidal assault in Gaza has inflamed tensions around the world, triggering pro-Palestinian protests in many capitals and on college campuses. Israel and some of its supporters have described the protests as anti-Semitic while critics said Israel uses such descriptions to silence its opponents.

 

While maintaining a crippling siege on the bombarded enclave, Israeli forces have killed at least 56,531 people and wounded 133,642, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Bob Vylan, known for mixing grime and punk rock, tackles a range of issues in its lyrics, including racism, homophobia and the class divide, and has previously voiced support for Palestinians.

Its lead vocalist, who goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, appeared to refer to the weekend performance in a post on Instagram, writing: “I said what I said.”

“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he added.

The duo played Saturday afternoon right before Kneecap, whose set was not livestreamed by the BBC but still found a huge online audience via TikTok. It is another band that has drawn controversy previously over its strongly pro-Palestine stance.

Kneecap led a crowd of tens of thousands in chants of “Free Palestine” at the festival. It also aimed an expletive-laden chant at Starmer, who had said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury after one of its members was charged under the Terrorism Act.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who is also known as Liam O’Hanna and performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged with supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London last year.

Israel has faced sustained international opprobrium for the conduct of its war in Gaza. Weekly protests draw thousands of people around Europe and across the world in support of Palestinians.

Public pressure, in part, seemed to prompt the Israeli allies France, Canada and the UK to issue a sharply worded statement in May calling for Israel to stop its “egregious” military actions in Gaza and criticising Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.

Inner life of one of hip hop’s biggest stars on display in this trialpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time

17:38 BST

Nada Tawfik
New York correspondent

This Manhattan courthouse has pulled back the curtain on the private life of one of hip hop’s biggest icons.

The mogul and producer admits that he beat his partners – had a drug problem – and that he enjoyed so-called “freak offs” – or prolonged sexual encounters between his girlfriends and male prostitutes.

But Sean “Diddy” Combs insists the sex was consensual. So is he guilty of running a criminal enterprise and sex trafficking?

The jury will need to weigh the evidence to decide if he’s just a flawed individual being unfairly targeted by overzealous prosecutors and women after money. Or if he’s someone who used his vast wealth, power and influence to manipulate, trap and force women to fulfil his sexual desires.

There’s video and photo evidence – text messages – hotel and financial records – flight logs. But ultimately this case hinges on who the jury believes.

Cassie Ventura and Jane spoke in harrowing detail about the physical toll the “freak offs” and drugs took on their bodies – how Diddy controlled every aspect of their life – and his threats including blackmail.

Diddy didn’t testify and jurors can’t hold that against him, because the burden is on the government to prove its case. But his lawyers said the women were free to leave at any time – and when they did – nothing happened.

The defence claimed the women were just as enthusiastic about the “swinger” lifestyle. So – was there a power imbalance? Was every “freak off” consensual – or did they eventually turn into sex trafficking when the women told him they didn’t want to do them anymore?

Those are all important questions in this case.

Fiat heir Lapo Elkann is stepping into the footwear world with a new investment.

This month, the great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli became a minority investor in Miami-based luxury footwear brand Blu Scarpa. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, the new partnership was unveiled at Milan Men’s Fashion Week this month at the shoe brand’s spring/summer 2026 collection presentation.

Matthew Chevallard, founder and creative director of Blu Scarpa, said that Elkann’s new partnership will allow the company to scale outside of its Miami home.

“Lapo has believed in me and supported me throughout my footwear journey, and now with this investment, it will allow me to embark on a new chapter,” Chevallard told FN in an interview. “Bringing Lapo on as a partner will allow us a little more wind in our sails to still be very independent, but obviously, have a slightly more resources to compete.”

The executive noted that since the company launched in 2019, he has built a solid foundation in Miami through the company’s own store in the Design District.

“Now we’re moving outside of that micro mentality,” Chevallard noted. “We now want to move into more conventional practices like expanding wholesale and amplifying our messaging to a wider audience.”

Blu Scarpa sells to The Webster as well as Level Shoes in Dubai. “We are working on expanding out relationship with Level, especially since they are slated to open their first U.S. store here in Miami in a few years.” (Level has not confirmed the opening.)

Chevallard is no stranger to the footwear industry. Much of his entrepreneurial spirit is expressed through footwear, starting with the luxury men’s slipper brand Del Toro that he co-founded in 2005.

Now, with Blu Scarpa, Chevallard is focusing in on Italian craftsmanship that takes inspiration from the golden age of 1980s and ‘90s Italian lifestyle and artistic icons such as Lucio Fontana, Georgia O’Keeffe, Donald Judd, and Yves Klein.

For spring/summer 2026, the collection has expanding into the realm of soccer, showcasing a new silhouette alongside new iterations of the brands core models. The offering is made up of five distinct capsules, with prices ranging $475 to $535.

A highlight of the new offering includes the 2.0 Blu Palm shoe, which is described as a continuation of the Blu Palm concept in suede and nylon, originally launched in collaboration with Elkann and Chevallard. Another highlight is the aforementioned Soccer Collezione, which is inspired by 1980s–1990s soccer sportswear. The line introduces a brand-new suede and leather silhouette that brings soccer into Blu Scarpa’s running and tennis-focused sportswear realm.