Articles about Pop

Nationals leader’s solution to the high cost of living is to force us to buy more expensive, locally made goodsMatt Canavan’s “economic revolution” is a populist mirage masquerading as an answer to a generational challenge that will define our prosperity in the decades to come.That challenge is: how do we create a new economy that is more resilient, secure and affordable, without undermining our prosperity?Patrick Commins is Guardian Australia’s economics editor Continue reading...

The new head of the Greens Institute will organise thousands of volunteers for a major survey of economic and social life around AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMax Chandler-Mather says the Greens can use “progressive economic populism” to win over Australians deserting the major parties for One Nation as the firebrand former MP accused the political class of thumbing its nose at the concerns of everyday voters.Chandler-Mather has been named the new executive director of the party’s internal thinktank, The Greens Institute, charged with closing capacity gaps exposed at the federal election. One of the Greens’ highest profile losses at the 2025 poll, Chandler-Mather and the former leader Adam Bandt were both defeated by Labor candidates in shock results. Continue reading...

London festival will feature an intimate Styles performance as well as appearances from Warpaint, Kamasi Washington, Devonté Hynes and moreHarry Styles has announced the lineup of artists he has curated for this year’s Meltdown festival, held at London’s Southbank Centre.As well as performing a solo concert on 16 June at Royal Festival Hall, sandwiched amid his run of 12 dates at the considerably larger Wembley Stadium, Styles has brought together a diverse range of artists spanning jazz, pop, indie rock and electronic music. Continue reading...

Director and producer is co-creator of You Are Here, a one-day immersive theatrical event traversing 75 years of youth cultureOut of chaos come great cultural movements, according to the director and producer Danny Boyle, who will inflict a little curated chaos on London’s Southbank Centre with what has been described as an “epic, one-off pop culture spectacular”.Boyle, whose 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony drew on the rich thread of British culture, is the co-creator and director of You Are Here, a one-day immersive theatrical event traversing 75 years of youth culture and social movement: think teddy boys, Lovers’ Rock, punk, Ziggy Stardust, rave, acid house, the spoken word, Brit pop, ballroom to name a few. Continue reading...

Pontiff’s unusually pointed comments come after Pete Hegseth’s prayer for violence against enemies ‘who deserve no mercy’Pope Leo has said God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have “hands full of blood” in an apparent rebuke to the Trump administration.The pontiff made the comments on Sunday as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East and days after the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, prayed for violence against enemies who deserved “no mercy”. Continue reading...

Kristi Noem was replaced by Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary and Gregory Bovino was demoted, signally a change in tone even as arrests have continuedThroughout last year, Donald Trump delivered on his signature campaign promise of mass deportation in draconian and theatrical style. Hardline figures such as Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, and Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander, became the face of Trump’s crackdown, defending a strategy of large-scale raids that sent immigration agents flooding into US cities, terrorizing communities and clashing with protesters.Then in January, immigration officers killed two US citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, in a matter of three weeks. The killings spurred a sweeping backlash that has led Democratic members of Congress to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for more than a month in an attempt to rein in ICE. Even Trump said “maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch”. Continue reading...

Decision to choose small, wealthy – but very Catholic – state for first European trip has baffled some Vatican observersPope Leo will travel to Monaco, the semi-enclave famous for casinos and superyachts, on Saturday on his first European trip since being elected pontiff, causing bemusement among some Vatican observers, not least because it comes 488 years after the last papal visit.Leo will travel from the Vatican by helicopter for the one-day trip, and will be greeted at Monaco’s heliport by Prince Albert and his wife, Princess Charlene, before being taken to the palace, which has been the residence of the Grimaldi dynasty since the 13th century. It is the first time a pontiff has visited Monaco since Pope Paul III in 1538. Continue reading...

Pontiff tells Italian airline staff aerial bombings should be banned, in latest condemnation of warMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesPope Leo has said aeroplanes should be “carriers of peace” and that aerial bombardments should be banned, in his latest condemnation of war amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.The Catholic church’s first American pontiff made the comments during a meeting on Monday with staff from the Italian national airline ITA Airways. Continue reading...

Woodcocks and pochard, pintail and goldeneye ducks among threatened species protected by proposalsHunters will be banned from shooting a rare and beautiful duck under new proposals to halt the decline of six British wild birds.The new rules would restrict the shooting of species including the distinctive woodcock, and the striking pintail, goldeneye and pochard ducks, all of which are classed as under threat and have seen their populations fall sharply in recent years. Continue reading...

