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Call of Duty removes Seoul crush footage after families' outcry

Activision will remove real news footage of the 2022 Seoul crush from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 after bereaved families protested its use in the game's opening scene. The footage will be deleted in a November 12 update.

3 min read

An in-game screenshot showing a male Korean soldier holding a gun with a building on fire behind him.

Reader photographs of Scotland: 23–30 October

A weekly collection of reader-submitted photographs from 23–30 October showcases Scotland's landscapes, wildlife, and seasonal beauty, from rainbows and seals to stags and autumn hillwalking scenes.

7 min read

A rainbow between dramatic cliffs over a blue wavy sea and half blue / half cloudy sky.

Why Video Game Remakes Tap Into Our Deepest Nostalgia

Video game remakes tap into powerful nostalgia while raising questions about creative balance. From Zelda: Ocarina of Time to Final Fantasy VII, developers must honour beloved originals while innovating for modern audiences.

7 min read

A child character from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time wields a huge sword in front of bright light. The picture is from the Wii U Virtual Console release of the N64 game.

Visible Mending Moves From Craft Workshops to High Street and Catwalk

Decorative clothing repairs are moving from community workshops to mainstream fashion, with major retailers and designers now embracing visible mending as both an environmental solution and design statement.

6 min read

Alice Brown, a woman in her living room in a pale blue jumper that features a lizard, a snail and various insects dotted around in unusual places.

Exploding Heads, Mutant Aliens and Bursting Chests: Horror's Greatest Special Effects Ranked

A countdown of horror cinema's most unforgettable practical effects moments, from Nosferatu's in-camera wizardry to The Thing's surreal creature designs, celebrating the artistry and innovation that defined pre-digital horror filmmaking.

8 min read

Regan, from The Exorcist, with pale scarred skin and white eyes, stares upward

Jamie Miller: Welsh Singer Says Life Changed Forever After Babydoll Hits UK Number One

Welsh singer Jamie Miller says his life will never be the same after Babydoll became the first UK number one by a Welsh artist in 15 years. The 29-year-old from Cardiff is now planning a world tour and working on a new album.

6 min read

Jamie Miller in a red suit wearing sunglasses. He is smiling and holding an award for the UK number one single.

Lawyer Trades Late Nights for Netflix Voiceover Work

A former London lawyer has left her demanding legal career to pursue voiceover acting from home. Emily McGonagle now voices eight characters in Netflix's Spike, which became the platform's number one children's show in the UK.

4 min read

A woman with an enthusiastic facial expression wearing headphones and speaking into a microphone

McAllan Demands Ofcom Review of BBC Scotland Channel Closure Plan

Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan has demanded Ofcom review the BBC's plan to close the linear BBC Scotland channel and move it online as part of £500m cost cuts, calling the decision "wholly unacceptable" and warning it would harm representation of Scotland in UK broadcasting.

4 min read

Close up of a rectangular building with lots of windows and a sign saying 'BBC Scotland'

Walter Koenig, Star Trek's Pavel Chekov, Dies at 90

Walter Koenig, the American actor who played Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek series, has died aged 90. He appeared on the show from 1967 to 1969 and reprised the role in six original cast films and later appearances.

5 min read

Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov on board the USS Enterprise during an episode of Star Trek from 1968

Two 19-year-olds become youngest Church of Scotland elders in recent history

Two 19-year-olds have become among the youngest Church of Scotland elders in recent history after completing an 18-month internship at Sandyhills Parish Church in Glasgow. Erica Matteo and Luke Anderson are now part of the Kirk Session, the church's governing body.

3 min read

Three people standing in front of a painting showing open hands with light shining on them. Erica Matteo has dark hair to her shoulders, glasses and a grey top. Luke Anderson has blond hair with a white top over a shirt and tie, and Rev Afrin is bald, with glasses and a beige T-shirt and jacket on.

Fans brave the elements for midnight release of sixth ACOTAR novel

Around 30 fans gathered in Carrickfergus for the midnight release of A Court of Splintered Harmony, the sixth book in Sarah J Maas's ACOTAR series, after a five-year wait. The event featured activities and celebrated the romantasy genre's growing cultural impact.

6 min read

Katie and Amy stand side by side and smile at the camera. Katie on the left has long, dark hair and is wearing a black jacket. On the right, Amy has shoulder-length, blonde hair and is wearing a pair of black framed glasses and a black leather jacket. Both are stood in front of a large bookshelf.

'Maxxing' Named Dictionary.com's 2026 Word of the Year

Dictionary.com names "maxxing"—short for maximising—as its 2026 Word of the Year, reflecting American culture's obsession with optimisation. The term surged 19 times in digital media and spawned variations like "looksmaxxing" and "proteinmaxxing" across Gen Z social platforms.

5 min read

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