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Jimmy's Corner, a beloved dive bar in New York's Times Square, has been a staple of the community for over 55 years. However, the bar is now facing closure due to an eviction notice from its landlord, the Durst Organization.The bar's history dates back to 1971 when it was opened by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer. Over the years, Jimmy's Corner has become a safe haven for locals and a symbol of the city's gritty past. The bar's walls are adorned with ageing photos of boxers and its restrooms are decorated with stickers representing long broken-up bands and long-shuttered bars.Regulars, including David Gladman, a 73-year-old former executive chef, have expressed their attachment to the bar. Gladman, who has been drinking at Jimmy's Corner since 1988, said, “It holds a lot of memories for me. For everyone.”The eviction notice has prompted a rally from the community, with local politicians and patrons coming together to protest the closure. Adam Glenn, Jimmy's son, who took over the bar in 2015, has filed a lawsuit against Durst and is fighting to keep the bar open.The Durst Organization has offered Adam money to vacate the premises, but he has refused. In a statement, the company said it had done nothing wrong and that the building was ideal for a new housing development.Local politicians, including Julia Salazar, a New York state senator, have joined the fight to save Jimmy's Corner, citing the importance of small businesses to the community. Salazar said, “Small businesses are the beating heart of the city. They represent culture. They also employ more than half of the workers in New York state, and it really has a profound ripple effect when a small business is forced to close due to unsustainable costs.”

The acclaimed HBO series Hacks is set to conclude with its fifth and final season, which promises to be a joyful and lighter chapter in the story of its two lead characters.Created by Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky, Hacks has been a critical darling since its debut in 2021, earning a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and 12 Emmy wins, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2024.The show revolves around the unlikely partnership between Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart), a veteran comedian, and Ava Daniels (played by Hannah Einbinder), a young comedy writer. Their relationship evolves over four seasons, navigating the challenges of comedy, fame, and personal growth.Paul W. Downs, who plays Jimmy on the show, revealed that the creators had the ending in mind from the beginning. The final season focuses on Deborah's comeback and her relationship with Ava, which has deepened into affection, mutual respect, and love.The new season features a more playful tone, with episode ideas that include anxiety dream sequences, a meditation on AI, and a farcical episode where Deborah forces Ava to lean into a misunderstanding. Downs describes the season as “sunnier, more playful, but with just enough heart and pathos” to provide a satisfying conclusion.Hacks has been praised for its unique take on comedy and its ability to transcend the entertainment industry, exploring themes of identity, dignity, and human connection. The show's conclusion will be available on Sky and NOW in the UK, HBO Max in the US, and Stan in Australia.

The recent showdown between the US and Iran has ended with Iran emerging victorious and Trump being forced to pause his war efforts. This outcome is a clear example of how to defeat Trump. According to Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, the strategy that connects all the successful countermeasures against Trump is simple: refuse to cave to his demands, despite his superior military or economic power. Instead, use a kind of jiujitsu to turn Trump's power against him. Examples of successful countermeasures include: Iran using cheap drones and missiles to close the strait of Hormuz and drive up oil prices, putting pressure on Trump. China leveraging its control of rare earth metals to gain leverage in trade negotiations. Russia using its vast deposits of oil and natural gas to gain leverage over US allies. Canada and Mexico winning tariff showdowns with Trump by leveraging their economic importance to the US. Greenland curbing Trump's ambitions through public opinion. Inside the US, similar strategies have been used by: The people of Minneapolis, who organized non-violent resistance to protect immigrants. Harvard University, which leveraged its influence with federal courts to stop Trump's interference. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who turned a crisis into a ratings victory. Writer E Jean Carroll, who secured over $88m in damages from Trump in two civil cases. Law firms like Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale, which refused to follow Trump's executive orders. On the other hand, countries and organizations that have caved to Trump have only strengthened his leverage over them. For example, Europe seems incapacitated, fearing Trump will leave Nato, while media networks like ABC continue to lose viewers. The bottom line is that there is now a clear blueprint for how to defeat Trump: reject his demands and use your own asymmetric power to turn his power against him.

