Last night, in one of the most dramatic elections in recent US history, Zahran Mamdani, a Muslim candidate of Indian African descent, achieved a landslide victory. This triumph came despite facing formidable opposition from the forces of Zionism, capitalism, and racialist religious supremacism, which mobilized significant resources in terms of money, muscle, and power against him.
The victory of Zahran Mamdani, the son of renowned intellectual Mahmood Mamdani and Film maker Mira Nair, as a Democratic candidate in New York mayoral elections is far more than a local electoral victory. It signals a deeper undercurrent—a growing rebellion against the entangled machinery of global capitalism, racialised securitisation, Zionist impunity, and Islamophobic silencing.
In the heart of New York, one of the most securitised and capital-rich spaces on the planet, Mamdani’s emergence stands as a critique of the global order. It is an insurgency within the very citadel of imperial liberalism. His campaign foregrounds anti-austerity politics, solidarity with Palestine, and the dismantling of carceral and corporate logics that have defined American life for decades. It is, in essence, a blow to what The Globalisation of World Politics calls “the disciplining power of capitalism.”
For years, the mere act of criticising Israel—even for its brutal siege of Gaza or its apartheid policies—has been enough to trigger political excommunication. The term “antisemite” has often been deployed not to combat real hate, but to securitize dissent. Any moral critique of Zionist settler colonialism was cast as existential threat and thus silenced. In Mamdani’s case, too, this familiar script was attempted: the labels of “Pro-Hamas,” “Antisemitic,” and “extremist” were hurled. But this time, it didn’t work.
The people of New York—multi-ethnic, young, politically awakened—refused to accept this securitisation. The old rhetorical weapons no longer resonate. Zionism’s carefully curated moral immunity, built upon the tragic weight of the Holocaust, is eroding under the real-time horrors of a genocidal siege in Gaza. The shield of historical victimhood has cracked—not because the Holocaust is forgotten, but because it is being morally manipulated to justify colonial violence.
Even prominent Jewish scholars and intellectuals—such as Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, and Ilan Pappé—have long warned about this moral dissonance. Yet, governments have remained complicit. Streets across the West have mobilised in support of Palestine, but policies have not shifted. The disconnect between public sentiment and the actions of the power elite is glaring. The political representation of this street sympathy has been manipulated through manufactured consent and a false victimhood narrative propagated by large, conglomerate-controlled media outlets. Mamdani’s nomination suggests that the public may finally be finding a way to express their views through electoral channels, despite the entrenched media-industrial Zionist consensus.
Yet in India, the silence is deafening.
Despite Zahran’s cultural and familial linkages with India, the so-called liberal intelligentsia and the Hindutva right have found rare unity: in ignoring him. Why? Because he identifies unapologetically as a Muslim. Because he challenges Hindutva and Zionism with equal clarity. Because he doesn’t perform his identity for liberal comfort. While India was quick to celebrate Kamala Harris and Rishi Sunak—symbols of minority success within dominant systems—it refuses to acknowledge Mamdani, who represents defiance, not assimilation.
This is not just the prejudice of the right-wing. It reveals a deep Islamophobia embedded within India’s secular elite—those who pride themselves on defending the social fabric but look away when a Muslim victory doesn’t align with sanitized, capitalist liberalism. Mamdani is inconvenient. He is too political, too Muslim, too critical.
But he is also the embodiment of a long tradition. The son of Mahmood Mamdani—whose work deconstructs the legacies of colonial violence, racial statecraft, and the “good Muslim/bad Muslim” dichotomy—Zahran is the intellectual and political heir to global decolonial thought. His mother, Mira Nair, whose films have captured migration, racial tension, and identity, adds a cultural dimension to this lineage of resistance.
In a world that feels increasingly bleak, Mamdani’s nomination offers a rare moment of clarity: that cracks have begun to appear in the mirror of empire. The hegemon can still silence, still dominate—but not without resistance, and not without fracture. For those who dream of justice—not just electoral wins—Zahran Mamdani’s nomination is a reminder that history is not yet finished.
It’s back! A fantastic offer saving you money on your travel with Northern valid until October 2025
15:34, 28 Apr 2025Updated 11:52, 31 Aug 2025
The Flat Fare is back for another round and the Mirror has teamed up with Northern, the rail operator for the North, to provide you with a discounted rate available between September 1 and October 23, 2025. All you have to do is collect two tokens from the Mirror (North edition only) between Monday, September 1 and Sunday, September 7, 2025 and take them with the registration form to your local staffed ticket office on the Northern network to redeem.
