leading

Since Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager on Monday, several candidates have emerged as the Northern Irishman’s long-term successor.

Celtic moved quickly to appoint former manager Martin O’Neill as interim boss – 20 years after his first stint in charge of the Glasgow club ended.

Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at table-toppers Hearts was Celtic’s second successive Premiership loss, leaving them eight points adrift in second place, while they have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

O’Neill, 73, has played down suggestions he could take up the job on a full-time basis – insisting he is just “keeping the seat warm”.

Several candidates have already started to emerge for the position, including some names that have strong links to Parkhead.

BBC Sport assesses the options and looks at how realistic it could be to appoint one of them.

As one of the leading semiconductor companies, Broadcom (AVGO -1.24%) has handily outperformed the market recently. It’s up 51% year to date (as of Oct. 17), while the S&P 500 index has risen 13%.

Following such a rally, this might not seem like the ideal time to invest in Broadcom — the stock is trading near its all-time high. Given the tech giant’s growth, however, its stock can continue to climb. Here’s one reason why.

Image source: Getty Images.

A growing list of high-value partnerships

On Oct. 13, Broadcom and OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, announced a partnership on 10 gigawatts of custom artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators. Broadcom will be helping OpenAI design its own custom chips, and this is just the latest of several AI companies that are working with Broadcom for that purpose.

Broadcom makes custom AI chips for three major hyperscalers, believed to be Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. It’s seeing increasing chip demand from these companies, and CEO Hock Tan has also mentioned a fourth major customer that has placed $10 billion worth of orders. While there was speculation this mystery customer was OpenAI, Broadcom has now said that’s not the case.

Broadcom’s share price has been soaring, but it’s not fueled by hype. Revenue is on the rise, particularly its AI revenue, which increased 63% year over year to $5.2 billion in Q3 2025. Tech companies are increasingly turning to Broadcom for custom chips that better fit their needs and to avoid being overly reliant on graphics processing units (GPUs) from Nvidia.

During Broadcom’s last earning call, Tan mentioned that the company has an order backlog of over $110 billion, an indicator that its excellent revenue growth should continue. Don’t let the valuation deter you — Broadcom’s crucial role in AI development makes it one of the stronger tech companies to invest in.

The Chargers had the look. All-gold uniforms. Retro logos. Powder-blue end zones with script from the nostalgic days of Dan Fouts and Don Coryell.

But their defense?

As dead as disco when it counted most.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, trampled the Chargers on Sunday with touchdowns of 23, eight and 19 yards in a 38-24 victory at SoFi Stadium.

It was just another Sunday for Taylor, who came into Week 7 leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, and averaged 5.9 yards per carry against a Chargers defense that had been respectable to this point. That defense allowed an average of 20.8 points in the six previous games.

That helped open the passing lanes for Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who threw a pair of touchdowns and again made an early-season case for Comeback Player of the Year after his career had seemingly flamed out with the New York Giants.

It was the second trip to Los Angeles in four weeks for the Colts, who lost to the Rams here in Week 4. They got better on both sides of the ball but couldn’t fully atone for their ineffectiveness in the first half.

The Chargers, whose distinctive look was a nod to the 1970s, were sleepwalking in the first half before coming to life in the second.

Justin Herbert kept the home team somewhat in the game with three touchdown passes after halftime but found himself trying to dig out of a deep hole all day.

The Chargers actually outgained the Colts, 445 yards to 401, and held the ball for nine minutes longer, but Indianapolis was more efficient with its possessions, better in the red zone, and took advantage of its opportunities.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert slides while scrambling during the second half Sunday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Herbert saw two of his passes intercepted in the first half. The first was batted high in the air at the line of scrimmage and plucked by 314-pound defensive tackle Grover Stewart. The second pick came in the red zone, when safety Nick Cross slipped in front of Quentin Johnston in the end zone to intercept an eight-yard pass.

The Chargers, who trailed at halftime, 23-3, clawed their way back into the game with touchdown passes to Johnston, Keenan Allen and Oronde Gadsden II.

Such a rollercoaster of a season for the Chargers, who ran the table against the AFC West in the first three weeks, then lost back-to-back games to the Giants and Washington Commanders, before rebounding with a come-from-behind win at Miami.

There’s not much bounce-back time after Sunday’s loss as the Chargers play host to Minnesota on Thursday night.

The Chargers can take solace in that no one is running away with the division. Kansas City stomped Las Vegas on Sunday, 31-0, but the Chiefs aren’t as dominant as in recent years. And Denver lost to the Chargers on the road and still looks to be finding its way.

Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin breaks up a pass intended for Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the end zone during the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Against the Colts, the troubles began early for the Chargers. After the home team’s first snap, Chargers left tackle Austin Deculus lay face down on the turf. He was the team’s fourth player to line up as Herbert’s blindside protector.

It was an ankle injury that felled Deculus — he wound up returning in the second quarter with a bulky brace — and the Chargers turned to the lightly experienced Foster Sarell, who suddenly held one of the most important positions on the field.

Just more offensive line insanity for the Chargers, who have cycled through six tackles so far. Their line was once considered an area of strength.

Inside a historic aircraft hangar in Playa Vista, crowds of people gathered on Thursday to browse the latest fashions from handbags to clothing and shoes as they prepared for the holiday shopping season.

These weren’t shoppers or retailer buyers browsing for the latest products. Instead, they were YouTube video creators who were being courted by brands from Lowe’s to Shark Beauty to encourage online audiences to buy their products.

Aaron Ramirez, a 22-year-old influencer who focuses on men’s fashion and lifestyle, stood in front of racks of carefully curated shelves of backpacks as he decided which items he would endorse for his 234,000 YouTube subscribers.

“I can make a video about anything that improves my quality of life and add a link to it,” said Ramirez. “I only recommend products that I really use and really like.”

The San Diego resident was among about 300 creators participating in YouTube’s annual benefit for creators dubbed “Holiday House” that helps internet personalities get ready to sell goods during the busy holiday shopping season.

