Tesco announces another pay rise for staff - days after Asda announced wage increase

“Top Gun: Maverick” — nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture — has a dark secret. The blockbuster, which celebrates the scrappy nature of US fighter pilots flying dangerous missions to keep the world safe, is being targeted for being funded in part by a Russian oligarch named Dmitry Rybolovlev, who is close to the Kremlin and sanctioned by Ukraine. In an open letter to the Academy, the Ukrainian World Congress, which represents Ukrainian expats around the world, expressed its “serious concerns over Russia’s influence on the Hollywood film industry.”The letter circulated last week during the final days of voting for the Oscars. Rybolovlev, 56, is no stranger to controversy.He maintained his innocence while spending a year in a Russian jail in the 1990sfor a murder he was later acquitted of.In 2008, during the economic recession, Rybolovlev, via a trust, paid $95 million for Donald Trump’s Palm Beach mansion.

NME about the recent 20th anniversary celebrations for the venue and the current plight of live music in the UK.The 400-capacity Goldsmith Street venue opened on 22 February 2003 and has since served as a pivotal stepping stone in the rise of artists including Amy Winehouse, Stormzy, The Killers, The National, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, Charli XCX, The Libertines, Fontaines D.C. and Nottingham’s own Jake Bugg.The week-long series of celebrations, which also included a Do Nothing DJ set and a performance by Nottingham’s Amber Run, culminated last week with a headline performance from Frank Turner and the one-off show from local metallers Panchiko.A post shared by Rescue Rooms (@rescuerooms) Speaking to NME, Anton Lockwood, the Director of Live Music at the DHP Group, the company behind Rescue Rooms that also runs Rock City and the Bodega in Nottingham, was keen to outline the continuing importance of mid-sized music venues to the lifeblood of the UK music scene.“When we do these anniversary things, the natural thing is to go, ‘Oh yeah, Dua Lipa played, or The Killers played and didn’t even sell out’.

Sir Rod Stewart is no stranger to charity work and helping others in need. His most recent act of kindness has seen him foot the bill of more hospital scans across the country in a bid to reduce NHS waiting lists.

Chris Rock‘s new stand-up show Selective Outrage recently made history by becoming Netflix‘s first live-streamed event.The performance was broadcast from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 4 (March 5 in the UK), and also featured before and post-shows with guest stars.In his new set, Rock addresses everything from “non racist yoga pants” and spoiling his kids, to the Kardashians and his well-publicised altercation with Will Smith at last year’s Oscars.Having aired live over the weekend, the event is now available to stream on Netflix. However, the before and post-shows are not available on the service.The half-hour pre-show, titled The Show Before The Show, was hosted by Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, M3GAN) and guests included Arsenio Hall, Leslie Jones and Deon Cole.The post-show, similarly titled The Show After The Show, was hosted by Spade and Dana Carvey, with guests including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, JB Smoove and Arsenio Hall.In Rock’s set, the comedian spoke in detail for the first time about about the incident at last year’s Oscars, in which Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped him after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.Addressing his run-in with Smith, Rock said: “Everybody knows it happened.

Suella Braverman said it would “betray” British voters not to tackle the “waves of illegal migrants breaching our border” as she unveiled plans for new laws to crack down on Channel crossings.

Weyes Blood has shared details of a 2023 UK and Europe tour – find out how to buy tickets below.The artist (real name Natalie Mering) recently wrapped a number sold-out shows across the UK and Europe in support of her latest album, ‘And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow‘, and will return later this year for a fresh run.Mering kicks things off at Glastonbury Festival in June before heading to Lille’s Aeronef venue on
 June 27. After other festival appearances including Rock Werchter in Belgium, the soloist will play dates in Portugal and Spain in July.November sees the LA musician play Pitchfork Music Festival Paris (November 8) and its London edition (13), taking in shows in Europe in the earlier part of the month.

The CEO of Pret A Manger warned that prices at his chains may go up due to food inflation but hasn't ruled out additional pay increases for his workers.

The UK Government has announced delays to a planned timetable which will eventually allow people to view all their pension pots, including State Pension, online in one place. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said that more time is needed for the complex build of pensions dashboards to be set up.

The music world is mourning.

