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‘Departures’ arrives in UK and Irish theatres on 17 April, offering a sharply observed portrait of a man navigating the aftermath of a breakup. The story centers on Benji, a thirty‑something who, after parting ways with his charismatic trainer Jake, plunges into a haze of parties, substance use and fleeting encounters in an attempt to dull the ache of lost love. The film tackles weighty subjects—body‑image insecurity, familial rejection and the pressures of toxic masculinity—yet it avoids sentimentality by leaning into a darkly comic tone and a poppy visual palette. Its elliptical editing stitches together present‑day self‑destruction with fragmented memories of Jake, creating a nonlinear rhythm that mirrors the disorienting experience of a broken heart. Ey​re‑Morgan not only co‑writes and co‑directs but also embodies Benji, delivering a performance that feels both self‑deprecating and raw. His on‑screen chemistry with David Tag’s Jake provides the emotional anchor of the film, allowing the audience to glimpse the genuine connection that fuels Benji’s subsequent turmoil. Despite its strengths, the movie leans heavily on voice‑over narration, which at times hampers momentum, especially during emotionally charged scenes. The tendency to verbalise feelings rather than let the cinematography speak can feel redundant, and the multiple flashbacks occasionally drift into over‑exposition. Overall, ‘Departures’ stands as a thoughtful exploration of love, identity and the search for authenticity, while also showcasing the burgeoning talent emerging from northern England’s film scene.

History’s Greatest Fails pairs author Elizabeth Day with historian Dan Jones to explore celebrated historical missteps. After a witty reunion anecdote about their Cambridge days, the duo tackles the myth of Richard III’s villainy and promises a future episode on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, dubbed the "Ross and Rachel of early modern history."Strangely follows presenters Poppy Damon and Luke Jones as they plunge into off‑beat news stories, such as the macabre tale of a surgeon who amputated his own legs and the obscure origin of Neil Hopper’s "eunuch‑maker" moniker. The show balances factual depth with a tongue‑in‑cheek tone.Passenger Seat is a slow‑burn true‑crime podcast produced by Pennsylvania writer Tom Joudrey. The inaugural season recounts the 2012 kidnapping of Jennifer Hurst in Ohio, unraveling the puzzling motive behind the crime and the surprising gratitude she later expressed in court.Big Bro With Kid Cudi marks rapper Kid Cudi’s entry into the "celebrity podcast industrial complex". His first interview features Kylie Jenner, who drops the usual Kardashian PR veneer to discuss family dynamics, her upcoming acting role in the film The Moment, and a brief nod to Timothée Chalamet.Northern News reunites comedian Amy Gledhill with Ian Smith to spotlight odd and delightful headlines from the north of England that often slip under the radar. Regular contributors such as Stevie Martin, Alison Spittle and Phil Wang add extra comic flair.

Asha Bhosle, the iconic voice of Bollywood for over seven decades, has died at age 92 in Mumbai, according to her family. The two‑time Grammy nominee passed away on Sunday at Breach Candy Hospital, where she had been admitted for "extreme exhaustion" and a chest infection. Her son, Anand Bhosle, confirmed the news to reporters, stating, "My mother passed away today. Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai." Throughout her prolific career, Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages, shaping the soundscape of Bollywood cinema from the 1970s through the 1980s and beyond. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, describing himself as "deeply saddened" by the loss of a cultural legend whose music resonated across generations. The nation now prepares to bid farewell to a figure whose contributions to Indian music remain unparalleled, with funeral services set for Shivaji Park, a venue symbolic of her enduring legacy.