The world is facing an energy crisis reminiscent of the 1970s, with rising energy prices and fears of stagflation. In response, countries may turn to coal, a dirtiest of fuels, to meet their energy demands.Historically, energy crises have led to increased investment in coal production. During Jimmy Carter's presidency, the US aggressively developed domestic coal sources, which became America's 'black hope'. Similarly, Donald Trump's America is doubling down on fossil fuels, pushing to develop US coal and oil reserves.The energy crisis sparked by the US-Iran war highlights the need for renewable energy sources. However, the conflict has raised hurdles to investing in renewable power generation capacity, including inflation and interest rates. As a result, countries around the world, including Japan, India, and Europe, are considering or have already ramped up their use of coal.Despite the progress made in decarbonization and the switch to cleaner gas in power generation, the current crisis could unravel these efforts. Coal consumption worldwide has increased by about 1.3bn tons since 2020, to 8.8bn tons, driven by demand in India and China. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that coal supplied 23% of the world's energy in 2000, increasing to 28% in 2023.The global energy landscape is shifting, with renewable energy sources becoming increasingly important. However, the ongoing conflict in Iran and rising energy prices pose significant challenges to the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Stephen Colbert is stepping behind the camera to co‑author the screenplay for a forthcoming Lord of the Rings film, teaming up with franchise veteran Peter Jackson. The announcement arrives as CBS prepares to conclude Colbert’s run on The Late Show in May 2026.Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in a large Catholic family, Colbert faced a tragic plane crash in 1974 that claimed his father and two brothers. The loss drove a ten‑year‑old Colbert into the worlds of fantasy literature and tabletop role‑playing games, especially J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels and Dungeons & Dragons. He later reflected that these early escapades sharpened his improvisational instincts—a skill that would become central to his comedy career.After studying drama at Northwestern, Colbert honed his craft at Chicago’s Second City, where he met future collaborators Steve Carell, Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello. Their partnership produced cult projects such as Exit 57 and Strangers with Candy, laying the groundwork for Colbert’s breakthrough on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show in 1997.On The Daily Show and later The Colbert Report, he created the satirical pundit persona “Stephen Colbert,” a parody of right‑wing commentators that introduced the now‑iconic concept of “truthiness.” While the character was deliberately absurd, Colbert often slipped personal touches—his Catholic upbringing and Tolkien enthusiasm—into the act, even securing a cameo from Viggo Mortensen in 2007.When he succeeded David Letterman on The Late Show in 2015, Colbert abandoned the on‑air alter‑ego and presented himself as a more authentic host. His tenure coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, prompting a shift toward sharper political commentary. Despite a decline in overall late‑night ratings, Colbert’s show regularly outperformed rivals Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, becoming the most‑watched network late‑night program in the United States.The decision by CBS to end The Late Show has been framed as a strategic retreat from the costly late‑night market, not a punitive move against Colbert’s outspoken criticism of former President Trump. Nonetheless, the cancellation has sparked speculation about the network’s motives amid broader industry consolidation.In a recent interview, Colbert described late‑night television as a “third space” for Americans—a communal venue that bridges home and work. He emphasized that his goal has always been to foster connection, whether through humor or more serious conversations, such as a 2021 interview with Andrew Garfield about personal grief.Looking ahead, Colbert insists he is not retiring from entertainment. Writing a new Lord of the Rings movie feels like a full‑circle moment, returning him to the literature and role‑playing that helped him survive childhood trauma. The project promises to blend his deep‑seated fandom with his seasoned storytelling abilities, potentially ushering in a fresh creative phase beyond the talk‑show circuit.

Wikipedia has introduced a strict ban on AI-generated content in its online encyclopedia, marking a significant shift in its approach to artificial intelligence. The policy change comes amid concerns that large language models (LLMs) 'often violate' Wikipedia's core principles.The English language version of Wikipedia, which boasts over 7.1 million articles, will no longer permit the use of AI for content creation or rewriting. However, there are exceptions for AI-assisted translations and minor copy edits, provided that human review is conducted.The decision follows a vote among Wikipedia's community of volunteer editors, which supported the ban. The use of AI has been a contentious issue among editors, with some expressing concerns over the potential for LLMs to introduce misleading or 'hallucinated' results.Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales, has previously expressed skepticism about the use of AI in content creation, stating that current models are 'nowhere near good enough' from a Wikipedian standpoint. The ban reflects Wikipedia's commitment to maintaining the accuracy and reliability of its content.The move comes as AI technology continues to proliferate, with ChatGPT reportedly overtaking Wikipedia in monthly website visits last year. Despite the ban, Wikipedia acknowledges that AI can still be useful for certain tasks, such as suggesting basic copy edits, but caution is required to prevent LLMs from introducing unauthorized content.

