Britain

Record Year for UK Music Tourism Driven by Global Stars

Music tourism contributed a record £10 billion ($13.8 billion) to the UK economy last year as fans flocked to live shows by Taylor Swift and other big acts, industry data from UK Music revealed Tuesday. "Charli XCX, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender and Dua Lipa helped lure a record 23.5 million music tourists to concerts and festivals," UK Music ...

Oasis Ride the ‘Britpop’ Wave as 90s Nostalgia Sweeps the UK

With "Britpop" bands Oasis and Pulp topping the charts and filling concert halls, a 90s vibe is floating over the UK this summer amid nostalgia for a "cooler" time when people seemed "happier". A trip to high street retailer Marks and Spencer, popular with older shoppers, feels like stepping back 30 years, with Oasis T-shirts flying off the ...

French Schools to Screen Netflix’s "Adolescence" in Fight Against Online Violence

British Netflix drama Adolescence - which has sparked widespread debate about the toxic and misogynistic influences to which young boys are exposed online, can now be shown in French secondary schools - a minister has said. The initiative follows a precedent set in the UK. The producer of the series broadcast on Netflix has "opened up the rights ...

From Birmingham to the World: Black Sabbath’s Last Gig Streams Live

Ozzy Osbourne's final ever gig as Black Sabbath's frontman will be streamed worldwide after fans snapped up tickets for the hometown show, starring the original line-up, in just 16 minutes, the band said Friday. Osbourne, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back ...

David Attenborough Urges 'Save the Oceans' as New Film Premieres

David Attenborough's latest film Ocean, highlighting the perils facing the world's seas, was to mark its global premiere in London Tuesday, as the veteran natural history broadcaster prepares to turn 99. Attenborough's Life on Earth in 1979 was watched by 500 million people worldwide, while dozens of subsequent documentaries and associated books ...

UK Ends Sanctions on Syria Defense, Interior Ministries

The UK government announced on Thursday it was lifting sanctions that were imposed on Syria's interior and defense ministries during the rule of the now-deposed Bashar al-Assad. "The following entries have been removed from the Consolidated List and are no longer subject to an asset freeze -- Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense," the Office ...

Set of Shakespeare Folios to be Sold in Rare London Auction

A set of four Shakespeare folios estimated to be worth more than £3.5 million ($4.7 million) will go on sale in London next month, auction house Sotheby's said Wednesday. The First Folio, published in 1623, was the first collection of William Shakespeare's plays and is considered one of the most important books in English literature. Without ...

Europe's First Universal Theme Park to Bring 'Joy to Britain'

Universal will build its first European theme park in Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday, unveiling a mega deal with the US film studio that could create thousands of jobs and attract millions of tourists. "What a momentous day... It's not just the first one in the United Kingdom, that would be pretty good, it's the first one ...

From Theft to Restoration: Shakespeare’s First Folio’s Journey Back to Durham

The Shakespeare First Folio edition stolen from Durham University's Cosin's Library in 1998 is one of only 235 known to survive, and is valued at more than £1 million ($1.3 million). The First Folio, published in 1623, was the first collection of Shakespeare's plays and each version is unique. It is considered to be one of the most important ...