The event — held at the cavernous converted Google offices that once housed Howard Hughes’ famous Spruce Goose plane — underscores YouTube’s desire to be a bigger player in online shopping by leveraging its relationship with creators to promote products in much the same way that rival TikTok does.

In August, YouTube introduced new tools to help its creators better promote products they plug in their videos. One feature uses AI to identify the optimal place on the screen to put a shopping link when an influencer mentions a product. If a customer clicks on that link and makes a purchase, the creator gets a commission.

Brands that were once skeptical about influencers have embraced them over time as sales-tracking tools have improved and the fan base of video creators has mushroomed.

“It’s like the people that you saw on television and before that the people that you listened to on radio who became the trusted personalities in your life,” Earnest Pettie, a trends insight lead at YouTube, said in an interview. “Oprah’s Favorite Things was a phenomenon because of how trusted Oprah was, so it really is that same phenomenon, just diffused across the creator ecosystem.”

Despite economic uncertainty and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend $253.4 billion online this holiday season, up 5.3% from a year ago, according to data firm Adobe Analytics.

Social media platforms have helped drive some of that growth. The market share of online revenue in purchases guided by social media affiliates and partners, including influencers, is expected to grow 14%, according to Adobe Analytics.

Cost-conscious consumers are doing more research on how they spend their money, including watching influencer recommendations. In fact, nearly 60% of 14- to 24-year-olds who go online say their personal style have been influenced by content they’ve seen on the internet, according to YouTube.

“It’s more about discovery, understanding where the best deals are, where the best options are,” said Vivek Pandya, director at Adobe Digital Insights. “Many of these users are getting that guidance from their influencers.”

YouTube is one of the top streaming platforms, harnessing 13.1% of viewing time in August on U.S. TV sets, more than rivals Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, according to Nielsen. And shopping-related videos are especially popular among its viewers, with more than 35 billion hours watched each year, according to YouTube.

With YouTube’s shopping feature, viewers can see products, add them to a cart and make purchases directly from the video they’re watching.

Promoting and enabling one-click e-commerce from video has been huge in China, triggering a wave across Asia and the world of livestreaming and recorded shopping videos. Live commerce, also known as live shopping or livestreaming e-commerce, is a potent mix of streaming, chatting and shopping.

The temptation to shop is turbocharged with algorithms like that of TikTok Shop, enticing people to try more channels and products.

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1. YouTube content creators Diana Extein, left, and Candice Waltrip, right, film clothing try-ons during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 in Playa Vista, CA. 2. YouTube content creator Peja Anne, 15, makes a video with beauty products as her mom Kristin Roeder films during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 in Playa Vista, CA.

A YouTube content creator who declined to give her name browses YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday in Playa Vista, Calif.

YouTube content creator Cheraye Lewis’ channel focuses on lifestyle and fragrance, and a brand deal with Fenty Beauty helped launch her content to larger audiences.

More than 500,000 video creators as of July have signed up to be a part of YouTube Shopping, the company said.

Creators who promote products can make money through ads and brand deals, as well as commissions.

YouTube already shares advertising and subscription revenue with its creators and currently does not take a cut from its shopping tools, said Travis Katz, YouTube Shopping vice president.

“For us, it’s really about connecting the dots,” Katz said. “At YouTube we are first and foremost very focused on, how do we make sure that our creators are successful? This gives a new way for creators to monetize.”

Companies like Austin-based BK Beauty, which was founded by YouTube creator Lisa J, said YouTubers have helped drive sales for their products.

“They’ve built these long-term audiences,” said Sophia Monetti, BK Beauty’s senior manager of social commerce and influencer marketing. “A lot of these creators have established channels. They’ve been around for a decade and have just a really engaged community.”

To be sure, YouTube faces a formidable rival in TikTok, which is a leader in the live shopping space (its parent company, Byte Dance, is being sold to an American investor group so that the hugely popular app can keep operating in the U.S.).

Two years ago, the social video company launched TikTok Shop, working with creators and brands on live shopping shows that encourage viewers to buy products. TikTok had 8 million hours of live shopping sessions in 2024.

YouTube says its size and technology create advantages, along with the loyalty its creators build with fans when it comes to product recommendations.

Bridget Dolan, a director of YouTube Shopping Partnerships, said “shopping has been in YouTube’s DNA from Day One” and that the company has been integrating shopping features into its viewing experience.

YouTube content creators peruse products and film content during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday in Playa Vista, Calif.

Santa Clarita-based YouTube creator Cheraye Lewis said that YouTube Shopping helped her gain traction and earn a trusting audience through quality recommendations. Lewis, who has 109,000 subscribers on YouTube, makes videos about items such as fragrances and skincare products.

Lewis has been a video creator for eight years and has worked with such companies as Rihanna’s beauty brand Fenty.

“I try to inspire women and men to feel bold and confident through the fragrances that they’re wearing,” Lewis said at the event Thursday. “I give my audience real talk, real authenticity.”

Reality television production in Los Angeles declined sharply this summer, leading to a nearly 21% drop in overall TV shoot days, a new report shows.

The total number of shoot days in the greater L.A. area from July to September was 4,380, down 13.2% compared to a year ago, according to data from FilmLA, a nonprofit that handles film permits for the Los Angeles region.

The third-quarter data does not reflect the full effect of the state’s newly bolstered film and TV tax credit program, which was passed this summer.

In the most recent round, 22 TV series were chosen amid a nearly 400% increase in applications, with 18 of those shows primarily filming in the L.A. area.

Projects that received an incentive have 180 days to start production after notice of their award, and it often takes time to commence filming.

Because of that, FilmLA executives were not surprised to see on-location production continue to slip during the summer months.

“Fortunately, we’ve already begun to see early signs of these incentives having their desired effect,” he said. “We’re excited to be taking calls from productions looking to line up their locations and pull permits,” FilmLA Vice President Philip Sokoloski said in a statement.