The best part is you can use your tickets to travel anywhere on the Northern network!* So, if you’re looking for the perfect autumn retreat to relax or explore before the nights come in or spend the day shopping in one of the many great cities of the North, this could be the ticket for you! Great value tickets that leave you with more money in your pocket for that essential trip out treat! You can purchase either a Day Ranger ticket for £12 per adult or a Weekend Rover ticket for £20 per adult. Don’t forget kids go half price on this offer, so you could take the whole family out for a fraction of the price!
The travel window will be open from September 1- October 23, 2025. (*No direct travel route available on Northern services between Newcastle and York).
Once you have your tokens, log in or register and complete the online form at northernrailway.co.uk/reachplc. Next, print the form, and hand it in at any local staffed ticket office on the Northern network to redeem. You will then be given the tickets to go do your thing!
Terms and Conditions: To qualify for this special offer, collect two tokens from the Mirror (North edition), between 01.09.25 and 07.09.25 and complete the online redemption form. Insert availability varies depending on title. Collect two tokens per redemption form. Two tokens allow you to buy up to four Northern Day Ranger tickets (£12 each) or four Weekend Rover tickets (£20 each). Kids offer includes ages 5-15 years. Day Ranger ticket travel between 01.09.25 and 23.10.25. Weekend Rover ticket travel between 06.09.25 and 19.10.25. All tickets must be valid for travel on the same date. Tickets are valid on trains departing after 0845 Monday to Friday. Valid anytime at weekends, on Northern services only. *No direct travel route available on Northern services between Newcastle and York. Full t&c’s at northernrailway.co.uk/reachplc.
Cheryl Burke has opened up about her weight loss journey as she shared the diet that she followed to help her shift the pounds, as well as her current exercise regime
11:57, 11 Aug 2025Updated 12:06, 11 Aug 2025
Cheryl Burke revealed how she managed to lose a staggering amount of weight(Image: Getty Images)
Cheryl Burke has opened up about her impressive weight loss journey, detailing how she slimmed down from 150lbs to 109lbs. And she said it included regular helping of one food.
The dance pro expressed satisfaction with her current weight and mentioned that she’s stopped “trying” after reaching her desired goals. She also highlighted that daily weigh-ins became a “problem” for her, so she ditched the habit.
What did Cheryl Burke eat to lose weight?
Cheryl maintains her diet through one food service(Image: Getty Images)
Cheryl maintains a diverse diet full of nutritious foods to keep herself going. Her day often includes a good dose of one unusual item – liquorice – and a calorie-rich morning shake that has more “than any of my meals that I’m eating.”
She also explained that she habitually drinks a matcha from Peet’s Coffee every morning alongside a “warm pretzel bread”. She admits: “I’ll get it because it’s just the best thing in the world. I’m very lenient.”
Additionally, Cheryl has embraced a meal plan from ZEN, a delivery service that brings fresh, ready-to-eat food right to her doorstep.
This service supplies her with about 1,200 to 1,400 calories per day, featuring an array of dishes and nibbles such as oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, pita, hummus, chips, and salad. She said: “It’s not diet food, it’s real food.”
ZEN, an acronym for Zero Effort Nutrition, is a meal delivery service that promises to deliver ‘organic & farm-to-table, health-conscious meals’ directly to your doorstep. The service offers a range of meal plans tailored to various goals, such as weight loss, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, or following a vegetarian diet.
Cheryl revealed that she started using ZEN around five or six years ago as a healthier alternative to her usual drive-thru meals. She noted that this made a significant difference, especially as she had become an “emotional eater” despite being an active dancer.
She shared: “I would only eat at night. Now I don’t even remember the last time I had fast food; it’s just not something I’m craving.”
Cheryl explained how she now maintains a healthy weight and lifestyle(Image: Getty Images)
Cheryl also commended the meal service for bringing more “balance” to her diet. She cautioned against ‘starving’ herself as it was counterproductive and didn’t align with her body goals.
She also candidly discussed her personal self-consciousness. She admitted that she used to avoid eating in front of others due to fear of being labelled overweight, particularly in front of her fit colleagues from the show.
Cheryl’s exercise regime
As for her exercise routine, although Cheryl no longer trains as a dancer, she maintains a modest fitness regimen to stay healthy. This includes walking her dog a “couple of miles a day” and regularly using her treadmill, which she also utilises while creating beauty content for social media.
She added: “I actually can only edit content on a treadmill. It’s the craziest.”
Spain is by far the most popular country among UK travellers, with close to 18 million of us visiting in 2023 — far more than the 9.2 million who took a trip to second-place France
Some Brits have taken the anti-tourist sentiment to heart(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“The message we are receiving loud and clear from locals, especially in the islands and where we usually visit in Andalucia, is that we should stay away and are not welcome.”
