Author: BBC

Annabel Rackham and Steven McIntoshEntertainment reportersGetty ImagesRachel Zegler performed at the film’s European premiere, held in at a castle in Northern SpainDisney’s live-action remake of Snow White is set to be released in UK cinemas next week, marking the latest efforts by the film studio to revive a beloved old classic.But the film, which stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has faced several issues throughout its production. The movie is being released amid a debate about how the seven dwarfs are represented on screen, while Zegler has made headlines for critical comments about the original 1937 film.The European premiere was…

Tom EspinerBBC business reporterGetty ImagesRetailer John Lewis has said its staff will not receive a bonus for the third year in a row, despite reporting a jump in annual profits.The employee-owned retail partnership, which also includes the Waitrose supermarket chain, said profits last year rose by 73% to £97m.However, it has not restored the staff bonus, saying it would invest in its business and workers’ pay instead.The John Lewis Partnership employs about 69,000 people, and earlier this month it said shop workers would receive a 7.4% pay rise this year.This is the fourth time in five years that John Lewis…

Zoe Kleinman & Georgina HayesTechnology editor & reporterGetty ImagesRoblox has seen meteoric growth among young gamersParents who don’t want their children on Roblox should not let them use it, the chief executive of the gigantic gaming platform has said.The site, which is the most popular in the UK among young gamers aged eight to 12, has been dogged by claims of some children being exposed to explicit or harmful content through its games, alongside multiple reported allegations of bullying and grooming.But its co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki insisted that the company is vigilant in protecting its users and pointed out…

Philippa Roxby and Elena BaileyHealth reportersGetty ImagesThe first daily pill for treating endometriosis symptoms has been approved for use on the NHS in England – but only for patients who have tried all other options.Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women in the UK, causing pain and extreme tiredness as a result of tissue similar to the womb lining growing elsewhere in the body.The new tablet, known as relugolix combination therapy, has been approved by drug assessment body the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and, unlike current injectable treatments, it can be taken at home.The charity Endometriosis UK said…

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterReutersSpotify paid the music industry $10bn (£7.7bn) in 2024, which the streaming service said was the highest annual payment from any single retailer in history. But the figures come as a heated debate continues about how much money artists and songwriters receive in royalties.Earlier this year, several Grammy-nominated songwriters boycotted an awards event hosted by Spotify in a row about their streaming earnings.As the new figures were published, a spokesperson for Spotify said the responsibility for distributing the money it pays lay with record labels and publishers.The company said it pays royalties to rights holders, adding that it…

João da Silva and Tom EspinerBusiness reporters, BBC NewsReutersThe 25% duty on steel and aluminium imports is a major hit to some of the US’s top trading partnersThe UK is pushing for a trade deal with the US as tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on imports of steel and aluminium take effect.The import tax introduction sparked an immediate response from the European Union on Wednesday which said it will impose counter tariffs on billions of euros of US goods.The UK did not announce any tariffs in response as it works towards “a wider economic agreement”, but the Conservatives…

Global sales of smartwatches have fallen for the first time, new figures indicate, in large part due to a sharp decline in the popularity of market leader, Apple.Market research firm Counterpoint says 7% fewer of the devices were shipped in 2024 compared to the year before.Shipments of Apple Watches fell by 19% in that period, Counterpoint says.It blames the slump on a lack of new features in Apple’s latest devices, and the fact a rumoured high-end Ultra 3 model never materialised.”The biggest driver of the decline was North America, where the absence of the Ultra 3 and minimal feature upgrades…

Children should completely avoid “slushy” ice drinks containing glycerol, which can make them very ill, until they are at least eight years old, say researchers calling for official health advice to change.The researchers studied the cases of 21 two-to-seven-year-olds in the UK and Ireland who needed emergency treatment soon after drinking a slushy product.The brightly coloured drinks are designed to appeal to children – but most contain the naturally occurring sweetener glycerol, instead of sugar, to stop them freezing solid and give the slushy effect.Current Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice says under-fives should avoid the drinks and under-11s should have…

Ian Youngs and Colin PatersonCulture reportersGetty ImagesEric Cantona’s installation will “playfully explore the effects of fame on players”Eric Cantona is to give football fans a taste of what it feels like to be in the spotlight as part of a new art exhibition created by players about their experiences of the beautiful game.The Manchester United legend is alongside Dutch master Edgar Davids, England’s Euro 2022 winner Ella Toone and Spanish World Cup winner Juan Mata in a squad of creative players who have been paired with artists for the show.Cantona and contemporary artist Ryan Gander will highlight the effects of…

Stock markets fell sharply in the US on Monday as investors raised concerns about the negative economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.It followed the president saying in a TV interview that the world’s biggest economy was in a “period of transition”, when asked about suggestions of a potential recession.Since those remarks were broadcast on Sunday, top Trump officials and advisers have sought to calm investor fears.”The previous notion of Trump being a stock market president is being re-evaluated,” Charu Chanana, an investment strategist at investment bank Saxo, told the BBC.In a Fox News interview broadcast at the weekend but…