TV production totaled 1,441 shoot days, down 20.7% compared to the same time period last year. The decline is especially significant because TV is the region’s main driver of production.

Reality TV dropped to 649 shoot days, down 31.4% compared to last year. Other genres of TV production also saw a downturn — drama (down 19%) and pilots (down 34.5%). Production of television comedies, however, was a bright spot with 79 shoot days, up 41.1%.

Feature film production in L.A. also ticked up with 522 shoot days, an increase of 9.7% compared to last year. But commercial production, which does not receive a tax incentive, was down 17.9% to 668 shoot days.

The report’s “other” category, which includes student films, still photo shoots and documentaries, saw a decrease of 9.9% to 1,749 shoot days.

A shoot day represents one crew’s permission to film at a single location in a 24-hour period.

Luminus Management disclosed the purchase of 87,120 shares of Kirby Corporation (KEX -2.17%), with an estimated transaction value of $8.8 million in an Oct. 3 SEC filing.

What happened

According to the Oct. 3 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Luminus Management increased its stake in Kirby Corporation by over 87,000 shares during the third quarter of 2025. The estimated trade value is $8.75 million, based on the average closing price for the quarter. Following the transaction, the fund holds 116,956 shares valued at $9.8 million as of September 30, 2025.

What else to know

Luminus Management’s increase in its Kirby stake means that stock now comprises 8.8% of reported AUM as of September 30, 2025.

Top holdings after the filing are:

• NYSE:CC: $27.96 million (25.1% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
• NYSE:OI: $26.53 million (23.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
• NYSE:SEE: $17.65 million (15.9% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
• NYSE:KEX: $9.76 million (8.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
• NYSE:KWR: $7.97 million (7.1603% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025

As of October 2, 2025, Kirby shares were priced at $83.71, down 31.8% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 49.3 percentage points over the past year.

Company Overview

Company Snapshot

Kirby Corporation is a leading U.S. marine shipping and services company with significant scale in tank barge transportation and industrial equipment distribution. Its integrated business model leverages a large fleet and technical expertise to support critical supply chains for energy and industrial customers. The company’s broad service offering and national footprint provide a competitive edge in reliability and operational reach.

Image source: Getty Images.

Kirby provides marine transportation of bulk liquid products, including petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products, and agricultural chemicals. It also offers after-market services, parts, and equipment for engines, power systems, and oilfield applications.

The company generates revenue through barge and towing operations across U.S. inland and coastal waterways, as well as through distribution, servicing, and manufacturing of specialized industrial and energy equipment.

Kirby serves industrial customers in the petrochemical, oil refining, and agricultural sectors, along with U.S. government entities.

Foolish take

Luminus Management is an investment company focused on the energy and chemical sectors. Its stake in the Kirby Corporation aligns with this focus, since Kirby is a leading provider of marine transportation for the energy and petrochemical industries.

Luminus added to its existing Kirby position in a big way. The investment company previously held less than 30,000 shares. Now, that number is north of 116,000, demonstrating a belief the stock is destined for upside after Kirby shares dropped over 30% in the trailing 12 months. The stock hovers around a 52-week low as of Oct. 10.

The share price decline is understandable. Through the first half of 2025, Kirby’s sales of $1.6 billion were flat compared to 2024. Harsh winter weather conditions during the first quarter, and an uncertain macroeconomic environment on the trade policy front, cut into demand for the company’s services, resulting in lackluster sales.

However, Kirby management expects to end 2025 with a 15% to 25% year-over-year increase in earnings. Its net earnings through two quarters are up around 10%. If it misses this earnings goal, Kirby shares could sink further than it already has this year. So while the share price decline looks like a buy opportunity given Kirby’s leadership in the marine transport space, investing in the stock holds some risk.

Glossary

13F reportable AUM: Assets under management that must be disclosed by institutional investment managers in quarterly SEC Form 13F filings.
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of investments managed on behalf of clients by a fund or firm.
Quarterly average price: The average price of a security over a specific three-month period, often used to estimate transaction values.
Post-trade position: The total holdings of a security after the most recent buy or sell transaction is completed.
Filing: An official document submitted to a regulatory authority, such as the SEC, disclosing financial or operational information.
Tank barge transportation: The movement of bulk liquid cargo using specialized flat-bottomed vessels on inland or coastal waterways.
Distribution (in industrial context): The sale and delivery of products, parts, or equipment to customers or service providers.
After-market services: Support, maintenance, and parts provided for equipment after its initial sale.
Integrated business model: A strategy where a company controls multiple stages of its supply chain or service process.
National footprint: The presence and operational reach of a company across multiple regions or the entire country.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

One resident on Emmerdale will be left ‘devastated’ after a discovery on the ITV soap next week, linked to a separate character’s health scare according to new spoilers

Two characters face a worrying time on Emmerdale next week, with a “devastating” discovery linked to a character’s health scare.

New spoilers for next week’s episodes, released earlier this week, share fan favourite Liam Cavanagh is concerned about a potential diagnosis. Liam’s concern over a health issue leaves him fearing he may have cancer.

Soon the doctor is forced to confess all to his worried fiancée Chas Dingle, leaving her “devastated” when she finds out what her partner has been going through on his own. It kicks off following scenes this week, which showed Liam caught urinating at the allotments by Claudette Anderson.

He was forced to explain that he’s been having issues, unable to control when he ‘relieves himself’. Claudette urged Liam to see someone, and next week he continues to avoid this.

READ MORE: EastEnders Michelle Collins drops cryptic hint over Lauren and Peter weddingREAD MORE: Emmerdale spoilers tease Caleb mystery, Gabby’s secret revealed and Liam’s health fears

Spoilers reveal that Claudette catches up with Liam, and she tells him he needs to attend the appointment for his prostate. With Liam putting it off and avoiding the appointment, Claudette pleads with him repeatedly over the week to rebook it.

