Archive September 26, 2025

Primavera Sound festival line-up includes huge star people ‘didn’t know made music’

Primavera Sound fans are delighted by next year’s line-up, with the likes of The Cure and Gorillaz set to play at the festival, though some say one person lower on the line-up should headline

An unlikely addition to next year’s Primavera Sound festival line-up has thrilled members of the public. The likes of My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, and Gorillaz will headline the Barcelona-based festival in 2026. Further down the line-up are brilliant bands like Geese, Wet Leg, and Yard Act, as well as a few surprises in the mix for good measure.

But some were puzzled by one act in particular being so far down on the line-up, and have gone as far as to say they should be headlining the festival. The xx, Addison Rae, and PinkPanthress were among the headliners for next year. Skrillex, Peggy Gou, Doja Cat, and Massive Attack are also listed as show headliners.

An appearance from an artist who has featured in some of the biggest Hollywood films of the last few years has surprised people as they are lower down on the roster and many believe she should be top billing.

Fans who spotted Cara Delevingne sandwiched between Geese frontman Cameron Winter and the great post-rock group caroline were confused as to how the Hollywood star wasn’t headlining.

Not only were they wanting her to headline the show, they didn’t even realise the Paper Towns star had been making music. One person wrote: “Cara Delevingne what are you doing here?” Another added: “Like genuinely what? Does she make music? I am so confused.”

A third person has since shed some light onto Delevingne being on the Primavera Sound line-up. They wrote: “She does. She’s a singer/songwriter and also plays drums.

“She made two albums (2013) and (2015) when she was managed by Simon Fuller but neither were officially released when her contract negotiations stalled with labels. They all wanted her to change her name.

“She has done soundtrack work and production work and writing for other artists. she most recently worked with Fiona Apple on her 2021 album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters.

“Her new project under her own name will be out next year so this show will likely focus on debuting the songs from that.”

Others believe next year’s festival line-up, which also features Big Thief and Baxter Dury, is a surefire hit for the festival.

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One person shared: “Top quality lineup. Can understand the 2025 lineup being a big hit for pop fans but this is much more like it, right up my street.”

Another added: “Man, I am jealous of whoever ends up going. Hell of a lineup, even the more obscure artists are great.” A third added: “This line up is sooooo good. All the acts on this line up are amazing and also relevant, something other festivals are lacking.”

Eurovision to vote on Israeli participation in November

Eurovision Song Contest members will vote on Israel’s participation in the 2026 competition in November.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the event, confirmed the plan on Friday. International demands for Israel to be excluded from the contest due to the country’s actions in Gaza have been growing.

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The board of the EBU, an umbrella organisation for public broadcasters that runs the event, has sent a letter to members indicating that the vote will take place at an extraordinary general meeting held online in early November, a spokesperson said.

The vote will be on whether Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster and member of the EBU, will participate, the spokesperson said. An “absolute majority” would be required for an exclusion to pass, he said.

Countries including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain have demanded that the EBU exclude Israel, citing as a precedent its decision to remove Russia from the show following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

During the past two editions of the competition, the event has been drawn into the controversy over Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, which has now killed more than 65,000 people.

Pro-Palestinian activists protested in Malmo, Sweden, in 2024 and in Basel, Switzerland in May over Israel’s participation in the contest.

In September, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

Last week, Spain threatened to boycott the competition – the world’s largest live televised music event that takes place in May – if Israel takes part. Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have made similar threats.

Germany and Austria have backed Israel’s participation.

Other countries, such as Belgium, Sweden, and Finland, are also considering a boycott and have until December to decide.

Aside from Russia, the EBU previously booted former Yugoslavia from the competition due to UN sanctions over the Balkan wars in the 1990s, and Belarus in 2021 over its crackdown on media freedoms.

Spanish Great Busquets To Retire After MLS Season

Sergio Busquets, a former Barcelona and Spain international, announced on Thursday that he would leave the sport at the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign.

In a social media post, the 37-year-old midfielder made the announcement.

“These will be my final months on the pitch,” I said. In a video posted on Busquets’ Instagram page, he stated, “I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all grateful.”

“Thank you all so much, and football for everything.” You’ll always be a part of this lovely tale.

Read more about PSG Captain Marquinhos’ exit with a thigh injury.

On September 24, 2025, in the Flushing neighborhood of New York City’s Queens borough, Inter Miami CF’s Sergio Busquets #5 stands on the field before the game against New York City FC at Citi Field. (Photo by ELSA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

Busquets is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders ever and is a graceful, accomplished player known for his poise and calmness on the ball.

He played a significant role in Barcelona’s nine Spanish league victories and won three Champions League titles.

With 143 caps, he was a member of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.

Fans facing ‘extremely worrying’ safety conditions at Uefa matches

Getty Images

Football fans are facing “extremely worrying trends” in safety and security at Uefa matches across Europe, supporters ‘ groups have told the BBC.

Next week’s Uefa Champions League fixtures include two ties – Napoli’s home game with Frankfurt and Ajax’s visit to Marseille – to which away fans have been banned from travelling by local authorities.

Meanwhile, Liverpool supporters have been told they must take hours-long buses with no access to toilet facilities for their match against Galatasaray in Istanbul, and been warned that items including phone power banks, medication and women’s hygiene products will be confiscated before entry.

“We have public authorities that are giving up and saying that they can’t do their job”, said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. “It is an extremely worrying trend. There should be consequences to this, but unfortunately at the moment this is not the case”.

