London: The BBC on Saturday is dealing with a deepening row as it emerged that it decided not to broadcast an episode narrated by world-famous conservationist Sir David Attenborough for a new wildlife series over fears of a right-wing backlash, amid an ongoing controversy over affecting its sports programming involving football legend Gary Lineker.
Several of the broadcaster’s regular sports presenters have stepped back in solidarity with former England captain and TV pundit Lineker after he was suspended over a controversial tweet related to the government’s migration policy.
It has now been forced to strongly deny a report in ‘The Guardian’ newspaper that said a sixth episode of the Attenborough-narrated Wild Isles’ series will not be broadcast over political concerns.
While the newspaper claims that senior sources at the BBC have said that the decision not to show the sixth episode was made to fend off potential criticism from the political right, the BBC claims it was never intended for broadcast in the first place.
“This is totally inaccurate, there is no sixth episode’. Wild Isles’ is and always was a five-part series and does not shy away from environmental content,” the BBC statement said.
“We have acquired a separate film for iPlayer [online service] from the RSPB [Royal Society for the Protection of Birds] and WWF [World Wide Fund for Nature] and Silverback Films about people working to preserve and restore the biodiversity of the British Isles,” it said.
The documentary series was part-funded by nature charities the WWF and RSPB and all the episodes are narrated by 96-year-old Attenborough.
The newspaper claims some insiders at the BBC fear the corporation has bowed to pressure from lobbying groups with “dinosaurian ways”.
The so-called sixth episode is understood to be a stark look at the losses of nature in the UK and what has caused the decline. It is also understood to include some examples of rewilding, a concept that has been controversial in some right-wing circles.
Laura Howard, who produced the programme and used to work at the BBC’s Natural History Unit, told the ‘Guardian’: “I think the facts speak for themselves. You know, we’ve worked really closely with the RSPB in particular who are able to fact-check all of our scripts and provide us with detailed scientific data and information about the loss of wildlife in this country.
“And it is undeniable, we are incredibly nature-depleted. And I don’t think that that is political, I think it’s just facts.”
The controversy comes as the corporation apologised for its “limited sports programming” this weekend and said it is “working hard to resolve the situation” after several of its regular presenters went off air.
In a post on Tuesday on his Twitter account which has 8.7 million followers, 62-year-old Lineker one of England’s greatest soccer players and now among the UK’s most influential media figures compared lawmakers’ language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany.
The BBC, which operates through a taxpayer-funded licence fee, considers Lineker posting such views on social media as a breach of its impartiality guidelines.
The network said it held discussions with Lineker over his involvement in Match of the Day’, which is broadcast on Saturday nights and shows highlights of English Premier League games that day.
“The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting ‘Match of the Day’, until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media,” the broadcaster said.
“We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies,” it added.
Episode seven of The Last of Us is known as Left Behind, and covers the events of the first game’s similarly-named DLC, as well as some additional elements from the American Dreams comic series.
Essentially an extended flashback, this episode provides viewers with crucial background information about Ellie, revealing what motivates her and what shaped her to become the Ellie we know today.
As always, episode seven leaves us with plenty to discuss, so let’s get into it.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE SHOW AND THE GAME SERIES IT IS BASED ON. PLEASE READ ON AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
A little preview for episode seven.
Episode seven is bookended by Joel and Ellie in the present day.
Joel, while alive, is not in a good way following his altercation with the marauders at the end of episode six. Ellie has managed to find shelter in an abandoned house, and is desperately trying to stop Joel’s bleeding, but she is not having much luck. In response to Ellie’s desperation, Joel uses what little strength he has to push Ellie away and tells her to return to Tommy.
As Ellie turns to go, we are then transported back to weeks before Joel and Ellie first met. The scene cuts to Ellie at the FEDRA school in the Boston QZ, where she is running laps in the gym hall while listening to her Walkman. Another student (Bethany) bumps into Ellie and pinches her Walkman before going through her about her missing friend.
Ellie reacts to Bethany’s taunts by lashing out at her, resulting in Ellie being sent to the school’s principal equivalent – something that happens in the American Dreams comic series – and Bethany to the hospital wing in need of stitches (the theme of stitches runs throughout this episode).
Here, Ellie is told by Phaedra soldier Captain Kwong that she is “so smart [she is] stupid” and that she has the potential to be a leader. He then tells Ellie she has two paths to choose from. The first is where she keeps “acting like a grunt” and will live the life of a grunt. The second is where She swallows her pride, follows the rules and becomes a Phaedra officer.