He gets her to cancel the initial appointment, and refuses to rebook as he ignores what’s going on. Soon enough someone else finds out what Liam is facing, as his colleague Manpreet Sharma witnesses a desperate Liam relieving himself in his own consulting room hand basin.

She knows something is very wrong and asks him about it, eventually getting to the truth. Liam tries to ignore it all but Manpreet urges him to face up to his health scare, with him also realising he needs to tell his partner Chas too.

He comes clean to Chas who is left “devastated” to hear Liam fears he may have prostate cancer. Gutted that Liam hadn’t confided in her she does her best to support Liam.

But will Liam be okay, as he finally agrees to an appointment to find out what is going on? It comes amid a dramatic time for Chas and Liam, after Chas’ son Aaron Dingle was almost killed by his husband John Sugden.

John has finally been exposed as a baddie, with it now known he framed Ella Forster for the harassment campaign against Chas and Liam. John set the whole thing up ahead of their planned wedding, in order to make himself seem the hero and in order to get Ella away from the village after her heartbreak over the couple getting together.

Viewers can watch these scenes play out next week!

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Hamas official Ghazi Hamad was at the location Israel attacked in Qatar last week, describing it as ‘intense’.

A senior Hamas official has spoken for the first time since last week’s Israeli attack on the group’s leadership in the Qatari capital Doha, describing the moment of the attack and how the officials managed to barely escape.

“We were in a meeting, the negotiating delegation and some advisers. Less than an hour after we began reviewing the American proposal that we received from the Qatari mediators, we heard loud explosions,” Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera Arabic on Wednesday.

“We immediately left the scene, because we knew from the start that the explosions were Israeli shelling. We’ve lived in Gaza and experienced Israeli shelling before,” Hamad added.

Israel killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security official while trying to assassinate senior Hamas leaders. Those targeted were involved in negotiating a ceasefire and captives proposal put forward by United States President Donald Trump.

“The shelling was so intense, the situation was terrifying, and the rockets continued unabated. There were about 12 rockets in less than a minute, but by God’s decree … we survived this aggression.”

Hamas said its senior leaders survived the bombardment, which Trump said he was “very unhappy” about. On Monday, he reiterated his claim that Israel would refrain from launching further attacks on Qatar.

In response to the Israeli attack – its first on Qatar – leaders of Arab and Islamic nations convened in Doha for an emergency summit, denouncing what they called Israel’s “cowardly” strike.

However, the gathering concluded without pledges of tangible measures.

Hamad told Al Jazeera that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to change the Middle East needed an Arab response.

He also added that Hamas had a “bitter” experience during the ceasefire negotiations, and that the US did not have credibility as an honest broker.

“He [Trump] doesn’t scare us,” said Hamad, commenting on threats from Trump concerning the treatment of Israeli captives held in Gaza. Hamad added that the captives were treated “according to our values” and were only being put in danger as a result of Israel’s actions.

Israeli forces have killed more than 65,000 people since October 2023, including some 19,000 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

On Tuesday, a United Nations inquiry announced that Israel’s war on Gaza is a genocide, a finding several major human rights groups have also reached, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

In 2023, South Africa brought a case before the International Court of Justice, arguing that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip amounted to genocide. The proceedings are ongoing.

HE was the golden boy of Hollywood.

Men envied his obvious friendship with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, and almost all his female co-stars adored him.

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In fact, Jane Fonda admitted she couldn’t keep her hands off him on set, while Meryl Streep said he was the “best kisser ever”.

Robert Redford, who yesterday died in his sleep aged 89 at his ranch in Utah, was rejected for 1967 movie The Graduate because no one would ever believe he was a loser with women.

But the handsome star was haunted by nerves and self-doubt that caused him to be endlessly late on set.

As the greatest names in showbiz paid tribute to the blond-haired icon, his representative revealed Redford was “surrounded by those he loved” when he passed away. She added: “He will be missed greatly.”

‘Love of pranks’

In blockbusters such as Barefoot In The Park, The Sting, All The President’s Men, The Great Gatsby, The Horse Whisperer, Indecent Proposal and Up Close And Personal, Redford was box office dynamite.

But the Oscar-winning actor was terrified stardom might turn him into a product for Hollywood studios to sell. He moaned: “Films to them are just like vacuum cleaners or refrigerators. The approach sickens me.”

The megastar even refused to make sequels to his biggest hits, Butch ­Cassidy and The Way We Were with Barbra Streisand.

He hated franchises, but appeared in Captain America: The Winter ­Soldier to please his grandkids.

And he became a champion of independent film-makers, founding the annual Sundance Film Festival to showcase their work.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr in Santa Monica, California, on August 18, 1936, the actor’s mum was Martha and his dad Charles, a milkman.

His first taste of Hollywood was breaking into a studio as a teenager and trashing the place. He once said: “There was a strong dividing line with a railroad which ran near our house.

“Those who lived on the south side of the tracks, like us, helped to service the big houses on the north side as gardeners, cleaners, whatever.

“My dad would get up to go to work at 2.30 in the morning, come home late afternoon and go to sleep.

“It wasn’t his fault, but it was an inspiration [for me] to do something else with my life.”

Redford’s first plan was to be a baseball star, and he won a sports scholarship to Colorado University.

But he told showbiz writer Garth Pearce: “I was asked to leave because I was drinking too much.”

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His mother Martha had recently died and he turned to alcohol.

After being thrown out of college, he ­travelled to Europe. Redford recalled: “I became a pavement artist in ­Montmartre, Paris, and felt my life had begun at last. I had found my calling.

“Then I moved to Italy, where they openly laughed at my art. Eventually, I was told flatly that I would never make it or sell any paintings.”

So he moved back to New York and tried his hand at acting classes, enrolling at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He said: “Suddenly, I was getting A-grade reports for the first time. I had failed at school, failed at university, failed as an artist. I thought, ‘There could be something in acting for me’. It was as simple as that, with no great calling.”

