Author: BBC

Sean Baker said he was “over the moon” at the Vanity Fair party following his Oscar wins. As the first person to win four Oscars for one film, including Best Director, Baker is the man of the moment.He showered praise on Mikey Madison, the star of the film, who took home the Best Actress award, beating other front-runner Demi Moore.”Mikey’s win is so important to me. It’s something that I was really hoping for,” he says. “I’m so happy that the industry and the academy are recognising her incredible talent.”

Getty ImagesThe Covid public inquiry will start four weeks of hearings on Monday, looking into the purchase and distribution of billions of pounds’ worth of medical equipment during the pandemic.In total, it’s thought £48bn was spent on personal protective equipment (PPE), the test-and-trace programme, hospital supplies and the vaccine rollout.Nearly 10% of contracts were awarded to firms with a link to the Conservative government in power at the time, according to the organisation Transparency International.Bereaved families have accused the inquiry of a “potential whitewash” after it emerged representatives of PPE suppliers will not be called upon to give evidence.The ‘VIP…

Mixue Ice Cream and Tea may be unfamiliar to many of us but the Chinese firm has more outlets than McDonald’s and Starbucks.On Monday, the bubble tea chain’s shares jumped by more than 40% in their first day of trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.The company raised $444m (£352m) in the financial hub’s biggest initial public offering (IPO) of the year.Mixue’s popularity comes as many people in China are grappling with the country’s economic challenges – including a property crisis, and weak consumer and business confidence. It sells ice creams and drinks for an average of six Chinese yuan…

Tom GerkenTechnology reporterPA MediaThe UK data watchdog has launched what it calls a “major investigation” into TikTok’s use of children’s personal information.The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will inspect the way in which the social media platform uses the data of 13 to 17-year-olds to recommend further content to them.John Edwards, the Information Commissioner, said it would look at whether TikTok’s data collection practices could lead to children experiencing harms, such as data being leaked or spending “more time than is healthy” on the platform.TikTok told the BBC its recommender systems operated under “strict and comprehensive measures that protect the privacy…

Mark SavageMusic CorrespondentGetty ImagesNudity, swearing, petulance, club anthems, more nudity and a woman dressed as a horse – the 2025 Brit Awards had it all.Charli XCX was the big winner, taking home five prizes in all – including best artist, best album and song of the year.US star – and the BBC’s Sound of 2025 – Chappell Roan picked up two awards; while Ezra Collective, The Last Dinner Party, Fontaines DC and Stormzy got one apiece.But no-one’s only interested in all that. Here’s what really went down at the 2025 ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.Most predictable winner: Charli XCXGetty ImagesListen,…

PA MediaAmanda Pritchard, head of NHS England, would have regular Monday meetings with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to review performance and address challenges. But last Monday was different. After discussing the state of the health service, she announced she was stepping down – with just one month’s notice.It came as a shock to many in the organisation, under which there are 1.4 million staff who deal with 1.7 million patients everyday. But those in the know had suspected something was happening – though not the timing.That meeting between Pritchard and Streeting was the natural conclusion of changes which had been…

Tom EspinerBBC business reporterGetty ImagesRegulated rail fares have gone up in England and Wales by 4.6% and the price of most railcards has risen by £5.The government says fares need to rise so it can invest in the rail system, but Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged passengers were “frustrated” by delays and cancellations.Although the government plans to renationalise three rail operators this year, this is not expected to bring ticket prices down.The Campaign for Better Transport said the latest increase “piles further misery on hard-pressed households” and called for lower fares.The rail fare rise for regulated tickets includes most season…

Graham FraserTechnology ReporterGettySkype, the video-calling service that had hundreds of millions of users, is closing in May, its owner Microsoft has said.It was once one of the world’s most popular websites and allowed people to make voice calls via their computers to friends and family all over the globe for free.Skype was not the first or only company offering this service but by allowing the public to make computer-to-computer calls free, it helped popularise the concept.In an announcement on X, Skype said users can sign in to Microsoft Teams with their account to stay connected with all their chats and…

UniversalMikey Madison stars in Anora, a film about a New York stripperWhen Luna Sofia Miranda approached Sean Baker in a strip club in New York in 2022, she tried her best to charm him.But he “very clearly did not want to buy a lap dance,” she says.Miranda, who was 23 at the time, started asking why he and his wife were there.”I’m very nosy,” she says. “So I kept asking them questions and I finally got it out of them. They were making a film about strippers.”She told them she had studied acting, and – after a successful audition -…

Getty ImagesThe hike in national insurance contributions (NICs) set for April will see some Northern Ireland GP practices going under if the government does not provide a bail-out, according to a senior doctor.The Royal College of GPs in Northern Ireland (RCGP) told Stormont’s Public Accounts Committee the move could be “catastrophic”.Employers currently pay a rate of 13.8% on employees’ earnings above a threshold of £9,100 a year.In the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this rate would increase to 15% in April 2025, and the threshold would be reduced to £5,000.The DUP MLA, Diane Forsythe, said she had received information back…