Author: INDEPENDENT

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter The three of them file into the restaurant looking like soldiers emerging from the fog of war. David Harewood leads the way, flanked by Toby Jones and Caitlin FitzGerald, bringing up the rear. They appear bleary-eyed. A little shell-shocked. “It’s alright when you’re in the tunnel of rehearsals during the week, but then the weekend comes and you sort of collapse and have to climb a ladder…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsBosses of the UK’s biggest supermarkets are urging the Chancellor to exempt shops from a new business rates surtax, warning that shoppers will bear the brunt of higher costs.A letter, organised by industry group the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and addressed to Rachel Reeves, argues that limiting the tax burden on grocers would help tackle food inflation.It has been signed by UK executives and directors at Tesco, Sainsbury’s,…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSales of fitness equipment are soaring – up 15.1% across Great Britain on the previous year, new figures show.The fitness equipment market – which includes exercise machines such as bikes, treadmills and cross trainers, smaller items like mats and gym balls, weights and other strength training equipment and yoga and Pilates equipment – grew by £396 million in the year to October 5, Worldpanel said.The category also includes…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Misty Copeland has retired from the American Ballet Theatre, concluding a trailblazing career that established her as a pivotal ambassador for diversity within the predominantly white art form. Her final performance on Wednesday was met with golden glitter and bouquets.A decade ago, Copeland made history as the first Black female principal dancer in the company’s 75-year existence. Her departure was celebrated at a star-studded fall gala at…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsBlue chips in London closed up sharply on Thursday, after hitting a new record peak on commodity price strength and well received trading updates.The FTSE 100 index closed up 63.57 points, 0.7%, at 9,578.57. It had earlier established a new best level of 9,594.82.The FTSE 250 ended 131.62 points higher, 0.6%, at 22,361.41 and the AIM All-Share advanced 7.26 points, 1.0%, at 775.29.Boosting London’s lead index, there were…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsMarks & Spencer has enjoyed the most success in an annual Christmas supermarket taste test while Morrisons took first place in three coveted categories.M&S was ranked the best in six out of the Good Food test’s 17 categories, including joint best turkey crown, best gammon and best Christmas pudding.Judges described the £50 M&S Oakham hot maple-glazed turkey crown as having a “sticky, peppery hot maple glaze and stuffing…

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and moreStay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more The highly anticipated stage adaptation of The Hunger Games has been labelled “chaotic” and “messy” by theatregoers after its first preview show on Monday (20 October).The Hunger Games: On Stage opened at the purpose-built 1,200 seater venue, Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, with US actor John Malkovich playing the villain, President…

Peak inflation means ‘damage already done’ for some familiesTamsin Powell, consumer finance expert at Creditspring, said it might prove a positive for the mid-term – but still a tough situation to deal with in the here and now.“If the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ forecast proves correct and inflation peaks in September, it will offer some hope that price rises may finally begin to ease. But for many UK households the damage has already been done. Living costs remain high, and families are still feeling the squeeze from months of rising prices across transport, food, and other essentials,” she said.“For many…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter A Broadway strike still looms despite a union representing thousands of actors reaching a tentative new labor agreement with commercial producers over the weekend.Actors’ Equity Association has announced a new three-year agreement for its over 51,000 members, including singers, actors, dancers and stage managers, on issues like health care, scheduling and physical therapy. The tentative agreement will now go to members for ratification.“We’re pleased to have a…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsWhisky negotiations with the US are about “the hard yards” rather than “one-off photo opportunities”, the Prime Minister has said in a rebuke to First Minister John Swinney.Mr Swinney has made securing a deal to cut whisky tariffs with the US a key part of his premiership in recent months, meeting President Donald Trump on a number of occasions this year in the hopes of reducing the levies.The…