Handful of billionaires gave huge sums in particular to media organisations that boosted rightwing politicians, says Liam Byrne MPMore than £170m was given to MPs, political parties, media organisations and thinktanks aligned with the UK’s populist right over the past five years, new research from the Labour MP Liam Byrne has found.Byrne, a former cabinet minister who chairs parliament’s business committee, said he had identified a “media-political complex” funded largely by a handful of billionaires. Continue reading...

The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticidesThe population of monarch butterflies in Mexico increased 64% this winter, compared with the same period in 2025, offering a glimmer of hope for an insect considered at risk of extinction.The figures, released this week by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico, showed that the area occupied by monarchs expanded to 2.93 hectares (7.24 acres) of forest from 1.79 hectares (4.42 acres) the previous winter, the largest coverage since 2018. Continue reading...

Monte Verde, thought to be 14,500 years old, had cast doubt on earlier idea for how humans came to western hemisphereA groundbreaking new study may have once again upended our understanding of human prehistory in the Americas.For years, the predominant theory of how humans arrived in the western hemisphere centred around the Clovis culture, which crossed the Beringia land bridge from Asia between 13,400 and 12,800 years ago, and spread south. Continue reading...

• Pophouse Entertainment, co-founded by ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, acquired Tina Turner's name, image, likeness rights and majority music catalog from BMG, announced March 19, 2026. • CEO Jessica Koravos highlighted Turner's visual presence and stage energy for projects recreating her legacy, comparing her to Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. • Plans include announcements within six months, potentially featuring digital avatars like ABBA Voyage created with Industrial Light & Magic.

Iran war has split some Maga conservatives from Trump and alienated young voters. What will it mean in the midterms?This was originally published in This Week in Trumpland; sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayThe American right wing has forgiven Donald Trump for his affairs, impeachments, mass deportations and the platforming of JD Vance.But having stuck with him through all that unpleasantness, it seems that we may have discovered the one thing that is capable of splitting some Maga conservatives from Trump: all it took was him starting a war in the Middle East. Continue reading...

• Oracle reported earnings that exceeded expectations, lifting its stock price, while Adobe continues to face investor skepticism over its AI strategy and competitive positioning amid broader tech sector repricing. • Morningstar downgraded Adobe's economic moat rating alongside Salesforce and ServiceNow, citing concerns that AI disruption could erode traditional software competitive advantages and justify lower valuation multiples. • The broader earnings season reveals a disconnect between traditional valuation metrics and AI disruption risks, prompting investors to reassess which software companies can sustain pricing power and market share in an AI-transformed landscape.

• A new study published in the journal Science documents that climate change is making fish smaller, posing significant threats to global food security and fishery productivity. • The research warns that the shift toward smaller fish species could worsen fishery losses by as much as 50%, impacting both commercial fishing industries and food availability worldwide. • The findings highlight the cascading ecological effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and underscore the urgency of addressing global warming to protect food systems.

• The film "KPop Demon Hunters" walked away from the 98th Academy Awards with multiple wins during the ceremony held on March 15, 2026. • The movie's song "Golden" was performed during the Oscars broadcast, bringing audience members to their feet with a standout musical performance. • The film's success at the Academy Awards reflects strong recognition from the industry for the project's artistic achievements across multiple award categories.

A new book from Rebecca Solnit, promising to bring us hope in these “difficult times”, is among our pick of popular science titles out this month – along with a guide on how to talk to AI, and a look at modern warfare

An analysis of ancient and modern DNA suggests the extent of convergent evolution in different peoples around the world is even greater than we thought

Pop Culture Con 2026 kicks off today in Houston at CityPlace Marriott, featuring a 40th anniversary reunion of 'Aliens' cast including Michael Biehn, Mark Rolston, Jenette Goldstein, Ricco Ross, William Hope, Cynthia Scott, and Carl Toop. Additional guests comprise Zach Galligan from 'Gremlins,' voice actors Salli Saffioti and Vic Mignogna, and comic creators like Mark Bagley of Spider-Man fame. The event, running March 14 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and March 15 until 5 p.m., offers panels, cosplay contests with cash prizes, and a vendor hall. Organizers expect thousands of sci-fi and anime fans amid growing convention popularity.

Pop Culture Con 2026 kicks off today at Houston's CityPlace Marriott with a star-studded 40th anniversary reunion for James Cameron's 'Aliens,' featuring Michael Biehn, Mark Rolston, Jenette Goldstein, Ricco Ross, William Hope, Cynthia Scott, and Carl Toop. The event, running March 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and March 15 until 5 p.m., also welcomes Zach Galligan of 'Gremlins,' voice actors Salli Saffioti and Vic Mignogna, plus comic creators like Mark Bagley. Attendees can enjoy panels, Q&A sessions, a cosplay contest with cash prizes, and a vendor hall for collectibles. Organizers expect thousands of sci-fi and pop culture fans over the weekend.