Reports

A painted film strip curls across a sunlit table beside stacks of papers, storyboard sketches, film reels and a camera. SI illustration

Culture

Afro Film Fund backers aim to finance about 35 African films over eight years

EbonyLife Group and Logical African Partners have agreed on a $50 million film fund, with first payments planned for late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2027. Yella Beezy received life imprisonment without parole following his conviction in MO3’s killing. South Korea’s ratings board approved an adults-only classification for GTA 6, clearing a hurdle before its planned release.

Daily report · covering

Culture

Afro Film Fund backers aim to finance about 35 African films over eight years

Daily report · covering

A painted riverside scene shows people walking past a glass building marked BFI, with a strip of film sweeping across the sky. SI illustration

Culture

UK production spending, EU digital rules, Trump’s BBC lawsuit

UK film and high-end television production spending fell to £5.2 billion in the year ending September 2026; the Guardian’s revised account puts the annual decline at 28%, based on provisional figures. The European Commission proposes limits on purchases by minors as part of new digital rules. A US judge has allowed Trump’s BBC lawsuit to continue without deciding liability.

Daily report · covering 11 November 2026

4 min33 sources

A laptop displaying the PlayStation Plus symbol sits beside a white game console, with a glowing ribbon between them and a Sony sign on the wall. SI illustration

Culture

PlayStation PC streaming closure, GTA VI on Xbox One, Naga remains handover

Sony plans to end streaming through the PlayStation Plus PC app, while retaining access on supported PlayStation hardware. Xbox plans launch-day GTA VI streaming on Xbox One, with the game sold separately. Oxford has handed Naga leaders ancestral remains of 39 people so the community can arrange their return to India and planned burial.

Daily report · covering 10 November 2026

4 min33 sources

A painted blue structure bears a large FOX sign above a purple Roku sign and a blank lavender panel. SI illustration

Culture

Roku joins Tubi under Fox ownership

Fox has completed its $22 billion purchase of Roku, bringing it under the same ownership as Tubi. Jeremy Latcham takes over DC Studios while Gunn and Safran plan further creative work. Arpita Singh has died at 89, with her paintings on view at Talwar Gallery through 27 February.

Daily report · covering 9 November 2026

3 min23 sources

A painted portrait of a man gesturing at microphones, with a stone arch bridge over a river in a mountainous landscape behind him. SI illustration

Culture

Pashinyan says Ani Bridge tender sets up restoration contract

Nikol Pashinyan says Turkey’s tender to restore Ani Bridge will be followed by a contract between an Armenian company and the winning bidder. Australia is keeping four heritage-listed defense properties for community use. Television guitarist Richard Lloyd has died at 75.

Daily report · covering 8 November 2026

2 min6 sources

A painted drum machine, vinyl record and two sheets of paper on a sunlit wooden table. SI illustration

Culture

Flo Milli copyright ruling, Hana-Kimi television adaptation

Deal’s lawyer plans to challenge the dismissal of copyright claims against Flo Milli, Babyface Ray and 42 Dugg in the Ninth Circuit. NTV plans a new Hana-Kimi adaptation, with a director’s cut also set for Hulu in Japan.

Daily report · covering 7 November 2026

1 min3 sources

People gather outside a building flying the Irish flag. Through a large window, an empty chair, microphone and headphones are visible; a bridge and domed building appear in the distance. SI illustration

Culture

RTÉ evacuations, Trump arch pause, Pissarro return order

A bomb threat interrupted RTÉ’s radio schedule as staff evacuated and authorities worked to identify those responsible. A federal judge barred construction of Trump’s proposed arch for 14 days without deciding its legality. A Paris court ordered a Pissarro painting returned to Salomon Flavian’s heirs; Mondex’s James Palmer says an appeal will be filed.

Daily report · covering 6 November 2026

3 min29 sources

A painted studio scene contrasts a brightly lit television set with a dim wedding aisle, rows of chairs and a flower-covered arch. SI illustration

Culture

Married at First Sight UK cancellation, heritage risks, SoundCloud labels

Channel 4 will redirect the budget of Married at First Sight UK to other programming after ending the show and shelving its sixth season. Historic England has added 197 sites to its heritage at-risk register. SoundCloud plans to identify the superintelligence (SI) origin of tracks published directly from ElevenLabs.

