Cheltenham Festival and 'one in a million' birth
Here is our weekly roundup of stories from across local websites in the West of England.
We have a daily round up as well. Make sure you look out for it on the website and the local section of the BBC News app.
Cheltenham Festival has been the talk of the week. A man who got tickets for him and his dad but went alone after his father died has been viewed thousands of times. And Cheltenham Borough Council posted about its safe space for women under 18 during race week.
There is just an 'E' left to paint before the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood is complete, Bristol Live reports. Work was abandoned because of protests by residents.
Wiltshire 999s has published an article about a man admitting to having sex with a Shetland pony in a Wiltshire stables, who will be sentenced in May.
ITV West Country has covered a 'one in a million' birth in Somerset. Five lambs have been born from the same ewe at a farm in Shapwick.
And in more animal news – kind of – a video of Bristol comedian Jayde Adams singing Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' in a Bristol accent has gone super viral.
Buildings cut into ancient monument could be removed
Queen visits Cheltenham after early snow on course
Former Bristol MP takes seat in House of Lords
'Yo-yo' birth-rate causing headache for schools
Life in jail for teen who strangled his sister, 19
Somerset Live has published an article about how shopping and hospitality has changed since Covid. To mark five years since the beginning of the pandemic, the website has done a lookback on what has changed.
Headlines: Tree set on fire and rare lamb quins born
Headlines: Snow and Queen at Cheltenham
Headlines: Jockey's comeback and green cycle lanes
Headlines: Cheltenham Festival, and Chappell Roan in a Bristol accent
Follow BBC West social channels in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
43 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix clash in A24's new 'Eddington' trailer — and it's already on my must-watch list
Reality is a horror movie in A24's upcoming film "Eddington," which just got a new trailer today. It's a contemporary western set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic from horror director Ari Aster, the demented mind behind "Hereditary" and "Midsommar." And if its divisive premiere at the Cannes Film Festival is any indication, it's bound to spark heated discourse when "Eddington" hits theaters on July 18. I'm a huge fan of Ari Aster's films, but his last one, "Beau is Afraid," was such a convoluted dud that I've been holding off on getting my hopes up for "Eddington." But this new trailer is chilling in all the right ways, and it just catapulted "Eddington" to the top of my must-watch list. The trailer showed Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal facing off in a fictional small town that becomes a lightning rod for systemic issues in America. When anti-mask local sheriff Joe (Phoenix) decides to take a stand against COVID-19 safety precautions, it puts him in conflict with Pascal's incumbent mayor, Ted Garcia. The clash sets the community on edge until simmering tensions finally explode, turning neighbors against each other. You can check out the full trailer below: A haunting cover of "Home on the Range" in the trailer hammers home the themes of misplaced patriotism, fear-mongering, and paranoia. You know the other (cowboy) boot is about to drop, but wondering how the powder keg will spark is what lures you in. It also helps that "Eddington's" cast is stacked with Hollywood A-listers. In addition to "The Last of Us" star Pedro Pascal, the cast also includes Emma Stone as Joe's religious wife and Austin Butler as a social media figure a la Alex Jones. Deirdre O'Connell, Micheal Ward, Clifton Collins Jr., and "Yellowstone" star Luke Grimes round up the rest of the ensemble. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. This new trailer is the first real glimpse we've gotten of Aster's upcoming film yet. A minute-long teaser trailer went live in April, but it only showed Phoenix's character scrolling through an explosive social media feed. Based on the trailer and early reviews, "Eddington" is shaping up to be the horror director's most divisive film yet. Its focus on hot-button issues — the polarizing effects of social media, pandemic paranoia, and how American identity has twisted into something unrecognizable — is all but guaranteed to spark capital "D" discourse from audiences on all sides. It remains to be seen whether "Eddington" will connect with audiences. While "Midsommar" and "Hereditary" were female-led horror stories about grief that achieved critical and commercial success, "Beau is Afraid" marked a major departure from his breakout horror movies. One that many, including myself, would argue is for the worse. Phoenix's surreal odyssey to confront his anxiety and family trauma ultimately fell flat with critics and viewers alike, with the critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes describing it as "overstuffed to the point of erasing the line between self-flagellation and self-indulgence." While Phoenix's Sheriff Cross is an entirely different type of character, it does seem that Aster's latest collaboration with the star will take on a more comedic tone in line with "Beau is Afraid." That alone has me holding off on trying to convince friends to see it with me in theaters (watching "Beau is Afraid's" climax together is something I'll never live down), but the trailer is intriguing enough to convince me to scope it out on my own first. I'm cautiously optimistic to see how Aster's idiosyncratic style and surrealism will square with satire on real-life issues. It will be interesting to see whether this new mix of themes and genres successfully comes together in the end. "Eddington" hits theaters on July 18.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
ICE detains the most followed person on TikTok, Khaby Lame
(NewsNation) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly detained the most-followed creator on TikTok on Friday. Khaby Lame, whose full name is Seringe Khabane Lame, is an Italian-Senegalese influencer. He was detained for immigration violations at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to USA Today. Lame, 25, is a current citizen of Italy and reportedly 'overstayed the terms of his visa,' ICE reported. ICE allegedly gave Lame the option to depart the country voluntarily after he was detained, and Lame chose to leave the U.S. Lame became famous during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was laid off from his job in Italy. He uses the hashtag 'learnfromkhaby' on most of his videos, and he follows along as another creator talks about a complicated hack. Once he watches the 'hack,' he shows himself easily completing it, typically without saying anything. Lame is reportedly an ambassador for the men's clothing company Boss. He is also an ambassador for Binance and UNICEF. Lame moved from Senegal to Italy as a baby, but as The Associated Press reported, he didn't gain Italian citizenship until 2022. In 2024, he was named one of People's Creators of the Year. He told the publication at the time, 'Before TikTok, I was working in a factory. I had a lot of different jobs. I was helping support my family — three little brothers, one older brother and my parents. Then my world changed completely. It's a whole different life now.' Lame's detainment is one small part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. During his presidential campaign, he had promised to create mass deportations, which have led to ICE raiding workplaces, airports and more across the country.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Meet the Gary Playwright Helping Youth Find Their Voice Through Theater