That is how Mirror reader Allan Wilcox feels. He, like millions of Brits, is a regular visitor to Spain. In fact, Spain is by far the most popular country among UK travellers, with close to 18 million of us visiting in 2023 — far more than the 9.2 million who took a trip to second-place France.
While it would be absurd to suggest that the country’s love affair with Spain and its incredible culture, food and drink, spectacular weather, and general good vibes is over, there is undeniably a groundswell of frustration at a shift in attitude on the Iberian Peninsula. This comes amid a warning about the quality of breaks in Benidorm.
Each week many of them email in to the Mirror’s travel desk ([email protected]) to share their views on trips to Spain and whether they’re still planning holidays in the country of 48 million.
Although it would be unfair to suggest that their views are completely typical of the UK population at large, particularly given the small sample size, a clear anti-Spanish holiday sentiment has emerged.
Sarah Meager has been particularly frustrated by new laws that prohibit smoking and vaping on terraces. She was dismayed to discover that the law covered private terraces when it comes to holiday villas and hotels.
“We discovered this in Lanzarote in February. You are not even allowed on the terrace of your own room. It is a ridiculous decision. Even if only one member of a group smokes it means you just can’t relax and enjoy yourself,” she explained.
Kevin Durkin is a committed Spain holidaymaker, having visited the country many times over a 30-year period. “Over the last few years, the anti-British sentiment has just grown. Some bar owners have put up signs telling the British to keep away and some hotel owners don’t want us either,” he said.
“I do not need Spain, they can keep their latest charges and hatred of the British. I will not be back, neither will my friends or family. Adios.”
Kevin, who speaks Spanish and moved to the country several years ago, admitted that most of the ire from locals was directed towards “the loud British element, usually fuelled by alcohol”, and that respectful tourists were unlikely to be bothered.
“My husband and I got through the scanners, no problem. However, the rest of the family had to queue for an hour and a half. On the way back, it was worse, as people were worried they might miss their flights home. Our family just made it on time. They all said they wouldn’t be back abroad anytime soon.”
Allan Wilcox is a committed visitor of Spain and is “happy to spend our money supporting local businesses. These include restaurants, bars, hotels and shops.” Since overtourism protests began however, he has started to feel unwelcome.
“The message we are receiving loud and clear from locals, especially in the islands and where we usually visit in Andalucia, is that we should stay away and are not welcome. Since the local feelings appear so strong and tourists have to run the gauntlet of being shouted or spat at or have to endure intimidating protests, we are no longer happy to visit the country under these conditions,” Allan said.
“Consequently, we have decided to holiday elsewhere and have not visited Spain for the past couple of years.”
How do you feel about taking a holiday to Spain? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please email [email protected]
In this Thursday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from the sad news of how the mum of a slain schoolboy learnt about his death, to the reality of one of Europe’s top ‘party strips’
River Island plans to shut 33 shops(Image: PA)
Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Friday, we’re featuring everything from River Island’s planned closure of 33 high street stores, to the tragic story of how slain teen Harvey Willgoose’s mother found out about his death.
In other news, we’re also taking a look at how two cruise ship tourists died in bad weather, the depressing reality of the Magaluf ‘party strip’ in 2025, and the sad news of the death of Corrie icon Frank Grimes.
Harvey Willgoose: Mum learned schoolboy son had been killed through ‘RIP’ post
(Image: Facebook)
Earlier this afternoon, our UK News team shared the story of how Harvey Willgoose’s mum screamed in horror when she found out her son had been murdered at school. And she said she will forever be haunted with guilt because she urged the 15-year-old to return to the “lions’ den”.
Caroline Willgoose, 51 and her husband Mark, 52, spoke to The Mirror about only discovering their “amazing” son had died after seeing a social media post saying ‘RIP Harvey’. Despite their grief the couple have vowed to fight on until knife arches are installed in schools. “Children are going to school scared,” she told the Mirror. “This cannot be allowed to happen again.”
The defendant, a fellow pupil also aged 15 who cannot be named, had already admitted manslaughter but denied murder, saying he lost control and did not remember stabbing Harvey twice. But after more than 14 hours of deliberations the jury convicted him of murder with a majority verdict of 11-1. He is expected to be sentenced later this year.
River Island to shut 33 stores with hundreds to lose their jobs
River Island plans to shut 33 shops(Image: PA)
Our Money team reported earlier today that major high street chain River Island has announced it will shut dozens of stores – leaving hundreds of people jobless. The move, part of a long-in-the-works “restructuring plan” worked up to prevent the chain from collapsing into administration, will see River Island shutter 33 shops and pay reduced rents on a further 71.