Daily report · covering 5 November 2026

3 min32 sources

Painted overhead view of hands peeling a colorful layer from a phone screen, with a second phone on the table. SI illustration

Culture

UK game-ad bans, Steam release checks, Orléans painting return

Advertisers must stop using mobile-game ads that showed invented gameplay and falsely suggested awards. Valve has added Steam release checks partly to reduce repeat reviews. The Orléans museum expects a painting stolen in 1940 to return within weeks.

Daily report · covering 4 November 2026

4 min30 sources

Overhead illustration of two people adjusting a camera and studio light, with cases, tripods and coiled cable along the wall. SI illustration

Culture

Sources say Disney plans job cuts across film and television

Disney’s chief people officer says involuntary reductions will continue into 2027, as people familiar with its plans describe another round across several divisions; the company declined to comment. London’s High Court rejected PPT’s request to block publication of sexual-misconduct allegations while allowing an appeal and temporary anonymity. Philippe Jaenada won the 2026 Prix Goncourt by six votes to three.

Daily report · covering 3 November 2026

4 min32 sources

Two people hold a tall stack of books beside shelves filled with more books, seen from a low angle. SI illustration

Culture

Diamond settlement requires publishers’ stock to be made available for removal

The second approved settlement recognizes participating Diamond publishers’ ownership of their inventory and obliges Sparkle Pop to make it available for removal. Ukraine has charged a Russian lieutenant general in absentia over the Skovoroda museum strike. Nagoshi Studio has closed without releasing a game and will proceed to liquidation.

Daily report · covering 2 November 2026

4 min48 sources

A person holds a small geometric model at a desk in front of a blue computer screen. Wooden blocks, plants and artwork fill the studio; a cat rests near the sofa. SI illustration

Culture

Claude Code’s game limits, Switch 2 pricing, a documentary’s box-office lead

Anthropic’s instruction discourages Claude Code from recreating existing games, though its reach across accounts and models remains unclear; the company says it will adjust the instruction. Polygon reports a $499.99 standard Switch 2 price, $50 above the previous price. You Can See Everything took its first weekend at No. 1 in its third weekend of release.

Daily report · covering 1 November 2026

2 min9 sources

Three people assemble a large architectural model with arches and towers in a sunlit studio; blocks sit on a workbench in the foreground. SI illustration

Culture

Stratton says id Software will keep leading games after losing about half its staff

Marty Stratton says id Software will continue developing its id Tech game engine and work more closely with MachineGames following Xbox’s restructuring. Switzerland’s broadcasting complaints authority found that RTS discriminated against Olympic bobsleigh pilot Adam Edelman. Regal and Cinemark have declined the opening IMAX engagement of Netflix’s Cliff Booth film.

Daily report · covering 31 October 2026

4 min43 sources

A painted illustration of a large, closed metal shutter on a machine, with a blank screen in a dark room behind it and sunlight entering from the left. SI illustration

Culture

Patrick Stewart’s death, Faith Evans ruling, free MLS broadcasts

Patrick Stewart has died aged 86; Marvel Studios has confirmed that Avengers: Doomsday is his final on-screen appearance. A Delaware court has ordered Faith Evans to distribute $12.5 million plus interest to Voletta Wallace’s trust. Tubi plans to stream two MLS games free in the US on 7 November.

Daily report · covering 30 October 2026

3 min15 sources

Three people carrying boxes walk toward a sunlit doorway in a studio with desks, chairs, canvases and covered equipment. SI illustration

Culture

Barbara Barrie, The Diplomat’s renewal, Noah Kahan’s stadium tour

Barbara Barrie, an Oscar nominee for “Breaking Away,” has died at 95, The Hollywood Reporter said, citing The New York Times. Netflix has renewed “The Diplomat” for a fifth season. Noah Kahan has expanded his 2027 stadium tour beyond six previously announced European dates.

Daily report · covering 29 October 2026

3 min24 sources

A painterly illustration of two people at a table facing a blank blue computer screen, with tickets beside it and a stadium visible through the window. SI illustration

Culture

My Chemical Romance is reported to agree to costume-only changes

My Chemical Romance’s reported agreement addresses Pro Silver Star’s costume demand without changing the band’s music, story or choreography, ahead of its final two Hollywood Bowl shows scheduled for the weekend after 27 October. A US appeals court upheld dismissal of Gurvey’s patent-related case without deciding patent validity or infringement. Billy Crystal’s 860 has extended its scheduled Broadway run through 14 February 2027.