From a young age, Charbria Shine knew the stage would be part of her life, even if it meant starting as a mascot and finishing as a playwright. A cheer mascot in kindergarten, she went on to dance at church and landed the lead role in a play on her first try. Her place in the entertainment world seemed predestined, even before she understood what that meant. Shine attended Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts in middle school, but ultimately graduated from Andrean High School in Merrillville. While not an art school, she found outlets for creativity through art fairs, the dance team, and school musicals. 'I fell in love, and I love dance, but I wanted to do it all like most people,' she joked. Now a playwright and performer, Shine is carving out space for creativity in Gary, years after the closure of Emerson left a void for arts-minded youth. Through her original stage productions, Shine is helping a new generation find their voice — just as she once found hers. After college, Shine focused on the business world, specifically the retail industry. But the arts never left her. She moved back home for a while, where she began performing in musicals locally at the now-closed Star Plaza Theatre and the West Side Theater Guild. After getting married and moving away again, she found herself out of work and seeking to rediscover her life's purpose. And only one thing clicked: acting. 'I started creating my stories because there weren't a lot of stories that I saw myself in and stories that I wanted to tell, but I had a lot to say,' she said. 'Having a deep love for writing, it made sense just to start writing.' Drawing on her own experiences — being 'single and unsatisfied' but not a 'damsel in distress or settling for less' — she built a community through YouTube Monologues, blogs, and eventually her stage play The Single Woman Chronicles. Originally slated to premiere in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic halted all plans for a few years. In 2021, she was able to premiere the show at a local church, and has taken off since. She has created several other stage plays, including The Ladies' Lounge, The Little Black Dress, Dr. Love, and is also the author of Self-Love, a book that promotes empowerment, particularly for women, through messages of healing, confidence, and purpose. The Gary native has staged her work at venues across the city, including West Side's theater, the Gary Public Library Arts theater, and local churches. But being on the stage at West Side hit her a little harder. 'It was such a surreal moment because I grew up dancing on that stage, and then as a young adult, I worked there at the Guild, and I was a choreographer, actor, and dancer,' she said.'It's so much history; just going to Emerson and then being a part of West Side as a kid, and the arts were just so thriving when I was there. To be able to come back and, in a sense, have that full moment of coming back to where I started, it felt amazing.' She remembers her time at Emerson as a pivotal point in her artistic journey, where the training shaped her into a well-rounded person — something she hopes to pass on to the next generation. 'I think it starts with people that are in power to actually see the value in it, because if they don't see the power, then they aren't going to fight for it,' she said in regard to many of the arts programs getting cut in schools, which could help students. 'Everyone is not a sports kid, so allow them to have different options so they can be exposed to everything.' Shine often makes her productions a family-and-friends affair, including people she knows share her vision and goals. Deniel Walker is one of Shine's childhood friends and an early witness to her creative growth. They met in elementary school and attended Emerson together, becoming fast friends. Walker originally joined Shine at Emerson, but had to transfer out due to moving away. However, the ladies were able to reconnect in their adult years, as if no time had passed. A supporter of her friend, Walker would always pop out to any event that Shine was hosting to show her support in any way. It was then that she was tapped to be in Shine's show, The Ladies Lounge. While she was nervous about stepping out of her comfort zone, she knew this would be a fantastic opportunity for her. 'She brought out the best in me that I didn't even know was there,' Walker said. Similar to Shine and others in the community, she remembers the days and the impact that Emerson had on young kids in the community. 'I wish it were still around,' she said with a heavy heart. 'Emerson gave options for students to have a voice in whatever capacity or way they feel comfortable.' With many students feeling comfortable in the arts, the school created an environment that allowed youth to have an outlet for self-expression and find their voice. And according to Walker, what Shine is doing is beneficial for the local youth who may feel inclined to do something similar but lack the knowledge on how to do so. 'Sometimes when you don't see someone of your own color doing something, you feel like you can't do it,' she said regarding Shine putting her art out there. 'I think for young girls or young women to see someone doing such a thing makes it okay.' Like Walker, Shine enjoys having people in her stage plays that the audience can connect Henderson is no exception. 'What Charbria is doing and what she's bringing to the community is not only entertaining but transformative,' Henderson said. She believes Shine's productions can open the eyes of new generations to the possibilities of entertainment they can create and the potential for it to become big. Now, with her stage play Dr. Love returning to the community in the fall, Shine hopes that as she continues her work, whether in film, improv, or further involvement in the community, she will inspire what the next generation of arts kids from Gary looks like. 'I'm definitely going to do something with the youth,' she said. Like many others, she hopes something close to what they had growing up can reappear in the community. 'They're our future, and I have the heart to do something with them.' The post Meet the Gary Playwright Helping Youth Find Their Voice Through Theater appeared first on Capital B Gary.