He couldn’t play a loser because of the way he looked

Director Mike Nichols

He began to get work, first on stage in New York and then in a succession of small-screen shows, such as ­Maverick, Perry Mason and Dr Kildare as TV boomed across America.

His movie breakthrough came opposite Jane Fonda in 1967’s Barefoot In The Park. She remembers: “I couldn’t keep my hands off him. I was ­constantly forcing myself on him.”

Redford auditioned for The ­Graduate, alongside Anne Bancroft as middle-aged Mrs Robinson.

But director Mike Nichols turned him down, recalling: “He couldn’t play a loser because of the way he looked.

“I told him so and he was dispirited. I said, ‘Look at it this way, ‘Have you ever been turned down by a woman?’. He replied, ‘What do you mean?’. I said, ‘My point precisely’.”

But his next part, The Sundance Kid, alongside Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy, would change Redford’s life forever. As they filmed the 1969 hit movie, he and Newman became best mates — bonding over Mexican beers and a love of pranks.

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Redford was a terrible time-keeper and, at the end of filming — during which he did his own stunts — ­Newman presented him with a tapestry cushion that read, “Punctuality is the courtesy of kings”.

For Newman’s 50th birthday, Redford sent him a wrecked Porsche wrapped in a bow. Newman had it crushed and sent back to his pal. Redford then had it turned into a garden sculpture and returned it.

Despite their 40-year friendship, Newman admitted he never really came to know Redford.

Even though Butch Cassidy was a huge success, Redford, a keen environmental campaigner, was still gripped with doubts about his ability.

He admitted: “I actually quit in the late Sixties, after appearing in some big films. It was not reported at the time but I took my family to a remote part of Spain. I attempted once again to make my living as an artist. But I was not good enough.”

By 1973, The Sting, in which he was reunited with Newman, gave him his only Best Actor Oscar nomination.

‘Not good enough’

His blond hair became his ­signature and he refused to have it cut in a 1940s style for 1977 war film A Bridge Too Far.

Director Sir Richard Attenborough asked him personally to get a short back and sides, but was forced to admit: “It’s no use. He just won’t have it touched.”

Redford once asked angrily: “What is it about my hair? I played Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby in 1974 and the director Jack Clayton wanted to dye my hair black.

“Even the studio wanted my hair black. I said, ‘Find me the part of the original book where it says that Gatsby’s hair is black. It’s not there’.”

Irritated by filmmakers, he decided to direct a movie of his own.

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Ordinary People, which came out in 1980, became one of the most acclaimed films of the decade and won him the only Oscar in his glittering career, for Best Director.

His hits dominated the Eighties and Nineties, with Out Of Africa alongside Meryl Streep winning seven Oscars, including Best Picture.

He directed A River Runs Through It starring a young Brad Pitt, Quiz Show and The Horse Whisperer, in which he also played the lead.

It was really hard . . . as a parent, you blame yourself. It creates a scar that never completely heals

Robert Redford

In between, he starred in Indecent Proposal as a millionaire who offered a married couple $1million if wife Demi Moore slept with him.

There was also romance in Up Close & Personal with Michelle Pfeiffer. But alongside great career success he suffered family tragedy.

His son Scott, who he had with first wife Lola, was a victim of cot death in 1959 at just two months.

The actor said: “It was really hard . . . as a parent, you blame yourself. It creates a scar that never completely heals.”

His second son, Jamie, who ­suffered constant ill health and underwent two liver transplants, died from cancer aged 58 in 2020.

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And eldest daughter Shauna ­witnessed the murder of her long-term boyfriend at university.

Redford told Garth Pearce: “All that personal stuff with my children meant some tough times. When you’re going through it, you lose part of yourself. I confess that I used work to prop me up.”

The Hollywood legend produced and directed films right into his 80s.

His final performance was an uncredited cameo earlier this year as a chess player in Dark Winds, a TV show he executive-produced. Redford officially retired from ­acting in 2018.

Redford is survived by second wife Sibylle, some 21 years his ­junior, who he married in 2009, and daughters Shauna, 64, and Amy, 54, from first wife Lola, who he divorced in 1985.

He said of his success: “The key to sanity in Hollywood is to have a life separate from movies and to never repeat yourself on film by doing a sequel.

“I lost my way and my focus ­several times. Having to deal with life, death, illness and catastrophe puts anyone to the test. Movies and acting was never my first love, but it was an enduring one.”

Shirley Whitney, 89, leading Republican volunteer in the San Fernando Valley who designed popular political buttons. Whitney was a Democrat for many years until the murder of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles in 1968 changed her view of her party. A longtime member of the National Rifle Assn., she was sitting in a Democratic candidate’s headquarters watching the news report of Kennedy’s assassination when “everybody turned around and looked at me, as if I was to blame,” she recalled years later. Realizing that her conservative views didn’t belong in the Democratic Party, she re-registered as a Republican. She became known to major Republican candidates throughout the Valley for her skills at organizing candidate headquarters, heading Republican women’s clubs, supervising telephone campaigns and fund-raisers, and registering voters. She was best known for a sideline of developing political pins. Her most famous button depicted the head of former Gov. Jerry Brown on the body of an insect with the inscriptions “Fruit Fly of the Year,” followed by “Governor Moonbeam,” a design that delighted conservatives who seethed over Brown’s handling of the 1981 infestation of Mediterranean fruit flies in Northern California. She sold 15,000 of the pins for $1 each, enough to rent office space for Republicans in the Valley for part of 1982. Another Whitney button that circulated during 1984 showed two women holding a banner with the bright-red letters E, R and A, which stood for “Elect Reagan Again,” not Equal Rights Amendment. “I’m waiting for some ERA supporter to bop me on the head for that one,” she said at the time. On Thursday of Alzheimer’s disease and kidney failure at a Pomona nursing home.