Daily report · covering 28 October 2026

3 min24 sources

A painted scene of a person holding a tablet at a wooden table, with translucent colored squares arcing toward it from a router. Another tablet and a mug sit nearby. SI illustration

Culture

Pokémon Unite’s shutdown deadline, Street Fighter V disruption, California film credits

Pokémon Unite players must download Library data before the planned 23 March 2027 online shutdown for offline access; the company says it generally cannot be transferred to another device. Capcom’s emergency maintenance has left Street Fighter V players without ranked matches. California requires commission review of plans and assessments for productions seeking the full credit amount.

Daily report · covering 27 October 2026

4 min41 sources

Two people work on a miniature architectural scene in a sunlit art studio, surrounded by landscape paintings, brushes and supplies. SI illustration

Culture

Japan’s content budget request, Armenia’s opera hall, V&A strike suspension

Japan’s government seeks roughly JPY250 billion for the content industry in its fiscal 2027 budget, pending a budget decision. Armenia’s national opera theatre has regained 1,050 square metres for a small concert hall. The V&A says its sites will remain open during half-term after unions suspended their planned strike.

Daily report · covering 26 October 2026

4 min19 sources

Three gold medals with purple ribbons rest on a dark platform, with a warmly lit auditorium and seated audience in the background. SI illustration

Culture

Naré secures Armenia’s third Junior Eurovision victory

The 13-year-old scored 202 points in the 2026 contest. American soprano Martina Arroyo has died aged 90. One Born Every Minute returns with greater attention to family backstories, according to executive producer Will Rowson.

Daily report · covering 25 October 2026

1 min5 sources

Painterly scene of three people facing a fire-damaged stone building on a rocky mountainside, with snowy peaks and a valley beyond. SI illustration

Culture

Bavarian minister says state plans to restore Eagle’s Nest

Bavaria’s interior minister Joachim Herrmann says the state intends to restore the fire-hit landmark after discussions with local officials, historians and conservators. Dónal Lunny’s Facebook page confirmed the musician’s death at 79. GameMaker plans to remove paid-licence requirements for non-console commercial use of its next-generation runtime.

Daily report · covering 24 October 2026

4 min22 sources

Painterly view of a stone building with several dark doors and arched entrances. Two people stand outside on wet cobblestones beneath autumn trees. SI illustration

Culture

Paris museum closure plans, Armenian manuscript funding, Servant copyright verdict

France’s Culture Ministry says its planned closure of four Paris museums on 24 October follows unrest around the previous weekend’s protests. Armenia has approved funding to acquire two manuscripts for the Matenadaran. A US appeals court has preserved Apple and M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant copyright victory.

Daily report · covering 23 October 2026

4 min19 sources

Illustration of an open, blank-paged manuscript beneath an overhead camera, with a storage case, pottery, brushes and stone fragments nearby. SI illustration

Culture

Hetq says Gaza artifacts cannot reach Armenia for safekeeping

Hetq reports that blockade, war and logistical barriers have prevented transfers under Armenia’s offer to safeguard manuscripts and other artifacts. A Colombian judge has temporarily restricted further content-based removals at the National Museum without formal justification. Art Basel has brought its Paris fair’s closing forward to 19:00 on 23 October.

Daily report · covering 22 October 2026

4 min18 sources

Painted scene of several open, empty cases on a wooden table outside a building, with a person holding a closed case and people in the background. SI illustration

Culture

NAZA’s US distribution, BioWare’s closure, Rooney’s UK supply withdrawal

NAZA has gained Neon as a US distribution partner, and producer The Guardian plans free streaming on its website in November. Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and ending early work on a new Mass Effect game. Faber’s UK supply withdrawal has left shops unable to replenish Sally Rooney’s books through their normal wholesale supplier.

Daily report · covering 21 October 2026

4 min41 sources

Painterly view of a person seen from behind beside black stage curtains, looking toward an empty, warmly lit stage with a red curtain and wooden floor. SI illustration

Culture

Kaluuya’s US stage plans, AgoraEU funding proposal, White House press access

Daniel Kaluuya’s US stage debut in Grass is scheduled to open on 26 February, with Sarah Benson directing. AgoraEU faces a proposed funding reduction to €6 billion. A US judge’s injunction protects three news outlets’ White House grounds credentials while Trump appeals.

Daily report · covering 20 October 2026

4 min37 sources