Harry Styles will play 12 shows at Wembley Stadium in 2023. The singer has donated Β£750,000 to support small music venues. Labour MPs have called for a halt to business rate rises for music venue. IShowSpeed has been granted a Ghanaian passport.
Harry Styles, the globally acclaimed British singer, is making headlines for his upcoming Wembley Stadium residency. The star is set to break records previously held by Coldplay and Taylor Swift, with a total of 12 shows scheduled from June 2 to 18, 2023. Besides the musical milestone, Styles has announced a significant donation to support small music venues. This contribution, amounting to nearly Β£750,000, will help maintain these grassroots concert halls when Styles plays Wembley.
Meanwhile, US YouTube sensation IShowSpeed has been granted a Ghanaian passport as his Africa tour comes to an end. Ghana's foreign minister hailed the influencer as a "worthy ambassador," but not all reactions were positive. Some Ghanaian citizens expressed concern over the perceived ease with which foreigners could obtain Ghanaian citizenship.
In the world of music and politics, Labour MPs have called for a halt to business rate rises for music venues. Nearly 50 MPs have written to the chancellor, urging him to exempt these venues from the proposed hike. The petitioners argue that the rise would significantly impact the viability of these establishments, which are essential cultural spaces.
Elsewhere, unsettling developments in Iran have emerged, as new videos depict bodies piled in a Tehran hospital and snipers stationed on rooftops. The authenticity of these videos, which have been circulating on social media, remains unconfirmed.
In lighter news, a heartwarming video of giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao playing in a Washington DC snowstorm has gone viral. The footage captures the duo tumbling, climbing trees, and running through the snow, providing a delightful distraction from the ongoing global concerns.
In the realm of awards, the nominations for the 2026 Baftas have been revealed. Some of the most notable contenders include stars and films that have made waves in the industry.
Take That, the iconic British band, recently released a new Netflix documentary. The show contains a surprise new song, but much of the story has been told before, leaving fans with a mix of familiarity and novelty.
Jacob Collier, a Grammy-winning artist, spoke at the launch of BBC Get Singing. He emphasized the power of singing in overcoming teenage isolation, stating that music "embeds confidence" in young people.
China's industrial profits have shown promising signs of recovery, with industrial enterprises reporting a rise in earnings for the first time in three months. This improvement can be attributed to the easing of producer deflation, which had previously hampered earnings.
The European Union is conducting an investigation into Elon Musk's X, regarding manipulated sexually explicit images that have allegedly been shown to users in the EU. The Commission aims to assess the validity of these claims.
Lastly, Chris Mason, a renowned journalist, has expressed doubts about the Burnham saga marking the last act in the drama of Starmer's leadership. In a dramatic turn of events, No 10 successfully thwarted Burnham's attempted run from Manchester to Westminster, leaving the future of the Labour Party uncertain.
Sources:
[Source 1: US YouTube star IShowSpeed to get Ghanaian passport as Africa tour ends]
[Source 2: Harry Styles to break Wembley Stadium record with 12 shows]
[Source 3: Harry Styles supporting small music venues with tour donation]
[Source 4: Labour MPs call for halt to business rate rise for music venues]
[Source 5: New Iran videos show bodies piled in hospital and snipers on roofs]
[Source 6: Watch: Giant pandas play in Washington DC snowstorm]
[Source 7: Baftas 2026: The nominations list in full]
[Source 8: Take That's new documentary tells a very familiar story]
[Source 9: Singing can overcome teenage isolation, says Grammy-winner]
[Source 10: Chinaβs Industrial Profits Reverse Slump After Deflation Eases]
[Source 11: EU investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes]
[Source 12: Chris Mason: Burnham saga unlikely to be last act in drama of Starmer's leadership]