The clothing retailer is looking to secure further funding later this year to avoid falling into millions of pounds’ worth of debt. Landlords are being asked to cut rents for three years and potentially stop payments completely on some sites in a bid to stem losses. Matthew Weaver KC, for River Island, told a hearing on Friday that the company “simply has not been able to reverse” a trend of financial difficulty as the restructuring plan was approved by the High Court in the UK.
Frank Grimes dead: Coronation Street actor dies after short illness
Frank Grimes as Barry Connor in the ITV soap Coronation Street
Our Showbiz team shared the sad story this afternoon that Coronation Street actor Frank Grimes has died at the age of 78. The actor died following a short illness, with The Irish Cultural Centre paying tribute to the acting legend.
Frank starred as Barrington “Barry” Connor in the ITV soap at regular intervals between 2008 to 2015 and played the father of Paul Connor, Liam Connor and Michelle Connor. Barry even made a return in 2015 to attend Michelle’s wedding to Steve McDonald. In all, he appeared in more than 50 episodes over the years and was a key character in the Connor family.
In a statement, they said: “Frank was undoubtedly one of Ireland’s greatest actors, he was a dearly loved friend of the ICC’s and over the past three decades, he trod the ICC’s stage on so many occasions.”
Two cruise ship tourists killed as gales batter Greece
Two tourists have died at sea after gale-force winds battered Milos, Greece(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Our World News team reported that two cruise ship tourists have died at sea in Greece after strong winds battered a holiday hotspot – causing travel chaos for thousands of travellers.
A man and a woman, both from Vietnam, were found on the Sarakiniko beach on the popular holiday island of Milos. The coastguard confirmed the travellers died following a tragic incident on Friday.
A spokesperson for the local coastguard said: “The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre.”
At the start of the season, the sight of vacant sun loungers was telling. What’s more, pub landlords confessed to adjusting opening hours in response to the changing tourist demographic. This downturn in visitor numbers is attributed to stringent measures against disorderly holidaymakers.
In this Tuesday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from tributes following Kim Woodburn’s death to a ‘murder’ victim being found in an exploded house
18:13, 17 Jun 2025Updated 18:16, 17 Jun 2025
Kim was a popular contestant on Celeb Big Brother(Image: Getty)
Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Tuesday, we’re featuring everything from Kim Woodburn’s death after a short illness to a human rights lawyer being found ‘murdered’ in an exploded London house and a review of Jeremy Clarkson’s pub.
This morning, news broke that Kim Woodburn had died following a short illness. Shortly after, her beloved husband and former co-star shared their tributes to the Celebrity Big Brother icon. Elsewhere, a ‘murdered’ woman was found after a house exploded in Stoke Newington and our reporter went to visit Jeremy Clarkson’s pub to see whether it was worth the hype.
Kim Woodburn dies after short illness as beloved husband and co-star Aggie break silence
Kim Woodburn shot to stardom on Channel 4’s How Clean Is Your House (Image: Unknown)
This morning, our showbiz team broke the heartbreaking news that Kim Woodburn had died aged 83. The Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here icon, who shot to stardom for her no-nonsense attitude and witticisms on Channel 4‘s How Clean Is Your House with Aggie MacKenzie, died on Monday.
Her beloved husband-of-46-years Peter, who she lived with in their Nantwich, Cheshire home, is “heartbroken” over the loss of his soulmate. She was described as an “incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person” by her loved ones, who were “so proud” of what she achieved in her career.
A representative for Kim shared in a statement: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday following a short illness.”
‘Murder’ victim found in exploded house named as ‘lovely’ human rights lawyer
The victim has been formally identified as 46-year-old mother and human rights lawyer Annabel Rook(Image: Facebook)
A beloved mother-of-two and human rights lawyer has been identified as the woman found with fatal stab wounds after a house explosion this morning. A huge emergency response including six fire engines and 40 firefighters raced to the two-storey terraced house where an explosion had torn through the basement and ground floor of the east London residence.
The victim has been formally identified as 46-year-old mother and human rights lawyer Annabel Rook, whose body was found with knife wound injuries after the explosion. Police arrested an as yet unidentified 44-year-old male on suspicion of murder before taking him to a major trauma centre in London for slash wound treatment. His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Neighbours told The Mirror: “She was a lovely lady – a very doting mother. I would always see her walking to school with her children. They go to school just around the corner.”
‘I drove 90 minutes to eat at Jeremy Clarkson’s pub — two words summed it up’
Steffan Rhys at Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, in Oxfordshire
Nobody could have quite imagined the success Amazon would see after releasing Clarkson’s Farm. However, fast forward to 2025, the former Top Gear star’s agriculture show has just finished its fourth series, with a fifth series already on the way.
