Daily News 19

Author: DN19 Newsroom

  • Liza Soberano Joins Golden Globes Impact Prize Jury at Venice Film Festival

    Liza Soberano Joins Golden Globes Impact Prize Jury at Venice Film Festival

    Filipino-American actress and advocate Liza Soberano has been appointed to the jury for the Golden Globes Impact Prize for Documentary, an award presented by the Artemis Rising Foundation during the Venice Film Festival. The prize, established through a partnership between the Golden Globes and Artemis Rising with support from Think-Film Impact Production, recognizes a documentary feature in the festival's official selection that demonstrates exceptional power in illuminating pressing social issues through compelling storytelling. Soberano's inclusion marks a notable expansion of the jury's global perspective, reflecting her growing influence beyond entertainment into humanitarian and advocacy work. Read also: Harry and Meghan UK Return: Meghan Eyes Acting Comeback. Read also: Savannah Guthrie's Viral Dress Moment Amid Mother's Disap….

    The announcement comes as the Venice Film Festival prepares to showcase a slate of socially engaged documentaries, including the highly anticipated 'NAZA' from the directors of the Oscar-nominated 'No Other Land,' which has already been acquired by MK2 Films ahead of its premiere. Soberano joins a panel tasked with evaluating films that combine artistic merit with tangible real-world impact — a criterion that aligns with her own public advocacy for mental health awareness, education, and youth empowerment in the Philippines and internationally. Her transition from a leading star in Philippine television and film to a recognized voice on global platforms underscores a broader trend of Southeast Asian talent gaining institutional recognition in major international film bodies.

    This appointment also highlights the evolving role of the Golden Globes in championing impact-driven cinema, particularly through collaborations with organizations like Artemis Rising, founded by philanthropist Geralyn Dreyfous to support films that drive social change. Past recipients and jury members have included filmmakers and activists working at the intersection of art and advocacy, positioning the prize as a distinctive fixture in the festival circuit. Soberano's participation signals a continued effort to diversify the voices shaping which stories are amplified on the world stage, especially those from underrepresented regions and communities.

  • UK Braces for Thunderstorms as Heatwave Era Ends

    UK Braces for Thunderstorms as Heatwave Era Ends

    The United Kingdom is heading into a week of unsettled weather, with the Met Office mapping out a series of thunderstorms and prolonged rain showers that will sweep across large parts of the country as August ends. Forecasters warn that the pattern marks a sharp shift from the string of heatwaves that have dominated recent months. Read also: UK MP Rupert Lowe Earns £100K From X Posts, Beats Salary.

    Rain is expected to arrive first in the southwest and south Wales on Tuesday, before a broader band of showers moves across southern England on Wednesday. By Thursday, heavy downpours are predicted over the West Midlands, progressing northward toward Manchester and Leeds, while the east of England could see intense rain Thursday night. The Met Office also flags a chance of thunderstorms over Manchester and Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

    Despite the wet outlook, temperatures are set to climb, with London potentially reaching 26 °C on Thursday and most regions sitting in the low‑to‑mid 20s for the rest of the week. Warm spells may still appear, but they are likely to be brief and near seasonal averages.

    This turn comes after a record‑breaking summer: 2026 became the first year on record to log three separate days above 37 °C and four days at 36 °C or higher. Before this year, the UK had only recorded 37 °C or more on six occasions. July was the driest month since records began in 1836 for both England and Wales, and southern England experienced its driest calendar month ever. By mid‑July the country had already logged more days above 30 °C than the entirety of the notorious 1976 heatwave. The prolonged heat has left roughly 70 % of England and Wales in drought, meaning the incoming rain, while welcome, will need to be sustained to ease the deficit.

    Looking ahead, the Met Office’s long‑range outlook for the Bank Holiday weekend points to continued showers, longer rain spells, strong winds, and further thunderstorm risk. The weather is expected to remain changeable through the first week of September, with above‑average rainfall for the period, interspersed with occasional drier, settled intervals and short‑lived warm spikes.