In a social media post on August 22 2025 the German Ambassador to India Dr Philip Ackermann said:‘New numbers are out! Almost 60,000 students from India are currently studying in Germany – a leap of 20 % over a year.’ He also said that public universities in Germany were a “great choice” due to their reputation and affordability.

The number of Indian students, surpass Chinese students for two successive years

In recent years, the number of Indian students studying in Germany has risen significantly. In 2018-2019, this number was estimated at a little over 20,000 but it has been growing steadily and in 2023-2024 it reached 49,000. Another important point is that Indian students emerged as the largest international student group — surpassing Chinese students —  in Germany for the second year in a row. For long, India and China have been the largest contributors to the International Student Pool in the Anglosphere – US, UK, Canada and Australia. Apart from Canada – especially in the recent past — the number of students from China exceeded students from India in other nations in the Anglosphere. As ties between Washington and Beijing deteriorated, this began to change and the number of Indian students in US higher education institutions surpassed that of Chinese students in 2024.

Indian students and higher education in the US

With the US making several revisions to its student visa policies, the enrolment of Indian students has witnessed a significant decline. In July 2025, the number of Indian student arrivals was estimated at 79,000. This is a dip of 46%. Apart from the policy changes of the Trump administration, it is the delays in visa processing which are discouraging Indian students from pursuing higher studies in the US. One more step which could further discourage Indian students is the proposal of removing the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The OPT gives students, on an F-1 Visa, an opportunity to gain experience post their degrees often leading to full time employment and getting a work visa and residency eventually. This is especially handy for STEM students (it was the George W Bush Administration which had raised the duration of the OTP from 12 months to 29 months). In 2024, 200,000 students gained experience via the OPT. Apart from using the OPT for gaining work experience, it is also important since several of the individuals on F1 visas use the visa as a means for re-paying student loans. The US Department of Homeland Security is also planning some drastic changes to the existing F-1 visa rules.

The recent criticisms of the H1-B Visas by senior officials in the Trump Administration, and possible overhaul of the H1-B visa regime could also discourage several Indian students from going for higher studies to the US.

Indian students showing more interest in Germany

If one were to look at Indian students opting for European countries like Germany, it is important to bear in mind, that while some of the policies of the Trump administration may have encouraged students to look at alternative destinations. Germany by itself has been attractive for several reasons even earlier. The first is affordability. Public universities in Germany charge a nominal-fees (and no tuition fees). Second, the high academic standards of programs in the Sciences and Engineering, along with the fact that the programs are run in English. At a time when the US is thinking of removing the OPT, Germany provides an 18-month job seeker permit after completion of the degree. After this, students can apply for a Blue Card. Germany’s relaxation of citizenship rules and work visas could also add to the country’s attractiveness as

While several German Universities are reputed for having excellent departments of engineering, the country is also home to some top higher education institutions in humanities.

Both the employment opportunities as well as Germany’s growing emphasis on strengthening the country’s Research and Development – R &D eco-system – also could make it an attractive destination for international students.

Germany looking to draw Indian talent

In June 2025, the German Ambassador made a strong pitch for Germany pointing to the strengths it possesses as well as the predictability and stability in immigration policies:

“We are interested in Indian talent, we are interested in Indian brains. We are interested in those Indians who really want to achieve something, and Germany will always be a partner for such people. So, we are not erratic, we are not volatile, we are very, very steady,”

Apart from all the advantages discussed during the article, predictable and stable student visa policies are likely to be an important factor in drawing international students.

Conclusion

Given the strengths which Germany possesses – both in terms of academic standards and logistics – discussed in the article it is likely, that Germany has the potential of emerging as an important destination for higher education for international students – especially from India.

There was a large trash can obstructing the view of a Narbonne Gaucho sign on the gym wall, so King’leon Sheard simply picked up the container and moved it out of the way in an impressive display of strength like a WWE wrestler flicking away an annoying opponent.

At 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, Sheard had two sacks in last year’s City Section Open Division championship football game against San Pedro. On Friday night, he had two sacks in Narbonne’s 42-6 loss to Los Osos. The fact he’s still walking around Narbonne’s campus in his senior year is a story itself.

After the program was placed on probation and banned from the playoffs for three years for rules violations, there was an exodus of players and coaches. This also happened after the 2019 season when Narbonne was punished for similar circumstances — an ineligible player.

“Now it’s been two rebuilds since I’ve been here,” he said, remembering a 2-9 season in 2022 when he arrived as a freshman.

Sheard is either a glutton for punishment or determined to prove his worth no matter how many times Narbonne has to start over.

“At the root of it, it’s not just about football,” the outside linebacker said. “I made a lot of connections here. I built a nice family here. At the end of the day, it was more about my story, not what everyone else was doing. I always knew I could prevail.”

Football is what Sheard wants to do in college if he gets a chance. Yet academics has been his focus, with a dream of becoming a lawyer.

“I want to go into law,” he said. “It’s always been one of those things I’ve been interested in since I can remember.”

Sheard clearly knows how to investigate facts and make a judgment call. That’s what he did in deciding to stay at Narbonne with four other holdovers.

“I kept my head down,” he said. “My parents stayed out of it. They knew if I stayed, I’d be able to make it. I started here and was going to finish here.”

Not that Sheard didn’t consider leaving. He said he discussed leaving with several coaches. Their big selling point was having a postseason. But Sherard is guaranteed more games this season without playoffs (10) than he had all last season (eight) because of a coaches’ boycott during league play.

“I will admit I had conversations with other coaches when I heard the news that our coaches wouldn’t be with us,” he said. said. “The main talking point was, ‘We have playoffs, we have playoffs.’ You lose one game in the playoffs, you’re out anyways. I was more concerned how as coaches would you be able to help me make it to the collegiate level. How would you be able to develop me as a player.”

Enter Narbonne’s new coach, Doug Bledsoe, who’s been head coach at North Hollywood, Dorsey, Pasadena and L.A. University. Sheard placed his trust in Bledsoe and his staff.

