News

The Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored dozens of goals in his club appearances, delivered a historic cup-final hat-trick, and matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring streak in Champions League knockout rounds. Here is a recap of the extraordinary 2025/26 campaign that has ended England’s 25 years of waiting for the Ballon d’Or.

Kane beat France’s Kylian Mbappé and Spain’s Lamine Yamal to the award in London on October 26, becoming the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001, ESPN reported.

The England captain’s triumph followed 61 goals in 51 Bayern Munich appearances and a German league-and-cup...

Jay-Z has been announced as the headliner of the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show, marking a change of roles for the rapper, whose company Roc Nation has helped shape the event’s musical performances since 2019.

The announcement came from the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation on Monday, 26 October, following weeks of speculation about the entertainment planned for Super Bowl LXI.

The show will take place on 14 February 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Jay-Z recently performed at the same venue to mark 30 years since the release of his debut album, Reasonable...

Microsoft is looking for a development partner to help complete Marvel’s Blade, giving French developer Arkane Lyon another month to explore alternatives to closure as 217 jobs remain at risk.

The company has extended its consultation period with the studio’s employees by one month, moving the previous 13 November deadline to mid-December, according to PC Gamer.

The extension follows reports that Microsoft intended to shut down Arkane Lyon as part of a wider restructuring of its Xbox gaming division.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that the company was considering different options, including bringing in an external...

Uzbekistan’s Open Bank has become the country’s first financial institution to receive an Islamic banking licence, marking a new stage in the government’s efforts to introduce Sharia-compliant banking services.

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan approved the licence on 23 October 2026, allowing Open Bank to conduct Islamic financial operations under Article 5¹ of the country’s Law on Banks and Banking Activities.

The regulator announced the decision on 26 October.

Open Bank was registered by the Central Bank in late 2022. As of 26 October, its authorised capital stood at UZS 500bn ($42.2mn), while its shareholder was...

A cruise ship carrying more than 3,300 passengers and crew collided with two container vessels in the German port of Bremerhaven on Sunday, 25 October, damaging several lifeboats and forcing the cancellation of a planned 20-day voyage.

The Mein Schiff 3, operated by TUI Cruises, was manoeuvring near the container terminal at approximately 5:30 p.m. when strong winds pushed it towards the moored vessels, including the MSC Victorine.

OnePlus has introduced its first open-ear wireless earbuds, the Buds Clip, featuring a design that allows either earbud to be worn on either ear without affecting stereo sound.

Unlike conventional wireless earbuds, the new model automatically identifies which ear it is attached to and adjusts the left and right audio channels accordingly.

The Buds Clip use a flexible C-shaped frame made from a nickel-titanium alloy that adapts to different ear shapes. Each earbud weighs 5.2 grams and has received TÜV Rheinland certification for comfortable wear.

The open-ear design sits outside the ear canal, allowing users to...

K-pop group Seventeen has entered a new phase of its military hiatus as members Seungkwan and Dino began their mandatory service in the South Korean Army on Monday, 26 October.

The two singers reported to an Army training centre together and will join a military band after completing basic training, according to their agency, Pledis Entertainment.

Their enlistment makes them the final two members of the 13-member group required to begin military service, with six others currently fulfilling their obligations.

Pledis previously announced their enlistment date in August, asking fans not to gather at the training...

South Korean medical drama Doctor X: Mafia in White, starring Kim Ji-won, is facing calls for its broadcast to be suspended after an episode depicting the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising sparked controversy among viewers.

A petition submitted to South Korea’s National Assembly on 24 October demands an investigation into the show’s production and an end to its broadcast, according to The Korea Herald.

The petition gathered the 100 preliminary endorsements required to enter the review process, although no decision has been made to remove the series from television.

Read more: Namkoong...

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a fourth term on Sunday, 25 October, after overturning his first-round defeat in an election marked by higher voter turnout, an intensified online campaign and a dispute over voting procedures.

According to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Lula received 51.79% of valid votes, or 64.26mn ballots, against 48.21%, or 59.83mn, for Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.

The result represents the first time in Brazil’s democratic history that a presidential candidate who finished second in the opening round has won the runoff.

Three weeks earlier, Bolsonaro had led Lula by...

Serbia’s student-led opposition is preparing to form a government after winning Sunday’s parliamentary election, but questions remain over who will lead the country and how the movement plans to deliver its promised reforms.

Preliminary results released on Monday, 26 October, showed the Student List securing 51.89% of the vote, against 39.73% for Aleksandar Vučić‘s United Serbia coalition.

The figures covered 7,807 polling stations, with student-backed candidates receiving more than 2.04mn votes compared with approximately 1.57mn for Vučić’s bloc.

BREAKING: Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in Serbia’s snap parliamentary election, saying the student-backed Student...

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli claimed his ninth victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, October 25, extending his championship lead but narrowly missing the chance to secure his first world title.

The Italian converted pole position into victory at the Circuit of The Americas, finishing 13.078 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium, holding off Lewis Hamilton by just over a second.

Antonelli’s victory moved him 123 points clear of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, with 125 points still available across the remaining...

Voters across Serbia went to the polls on Sunday, 25 October, for an early parliamentary election that could bring an end to the Serbian Progressive Party’s (SNS) long-standing control of the country’s government.

The vote comes after almost two years of demonstrations led by students, who have become a major political force since a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people. The tragedy fuelled public anger over alleged corruption and failures in government oversight.

Early turnout figures suggested strong voter interest. Polling organisations CeSID and Ipsos reported that 27.3% of...

Alpine has publicly defended Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto after British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson joked that the Argentine deserved a grid penalty because of his nationality.

Clarkson made the remarks during an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, 24 October. The former Top Gear presenter was attending the race weekend as a guest of Alpine.