“There’s a leader in you, and one day it could be your turn. Or not. So which way?” Kwong asks Ellie. In response, Ellie begrudgingly says she will comply with Phaedra and returns to her room.
Ellie gets a black eye during the (offscreen) fight. Image HBO.Captain Kwong. Image HBO.
The rest of this episode stays largely faithful to its DLC source material. Late at night when Ellie is back in her room, her missing friend Riley sneaks in through the window and wakes her up. This is much like she does in the game, although she doesn’t pretend to bite Ellie in the show.
After a brief moment of being angry at Riley for leaving her, with Ellie revealing she thought Riley had died, Ellie agrees to listen to what her friend has to say for herself. It turns out, Riley has joined the Fireflies and won’t be returning to the FEDRA school. Riley then promises Ellie “the best night of [her] life”, and the girls leave the school’s boarding room and head out into the Boston QZ.
Ellie is angry that Riley ran away. Image HBO.Riley wakes Ellie by ‘biting’ her in the DLC. Image Naughty Dog.
The two eventually make it to the city’s mall via the rooftops and a bottle of whiskey (alas, in the show there is no mention of Winston, the QZ soldier that taught Ellie to ride a horse in the game and comic series. In the Left Behind DLC, Riley and Ellie raid Winston’s stash after he dies and get alcohol there).
Ellie cautions Riley from entering the mall, stating it has been boarded up because it is swarming with infected. Riley scoffs at this and takes Ellie inside the building. Those who have been following the series closely will recall Ellie told Tess she was bitten after she snuck into the mall in Boston all the way back in episode two. However, at this time she told Tess that she was alone.
In the game, Riley does not get the elcaltors to work like she does in the show. Image Naughty Dog.Ellie and Riley find hooch in Winston’s tent. Image Naughty Dog.
The moments that follow between Ellie and Riley in the mall are almost scene for scene from the DLC, albeit in a slightly different order.
Once Riley restores the power supply to the mall for a wide-eyed Ellie, the two make their way through the various shops and stalls. They ride on a merry-go-round, pull funny faces in a photobooth, try on masks from a costume store (a wolf and clown, of course) and dance on a display case. Riley gives Ellie No Pun Intended: Volume Too by Will Livingston.
There were some charming moments of awkward flirtation in the episode. Image HBO.
It is all very reminiscent of those teenage days of skipping school and hanging out with your crush. Both Bella Ramsey and Storm Reid (who plays Riley) do a great job of portraying a hopeful innocence alongside a young couple’s sexual awakening.
Ellie and Riley on the merry-go-round. Image HBO.The same moment in the Left Behind DLC. Image Naughty Dog.Photo booth fun. Image HBO.Say cheese! Image Naughty Dog.Clowning around. Image HBO.The same masks. Image Naughty Dog.
In addition to a great chemistry between the actors, this episode is chock full of Easter eggs for fans of the games. If I am honest I was expecting a few more, namely the water pistol fight and the Skeleseer, but I really enjoyed all the ones that were included.
Did I exhaust these options? I feel it in my bones… Image Naughty Dog.Water way to go. Image Naughty Dog.
One of the biggest changes between the overall show and its source material, in my opinion, lies in the arcade.
In the game, Riley brings Ellie to an old arcade center with rows upon rows of machines. Unlike in the game, however, Riley and Ellie both actually play on a machine (in the show, as in episode three, it is a Mortal Kombat 2 cabinet rather than “The Turning”).
In isolation, this is certainly a nice moment for the two girls to have, however having played the Left Behind DLC, I have to say I prefer the way the game did this bit.
In the game, the machine itself does not work. So, to still give her friend de ella some kind of gameplay experience, Riley tells Ellie to shut her eyes and then describes the action of ella to her de ella. Ellie only ever plays on the arcade machine in her mind of her, and this moment (for me at least) further highlighted how characters who were born after the outbreak began could only wonder about what the world was like before cordyceps.
Either way though, it is still a joyous moment between Riley and Ellie before things go sideways for the twosome. After all, despite the fun and games, this is still The Last of Us.
Riley describes the game to Ellie. Image Naughty Dog.Ellie imagines she is playing on the arcade machine. Image Naughty Dog.
After spending a really rather magical night (or early morning) together, Ellie asks Riley to not leave Boston with the Fireflies. As in the game, Riley agrees to stay and the two share their first kiss. It is a beautiful moment, again reminiscent of those first teenage loves.
Riley and Ellie resolve to figure things out in both the show and the game. Image HBO.Riley says she will stay with Ellie in Boston. Image Naughty Dog.