    For the public, the shift means potential disruptions to outdoor events, travel delays, and heightened flash‑flood risk in urban areas where drainage systems are already stressed by months of dry ground. Farmers and water managers will be watching closely, as the combination of heavy bursts and lingering drought could create both relief and new challenges. The pattern also underscores a broader climate trend: extreme heat episodes are becoming more frequent, while the transition to wetter, stormier conditions can arrive abruptly, a dynamic that has been observed in recent European summers.

  • George Russell: “Specialist” Lando Norris Always Strong at Tracks Like Zandvoort

    George Russell: “Specialist” Lando Norris Always Strong at Tracks Like Zandvoort

    Russell: Norris a Specialist at High-Degradation Circuits After Zandvoort Win

    George Russell believes Lando Norris’s back-to-back victories in Hungary and the Netherlands are no surprise, citing the McLaren driver’s historical strength at tracks defined by long corners and high tyre degradation.

    Norris secured pole and victory at both the Hungaroring and Zandvoort either side of the summer break, a surge coinciding with a significant McLaren upgrade package. However, Russell pointed out that Norris has consistently excelled at circuits sharing these specific characteristics.

    “I don’t think it’s a major surprise for us, seeing how competitive Lando was this weekend, considering he won in Budapest,”

    Russell said after finishing third in the Dutch Grand Prix.

    “It’s a very similar circuit with the long corners, high tyre degradation, with the two-stop strategy, so there’s a lot of similarities between the two circuits. I think this may continue for the coming two or three races until we start to bring more to the car, and fingers crossed our competitors don’t.”

    Monza Presents Different Challenge

    The next round at Monza offers a contrasting layout. While it features a few long corners, the Italian circuit is predominantly characterised by long straights, heavy braking zones, and low-speed chicanes. Russell expects Mercedes to be more competitive there, referencing the team’s strong performances at Shanghai, Montreal, and Silverstone earlier this season.

    However, he acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Ferrari’s rumoured engine upgrade and the unique demands Monza places on power units.

    “I think we will be slightly more competitive there,”

    Russell said of Monza.

    “However, I believe Ferrari have an engine upgrade incoming, and the truth is we just don’t know.”

    Despite the circuit change, Russell maintains McLaren remains the benchmark, particularly in high-degradation conditions where Norris excels.

    “But I do believe that these high-degradation circuits really suit McLaren very well, and especially Lando. He’s always been a bit of a specialist in those conditions. We also saw it last year.”

    “Monza may be slightly different, but I think they are the team to beat right now.”

    Antonelli Faces Grid Penalty at Home Race

    Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli is set to start from the back of the grid at his home round in Monza. The penalty stems from a full Mercedes power unit change that exceeds his seasonal allocation.

  • Harry and Meghan UK Return: Meghan Eyes Acting Comeback

    Harry and Meghan UK Return: Meghan Eyes Acting Comeback

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to relocate from California to the United Kingdom with their two children, marking a significant shift in their post-royal lives. According to senior royal correspondents, the move is expected to be completed within days, ending nearly five years of transatlantic commuting and speculation about their long-term base. Read also: Prince Harry's brutal response to watching Meghan Markle’s Fits intercourse scenes.

    For Meghan, a return to professional acting appears to be a central pillar of the couple's new chapter. Industry insiders report that early-stage discussions are underway for a potential role in the third season of Netflix's "The Gentlemen," the Guy Ritchie-created series about an aristocrat-turned-drug lord filmed largely in the Cotswolds. While Netflix has not confirmed casting decisions, the prospect of a former working royal with a television background joining a British-produced hit aligns with the streaming platform's strategy of blending prestige talent with built-in audience curiosity. Meghan herself acknowledged the pull of set life during a June 2025 podcast appearance with entrepreneur Emma Grede, saying she realized how much she missed her crew while filming her lifestyle series "With Love, Meghan."

    Entertainment journalists caution that negotiations remain fluid. Variety's chief correspondent notes that scheduling logistics, role size, shooting days, and compensation are all active discussion points, and that both sides often use media speculation as leverage. This dynamic mirrors similar high-profile casting negotiations where public buzz accelerates private dealmaking.

