Elton John Blasts UK Government Over ‘Criminal’ Copyright Plans

Elton John, a British pop star, called the UK government “absolute losers” on Sunday over proposed copyright law changes that would grant tech companies exemptions.

“Rocket Man” star John blasted the government for allegedly preparing to “rob young people of their legacy and their income” in a blistering interview that the BBC broadcast.

Tech companies could use creators’ content without restrictions, according to him, if the changes were “criminal.”

However, John, 78, who has sold over 300 million records worldwide during his illustrious career, claimed that young artists lack the tools to “fight big tech””.

He claimed that while artificial intelligence (AI), a line should be drawn between creativity and music.

The data (use and access) bill passed through parliament in the government.

The parliament’s upper house supported a change that would require copyright holders to consent to how and when their work was used, as well as who and when to use it.

Elton John is also unable to watch his own musical due to “Lost Eyesight,” READ ALSO.

However, on Wednesday, MPs in the Labour government’s overwhelmingly majority voted against the changes.

According to John, the government’s planned changes to copyright laws would be “committing theft, thievery on a high scale” if they were to be implemented.

John criticized Technology Secretary Peter Kyle as a “bit of a moron,” calling him “the government are just being absolute losers” and “i’m very angry about it.”

While citing that the technology represented “a huge opportunity,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the government needs to “get the balance right” regarding copyright and AI.

They should not sell us down the river, John said, urging Starmer to “wise up” and “see sense.”

Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, and Damon Albarn, among others, released a silent album in February to voice their opposition to the proposed changes, which they claim would make music theft legal.

In a letter to The Times newspaper earlier this month, writers and musicians like John and Bush also wrote in opposition to the proposals as a “wholesale giveaway” to Silicon Valley.

Other signatories included writers Kazuo Ishiguro, Michael Morpurgo, and Helen Fielding as well as musicians Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and Sting.

French Town Breaks Smurf Number World Record

Organizers in a small town in western France estimated that there were more than 3, 000 smurf-costumed people gathered in one location, breaking the world record for the number.

Landerneau, a town in France’s far west, had twice tried to wrest the record from Lauchringen, a town in Germany that managed to gather together a seemingly unassailable 2, 762 smurfs in 2019, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

The French rivals, however, gathered 3, 076 people wearing white hats, slapping blue, and singing smurfy songs on Saturday to finally pulverize that record.

One participant remarked, “We smurfed the record.”

Smurfs, which were created in the forest by Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958 and are known as “Schtroumpfs” in French, are tiny, human-like creatures.

The entertaining characters have grown into a significant franchise, which includes movies, television shows, commercials, video games, theme parks, and toys.

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Smurfs
On May 17, 2025, a group of people dressed as smurfs attempt to break the world record for the largest gathering of smurfs in Landerneau, western France. (Photo by Fred TANNEAU/AFP)

“A friend of mine encouraged me to join, and I said, “Why not?” “,” said Simone Pronost, 82, who was dressed as a smurfette while sipping a beer on a cafe’s terrace.

More than 200 kilometers (125 miles) away, the student, age 20, Albane Delariviere, made the journey to join.

We thought Landerneau would benefit greatly from this, she said.

Mayor of Landerneau Patrick Leclerc, who is also dressed in full smurf, said the initiative “brings people together and gives them something else to think about than the times we’re living in.”

The gathering, according to Pascal Soun, the association’s president, “allows people to have fun and enter an imaginary world for a few hours.”

After the previous record attempt in 2023 was sunk by heavy rain that kept many contestants away, contestants were relieved that the weather was favorable.

A missing document caused Guinness World Records to invalidate an initial successful bid for more than 3,500 smurfs in 2020 due to a technicality.

Smurf enthusiasts in Landerneau were on the verge of giving up, but Paramount, a film production company, persuaded them to give it another shot.

Jennifer Lawrence bravely opens up about ‘extremely isolating’ postpartum struggle

Die, My Love, Jennifer Lawrence’s newest film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, stars a mother who is suffering from psychosis.