This season saw Jeremy Clarkson invest in a pub, The Farmer’s Dog, so our Deputy Content Hub Director, Steffan Rhys, went to go and check it out. He wrote: “There was a full-blown security and parking operation guiding arrivals into an enormous adjacent field with hundreds, if not thousands, of cars already parked in it. Visitors streamed like ants in formation between car park and pub and the stunned “bloody hell!” I heard from a fellow visitor pretty much sums up what I was thinking too.
“I’d naively thought that, given I had a lunch reservation (secured easily, several weeks earlier, on the pub website) it would be a quiet affair. After all, only so many people can fit in a pub, right? Wrong. Oh, so wrong.”
Killer who stabbed his partner, neighbour and dog on Christmas Day learns fate
Jazwell Brown murdered Joanne Pearson, 38, and Teohna Grant, 24(Image: Thames Valley Police)
A man who murdered his partner and neighbour and tried to kill his own son in an unprovoked and “frenzied” attack after taking cocaine on Christmas Day has been jailed for life. Jazwell Brown attacked his partner Joanne Pearson with a kitchen knife at their home in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, at around 6.30pm on December 25 last year.
He stabbed her 31 times before turning the knife and a baseball bat on his son Jake Brown, with the youngster remarkably surviving his injuries. Brown went on to repeatedly stab Jo’s dog Tilly, a Staffordshire bull terrier, who was later spotted on CCTV limping from the scene.
Brown then headed next door to another flat and began attacking Teohna Grant. He also stabbed Teohna’s boyfriend 29-year-old Bradley Latter who survived, while Teohna was also pronounced dead at the scene. Police previously said the dog had died, but they have since been informed Tilly survived.
‘LEAKED’ Premier League fixtures for 2025-26 season – but fans spot major issues
The Premier League fixtures will officially be released on Wednesday morning
As many football fans await the Premier League‘s return, our sports team got their hands on a reportedly ‘leaked’ list of Premier League fixtures for the 2025-26 season. However, the list – which has been leaked and widely shared on social media platforms – is not as it seems.
As is the case at this time of year, amid growing anticipation among supporters, social media has been awash with claims and fixtures coming to light early. One set in particular have been gaining quite a bit of traction. On the face of it, they look pretty legit. The usual font and layout used when the fixtures are actually released is certainly present.
But dig a little deeper and issues arise. Most notable among them are a number of admin errors which, perhaps if you’re only casting a casual glance and looking at the opening weekend, or even just for your club’s full list, you wouldn’t see.
In this Monday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from Romeo Beckham’s ex speaking out on the famous family feud to one Brit dad’s life-saving flight change and fallout from yesterday’s Soccer Aid
Fans have accused Carlos Tevez of forgetting Soccer Aid is a charity match
Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Monday, we’re featuring everything from another development in the Beckham family feud to one dad’s lucky escape from the doomed Air India flight and Soccer Aid drama hitting social media.
This afternoon, Romeo Beckham’s ex girlfriend Kim Turnbull has broken ranks to speak out about the Brooklyn feud that has tormented the family. Elsewhere, a dad has spoken out after a last minute flight change saved his life and Paddy McGuiness has hit out at Carlos Tevez after the Soccer Aid star scored four goals past the TV icon last night.
Romeo Beckham’s ex Kim Turnbull breaks silence on Brooklyn feud and ‘scapegoat’ lies
Romeo Beckham (pictured right with Kim Turnbull) is reported to not be getting on with brother Brooklyn (left)(Image: Getty/PA )
As the Beckham feud drags on, our showbiz team spotted that Romeo Beckham’s ex-girlfriend, Kim Turnbull, broke her silence on social media this afternoon after being dragged into the bitter family drama. Kim, 26, is said to be at the heart of the Beckham fallout in which eldest child Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz, 30, have become estranged.
The DJ is said to have dated Brooklyn before he met billionaire heiress Nicola. However, following weeks of headlines about her and Brooklyn, Kim fumed that she was ’embarrassed by the lies.’
This Monday, Kim took to social media to speak out for the first time on the drama. She said: “I’ve avoided speaking on this topic to prevent adding fuel to the fire, however it’s come to a point where I feel the need to address it so I can move on.”
Brit dad meant to be in Air India plane crash survivor’s Seat 11A breaks silence
A British dad was originally due to fly home on the doomed Air India flight (Image: AP)
This Monday, our News team covered one British dad’s lucky escape after a last minute flight change saved his life – he was due on the Air India flight 171 this week. The dad has shared his shock and expressed his gratitude after he changed his plans at the very last minute and has spoken of the very bizarre coincidence with his new booking.