“I formed a good relationship with coach Bledsoe and the position coaches,” he said.

Said Bledsoe: “He’s got real tenacity to get to the quarterback and a quick first step.”

Bledsoe is using a 3-4 defensive front with Sheard scheduled to be his “mini-Lawrence Taylor,” the NFL Hall of Fame linebacker known for sacking quarterbacks.

There could be tough times for the Gauchos, a team with little varsity experience and some tough early-season games.

Since this is his second rebuild he’s experienced, Sheard was asked how is it supposed to go?

“It’s not up to me,” he said. “Most I can do as a player is keep my brothers close to me and tell them, ‘It will be fine. We can do this.’”

With a new coach and new principal, perhaps Narbonne can rebuild the right way — following City Section rules. Good behavior could lead to a reduction in sanctions.

Clearly, it’s a big change because at this time last season, the Gauchos had 27 transfers in the program. This season the number is zero.

Sheard is just glad he can play four Marine League games this season so he’ll have film to show college recruiters. Last year’s league games were forfeits because schools refused to play the Gauchos.

“I felt a little slighted,” he said. “Outside of everything happening, I didn’t care. It was still my season. It was my opportunity to get stuff on film. I feel it was taken away and I had no control. I kept working.”

When it comes to gaining maturity and learning hard lessons, Sheard and his small group of fellow seniors who stayed are in for a challenging season with no playoffs allowed.

It’s a reminder of the line, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

“Ten games are guaranteed,” he said. “Compared to last year, it’s a blessing.”

When Bitcoin was created in 2009, it was seen as nothing more than a niche internet experiment. There are plenty of stories about people using the cryptocurrency to buy items like pizza, gift cards, or coffee (a decision they likely rue now).

But as Bitcoin became more popular, many other cryptocurrencies emerged. Some of these have legitimate use cases, and some can be viewed as nothing but a quick cash grab from their creators and early insiders. One cryptocurrency that falls into the former category is XRP (XRP 3.48%).

XRP is a cryptocurrency that enables fast and cheap cross-border payments, and it has had a great run over the past 12 months, up over 390%. That’s over five times the returns of Bitcoin and Ethereum in that span. The recent rally may have investors thinking they missed the wave, but there’s one big reason why there’s still time to hop on the boat.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cross-border payments are becoming more frequent

Sending money from one country to another has traditionally been expensive because of the reliance on banks (and pre-funded accounts) and high intermediary fees. However, with the introduction of XRP and other nontraditional sources, these transactions are increasingly becoming cheaper and more frequent.

According to Allied Market Research, the global cross-border payments market was around $206 trillion at the end of 2024. By 2034, it’s expected to be around $414 trillion. This is great news for XRP because it feeds right into its main use case of being a bridge currency to facilitate these transactions.

What traditionally could cost someone 5% to 7% of the transfer amount , XRP is able to do it for fractions of a cent and much faster. If XRP can capture even a small fraction of the cross-border payment flow, it can be a good investment for some time. 

Europe is now pledging more military aid to Ukraine than the US.
Meanwhile, Washington is negotiating the nation’s future.
President Donald Trump has held talks with the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents in a bid to end Moscow’s war.
If no peace deal is reached, US support to Kyiv could shrink further, putting even more of the financial burden on Europe.
If a deal is struck, the question shifts from who gives more aid to who will pay for rebuilding what’s left.

How are Nigeria’s manufacturers coping with currency turmoil?

Plus, why is sleep tourism booming?

Au Kam San accused by police of being in contact with an unnamed ‘anti-China organisation abroad’ since 2022.

A leading democrat from Macau has been arrested for collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, police said, as the semi-autonomous region further tightens its national security laws to align with those of China.

Macau’s police said in a statement on Thursday that Au Kam San had been taken from his residence for investigation on Wednesday.

The former Portuguese colony reverted to Chinese rule in 1999 via a “One Country, Two Systems” framework that promised a high degree of autonomy and rights protections.

Au, 68, is one of Macau’s most prominent democratic campaigners who served for nearly two decades as a lawmaker in the former Portuguese colony. He served in Macau’s legislature for two decades before stepping down in 2021.

The police statement did not give Au’s full name, but local media outlets reported that the man arrested was the campaigner, and Au’s wife arrived at the prosecution’s office on Thursday and was listed as a “witness”, online outlet All About Macau said.

“The resident has allegedly been in contact with an anti-China organisation abroad since 2022, providing the group with large amounts of false and seditious information, for public exhibitions overseas and online,” the police statement added.

The police did not say which foreign entity Au was in contact with, but said he had also sought to incite hatred against Beijing, disrupt a 2024 election for Macau’s leader and “provoke hostile actions by foreign countries against Macau”.

Au and his wife could not be reached for comment.

Through the years, Au had championed democratic reforms and helped foster civil society initiatives in the tiny gambling hub that returned from Portuguese to Chinese rule in 1999 – two years after the nearby former British colony of Hong Kong was handed back to China.

Unlike Hong Kong, which has seen big social movements challenge Chinese Communist Party rule in 2014 and 2019, the democratic opposition in the China-ruled former Portuguese colony has always existed on the fringes amid tight Chinese control.

Through the years, Au had led protests and railed against opaque governance and rising social inequalities, even as gambling revenues exploded in the city, which is home to about 700,000 people.

Au was one of the founders of several pro-democracy groups, including the New Macau Association, and had worked as a schoolteacher.

The arrest comes as authorities in neighbouring Hong Kong continue to crack down on dissent using two sets of powerful national security laws that have been leveraged to jail activists, shutter media outlets and civil society groups.

While Hong Kong’s democrats had actively challenged Beijing’s attempts to ratchet up control of the city since its return to Chinese rule, Macau’s government has faced far less public scrutiny, with authorities able to enact a sweeping set of national security laws as early as 2009.

This law was amended in 2023 to bring Macau in line with similar laws in Hong Kong and China and to bolster the prevention of foreign interference.