Hong Kong police have made a significant move in their ongoing crackdown on dissent, arresting a bookstore owner and three staff members for allegedly selling 'seditious' publications. The arrested individuals are accused of selling copies of The Troublemaker, a biography of Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper.Lai was sentenced to a 20-year jail term in February for collusion with foreign forces and sedition in Hong Kong's biggest national security case. The arrests highlight the city's increasingly restrictive environment, where selling books about prominent dissidents can lead to serious legal consequences.The national security law, known as Article 23, makes sedition punishable by up to seven years in jail and a maximum of 10 years if the act involves collusion with an 'external force'. This law has been used to justify a wide range of actions against perceived dissenters, including the arrest of the bookstore staff.Human Rights Watch has criticized the move, stating that Hong Kong has become 'increasingly dystopian'. The organization's Asia director, Elaine Pearson, expressed concern that the authorities' actions will only create more insecurity. The crackdown on dissent continues, with the city government recently gazetting new amendments to the implementation rules to the Beijing-imposed law.

The forthcoming film 'The Drama', starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, has sparked controversy over its portrayal of a character who once planned a school shooting. Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel was killed in the 1999 Columbine school shootings, expressed his disapproval of the film's approach, calling it 'awful' and accusing it of 'humanising' perpetrators of such violence. The film, a dark romantic comedy directed by Kristoffer Borgli, features Zendaya's character revealing a past plan to carry out a school shooting during a parlour game. Despite her character backing out of the attack, Mauser argues that the film 'normalises' such actions. He also criticized Zendaya's response to questions about the film's twist on the Jimmy Kimmel show. A24, the studio behind 'The Drama', has limited screenings of the film to avoid spoilers. Early reactions to a small screening in the US were broadly positive, but reviews are embargoed until March 31. The film's UK distributors have been approached for comment. The controversy surrounding 'The Drama' highlights ongoing concerns about the portrayal of violence in media and the impact on audiences. This is not the first time a film has tackled the sensitive topic of school shootings; Gus Van Sant's 'Elephant' (2003) and Michael Moore's documentary (2002) are notable examples.

When future generations examine television trends, they might be surprised by the glut of dramatisations about famous men caught in sex scandals. Jimmy Savile and Prince Andrew have both received multiple treatments, and now, with almost crushing inevitability, comes Channel 5's Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards.Edwards, the high-profile BBC newsreader who resigned in 2024 before being charged with three counts of making indecent images of children, remains defensive. Prior to the broadcast, he released a statement claiming the drama is unlikely to convey reality while asserting: I am repelled by the idea that some people enjoy viewing indecent images of children.The drama earns its title by portraying a powerful man utilizing a queasy power dynamic to manipulate a teenage boy into fulfilling his sexual desires. While not the pinnacle of drama, the film succeeds in capturing a sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach.The main draw comes from its casting. Martin Clunes, known for roles that rely on his innate likability, creates an impressively accurate Edwards. He captures the fascinating mix of swagger and vulnerability, along with Edwards' distinctive accent and diction. Even during disturbing scenes, his performance never wavers.For much of the film, Edwards remains a figure of distant menace. Instead, this is really the story of Ryan (Osian Morgan), a teenage boy who finds himself being groomed by Edwards. The drama is constructed around first-hand interviews with Ryan (using a pseudonym to protect his identity), showing how Edwards validated his desire for connection before making the relationship transactional.Most powerfully, the film depicts the effect on Ryan's parents, as their dismay at his increasing waywardness first becomes anger directed at Edwards and then fear that they had become the bad guys.Still, the producers face challenges with a story that isn't visually interesting. Much of the relationship happened over text, meaning excessive time is spent watching people type or narrate messages. The film makes odd stylistic choices, including framing everything around the Queen's death and ending with Edwards reporting on his own charges.Edwards has promised to tell his side of the story, but as the reviewer notes, few will have the stomach to hear it when that day arrives.