Owen Jackson, 31, from Saffron Walden in Essex, had been in India on a work trip and was scheduled to fly back this week but had to decide between flying back on Thursday or Saturday. In the end his colleagues said to take the Saturday flight as the job would take a bit longer than originally planned.
He was then booked onto the same route on Saturday which would have been the same aircraft as the one which crashed, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard. In a bizarre coincidence, Owen was booked onto seat 11A for the Saturday flight – the seat number belonging to the only survivor of flight 171.
Paddy McGuinness hits out at Carlos Tevez ‘assault’ after Soccer Aid
Paddy McGuinness has broken his silence after being on the wrong end of a Carlos Tevez masterclass(Image: PA)
Soccer Aid graced TV screens yesterday evening, raising over £15 million for UNICEF. However, drama over the hotly anticipated match has spilled in to today after former Manchester City ace Carlos Tevez fired four goals past England keeper Paddy McGuinness and fans accused him of forgetting Soccer Aid is for charity.
Paddy McGuinness has now broken his silence after being on the wrong end of the Carlos Tevez masterclass. Taking to Instagram today, Paddy shared a hilarious snap of him and Tevez post-match. Tevez had a huge grin on his face as he and Paddy pointed fingers at each other.
The funnyman wrote alongside it: “Police are looking to contact this man in connection with an assault that took place in the Old Trafford area of Manchester last night.” Viewers at home joked Tevez was approaching the game with the ferocity of a Champions League final.
Grooming gangs have ‘nowhere to hide’ Yvette Cooper vows as damning report published
Yvette Cooper speaking in the Commons
This afternoon, our Politics team were in the Commons to listen to Yvette Cooper’s statement on grooming gangs. The Home Secretary said a “damning” report into grooming gangs found the UK has “lost more than a decade” in protecting children.
The Labour minister told MPs “vile” abusers will have “nowhere to hide” as she vowed to finally bring hundreds of evil predators to justice. She told the Commons the Government will bring in a string of new laws after Baroness Louise Casey unearthed chilling failures.
In a report published this afternoon, Baroness Casey called for a full national inquiry to highlight the harrowing abuse suffered by hundreds of children, and ensure it never happens again. Ms Cooper said: “We have lost more than a decade. That must end now.”
Brazen Prince Andrew heads to huge royal event despite King Charles ‘ban’
Andrew on Garter Day with the King, then Prince Charles, in 2015(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
As Royals gathered for the annual Garter Day this Monday, Prince Andrew was spotted heading to Windsor Castle – despite not being expected to take part in its public procession. The disgraced Duke of York was seen in a shirt and tie driving his car towards the castle for the ancient Order of the Garter ceremony as the Royal Family‘s summer season began in earnest.
The day sees those in the order gather for lunch at the castle before a procession takes place through the castle grounds that sees members dressed in white plumed hats and dark blue velvet robes. Andrew is a member of the order alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William and is believed to be joining the annual lunch and investiture, which takes place behind closed doors.
However, he was not expected to take part in the public procession through the castle grounds – having been banished from it for the past four years. Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In this Monday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from an volcanic eruption at a tourist hotspot, to an update in the search for Madeleine McCann
Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Monday, we’re taking a look at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz breaking their silence on their ongoing family feud, to the health risks of the eruption of Mount Etna.
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola break silence in first interview since family feud exploded
This afternoon, our Showbiz team reported that Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz have spoken out for the first time since reports of the Beckhams’ family feud broke.
Brooklyn Beckham snubbed parents David and Victoria Beckham in a revealing new interview about his marriage. The eldest of the Beckham kids, who is currently embroiled in a family feud, said he has been ‘captivated’ by wife Nicola Peltz and wanted to marry her within days of their meeting.
As the sad rift in the Beckham clan continues to rumble on, Brooklyn has broken his silence in a gushing interview all about his new wife in which he calls her his ‘best friend.’
Mount Etna eruption health risks from exposure to volcanic gases – key symptoms
(Image: Getty Images)
Earlier today, our News team reported that Mount Etna, which is on the coast of Sicily, had turned black. Our Health team then did a deep dive on possible health risks of the eruption, some of which could potentially be serious.
Even if fire, lava and magma are unlikely to make an appearance, volcanic eruptions can pose a major health risk to people in the surrounding areas. This could mainly affect the eyes, lungs and skin through the acidic gases and ash released into the atmosphere.
The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network notes that being exposed to volcanic gases can have a range of effects depending on how concentrated it is and the length of time a person is exposed to it. This can include suffocation and death if the CO2 or H2S is concentrated enough.