BBC

‘Hot buyers’

‘Overvaluing properties massively’

COOL Britannia is back – and that’s official. 

High society bible Tatler is among those making the declaration on its new edition, which features the offspring of Nineties music legends Liam Gallagher and Richard Ashcroft. 

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Heralding the rebirth of the Britpop-era movement, the magazine pictures Molly Moorish-Gallagher and musician Sonny Ashcroft proudly standing in front of a giant Union Jack. 

Anyone over the age of 40 is likely to spot the obvious homage being paid to a similar front cover published by Vanity Fair in 1997. 

That iconic picture saw Oasis singer Liam sharing a bed with his then girlfriend, actress Patsy Kensit. 

The couple married a few months later when Oasis were arguably the biggest music stars of the decade. 

And it is no coincidence the new magazine cover comes just days before the Oasis reunion tour, which will have Richard Ashcroft as the support act. 

But Tatler did not go for another “power couple”, like Liam and Patsy were, and instead took the nepo baby route. 

But as the new faces of Cool Britannia take centre stage, it’s less champagne supernova, more alcohol-free explosion.

Tatler

However, editors still think the duo are living proof of a second coming.

The mag claims: “Ahead of the Oasis reunion, Liam’s daughter Molly Moorish-Gallagher and The Verve scion Sonny Ashcroft are leading the Britpop revival. 

“They’re the next generation of Britpop: Molly Moorish-Gallagher and Sonny Ashcroft are gracing the cover of Tatler as their fathers, Liam Gallagher and Richard Ashcroft, prepare for an earth-shattering Oasis reunion. 

“But as the new faces of Cool Britannia take centre stage, it’s less champagne supernova, more alcohol-free explosion.” 

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The piece continues: “She is the daughter of Lisa Moorish and Liam Gallagher; he is the eldest son of Richard Ashcroft and Kate Radley. 

“Together, they are the new faces of the (Br)it crowd. 

“But what do the pair make of Cool Britannia 2.0?” 

It turns out that neither of the nepo babies shares their parents’ hellraising ways, and the revival will not be based around downing pints of lager or being “chained to the mirror and the razor blade”, as Oasis once sang. 

Sonny proudly tells the magazine he’s not one for a night out.

He said: “I’m very much a night-in person.

Seeing friends, some good food and drinks and playing games of some kind.

Molly Moorish-Gallagher, Liam’s daugher

“A nice meal with friends and then gathering over some sort of board game or film at home.” 

While Molly says her idea of a wild night is: “Seeing friends, some good food and drinks and playing games of some kind.” 

But if the Cool Britannia nepo kids aren’t keeping the Nineties hedonistic vibe going, it seems Gen Z-ers are keeping the momentum going through fashion. 

Love Island host Maya Jama recently recreated Liz Hurley’s famous Versace safety pin dress that she wore to the Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere in 1994. 

Singers Dua Lipa and Lola Young have been inspired by other huge names of the Nineties in their fashion choices. 

And Liam’s son Lennon was pretty much an identikit copy of his dad when he attended a Burberry pub takeover last week. 

A new study has also revealed that youngsters are now huge fans of some of the decade’s greatest hairstyles, including The Rachel from Friends, the floppy hair of actor Johnny Depp and Victoria Beckham’s Posh bob. 

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The study, commissioned by Funkin Cocktails, also found a fondness for Doc Marten boots and baggy jeans, famously sported by the likes of Mark Wahlberg when he was rapper Marky Mark. 

Ashley Birch-Ruffell, from Funkin Cocktails, said: “Nineties fashion is very on trend, and it’s fun to see what our official favourite styles are. 

“There are clearly many iconic hairstyles and memorable moments from this decade that live on in the public consciousness. 

“It seems clear that Nineties trends aren’t going anywhere anytime soon — and why would we want them to?” 

“It’s clear that the whole culture of the Nineties is still considered unapologetically iconic.” 

Gen Z can’t match our hellraising era 

IT was a sensational whirl of bucket hats, Union Jacks, lads’ mags, boozy bands and more than a whiff of the old marching powder, writes Rod McPhee.

The late Nineties were a hellraising golden age not seen since the Swinging Sixties. 

But despite being due another period of partying, I’m sorry to say we’ll never quite be able to match the magic of the original Cool Britannia. 

Trust me, I was there, I did it. I got the T-shirt – and the dodgy Liam Gallagher shaggy haircut

What’s more, I loved it all. From music to fashion, and movies to models, the run-up to the year 2000 was the perfect blend of sex and, yes, drugs, plus lashings of rock ’n’ roll. 

Of course, it’s great to get a taste of the good old days when Oasis stage their comeback tour next week, plus there’s the prospect of the Spice Girls doing a similar celebratory event next year. 

But nothing can once again live up to a period in modern pop culture history which I believe was genuinely unique. Maybe I’m looking back at the past through rose-tinted glasses. 

But no pop groups, artists, catwalk stars or actors these days come close to the tearaway Primrose Hill crowd that kept us entertained and shocked three decades ago. 

That said, no one would love reliving some of the brilliance of the Nineties more than me. 

So let’s make the most of summer 2025. 

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.

Arrested at the age of 17 during the early days of Nepal’s civil war in the late 1990s, Devi Khadka was accused of being a rebel, tortured and raped in custody. Rebel leaders exposed her as a “rape victim”, marking her with a taboo that led to depression and social ostracism. Battling these horrors, Khadka joined the rebel front lines and rose through the ranks.

After the war ended, she was elected to Nepal’s new parliament but became disillusioned upon discovering that Nepal’s leaders sought to bury the painful truth of wartime rape. As the public face of the survivors, Khadka can no longer stay silent. Driven by a fierce determination for justice, she sets out to unite Nepal’s forgotten women and to reconstruct the history that has been deliberately erased.

Devi Khadka: The Undefeated is a documentary film by Subina Shrestha.