April 30, 2020
Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is “motivated for his next project” – but wants to return to the club one day to finish the job he started.
Pochettino left Spurs in November, six months after leading the club to the Champions League final, and has been linked with Newcastle in recent days.
Reports claim the Argentinian is the main target of the Magpies’ prospective new owners should they complete a takeover but Pochettino could not disguise his desire to return to north London at some stage in his career.
April 30, 2020
Manchester United great Andy Cole is starting a research fund aimed at helping to improve kidney transplants and patient wellbeing.
The 48-year-old suffered kidney failure in 2015 and underwent a life-saving transplant three years ago, with the former striker currently in isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic.
April 30, 2020
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson has said resuming the Premier League is a "non-starter", and he fears a "farcical" situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool clinch the title at a neutral venue.
The Premier League has told its clubs only "approved venues" will be used, raising the possibility of matches being played at neutral grounds.
Liverpool, chasing their first title for 0 years, lead the table by 25 points with nine games remaining, while the league hopes to restart on 8 June.
The league's "Project Restart" envisages the season resuming behind closed doors because of social distancing measures in place to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
April 30, 2020
The Premier League wrote to the United States government in February urging it to keep Saudi Arabia on a watch list because it said the country “remained a centre for piracy”.
The revelation comes as the league considers a takeover of Newcastle which would involve the country’s public investment fund (PIF) taking an 80 per cent stake in the club.
The would-be buyers must pass the league’s owners and directors’ test, which looks at whether those involved have the funds to proceed and also whether they have been involved in anything which has been found to be, or could be deemed to be, criminal activity.
April 30, 2020
Liverpool could be denied the opportunity to seal the Premier League title at Anfield if public health concerns are factored into where the final matches of the 2019-20 season are played.
Top-flight clubs will hold further talks on how the season can be restarted amid the coronavirus pandemic at their next shareholders’ meeting on Fridy.
Part of the ‘Project Restart’ discussions will centre around the use of approved venues, which may mean teams playing on neutral grounds and immediately throws up questions over competition integrity.
April 30, 2020
The world’s largest cinema chain, which owns Odeon Cinemas, has said it will refuse to screen any Universal Pictures films in a row over the future of theatrical releases.
NBCUniversal boss Jeff Shell trumpeted the success of Trolls World Tour following its video on-demand release earlier this month, after it earned an estimated 100 million dollars (£80 million).
Its theatrical run was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, he said Universal, known for blockbuster franchises including Fast & Furious and Jurassic World films, may release movies in both formats even when cinemas reopen following the outbreak.
April 30, 2020
Actor Chris Pratt has set a new bar in the All-In Challenge – by offering fans the chance to be eaten by a dinosaur in the new JurassicWorld film.
The Hollywood star is the latest celebrity to take part in the project, which asks for charitable donations in exchange for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
Money raised goes towards the coronavirus relief effort.
While many of the prizes on offer have been dinner with a star or a day on the set of a film, Pratt went one further and promised the opportunity to be eaten by a dinosaur in Jurassic World: Dominion.
April 30, 2020
It’s something that we are familiar with nowadays: social distancing.
From Zoom to Facetime, to Skype, we have adapted to the new way of life that the coronavirus pandemic has thrust upon us. But how would one do this for a movie? That is where Jenji Kohan, creator of “Orange Is The New Black,” comes in.
Along with producers Tara Herrmann, Hilary Weisman Graham and Blake McCormick, Kohan plans to bring a new anthology series called “Social Distance” to Netflix.
“Our job as storytellers is to reflect reality, and in this new, bizarre, bewildering reality we are all experiencing, we feel passionate about finding connection as we all remain at a distance,” the producers said in a statement to CNN.
April 30, 2020
The BBC is to air a “mental health season” of programmes, including a film with the Duke of Cambridge.
The broadcaster’s boss said the coronavirus epidemic means that the issue is “more important than ever”.
Mental Health Awareness Week will be marked with a range of programmes across TV and radio throughout May.
BBC Director-General Lord Hall said: “Mental health is important and, during this pandemic, more important than ever. Many people may be struggling alone, be worried about maintaining their own well-being, or want to better equip themselves to help loved ones.
April 30, 2020
Tom Hanks shared a picture showing a bag of the blood plasma he donated to researchers after overcoming coronavirus.
The Hollywood star, 63, and his wife Rita Wilson were both diagnosed with Covid-19 last month and have since made a full recovery.
Hanks has donated his plasma – the liquid part of the blood – to scientists in California treating patients still fighting the disease.
The plasma from former patients is rich in the antibodies that develop as somebody recovers from an illness.