Jennifer Lawrence stars in Die My Love(Image: Getty Images)

Jennifer Lawrence bravely revealed her “extremely isolating” postpartum struggle following the birth of her first child. The 34-year-old actress Cooke Maroney, who plays a mother who is battling psychosis in her new movie Die, My Love, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, gave birth to her second child earlier this year along with her husband.

The mother-of-two said she felt lonely while speaking at a press conference to promote the movie. Jenny gave birth to her first son Cy in 2022 when she was asked to appear in the movie.

She continued, “I mean, obviously, as a mother, it was really difficult to tell the difference between what I would do and what she would do.” Simply put, it was heartbreaking. It was a devastating, powerful book when I first read it, and Lynne (Ramsay) claimed it was dreamlike.

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Jennifer stars in the film with Robert Pattinson
Jennifer stars in the film with Robert Pattinson(Image: Getty Images)

“My first (baby) was just coming along. And postpartum is not really what it sounds like. When Lynn (Ramsay) relocates this couple to Montana, it’s incredibly isolating. She lacks a sense of community. She lacks people. However, no matter where you are, extreme anxiety and depression can be found anywhere. You resemble a space alien. And I was deeply moved by it. Since watching Rat Catcher, I knew I wanted to work with Lynn Ramsey.

In the film, Jennifer stars as Grace, a new mother whose mental health declines as a result of her marriage breakdown. Robert Pattinson, the husband Jackson, is a Twilight star.

Continue reading the article.

Jennifer claimed that her outlook on a career has changed since having her own children. She has since said that having children changes everything and described her own motherhood as “brutal and incredible.”

She said: “It changes your whole life. But it’s brutal and incredible. And so not only do they go into every decision of if I’m working, where I’m working, when I’m working. It taught me… I didn’t know that I could feel so much. My job has a lot to do with emotion. They’ve opened up the world to me. It’s almost like feeling like a blister or something, so sensitive.

They have, of course, changed my life for the better, and they have also made me more creative. If you want to be an actor, I highly advise having children. The movie, which Lynne Ramsay directed, has the distinction of being both a horror and a comedy.

Jennifer made her comeback in the X-Men and Hunger Games series in 2010. She then worked on famous films like American Hustle, Joy, and Don’t Look Up.

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Cringe-inducing clip from The Weeknd’s new film goes viral as fans plead ‘please stop acting’

Some people who have seen The Weeknd’s most recent foray into acting after seeing The Weeknd’s most recent foray into acting have expressed some harsh opinions toward the accomplished musician.

Clip from The Weeknd’s new film goes viral – ‘Whoever told him he’s good at acting is going to hell’(Image: Getty Images)

Fans have slammed The Weeknd’s new film after a clip of him acting a scene with Jenna Ortega has gone viral. Taken from Hurry Up Tomorrow, which was released on Friday, social media users have mocked his acting skills, advising him to ‘stick to singing’.

The psychological thriller stars The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, as a fictionalised version of himself. In the movie, he’s an insomniac musician, who is descending into mental illness.

His Abel meets a troubled fan named Anima, who Ortega portrays after splitting with his girlfriend. However, viewers haven’t focused on the plot because Abel’s performance was used to draw attention elsewhere.

He violently shouts at her while using all of his dramatic skills in a clip that shows him getting into a heated argument with a tearful Anima. Some fans, who claim that his acting is “not your calling,” can’t get past it.

Some fans thought his acting skills were a bit rusty
Some fans thought his acting skills were a bit rusty(Image: Lionsgate)

One fan took to X and posted a GIF of a dog with its eyes closed, “Me ignoring the Weeknd’s acting career so I can enjoy his music.” Another joke read, “It’s insane to watch The Weeknd force an acting career on us.” since it is not your job. Stop the movie theaters I use.

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A third fan wondered, “I genuinely can’t tell if the weeknd is bad at acting or he’s just really good at playing someone really f***ing annoying” and wondered, “I can’t tell.” Someone else urged someone to step in, saying, “We need to start being honest and telling the weeknd that singing is not for everyone. “

Some believed someone had cheated on him, with one fan saying, “He’s got to be good at acting going to hell.” Another pondered, “I’ve never seen anyone acting out in monotone.”