Discussing Colapinto’s prospects, Clarkson suggested that the driver had received a penalty simply for being Argentine, adding that he would impose one himself.

https://t.co/92KtSuaC7N

— Fallows Merchant (@KDXX...

The upcoming film adaptation of Elden Ring is expected to cost nearly $200mn, making it the most expensive production in the history of independent film studio A24, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The reported budget is almost three times that of A24’s previous record-holder, Marty Supreme, which cost approximately $70mn. It also marks a significant increase from earlier estimates that placed the adaptation’s budget at more than $100mn.

The Wall Street Journal cited people familiar with the project, although A24 has not publicly confirmed the figure. The reported production cost does not include marketing expenses.

Kim Geonwoo of K-pop group ALPHA DRIVE ONE has filed a lawsuit against his agency WAKEONE, seeking a court ruling on the validity of his exclusive contract and his status as an artist following a six-month hiatus.

The legal action became public on Sunday, 25 October, prompting WAKEONE to issue two statements addressing the dispute and the singer’s future with the group.

The agency initially declined to discuss the case in detail, citing ongoing legal proceedings. It later confirmed that disagreements over plans for Geonwoo’s return had led to the lawsuit.

WAKEONE NOTICE...

Spanish police arrested 128 people, including 72 minors, after a youth-led protest in Barcelona descended into violence on Saturday, 24 October, leaving 15 officers injured and dozens of businesses damaged.

According to the latest figures released by Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra police force on Sunday, four officers sustained serious injuries, while 23 shops were vandalised and firefighters responded to 33 fires across the city centre.

🇪🇸 Spain’s far-right activists took to the streets today amid mass looting and riots that spread to their cities https://t.co/4U3Ykafdd6

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 24, 2026

Anti-government protesters in Albania fired fireworks and threw petrol bombs at police as violent clashes swept through the capital, Tirana, on Saturday, 24 October, amid growing demands for Prime Minister Edi Rama‘s resignation.

Student-led demonstrations began outside the Ministry of Education at around 2 p.m. before spreading to Skanderbeg Square, the prime minister’s office and surrounding streets. Riot police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons as masked demonstrators attacked officers and government buildings.

🇦🇱 Firework show tonight in protests in Albania. https://t.co/i2q2OXOMA6

— kos_data (@kos_data) October 24, 2026

Protesters launched...

Nearly 1,000 people were arrested across France on Saturday, 24 October, as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators returned to the streets to protest against rising living costs, education funding and government policies.

The French Interior Ministry estimated that 410,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris. The CGT trade union put the national turnout at nearly 800,000.

#WATCH | France | Protests Turn Violent as Demonstrators Clash with Riot Police in Paris; large numbers of people are protesting across France against the rising cost of living. (Source: Reuters) https://t.co/Mtj9w1EL1l

— ANI (@ANI...

Photo: The Hollywood Reporter

Marvel Studios has released new footage from Avengers: Doomsday, bringing together three characters who have held the Captain America title and offering another glimpse of the battle against Doctor Doom.

The promotional clip features Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and Wyatt Russell as John Walker, alongside Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. The footage was released ahead of the film’s theatrical debut on 18 December 2026.

One scene shows Scott Lang addressing Rogers as Captain America before correcting himself and turning towards Wilson, who currently holds the title. Walker, who...

Microsoft is planning to close French video game developer Arkane Lyon, putting 217 jobs at risk as the company restructures its Xbox business, according to Le Monde.

Employees were informed on July 16 that Microsoft intended to shut the Lyon-based studio, which developed games including Dishonored 2 and Deathloop and is currently working on Marvel’s Blade.

The proposed closure has not yet been finalised. Under French law, large companies planning to close a workplace must search for a buyer for at least three months. Microsoft and Arkane began that process during the summer alongside consultations with...

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds after a closely contested qualifying session.

The Italian produced his fastest lap on his first Q3 attempt, leaving Verstappen second and Isack Hadjar third. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton completed the top five.

The result came as a surprise after Ferrari dominated all three practice sessions, with Leclerc fastest in FP1 and FP2 before Hamilton topped the final session.

Fresh protests erupted across France on Saturday, October 24, with at least 135 people arrested as authorities deployed 70,000 police officers to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s riots and looting.

Demonstrators returned to the streets of Paris, Lyon and other cities over rising living costs, school funding and deteriorating public services, despite restrictions introduced by President Emmanuel Macron‘s government.

Police used tear gas against protesters in Lyon, while the main demonstration in Paris began peacefully under heavy security, according to Reuters.

JUST IN: 🇫🇷 Huge protest breaks out in Paris. https://t.co/SbM4ewy8sW

— BRICS...

An Uzbekistan Research Centre has opened in Hangzhou, China, to study the country’s ongoing reforms and assess their results, according to Uzbekistan’s Development Strategy Centre.

The institution was inaugurated during the ninth international symposium on Central Asia’s socio-economic development, bringing together experts to discuss regional reforms and cooperation.

The Development Strategy Centre provided the new institution with books and analytical publications covering Uzbekistan’s development and policy reforms.

During the symposium, Eldor Tulyakov, executive director of the Development Strategy Centre, presented Uzbekistan’s progress in digital public administration and outlined opportunities for cooperation with...

Samsung‘s upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra and Galaxy S27 Pro could feature significantly larger batteries, according to newly published certification photographs and regulatory documents.

Images of the two batteries have appeared in South Korea’s Safety Korea database, providing an early look at components expected to power the company’s next flagship smartphones.

The batteries carry model numbers EB-BS958DBY and EB-BS957CBY, corresponding to the Galaxy S27 Ultra and S27 Pro respectively, according to GSMArena.

Read more: Samsung reportedly developing Galaxy OS with deeper AI integration

Both are manufactured by Chinese company Zhuhai CosMX...