    Meanwhile, Prince Harry's focus will center on the charitable patronages and veteran-support initiatives he has maintained from abroad. His final U.S. engagements included meetings with military families in Washington, D.C., and a visit to the nation's primary military medical center, underscoring a commitment that predates his marriage and has survived geographic distance. Observers note that grounding his UK presence in established philanthropy offers continuity and credibility as the couple navigates a more public-facing existence.

    The relocation also reflects practical pressures: maintaining dual residences, private security, international travel, and elite schooling for two children carries a price tag that demands reliable, high-yield income streams. A steady acting role for Meghan, combined with the couple's existing Netflix and Spotify deals, could provide the financial architecture needed to sustain their lifestyle without relying on royal funds. Historically, other senior royals who stepped back from official duties — such as the Duke of Windsor or, more recently, Prince Andrew — faced scrutiny over income sources; the Sussexes' pursuit of commercial entertainment work represents a distinct, modern approach to post-royal relevance.

    As the move unfolds, the Cotswolds — already a magnet for celebrity residents — may become the backdrop for a new phase of public fascination, blending aristocratic scenery, streaming-era celebrity, and the enduring global appetite for the Sussex narrative.

  • Psychic ‘Prophet of Doom’ Predicts 5-Nation War by 2026

    Psychic ‘Prophet of Doom’ Predicts 5-Nation War by 2026

    A British psychic who goes by the moniker "Prophet of Doom" has issued a fresh warning that a war involving at least five countries could break out before the close of 2026. Craig Hamilton-Parker, often labeled the "new Nostradamus" by followers, shared the forecast in a recent YouTube video to his 243,000 subscribers, saying the conflict could erupt as early as October. Read also: Prophet of Doom claims 'five-country warfare' will explode by finish of the yr. Read also: 'Time traveller' who visited yr 4413 has chilling warning about destiny of humanity.

    Hamilton-Parker points to a track record that includes anticipating Brexit, Donald Trump's 2016 presidential win, and the emergence of a global flu-like pandemic years before COVID-19 appeared. He also claims to have foreseen the resignation of former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Boris Johnson's rise to the premiership, and more recently the reported death of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following US strikes alongside attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. These assertions, however, remain unverified and are presented as the psychic's own account of his past predictions.

    The latest outlook draws on what Hamilton-Parker describes as Nadi, a traditional Indian practice that interprets ancient palm-leaf manuscripts believed to hold information about future events. He stresses that the warning does not rest on a single leaf or reading but emerges from multiple independent Nadi sources. "I think we can put a picture together of what is happening in the world," he told viewers, adding that the period between 2026 and 2027 represents a major alarm window he has highlighted before.

    According to the readings he cites, tensions and expanding wars are referenced for August and September 2026, with one reading suggesting that by October as many as five nations could be embroiled in direct conflict. Hamilton-Parker characterizes the timeline as "right around the corner."

    In a separate video posted in June, he offered a broader, bleak assessment of the current global mood, describing widespread fear, social unrest, and a loss of trust in political leadership not seen since the early days of World War II. Yet he also insisted that a "diving beginning" — a phrase he used to suggest a hopeful undercurrent — is moving in the background of these dark events.

    Hamilton-Parker has previously released a range of other predictions for 2026, though the five-country war scenario has drawn the most attention given its immediacy and the specificity of the timeframe.

  • Indian Teen Who Lived in Ponds Has Rare Skin Disorder

    Indian Teen Who Lived in Ponds Has Rare Skin Disorder

    A 16-year-old from West Bengal's Murshidabad district has spent roughly five years submerging himself in local ponds day and night, driven by a relentless burning sensation on his skin that he says only water can quell. Footage of Iqbal Sheikh neck-deep in ponds began circulating widely on social media earlier this month, drawing international attention to his unusual ordeal. The teenager has described the pain as possibly the work of a supernatural entity, a belief echoed in reports citing a jinn or similar spirit from Arabic mythology.

    Locals who have watched his condition deteriorate say the skin on his hands and feet has turned pale, and he has developed persistent cold and cough symptoms from constant immersion. Despite his family seeking help at multiple hospitals and from traditional healers, no definitive cause had been identified until recently. Villagers often brought food and supplies to him while he remained afloat, a testament to how completely the water had become his only relief.