Following his 2023 HBO series The Idol, The Weeknd has not been his first major success in acting. Unfortunately, that also failed and was fired after its debut season.

The Weeknd starred alongside Barry Keoghan, who plays his manager Lee
The Weeknd starred alongside Barry Keoghan, who plays his manager Lee(Image: AP)

Jocelyn, Lily Rose Depp’s character, begins a challenging relationship with The Weeknd, the head of a contemporary cult. Fans of “unnecessary” sex scenes and “poorly written” dialogue were left groping as they watched The Idol, which received a lot of negative reviews from critics and backlash from critics.

Some viewers shared their thoughts on Twitter, saying, “I believe we could all see this coming from a mile away.” Even the second episode was dropped before that.

I was surprised they even let them finish the finale, she added. A third person responded, “This is one cancellation I vehemently support.”

A fourth harshly wrote, “Thank God that show was one of the worst things I have ever seen in my life.” The Weeknd was urged by some to continue working on his successful musical career, with one typing: “I know I speak for the majority of people when I say we want to see The Weeknd act again.”

A spokesperson for the television company that has created hit shows like Euphoria, Game of Thrones and Succession, told Variety: “The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response. After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”

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Bear Grylls boasts about his love of one stomach-churning dish ‘fried up with butter’

Bear Gryll has a reputation for devouring anything, from scorpions to raw snakes, but his most recent revelation about a bizarre dish he enjoys at home shocked him.

Daredevil Bear says his son – who is currently working at a butcher’s shop – has encouraged him to indulge in the bizarre delicacy(Image: Getty Images)

Bear Grylls has boasted that he eats testicles for pleasure at home – on the advice of his son, who works at a butcher’s shop. The intrepid TV adventurer, who is famous for eating a variety of stomach-churning meals as part of his survival shows, is quite happy to chomp on beef testicles, brought home by son Marmaduke.

The former SAS soldier revealed that the decision to fry up the unlikely bull privates are because Marmaduke insists that the body region boasts the most flavour. The 19-year-old is working as a butcher in north Wales, he explained, before his plan to begin an army career, following in the footsteps of his famous dad – who is a former SAS trooper.

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Bear Grylls eating in the wild
Bear has eaten everything from. camel intestinal fluids to rat brain and yak eyeballs in the wild(Image: Discovery Channel)

Bear stated, “Marmaduke is currently employed by a butcher’s in North Wales. He has a year off. He enjoys it. He returns home with meat that is good. But I am certain that he is a fan of the neighborhood. He’s quite a bit of a North Wales snob, so he returns and says, “Look what I’ve got.”

He constantly reminds us that we are getting the wrong things. Because it’s less expensive, but the quality is excellent, you want to purchase this item. When in reality you want the flank, the shin, and ideally the beef testicles, everyone just buys ribeyes and sirloin and filet. Bear responded, “Well, you probably want to fry them up with butter. “

The 50-year-old Celebrity Bear Hunt star made his confession to radio host Dermot O’Leary, who reacted: “Even when you’re off, you’re on’, to which a laughing Bear responded, “That’s right!” The father-of-three revealed that his middle son is hooked on his part time job: “He has got a plastic scabbard for his knives. He got it off eBay for eight quid.”

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Bear Grylls and his kids
The adventurer said his kids wanted to eat maggots when they were little to get involved in games during his 40th birthday party(Image: Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock)

The Running Wild host also revealed that his kids loved being connected to his screen antics of munching on insects, dead animals and vegetation. His sons even urged their father to feed them maggots so that they could be involved in his 40th birthday celebrations.

He recalled that they obviously wanted to be a part of the party because they were smaller at the time. We had all of our best friends in the garden, and I wanted to play some games and forfeits so they didn’t want to miss out. You can each have a maggot before going to bed, so I said, “Look.

Bear, who was chatting to Dermot to promote his new book You Decide Your Own Adventure, also said that he feels even just camping with family members can have its benefits. “Sometimes, those are the best adventures. It can be in the backyard. It’s the simple things, isn’t it? What do they say? Sum up parenting in three words. Example, example, example. Get outside and do it together.