Sadly, this beautiful moment is broken all too soon by the arrival of an infected.
The two girls try to fight off the infected with their limited combat experience, but the whole situation is messy, with the girls both falling through display stands as they try to defend themselves from their lone attacker (in the DLC, Riley and Ellie are overwhelmed by a swarm of infected).
However, despite eventually managing to kill the infected with the use of Riley’s gun, Ellie’s knife and other makeshift weapons found in the store, the two girls both receive a bite. As in the game, Ellie reacts by smashing up her surroundings as Riley sits in a state of calm shock.
Ellie tries to escape from the infected. Image HBO.
Both in the game and in the show, Riley states the girls have two options – they could choose the easy way out and take their own lives with Riley’s gun, or they could be “all poetic” and lose their minds together. Of course, as we all know now, this does not happen to Ellie as she is immune.
Ellie is in shock after being bitten. Image HBO.Ellie tries to wipe away her bite. Image Naughty Dog.Riley reveals she has been bitten as well. Image Naughty Dog.
Episode seven ends back in the present day, with Ellie raiding the house she is in for supplies to heal Joel. She comes across a needle and some thread, and after gripping her hand, she proceeds to sew up Joel’s injury. This is different from the DLC.
In the DLC, Ellie makes her way through an old shopping center in the present day while avoiding hunters and infected, eventually coming across an old military helicopter with a first aid kit. With the contents from this kit, she then stitches up Joel.
Both the show and the game left me with tears in my eyes.
Ellie gets ready to stitch up Joel. Image Naughty Dog.
As always, a few honorable mentions from episode seven.
Firstly, while only seen briefly, you will notice that Captain Kwong’s keyring has Naughty Dog’s paw logo on it. I always enjoy spotting things like this in shows or films (there is also a sticker of the Naughty Dog logo inside Nate’s trunk in the recent Uncharted film adaptation), so this made me smile.
A pawsome inclusion. Image HBO.
The second thing to mention is the dressing set. I loved that Ellie’s room in the PHAEDRA boarding house had posters of space and dinosaur stickers around it.
It also gave us a look at some of her cassettes, with the music in the episode helping paint the scene for viewers.
Ellie’s room reflects her interests. Image HBO.
Lastly, I appreciated the way Ellie had to shake her torch to get it to work. It was just like having to shake your controller when playing the game, and a very nice touch from the showrunners.
Shake it. Image HBO.
Despite enjoying this episode, I do have a slight concern that the rest of the series may feel a bit rushed now.
While I loved seeing Ellie’s story with Riley told in such detail, I am equally aware that we only have two episodes left of this season. I hope I am wrong and the pacing remains strong for the rest of the series. I guess time will tell. Chat again next week!
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( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )
So much emotion in recent days for the disappearance of the great journalist and television presenter. Many wanted to say hello to Maurice Costanzo and one of his phrasepronounced inlast episode of his show, takes on a symbolic meaning today, as if it were his farewell to this land. A phrase that moved everyone.
The reporter of the Maurizio Costanzo Show he passed away on February 24, 2023, at the age of 84. Italian television mourns a great presenter who was able to invent a new genre.
Many messages of condolences arriving from personalities from the world of entertainment and politics, but also from ordinary people, fans who also gave a last farewell to Maria De Filippi’s husband in the funeral home set up in Rome (where they made people discuss who asked for a selfie to the grieving widow).
In the last episode of the talk show that had occupied the schedules of the Italian small screen for years, the conductor uttered a sentence that moved everyone at the time. And that today resonates like a difficult farewell to face for those who loved him in life, even if only as a television public figure.
Maurizio Costanzo, the farewell phrase to the Maurizio Costanzo Show
On the occasion of the farewell to the Maurizio Costanzo Show, which aired for 40 years, from 1982 to 2022, the creator said a phrase that we will always remember. It was November 25, 2022, a few months before the death of the creator of the most famous and loved television living room of all time.
See you in mid-March, Merry Christmas, best wishes and this show will live its fortieth year! Curtain!
Unfortunately he could not fulfill his last dream. The death, sudden and unexpected after a routine surgery, put an end to the great era of the Maurizio Costanzo Show. But certainly Mediaset will put something in the pipeline to celebrate the great conductor.
Harris noted that she said as much to Chinese President Xi Jinping when they met briefly in November at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok. “Everything that has happened in the last week and a half is, we believe, very consistent with our stated approach,” she said.