    The viral coverage reached one of India's wealthiest families. Anant Ambani, son of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, reportedly arranged for Sheikh to be flown more than 1,300 miles to Mumbai for specialist evaluation at Sir HN Reliance Hospital. According to the Daily Mirror, the journey took place this week, and doctors there have suggested he may be suffering from erythromelalgia, a rare disorder characterized by burning pain, redness, and heat primarily in the feet, though the hands, arms, legs, ears, and face can also be affected.

    The NHS notes that erythromelalgia symptoms can be constant or intermittent, often starting as itching before progressing to burning pain, warmth, swelling, and excessive sweating. The exact cause remains unclear; it can stem from another underlying condition or a faulty inherited gene. Known triggers include exercise, warm or tight clothing, heat, stress, alcohol, spicy food, and dehydration. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and addressing any root cause.

    Medical experts caution that the very thing Sheikh has relied on — prolonged soaking in cool water — likely exacerbates the condition. The Cleveland Clinic warns that cold-water immersion such as ice baths can intensify the burning pain and raise the risk of skin complications like nonhealing wounds and necrosis, which are difficult to treat. This means his self-prescribed remedy may have been worsening his prognosis all along.

    Safer management strategies include medications to treat underlying conditions or relieve symptoms directly, lidocaine infusions, nutritional supplements such as magnesium and alpha-lipoic acid, nerve blocks, and topical creams. Non-pharmacological approaches recommended by the Cleveland Clinic involve elevating the affected area, resting on a cool surface like a tile floor, using a fan, or applying cool gel packs wrapped in a thin towel. With specialist care now underway, there is hope that the teenager's long ordeal may finally turn toward recovery.

  • Lando Norris: I’m eliminating my F1 weaknesses, and I don’t have so many

    Lando Norris: I’m eliminating my F1 weaknesses, and I don’t have so many

    Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris believes he is delivering a more complete performance in 2025 than during his title-winning season, citing improvements in both racecraft and off-track engineering collaboration. The McLaren driver backed up that claim with back-to-back victories at the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, securing pole position and the win in both rounds.

    Title Defence Gains Momentum After Slow Regulatory Start

    Despite the recent surge, Norris sits fourth in the drivers’ championship, trailing leader Kimi Antonelli by 83 points. McLaren’s difficult adaptation to the new technical regulations had initially dampened title expectations, but the twin victories have injected fresh life into the British driver’s campaign.

    Norris: “I’m Doing a Better Job at Understanding This Car”

    Speaking after his Zandvoort triumph, Norris explained that the 2025 machinery presents a stiffer challenge, yet his ability to manage it has evolved.

    “I was driving at a high level the second half of last year. It’s tough to say [if I’m driving at my highest level], but I do think it’s a trickier car to drive this year in some ways,” Norris said. “I think you can see that because the gaps between team-mates are often bigger this year, I would say, than it was last year. But I do believe so.
    “I do believe I’m able to understand situations better, to understand the car in a better way. It’s still just horrible to drive, but I’m doing a better job at just understanding this, relaying this to my team, figuring stuff out.
    “So, it’s not just I’m driving better on track. I’m certainly eliminating my weaknesses on track, and I don’t have so many, but it’s also how I work off the track. And for me, yesterday to today is a perfect example of [how] the work we put in overnight transformed our race and gave me the opportunity to win.
    “So, the work we put in away from the track is certainly a huge part of that.”

    Overnight Engineering Turnaround Key to Zandvoort Victory

    Norris highlighted the specific gains made between Saturday’s sprint race—where he finished third—and Sunday’s grand prix. A disappointing sprint showing prompted an intensive debrief with his engineering crew.