Bear Grylls and Holly Willoughby
The thrill seeker recently co-hosted Netflix reality show Celebrity Bear Hunt with Holly Willoughby(Image: PA)

“And I believe that sometimes you don’t need to say, “We’re going to play a little game or whatever,” according to a young person. Actually, kids only want to hang out with you and do things, such as go for a walk or ride on a bike.

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“There is inherent fun here. Try to lead by example when doing so simple things together. How do you approach everything in a way that makes you live your life adventurous? Work, relationships, friendships, adventure, and mental clarity. Let that be the example.

Prince Harry’s ‘telling message’ amid chance for royal olive branch with Meghan

After what has been a turbulent year for the Sussexes, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are fast approaching their seventh wedding anniversary. Royal expert Jennie Bond thinks a recent photo featuring Harry might indicate a future in the midst of his family conflict.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are fast approaching their seventh wedding anniversary (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

From court cases and charity controversy to launching lifestyle brands and giving bombshell interviews, 2025 has certainly been a rollercoaster for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But despite the drama of the year so far, the couple does have a bright spot on the horizon in the coming days as they will celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary.

Much has changed since their wedding day back in 2018, when they exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel in Windsor in front of the world. Not only have they upped sticks from the UK to live in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, Harry has also spectacularly fallen out with his royal relatives in the aftermath of his controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Netflix docuseries and his memoir, Spare.

The couple married back in May 2018
The couple married back in May 2018(Image: Getty Images for TIME)

Earlier this month, Harry sent further shockwaves around the world in yet another explosive interview. In it, he claimed the King will not speak to him, and he does not know “how much longer my father has” as he spoke of his hopes for a “reconciliation” with his family. The BBC television interview came after he lost the latest round in his court battle over his security arrangements in the UK.

Meghan’s husband and children are seen in the backyard of their Californian home in a black and white photo in the aftermath. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond thinks the photo is very moving as Harry and Meghan prepare to celebrate their seven-year marriage.

She told the Mirror : “I think the recent post of Harry walking into the distance with his two children suggested that he’s walking away from his old life once and for all. And I very much doubt that there will be anniversary wishes winging their way from the UK to California.”

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Prince Harry with Lilibet on her shoulders as he holds Archie's hand
Meghan shared this snap of her children with Prince Harry after he lost his court battle(Image: Instagram/meghan)

Given that the Sussexes are pursuing very different career paths, there has recently been much discussion about their relationship. In March, Meghan made her lifestyle and cookery show With Love, Meghan available on Netflix. She is also halfway through the launch of her popular lifestyle brand, As Ever, and is also working on Confessions of a Female Founder, a brand-new podcast.

In addition, Harry has focused on his charitable work and served as the Invictus Games’ keynote speaker in Vancouver in February. Jennie thinks the couple may have strengthened despite being isolated despite the gossip and the family disagreements.

She continued, “I believe that after everything they have been through, however it all came about and who you might believe is to blame,” it has probably made them stronger as a couple.

Harry speaks explosively to the BBC during a bombshell interview.
Harry speaks explosively to the BBC during a bombshell interview.

They must rely even more on one another because they have undoubtedly isolated themselves from their respective families because they have burned so many bridges. That is a lot of work to bear, but I’m sure both of them agree that it makes it even more necessary to work hard to ensure the success of their marriage.

They shouldn’t spend too much time talking about the conflict with their respective families, I believe. They endure crises, but they also have their love, children, gorgeous homes, freedom, and Meghan’s growing portfolio of new projects to keep them busy.

“It also seems quite extraordinary that it’s only seven years since Meghan walked up that aisle and took her place in the Royal family. It was a day filled with love and hope and she seemed to represent exactly what a modern monarchy needed. So much has happened since that day – and most of it makes very depressing reading.

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“But it seems to me that one thing hasn’t changed, and that’s the love they’ve reportedly felt for one another almost from the beginning of their relationship.”