The intrusion into U.S. airspace caused immediate anger and outrage throughout Washington, D.C., with members of both parties criticizing the Biden administration for failing to shoot down the balloon earlier. The White House says they waited until the balloon was safely away from civilians, though it has since taken aggressive action to shoot down other objects floating above U.S. territory. At this point, the administration isn’t tying those additional objects to the Chinese government.
Harris conducted the interview roughly 24 hours before she was scheduled to depart Washington to lead the U.S. delegation at the Munich Security Conference. China’s top diplomat will be in attendance but Harris said there was nothing scheduled between her and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Reuters reported Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will also be attending the conference, is considering a meeting with his counterpart.
This will be Harris’ second time attending the confab of global leaders and allies on behalf of the administration and her fourth trip to Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine. Her first visit last year came just days before the war began. In her meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Harris promised full support from the United States and encouraged him to prepare for a full-scale invasion.
Nearly a year later, Harris returns aiming to push the western alliance to sustain its stance against Russia despite the impact the invasion has had on the world economy and energy security in Europe.
“There is an enduring commitment on behalf of the alliance, but it’s not without sacrifice that each country is doing that,” Harris said. “And that’s to be applauded, which is a nation standing in defense of certain foundational principles when the going gets tough.”
A White House official said Harris’ tentative schedule in Munich includes meetings with leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Sweden, and that “more engagements are possible.” Harris also is scheduled to address the conference in a speech Saturday.
The vice president said she will be reassuring both the alliance and Ukraine of the U.S. commitment as the war enters its second year. Her stop in Munich will be followed by a visit from President Joe Biden to nearby Poland.
But there are questions about whether the White House’s hands will be tied back home. Congressional Republicans have demanded that any future aid to Ukraine be accompanied by stringent new layers of oversight, if passed at all.
Harris said she believed the GOP posture was overstated if not bluster.
“One thing is rhetoric at the press conference,” she said. “But the other thing is how they’ve been voting and they’ve been voting to support the assistance that we have been as a nation giving the Ukrainian people.”
A myriad of other international issues will be occurring in the backdrop of the Munich conference. Among the thorniest for the White House is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned overhaul of his country’s judicial system to shift power away from its supreme court.
The move has been criticized by members of the Israeli government, including President Isaac Herzog, who in recent televised remarks said a “powder keg is about to explode” as thousands of Netanyahu’s opponents have taken to the streets in protest.
Harris offered a measured critique of the judicial reform as well, placing it in the context of democratic backsliding.
“As the president has said, an independent judiciary is foundational for a democracy,” she said. “And I think that there is no question that we need to make sure that that is supported in terms of what we talk about [and] in terms of our values.”
In the brief phone interview, Harris also addressed domestic matters, including concerns from members of her own party over the prospect of another Biden-Harris ticket. Biden is expected to announce his decision on a reelection bid in the coming weeks, amid polls that show most Democrats have doubts about the two taking on whomever the Republican nominee will be.
“We were in Philadelphia recently and hundreds of people were shouting their support of the work that our administration has had and the success that our administration has accomplished and their desire to see it keep going,” Harris said. “So I have seen just in terms of, in real life, real people being very supportive of the work that is happening. When I look at the midterms and how people voted, that gives me further objective and empirical evidence of this point.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
Disney has pulled an episode of “The Simpsons” that includes a line about “forced labor camps” in China from its streaming platform in Hong Kong.
The episode — first shown in October last year and titled “One Angry Lisa” — features a scene in which Marge Simpson takes a virtual exercise bike class with an instructor in front of a virtual background of the Great Wall of China. The instructor says: “Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where children make smartphones, and romance.”
China’s use of forced labor and mass internment camps to control the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region culminated in a U.N. assessment that concluded Beijing’s actions may constitute crimes against humanity, although China rejects any claims of human rights violations in Xinjiang.
The “Simpsons” episode is no longer available on the Disney+ platform in Hong Kong, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing experts on censorship that claim Disney might have removed the episode out of concern for its business in mainland China.
This is the second time the platform has been accused of self-censorship in Hong Kong. In 2021, it reportedly dropped an episode of “The Simpsons” that made reference to Tiananmen Square, the scene of a brutal massacre of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing in 1989.
In response to a request for comment, the Hong Kong government told the FT a film censorship system introduced in 2021, which forbids films from endangering national security, “does not apply to streaming services.” A spokesperson for the government did not comment on whether it had asked Disney to remove the episode.
In recent years, Beijing has cracked down on Hong Kong’s freedoms, sparking mass protests and international criticism.
Disney could not be reached for comment.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )
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