“The world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch,” wrote Shakespeare in *Richard III*. The line now echoes a hopeful development: the iconic golden eagle could once again soar over England after more than a century and a half of absence. The golden eagle, a bird with a wingspan of roughly 2 metres, was a common sight in Shakespeare’s England, yet it has been effectively extinct in the country since the death of the last native individual in 2015. Centuries of persecution by gamekeepers and farmers, who feared predation on lambs and game birds, drove the species to the brink. A feasibility study commissioned by Forestry England and released on Sunday pinpoints eight potential “recovery zones”—predominantly in northern England—where the habitat could sustain a viable eagle population. The report cautions that establishing breeding pairs may take **more than a decade**. In response, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds announced an additional £1 million in species‑recovery funding. The money will underwrite a programme that could see juvenile eagles, aged six to eight weeks, released into the wild as early as next year. Reynolds said, “This government is committed to protecting and restoring our most threatened native wildlife – and that includes bringing back iconic species like the golden eagle. Backed by £1 million of government funding, we will work alongside partners and communities to make the golden eagle a feature of English landscapes once again.” Across the border, golden eagle numbers in southern Scotland have surged to record levels thanks to a major restoration project. Satellite tracking shows that some translocated Scottish birds are already venturing into northern England, offering a natural source of future colonisers. The new funding will support these cross‑border movements and enable targeted reintroductions. While experts anticipate that golden eagles could be regularly observed across northern England within 10 years, establishing a self‑sustaining breeding population will require a longer horizon. Mike Seddon, chief executive of Forestry England, explained, “The detailed findings of our feasibility study will guide us, with our partners at Restoring Upland Nature, to take the next steps toward recovering golden eagles in northern England. This DEFRA funding means we can build on the good work we have begun, engaging local communities, landowners and conservation organisations.” The £1 million allocation forms part of a broader £60 million species‑recovery fund announced by DEFRA. It aligns with the UK’s legally binding commitment to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and to reduce extinction risk by 2042 relative to 2022 levels.

Birmingham City defeated Wrexham 2-0 at St Andrew’s, a result that pushes the Red Dragons further from the Championship playoff places. The loss leaves Wrexham four points behind sixth‑placed Hull City with only four games remaining.After a 5-1 drubbing by Southampton, the defeat marks Wrexham’s first back‑to‑back losses since August. Manager Phil Parkinson tried to steady the mood, saying, “We’ve had a tough week, but we’re not down and out yet. People may write us off, but inside the dressing room we’re still fighting.”Goals came from Carlos Vicente, who headed in his third goal for Birmingham since joining in January, and Christoph Klarer, who added a second‑half strike to seal the win.Wrexham’s attack was virtually silent – they failed to register a single shot on target, and goalkeeper James Beadle had little to do. In contrast, Birmingham’s keeper Arthur Okonkwo made several first‑half saves, keeping the hosts in control.The victory gave Birmingham their first win in over a month and lifted them to 15th place in the league table. The hosts dominated possession, forcing early saves from Okonkwo and creating chances for Ibrahim Osman and August Priske, though those early efforts were thwarted.In the second half, a well‑timed delivery from Kai Wagner allowed Vicente to rise highest at the far post and head home. Later, a corner from Paik Seung‑ho found Klarer, who muscled past Max Cleworth and finished confidently.Substitutes Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead were introduced by Parkinson in a bid to spark Wrexham’s attack, but the visitors could not muster any meaningful threat in the final quarter.Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised his side’s performance: “We were excellent throughout. When the opposition doesn’t have a shot on your goal and you score two – we could have scored five – that’s everything.”

The play 'My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar' showcases creative ambition in its exploration of the experiences of Latinx women in modern London. The production features striking visuals, blending elements of a pop concert with techno beats and census data, highlighting the absence of Latinx representation in official categories.The narrative takes a fictional turn, loosely inspired by the 2012 HSBC scandal, centering on Ale, a young woman juggling her A-levels with shifts as a bank cleaner, and her investigative journalist sister Cata. Together, they recruit Lucia to go undercover and investigate the bank's exploitative practices.Despite inventive uses of props and moments of tension, the play feels like a mesh of ideas rather than a fluid narrative. The involvement of five writers and occasional voiceovers may contribute to this disjointedness. The play touches on themes of sibling tension, identity crisis, and immigration, but these elements seem somewhat disconnected.The production at Brixton House in London until May 3rd, serves as a reminder of the importance of Latinx stories on stage, particularly given the growing Latinx population in the UK. However, 'My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar' ultimately lacks a unifying focus, causing its message to get lost in the narrative.