Madeleine McCann updates: Cops launch major land search near top suspect’s house
(Image: Phil Harris)
Since 2007, the case of missing girl Madeleine McCann has been ongoing. Our World News team earlier reported some updates in the case, focusing on an upcoming search near the house of the case’s top suspect.
Fresh police searches are due to start tomorrow near the spot where Madeleine McCann was last seen.
German police have requested the searches, expected to take place between Praia da Luz where the three-year-old vanished on May 3, 2007 and a house near the holiday resort where principal suspect Christian Brueckner used to live.
A well-placed Portuguese source confirmed this week’s operation was scheduled get underway tomorrow but said some preparation work may take place beforehand. He said: “They will be land searches only. The main objective is to look for any signs of Madeleine’s body.”
Exact date Spanish scorcher sends UK mercury soaring to 31C as maps turn dark red
Temperature maps outline just how intense the heat could get(Image: WXCHARTS)
Our News team have reported that Britain is set to be hit by a 400 mile-wide ‘Spanish scorcher’ as temperatures finally top 30C. After the record spring sizzle, summer is beginning with drizzle and a cooldown this week, with disappointing 16-20C highs over the next few days and soggy spells.
But hot air blowing from melting Spain – which has ushered in 40C early summer temperatures across the Iberian peninsula – is due to blow to Britain after the weekend, according to weather maps. BBC Weather has predicted that the mercury will nudge 27C by next Wednesday and other weather forecasters have said 31C will follow, beating the 29.3C hottest day of the year recorded on May 1.
Holidaymakers told to wear masks and get jabs as cases of ‘new Covid’ soar
Portrait of a young woman checks the arrivals and departures board at the airport. She wears a face mask for protection during a Coronavirus pandemic.
New normal lifestyle for public transport after Covid-19
A big story from our Travel team today is reported warnings from a popular holiday spot to be wary of the latest Covid variant.
The Thai government has urged people to wear masks, wash their hands, get vaccinated and avoid activity that could spread Covid as a new variant sends cases rocketing, The World Health Organisation has issued a warning over the new variant, NB.1.8.1, which has seen cases soar in countries including Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand.
The new strain, which is said to be more infectious than previous variants, has also been found in the US and the UK. Now the government in Thailand has issued a warning after 257,280 cases of Covid and 52 deaths.
On a spring afternoon in 2005, the members of OK Go dressed up in tacky suits, gathered in front of a video camera and awkwardly danced their way into history.
The band’s DIY single-shot clip for its song “A Million Ways” — in which the brainy rock quartet moves through three and a half minutes of intricate choreography on the patio behind singer Damian Kulash’s Los Angeles home — became one of music’s first viral videos, racking up millions of downloads (remember those?) and helping to establish a new way for acts to connect with fans as the internet began to supplant MTV and Top 40 radio.
“As soon as the treadmill thing happened, it was like: Holy s—, we’re pop culture now,” Kulash said the other day of “Here It Goes Again,” which won a Grammy Award for best music video and has been viewed more than 67 million times on YouTube.
Twenty years after “A Million Ways,” the mechanics of cultural connection have transformed again thanks to social media and TikTok, where what you encounter as you scroll is guided by the invisible hand of data analysis.
Said OK Go bassist Tim Nordwind with grinning understatement: “The algorithm has become a bit more powerful.”
“Not a big fan of the algorithm as an arbiter of art,” Kulash added. “It’s sad to see optimization in a space that was once the Wild West.”
Yet OK Go is still at it: Last month the group released its latest one-shot video for the song “Love,” for which Kulash and his co-directors installed dozens of mirrors on powerful robotic arms inside an old Budapest train station to create a kind of kaleidoscopic obstacle course.
The band’s methods have grown more sophisticated since “A Million Ways,” and these days it seeks out corporate sponsors to help bring Kulash’s visions to life. But an adventuresome — and touchingly personal — spirit remains key to its work.
“What I love about the ‘Love’ video is the humans in the room,” Kulash said as he and Nordwind sat outside a Burbank rehearsal studio where OK Go was preparing for a tour scheduled to stop Friday and Saturday at L.A.’s Bellwether. (The group’s other members are guitarist Andy Ross and drummer Dan Konopka.) “The robots are only there,” the singer added, “to move the mirrors so that we can experience that magical thing — so simple and beautiful — of two mirrors making infinity.”