Eurovision has announced details about how to get tickets to this year’s competition.The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool from May 9-13, with the UK city staging the contest on behalf of Ukraine after organisers deemed the country unable to host the event due to the ongoing war with Russia.Tickets will now be available from next Tuesday (March 7) at 12pm GMT on Ticketmaster, and fans are encouraged to create an account in advance.Big #Eurovision2023 news! Tickets will be on sale from midday GMT on Tuesday 7th March

Chvrches have announced a trio of shows, which are due to take place across the UK this summer.The band, who announced their return last week with new song ‘Over’, shared the news on their social media channels today (February 27).“We’ve just announced a handful of shows in the UK this summer including a rescheduled stop in Dundee,” they wrote.Chvrches will be heading to Nottingham’s Rock City on June 9, Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom on June 10 and Dundee’s Fat Sam’s on June 12.Tickets will be on sale from 9am this Friday and will be available to buy here.A post shared by CHVRCHES (@chvrches)‘Over’, which the band had been teasing for the last couple of weeks, is their first new song for over a year. They shared the lyrics for the song ahead of its release, saying that it serves as “a brief reprieve from the horrors of CHV4 [their fourth album, 2021’s ‘Screen Violence’]”, adding: “We finished a new song and couldn’t wait to share it with you.”Speaking of the single, Chvrches said: “’Over’ is a song that we wrote with Oscar Holter, a producer we really respect and admire.“Normally we collect songs over the course of months (or years!) until we have an album’s worth of material, but this time we just wanted to release something we were excited about and give the fans something new to mark the end of the ‘Screen Violence’ era, and the start of whatever the next CHVRCHES chapter might be.”Last summer, NME asked Chvrches if fans could expect any new material in the near future.

King Charles III is continuing to show his support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The 74-year-old British monarch shared a message marking the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.«It has now been a year that the people of Ukraine have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation,» he wrote.

Today marks one full year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began and fears remain that it could last for another.

On this day last year, Vladimir Putin ordered his troops across the Ukraine border, marking the start of a deadly conflict which has taken the lives of thousands.

Boygenius – the trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker – have announced their debut UK gigs.The band, who formed for a self-titled EP in 2018 and will release debut album ‘The Record’ next month, will play two UK shows this summer.On August 20, they will play a massive outdoor London show at Gunnersbury Park, joined by MUNA and Ethel Cain, with the latter also playing with them two days later at Halifax’s Piece Hall.Tickets for the gigs go on sale from 10am GMT on Friday, March 3. You can buy your tickets here.‘The Record’ is due out on March 31 via Polydor / Interscope Records and is available to pre-order here.

BBC has announced its presenting and commentary line-up for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.The 2023 competition will take place in Liverpool in May, who beat Glasgow to stage the contest on behalf of Ukraine after organisers deemed the country unable to host the event due to their ongoing war with Russia.Now, a huge list of stars and broadcasters has been revealed to helm the UK’s coverage of its home contest across the final and semi-finals including Graham Norton, Julia Sanina, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon, Timur Miroshnychenko, Sam Quek, Mel Giedroyc, Scott Mills, Rylan and Claire Sweeney.The semi-finals on May 9-11 will be presented by Ukranian singer Julia Sanina, Waddingham and Dixon, with the Grand Final hosted by Eurovision stalwart Norton alongside the three aforementioned presenters.Norton said: “It’s no secret how much I adore Eurovision, I truly believe it’s the greatest show on earth and every year that I’m involved it’s a huge honour. “This year is even more special and I personally feel a big responsibility to make our Ukrainian colleagues proud.Alongside presenting the Grand Final to the world, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to get back into the commentary box for those watching in the UK!”Sanina added: “I am thrilled to present the Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals and Grand Final.

Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon, actress Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina will host the Eurovision Song Contest, it has been announced.The international music show will take place at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool in May after the city was chosen to host the competition on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Broadcaster Zoe Ball, 52, announced the news on her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Wednesday.

The BBC has unveiled its first Agatha Christie adaptation in the post-Sarah Phelps era.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Guns N’ Roses return to the road on a major 2023 world tour produced by Live Nation, headlining stadiums, festivals, and arenas throughout the summer and fall. The band launch this jaunt on June 5 in Tel Aviv, Israel at Park Hayarkon and will continue across Europe through July 22, wrapping in Athens, Greece. The band will continue onto North America, starting on Saturday, August 5 in Moncton, NB at Medavie Blue Cross Stadium, and will visit historic venues across the country such as Fenway Park in Boston, MA on August 21 and Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL on August 24. The tour concludes in Vancouver, BC at BC Place on Monday, October 16.  Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev, a key figure in the story of acclaimed documentary Navalny, says he and his family have been banned from attending the BAFTA ceremony on Sunday because he poses “a public security risk”.