Is there still a space on screens for films that make light of incredibly serious topics, just for a laugh? Well, the cast of a new Sky film seem to think so. There are referrals to depictions of sexual assault further into this article. Click to subscribe to Backstage wherever you get your podcasts The

A woman has been charged with attempted murder after stabbing a student several times in the head while on a bus in a suspected racist attack. Billie Davis, 56, is in custody following the attack in Bloomington, Indiana, last week, which was reported to police by shocked passengers who watched her begin to strike the

Lawyers for Joe Biden have said five additional pages with classified markings were found at the president’s home in Delaware on Thursday. White House lawyer Richard Sauber said in a statement on Saturday that a total of six pages of classified documents were discovered during a search of the president’s private library. Previously, the White

A single ticketholder has won an estimated $1.35bn dollars (£1.1bn) in the US Mega Millions lottery. After three months of draws which failed to produce a winner, the winning numbers were finally announced on Friday. They were: 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and gold Mega Ball 14. The jackpot was won in the state of

A relative of a Black Lives Matter founder died from a cardiac arrest after being repeatedly tasered by police in the US. Keenan Anderson, the cousin of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, was arrested by police on 3 January following a traffic collision in Los Angeles. Bodycam footage of the incident shows Mr Anderson initially complying

An escaped clouded leopard which forced the biggest zoo in Texas to close has been found several hours after it went missing. Nova was located not far from her enclosure at Dallas Zoo after an extensive search involving police. “Initial indications are she is not injured,” the zoo said in a statement. “She is being

At least nine people have been killed in the US after dozens of tornadoes struck the southern states of Alabama and Georgia. Rescue teams are working to clear debris and find any survivors across 14 counties in the two states, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reporting at least 35 possible tornadoes. One carved

Singer Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock and roll legend Elvis, has died, her mother has said in a statement. The 54-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas, California, on Thursday morning. Her mother, Priscilla Presley, said: “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news

At least six people have died in Alabama and one in Georgia as a powerful storm sweeps through the southern US, spurring a large tornado which damaged dozens of homes. Six of the deaths were reported in the Old Kingston community of Autauga County, spanning several properties. At least 12 people have been taken to

It’s quite the gift for Donald Trump – the news he wasn’t the only one storing classified documents in unauthorised and insecure locations. In a political climate where “whataboutism” so often drives the discourse, former President Trump and the Republicans are making the most of the revelation President Biden has, it seems, been very careless

A corrupted file has been blamed for a glitch on the Federal Aviation Administration’s computer system which saw every flight grounded across the US. All outbound flights were grounded until around 9am Eastern Time (2pm GMT) on Wednesday as the FAA worked to restore its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, which alerts pilots of

An additional batch of classified documents have been discovered by aides to President Joe Biden. The papers were found in a location separate from the Washington office he used after leaving the Obama administration, NBC News reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. It comes after the White House said on Monday that the

American football player Damar Hamlin, who collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest during a game last week, has been released from hospital in Buffalo. Hamlin‘s heart had to be restarted twice after he suddenly fell to the ground during the match against the Cincinnati Bengals on 2 January. For almost a week, doctors listed his

All flights across the US were grounded due to a glitch with the Federal Aviation Administration’s computer system this morning. All outbound flights have been grounded until 9am Eastern Time (2pm GMT) as the FAA worked to restore its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, which alerts pilots of potential hazards along a flight route.

Sinkholes have swallowed cars as powerful storms batter California – with floodwaters engulfing towns and killing at least 17 people. Two motorists had to be rescued after falling into the sinkhole on a street in Los Angeles, leaving them trapped in their vehicles. Back-to-back storms have wreaked havoc in the US state since 26 December

Singles have revealed their top dating turn-offs in a new poll. These so-called “icks” have led to breakups and heartbreak for many. An “ick” is an expression of dislike or disgust towards something and it has now become a term heavily used, thanks to Twitter and Instagram alike. A new poll, surveying 2,000 people, found

A six-year-old pupil who shot his teacher used a gun that belonged to his mother and was legally owned, police have said. Authorities said there was no fight or physical struggle before the boy opened fire on Abby Zwerner as she taught a lesson at a school in the US state of Virginia. Police chief

The entire community of Montecito and surrounding canyons have been ordered to evacuate after California was hits by severe storms. The evacuation order, affecting about 10,000 people, came on the fifth anniversary of a mudslide that killed 23 and destroyed more than 100 homes in the coastal enclave. Montecito is home to a host of

The US president Joe Biden has declared an emergency in California after the state was hit by severe winter weather. There were thunderstorms, snow and powerful winds in California on Sunday, with the National Weather Service warning of a “relentless parade of atmospheric rivers” – storms consisting of long plumes of moisture stretching out into

Two years after the death of music producer and convicted killer Phil Spector, a controversial bid to clear his name is understood to be under way. Widely lauded as a musical genius for his work with the likes of The Righteous Brothers, Tina Turner and The Beatles, Spector spent his final years in prison after

“Have I seen this somewhere before?” It’s a question teachers have had to ask themselves while marking assignments since time immemorial. But never mind students trawling through Wikipedia, or perusing SparkNotes for some Great Gatsby analysis, the backend of 2022 saw another challenge emerge for schools: ChatGPT. The online chatbot, which can generate realistic responses

NFL star Damar Hamlin has thanked fans for their support after he suffered a dramatic cardiac arrest mid-game. Hamlin‘s heart had to be re-started twice after he suddenly fell to the ground and went into cardiac arrest during a game last Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. Medical staff rushed on to the field and

A former American defence intelligence analyst, who became a Cold War-era double agent and spied for Cuba, has been freed from jail. The Federal Bureau of Prisons website shows 65-year-old Ana Montes was released after 20 years of a quarter-of-a century sentence. During her time as an analyst, she admitted revealing the identities of four

A teacher who was critically injured when she was shot by a six-year-old pupil in the US is showing signs of improvement, authorities say. The woman in her 30s was shot in class by the boy during an altercation on Friday and it was not accidental, according to police. Phillip Jones, the mayor of the

What an extraordinary night. A Republican politician restraining another. The would-be speaker confronting the man who’d just blocked him.  And a former president calling into the chamber. All of it caught by the cameras inside House of Representatives. Last-minute deals, angry faces, gatherings of rebels, all captured like modern-day Old Masters. It all unfolded as the politicians

Republican Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the new US Speaker after winning the 15th vote as tensions boiled over in Congress. Mr McCarthy’s party had taken control of the House – the US lower chamber – following the midterm elections in the autumn, with a slim 222-212 majority. Usually, election of the Speaker follows

Republican Kevin McCarthy is inching towards securing enough support to become speaker of the US House of Representatives – with 15 more people voting for him in the latest ballot. But the extra backing for Mr McCarthy is still not enough for him yet to succeed outgoing Speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Therefore, members will be

American footballer Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and now able to talk following a dramatic on-field collapse. In a statement on Friday, the Buffalo Bills said their 24-year-old player’s “neurologic function remains intact”, and that he has “been able to talk to his family and care team”. It is also reported he joined

The US House of Representatives has adjourned after failing to vote for a new speaker for the 11th time. Republican Party leader Kevin McCarthy has failed in every round to secure the 218 votes needed to win, and the House will now carry out a 12th round of voting at noon on Friday. The loss

Nations and political systems differ greatly but it is difficult not to see parallels between what is happening now in the US Republican party and the recent history of the UK Conservative party. There is a brutal tussle under way over the direction which should be taken by Anglophone conservatism, as embodied a generation past