In a dramatic climax to the men’s 200m final at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, Gout Gout crossed the line in 19.67 seconds, eclipsing the previous Australian record of 20.02 seconds and becoming the first Australian to break the 20‑second barrier under legal wind conditions. Gout entered the race after posting a solid 20.11‑second heat, despite gusty, autumn‑like weather that had turned the track into a testing ground for speed. Early in the straight, he was shadowed by Aidan Murphy, the 22‑year‑old former national 200m champion whose personal best of 20.41 seconds suggested he could challenge the favourite. For most of the race the two athletes ran side‑by‑side, with Murphy refusing to fade. Gout eventually found his top‑end speed, pulling ahead to claim his second national title, but the margin was tighter than many pundits had anticipated. When the official time appeared—19.68 seconds—the stadium fell silent. A quick review adjusted it to 19.67 seconds with a tailwind measured at 1.7 m/s, comfortably within the legal limit. The result not only beat his own illegal 19.84‑second run from the previous year but also outpaced the best under‑20 performance ever recorded, aside from an unratified mark by Erriyon Knighton. Analysts noted that the time would have secured a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and would have been fast enough for gold at the Sydney 2000 Games—faster than Usain Bolt ever ran at the same age. The performance therefore cements Gout’s status as a genuine global contender and fuels expectations for the upcoming Brisbane 2032 and Los Angeles 2028 Games. After the finish, Gout celebrated exuberantly, his arms aloft as manager James Templeton looked on, while Murphy, who finished just 0.21 seconds behind, quietly exited the track, having delivered the second‑fastest Australian 200m ever. The event was steeped in symbolism: the track had hosted the 2000 Olympic Games, the iconic Stadium Australia roof loomed overhead, and Gout stood on a dais bearing the vintage Sydney 2000 logo, underscoring the link between past glory and future ambition. With this landmark run, Gout Gout has not only rewritten the Australian sprint record books but also signalled that the nation’s sprinting renaissance is well underway, promising thrilling chapters ahead for Australian athletics.

Asha Bhosle, the iconic voice of Bollywood, passed away at age 92 after being hospitalized in Mumbai with severe exhaustion and a chest infection, her family confirmed.Her son, Anand Bhosle, told reporters that his mother died on Sunday and that her last rites would be performed the following day at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.Over a career that stretched across nearly eight decades, Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs, pioneering cabaret and Western‑influenced styles that broadened the sonic palette of Indian cinema.India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow, noting that her "extraordinary musical journey" enriched the nation’s cultural heritage and will continue to inspire future generations.Born on 8 September 1933 into a musical family, she was the younger sister of the celebrated vocalist Lata Mangeshkar, often referred to as “India’s nightingale.” While comparisons were inevitable, Bhosle forged a distinct path, embracing genres from pop to folk.Her early years were marked by hardship, including a turbulent marriage at the age of 16, yet she rose to become one of Indian cinema’s most versatile singers, earning the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and receiving two Grammy nominations.Even in her later years, Bhosle remained artistically active, collaborating with the British virtual band Gorillaz on their album The Mountain, demonstrating her enduring global appeal.Beyond music, she pursued a passion for cuisine, establishing the Asha’s restaurant chain in Dubai and the United Kingdom, further cementing her status as a cultural entrepreneur.Agence France‑Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report.

The recent 10-day space mission of the Artemis II crew has garnered attention, but the true test of endurance might not be in space, but in an office setting. Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, and pilot Victor Glover spent time in a capsule described as “not much bigger than a family tent”. While they navigated the challenges of confined space, their experience pales in comparison to the complexities of office politics.Anyone who has worked in an office can attest that surviving with colleagues in a confined environment is a significant test of endurance. The Artemis II crew had to get along without time off, which would be challenging even for experienced professionals. The quirks and habits of colleagues can become amplified in such settings, leading to increased tension and stress.The writer of this piece reflects on their own experience in a mundane office job at a stationery firm. They recall the boredom and impotence that led to a fixation on trivial matters, such as a dispute over a window being open or closed. This petty feud became an all-consuming battle that defined their time at the office.The writer notes that, unlike the Artemis II crew, they had the option to leave the office at the end of the day. However, their obsession with the window dispute led them to spend more time at their desk, avoiding breaks and social interactions. The comparison between the crew's space test and the writer's office experience highlights the universal challenges of working with others.Ultimately, the Artemis II crew's achievement is impressive, but it also underscores the importance of interpersonal skills and conflict resolution in any confined or high-stress environment. As the writer concludes, surviving an office job can be just as challenging as surviving in space.