    “Pretty high just from a point of very well fought in many ways. More than that is the turnaround from yesterday to today.
    “I was pretty disappointed yesterday. It kind of took a little bit of the fire out of me, seeing how much we struggled in the sprint. I know it’s just a sprint, but every point matters and we just really didn’t have the pace. I didn’t have that something that gave me life inside the car.
    “Last night we worked very, very hard. I spent a lot of time with my engineers to kind of understand what we could do better today, how to push more, save the tyres more, how to do everything in a better way than I’ve done and better than everyone else. And I certainly believe I did that today.
    “So apart from the start, it was a little bit of a mix of races because the beginning in the first stint was pretty bad and kind of reminded me of yesterday. But we put the hard tyres on and things came alive and the race really started to come back to me.”

    McLaren’s Development Trajectory Points Upward

    The Zandvoort weekend underscored a critical strength for McLaren: the capacity to diagnose and solve performance deficits rapidly. Norris credited the overnight session for unlocking race-winning pace, particularly after switching to the hard compound tyre, which transformed the car’s behaviour and allowed him to dictate the second half of the grand prix.

    With the regulation reset still in its early phase, the Woking squad’s ability to extract performance through driver-engineer synergy could prove decisive as the championship progresses.

    Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
  • Chelsea Edge Past Fulham, Palmer Impresses to Give Alonso First Win

    Chelsea Edge Past Fulham, Palmer Impresses to Give Alonso First Win

    Cole Palmer delivered a decisive performance as Chelsea secured a victory at Craven Cottage, handing Xabi Alonso a winning start in the Premier League against an Alvaro Arbeloa-led Fulham side.

    The England international was the architect of the result, finding the back of the net himself before turning provider to set up Joao Pedro for a crucial goal. The combined attacking output proved too much for the home side to handle in the West London derby.

    Palmer Shines in Chelsea Victory

    Palmer’s influence was evident throughout the contest. His goal showcased his clinical finishing, while his assist for Joao Pedro highlighted the creative vision that has made him a centerpiece of the Chelsea attack since his arrival. The connection between the pair offered an early glimpse of a potentially potent partnership for the new campaign.

    The win marks a successful competitive debut for Alonso in the Chelsea dugout. Facing a familiar face in opposite number Arbeloa, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid teammates renewed their rivalry from the touchline, with Alonso emerging victorious on this occasion.

    Fulham Tested at Craven Cottage

    For Fulham, the defeat represents a challenging opening to the season under Arbeloa. Despite the home advantage at Craven Cottage, the Cottagers were unable to contain Chelsea’s attacking threats. The result will prompt an early assessment of the squad’s readiness for the rigors of the Premier League schedule.

    The three points provide Chelsea with immediate momentum and a strong platform as they look to establish themselves among the league’s elite under their new management structure.

  • Netflix Renews “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” for Season 9

    Netflix Renews “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” for Season 9

    Netflix Confirms Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 9 for 2026 Championship

    Netflix has officially announced that its hit behind-the-scenes docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive will return for a ninth season, documenting the ongoing 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. Since its debut on the streaming platform in 2019, the series has provided viewers with unprecedented paddock access and a window into the drivers’ lives away from the circuit.

    Producers Promise Deeper Access in New Season

    Box to Box Films, the production company behind the show, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming installment. Executive producers James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin said in a joint statement: “We’re so excited to be making Season 9 of this iconic show,” James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, executive producers at Box to Box, which produces the show, said. “This year we’re going to go deeper than ever before into the hidden spaces of this fantastic sport.”

    Series Credited with Transforming F1’s Global Audience

    While the docuseries has faced criticism for its creative editing—often compared to reality television dramatics—its impact on the sport’s popularity is undeniable. Drive to Survive has been instrumental in expanding Formula 1’s fanbase in the United States and attracting a younger, more gender-diverse audience.

    Reflecting on that impact during a 2023 interview with F1.com, Gay-Rees said: “Genuinely, we are enormously proud to be a part of it. There’s also a lot of satisfaction at being first with these things, and I think that it kind of does feel like the first main access show – certainly out of the UK anyway – that has had this profound effect.

    He continued: “We’ve all had the statistics about the changing, younger demographic, and it’s tough out there for anybody, for any big organisation, to hold its ground given the amount of choices that are out there for the consumer. Bringing such a big new audience to a sport – which obviously was deserved, it just needed somebody to open it up – is massively satisfying.