A wistful psych-pop jam inspired by Kulash’s becoming a father to twins — his wife, author and filmmaker Kristin Gore, is a daughter of former Vice President Al Gore — “Love” comes from OK Go’s new album, “And the Adjacent Possible,” its first LP since 2014. It’s a characteristically eclectic set that also includes a strutting funk-rock tune featuring Ben Harper, a glammy rave-up co-written by Shudder to Think’s Craig Wedren and a woozy existentialist’s ballad about discovering there’s no “no deus ex machina working away in the wings.” (That last one’s called “This Is How It Ends.”)
“We’re old people who listen to sad ballads,” said Kulash, who’ll turn 50 in October. “That’s what happens when you become an old person, right?”
Wedren, who’s known Kulash since the latter was a teenage Shudder to Think fan in their shared hometown of Washington, D.C., said that “part of the beauty of OK Go is that they’re so musically omnivorous — that all these things that wouldn’t seem to go together always end up sounding like OK Go.” In Wedren’s view, the band “doesn’t get enough credit for how exploratory they are as musicians — maybe because of the genius of the videos.”
If that’s the case, Kulash doesn’t seem especially to mind. He knew nearly two decades ago that the viral success of the treadmill video — which the band recreated onstage at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards between performances by Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé — threatened to make OK Go “a one-hit wonder whose one hit was an exercise equipment stunt,” as the singer put it. “Or it could be the opening to an opportunity to do more and weirder things.”
Among the weird things the group ended up doing: the 2014 clip for “I Won’t Let You Down,” in which the members ride around a parking lot in Japan on personal mobility devices under the eye of a camera on a drone.
“I remember hearing that Radiohead didn’t play ‘Creep’ for 10 or 15 years because they were too cool for that,” he said. “Had we taken the path of being too cool for treadmills and homemade videos, I can look back and say —”
“We’d have had a much quieter career,” Nordwind chimed in.
There’s a way of looking at OK Go’s emphasis on visuals that depicts the band as a harbinger of an era when “musician” is just another word for “content creator.”
“It’s weird to think about a life in the vertical as opposed to the horizontal,” Nordwind said with a laugh, referring to the respective orientations of videos on TikTok and YouTube.
“What’s difficult about social media is the question of volume — the volume and quality balance is off to me,” Kulash said.
Creators, he means, are expected to churn out content like little one-person factories.
“Day after day,” Nordwind said. “We like to take our time.”
“Also: When I fall in love with a song, I want to hear that song over and over again,” Kulash said. “I will listen to ‘Purple Rain’ until I die. Do people go back and search someone’s feed to replay the TikTok they first fell in love with?
“The relationship that I think people have to their favorite YouTube star or TikToker,” he added, “feels much more like a relationship to celebrity than it does a relationship to art.”
OK Go at its rehearsal studio in Burbank.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
For Kulash, who made his feature debut as a director (alongside his wife) with 2023’s “The Beanie Bubble,” the pursuit of art is bound up in ideas of effort and limitation, which is why AI doesn’t interest him as a filmmaking tool.
“When everything is possible, nothing is special,” he said. “The reason we shoot our videos in a single shot is not purely for the filmmaking heroics. It’s because that’s the only way to prove to people: This is real — we did the thing.”
OK Go’s dedication to costly and time-consuming practical effects has led to partnerships with a number of deep-pocketed brands, beginning with State Farm, which spent a reported $150,000 to finance the band’s 2010 “This Too Shall Pass” video with the Rube Goldberg machine. (Meta sponsored the “Love” video and in return got a prominent spot in the clip for its Ray-Ban smart glasses.)
Kulash said that kind of product placement was “scary as s—” back in the late 2000s, when the fear of being perceived as sellouts haunted every rock band.
“Now, of course, it’s like a badge of honor,” he added, among influencers eager to flaunt their corporate ties.
To explain his position on the matter, the singer — whose band walked away from its deal with Capitol Records in 2010 to start its own label, Paracadute — tried out an extended metaphor: “On the other side of the planet, tectonic plates are moving and the hot magma of corporate money is coming out of the ground. That’s why the MTV Awards exist, that’s why the Grammys exist, that’s why everything you think of as a celebration of high art exists. It’s all advertising dollars, every last bit of it. You’re protected by these continents of middle-people, which let you feel like you’re marking art. But if you can manage to be one of those microbes at the bottom of the sea that gets its energy directly from the thermal vents of the hot magma money, then you get to make something other people don’t.” He laughed.
“There’s no record label in the world that would ever be like, ‘Hey, why don’t you go to Budapest for three weeks and spend a ridiculous amount of money to make this music video at a time when there’s not even a music video channel anymore?’
“But brands know that’s worthwhile, and we know that’s worthwhile,” he said. “You just have to make sure you don’t get burned by the magma.”