The practice of regional police forces banning away fans at some matches, particularly in France and Italy, has become more common in recent years.

In some cases where fans are allowed to travel, they are banned from visiting the centre of the host city – this was the case when Tottenham visited France’s Rennes in 2021.

“We understand that some fan bases can be harder to host than others, but banning away fans from traveling is not a response to any of this”, Evain added.

“It is really disappointing to see that there’s no progress in France and Italy. It’s an easy response to a complicated problem.

” Opening an away end and providing 5% of tickets to the away fans is part of Uefa’s rules, just like the size of the pitch or anything else. Travel bans are the public authorities ‘ way of saying saying, ‘ Sorry, we are deciding not to respect that rule, and we are not capable of hosting the game properly’.

“If public authorities said something like ‘ the roof is not safe, we can’t organise the game properly’, then the match would be played somewhere else”.

An aerial view of Napoli's Diego Armando Maradona StadiumGetty Images

Meanwhile, Liverpool supporters have criticised the regimented travel conditions that police are set to enforce in Istanbul.

A spokesperson for Liverpool supporters ‘ union Spirit of Shankly (SOS) told the BBC it was “indefensible”.

“Being forced onto a limited fleet of buses with no toilets or accessibility, having everyday items confiscated, including phone power banks and even medical items in previous fixtures, is degrading and unsafe”, they said.

An aerial shot of Galatasaray's RAMS Park stadiumGetty Images

Turkey is due to co-host Euro 2032 alongside Italy.

“The hosting conditions in Turkey are extremely worrying and we see no sign of progress”, Evain said. “Turkish public authorities are creating an extremely hostile environment for visiting fans”.

After the chaos at the 2022 Uefa Champions League final, an independent panel of experts commissioned by Uefa found the governing body at fault, and made a series of recommendations including one that Uefa should take more responsibility for the safe running of events in its competitions.

“Uefa can’t keep washing their hands”, the SOS spokesperson added. “They signed up to the Saint-Denis Convention, which sets out that supporters ‘ journeys – from city to stadium and back – must be safe, secure and welcoming.

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Angela Scanlon jokes she loves autumn – ‘not just because it matches my hair’

Like the rest of us, the Irish TV presenter is a big fan of the change in seasons – and it’s for more than one reason, with a study showing Brit’s favourite things about the seasonal change

As autumn creeps in around the corner, it turns out Brits aren’t too sad to say goodbye to the summer months.

Instead, as the nights became darker most Brits relish snuggling up under a warm blanket after a long day or warming their hands with a hot drink. And it turns out TV presenter Angela Scanlon is a huge fan too.

The Irish personality and her walking club, ‘Hot Messers’, teamed up with Costa Coffee for a stroll through Epping Forest to celebrate the return of autumn, and the return of the brand’s Maple Hazel range, where she shared her love for all things autumn.

She said “I absolutely love autumn and not just because it matches my hair. It sneaks in with its crunchy leaves and smug sunsets and suddenly I’m wearing knitwear like it’s a personality trait.

“It’s the only season that actually wants you to slow down and let’s face it we could all do with a nap. It’s the ultimate reset – a season of hot drinks, half-baked plans for weekend escapes, and full permission to lean into cosy like it’s a competitive sport”

Research commissioned by Costa Coffee of 5,000 adults reported that a third turn into a ‘cosy comfort seeker’ as soon as the season starts to shift. It found Brits love to snuggle up in doors while they listen to the sound of the rain outside where they can light candles and eat their favourite comfort food.

According to the study, some of the other top 20 things about autumn include crunchy leaves underfoot, curling up with good books and evenings with puzzles or games.

More than half of autumn-lovers admitted they have a tendency to romanticise the season and think of it in an overly positive way. Admitting it makes them feel nostalgic, and more reflective or thoughtful.

However, nearly four in 10 enjoy dressing more for autumn, with these saying the top reasons are they can mix style with comfort – or break out the chunky boots.

On average, people who enjoy a hot drink have four more hot drinks every week in autumn than they do in summertime. They’re also likely to try a new autumnal season hot drink when they launch.

For 15 per cent seasonal drinks are one of the things they love most about autumn coffee shop visits – while 17 per cent enjoy the rich aroma of fresh coffee.

Gennaro Pelliccia, spokesperson at Costa Coffee, added: “As Angela says, autumn invites reflection and comfort. We see every day how a hot drink can be part of that – a small ritual that makes the season feel special.

“Our autumn range celebrates exactly that sense of slowing down and savouring the moment. ”

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Top 20 best things about autumn

  1. Switching to your cosy wardrobe (e. g. , jumpers, fleeces, joggers etc. )
  2. Snuggling under a blanket after a long day
  3. Crunchy leaves underfoot
  4. The sound of rain while you’re indoors
  5. Drawing the curtains early and settling in for the night
  6. The golden hour light hitting the trees
  7. Drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream
  8. Going for a walk that ends at a cafe
  9. Lighting seasonal candles
  10. Getting into bed early ‘just because it’s dark’
  11. Swapping salads for stews
  12. Wearing thick socks
  13. Batch cooking hearty meals
  14. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg
  15. Cosy evenings with board games or puzzles
  16. Warming your freezing hands on a takeaway coffee cup
  17. Guilt-free Netflix marathons
  18. Trying new autumn drinks in coffee shops
  19. Seeing your breath in the morning
  20. Decorating your home with autumn colours