    Gay-Rees added: “The fact that it wasn’t a fluke, the fact that it’s grown [with every season]… It’s a real honour and we love it. It’s a very difficult show to make, but we love the process, we love the world. Long may it continue!”

    Season 9 to Focus on 2026 Regulation Era

    The ninth season will centre on the 2026 F1 season, which introduces sweeping new technical regulations including revised power-unit rules and active aerodynamics. The new campaign is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2027.

    Fan Reaction Builds Anticipation

    Following the announcement on the official Netflix UK Instagram account, fans shared their excitement. One commenter wrote: “The Aston Martin episode will be Absolute Television,” while another posted: “Looking forward to the DTS marathon,” and a third added: “OK I can’t wait for DTS. I actually like it.”

  • Yuki Tsunoda Pitches F1 Return With “Call me, please!” After Impressive Dutch GP

    Yuki Tsunoda Pitches F1 Return With “Call me, please!” After Impressive Dutch GP

    The past week has been a whirlwind for Yuki Tsunoda. Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer learned the previous Friday of Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury and a potential driver change, yet Tsunoda revealed he only received the call on Tuesday—while still on a beach in Greece.

    Immediate readiness despite limited track time

    The Japanese driver emphasized he was physically fully prepared for the stand-in appearance, though adapting to the 2026-spec machinery remained a significant question mark. While Tsunoda has extensively tested the Red Bull car in the simulator this year, he had not driven the Racing Bulls challenger prior to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.

    Strong showing at Zandvoort

    Despite the limited preparation, the race weekend at Zandvoort went remarkably well. Tsunoda stayed close to teammate Arvid Lindblad’s lap times throughout, qualified 12th in both sessions, and finished the race 11th—just ahead of Lindblad.

    “Honestly, I think I was able to progress faster than I expected. I drove only four times out of eight months since my last race in Abu Dhabi. And with that, I did pretty well,”

    Tsunoda said after the race.

    He acknowledged the adjustment from the ground-effect cars he had grown accustomed to over recent years to the current specification was substantial. At an energy-sensitive circuit like Zandvoort, energy management was not the deciding factor, yet the transition still presented challenges.

    “I think the most challenging part was pretty much everything – a lot of things, learning about deployment, buttons, everything, all procedures are different. And this race was also challenging because of tyre degradation, the degradation characteristic was also very different,”

    he explained.

    “So it was all about how to adapt to that, but honestly, the team supported me a lot. They made it easy for me to drive as fast as possible. It’s a shame that I didn’t score points, but I take it. I was fighting against top eight or top nine until the last few laps, I would say.”

    Future ambitions: F1 return remains Plan A

    The obvious follow-up question concerns Tsunoda’s future. Ahead of the Dutch GP, he had already indicated Formula 1 remains his primary goal, but stressed he does not want to spend another year on the sidelines.

    “Teams have to decide if they want me or not, but they should!”

    “I know what I can do and I think I pretty much showed what I can do to most of the paddock,”

    he added.

    “With just one race, a couple of sessions, I was able to fight close to the points. Honestly, I think the outcome was… obviously, scoring points [would have been] better, but I think I did as much as I could.”

    Before the Racing Bulls opportunity arose, Tsunoda appeared to be targeting IndyCar for 2027 if no F1 door opened. His Zandvoort performance demonstrated he can still be an asset to any midfield team under the current, complex regulations.

    “It’s definitely better having this opportunity, rather than not having any opportunity, so not being able to show what I can do with these regulations,”

    he noted.

    “The rest is up to my manager and other teams who have not decided yet about next year’s line-up, if they want to have me or not, but they should,”

    laughed the driver with 112 F1 starts to his name.

    A direct appeal to team principals

    When asked by Motorsport.com whether his chances of a full-time F1 return had increased after the weekend, Tsunoda paused for seven seconds, looked up, and laughed: “That’s cheeky, huh?”

    After another pause of more than 15 seconds, during which he consulted the Racing Bulls press officer on how best to answer, Tsunoda made a light-hearted appeal to F1 teams for 2027 as he walked away: “Call me, please!”