Wicked’s Ariana Grande, Cynthia Ervio out of Oscars?
Wicked: For Good, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, this year fails to impress Oscar jury.
The 2026 Academy Awards nominations announced on Thursday, January 22, witnessed a complete exit of Wicked and its star. Grande and Erivo were notably absent from the Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress races, despite strong awards-season buzz.
The film is the second half of the two-part movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked.
Last year, the movieafter making headlines with more than 10 nominations, hype the fans expectations. Shockingly, with lackluster performance, the film’s sequel failed to garner any recognition in any category.
Both the stars were Oscar nominees last year for Wicked. Erivo lost Best Actress to Mikey Madison for Anora, while Grande was beaten by Zoe Saldaña in the Best Supporting Actress category for Emilia Pérez.
The snub follows a mixed awards season for the actresses. Erivo did not receive a nomination for Wicked: For Good at the Critics Choice Awards, though Grande was nominated there. Both stars were recognised by the Golden Globe Awards.
At the Globes, Rose Byrne won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, defeating Erivo. In the supporting category, Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role over Grande.
The 2026 Oscars will be hosted by Conan O’Brien and air live on Sunday, March 15.
Jessica Williams joins “CBS Mornings” to discuss the upcoming season of “Shrinking,” which follows a therapist as he navigates life after the loss of his wife. She talks about her character, how her own mental health helps shape the role, and working with Michael J. Fox and Harrison Ford.
The Health Secretary has admitted the NHS is “falling short” on meeting demand for adult autism and ADHD diagnosis.
Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, he was responding to a question about adult referrals having been paused in Oxfordshire since 2024.
But he said it was a national issue that he was “very worried about”.
When asked if it was an epidemic the government was failing to cope with, he responded “in a nutshell, yes”.
Streeting said: “We’re trying to, as a government, understand what’s driving this increase.
“Is it simply awareness and a positive awareness that means that people who would have just gone unsupported and undiagnosed are just now realising that they may well have ADHD?
“And then secondly, meeting the demand because we’re really falling short on this in the NHS, so we are looking at this nationally.”
Streeting launched an independent review last year into rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services in England.
It is looking at whether there is evidence of over-diagnosis and what gaps in support exist.
The government said it was already investing in expanding services, but there are long waits for therapy in many areas.
Oxford Health said in February 2024 that due to an “unprecedented number” of adults being referred to its ADHD service, it had paused all new referrals.
It said in a statement: “We paused our service in 2024 in order to properly and safely manage a backlog of referrals.
“Since then, in addition to assessing these referrals, we have been working with [the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB)] to design a service for the Thames Valley.”
Kingswood, which was commissioned to provide autism assessments and diagnosis in the county, made the same decision in November 2024.
Chief executive Sarah Butcher said: “Closing the waiting list was not something we wanted to do, but we believe we had a moral obligation to do this.
“We will continue to provide a diagnosis for those on our waiting list, and we remain hopeful that BOB ICB will increase their funding to us in the future, so that we can provide increased diagnosis for people in Oxfordshire.”
David, Victoria Beckham receives good news amid Brooklyn, Nicola feud
David Beckham and Victoria Beckham have been told that the ongoing feud with Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz would one day be resolved.
Television host Billy Bush said he remains hopeful that Brooklyn could one day repair his strained relationship with his family as he drew comparisons to Prince Harry.
He noted that as the Duke of Sussex recently met with his father King Charles on trip to UK, Brooklyn would also be able to leave all this behind and reconcile with Beckhams.
Speaking about the situation on Fox News Digital, Bush suggested that while reconciliation is always possible, it may take significant time and depend on how Brooklyn’s personal life unfolds.
He said Brooklyn is currently standing firmly by his wife, which he believes has further widened the distance between him and his parents.
“Like with Harry, you always hold a small little space, a little percentage that maybe they’ll reconcile down the road and perhaps that’s sadly in divorce,” the host said.
“Who knows, it looks like if Brooklyn Beckham stays married to Nicola Peltz Beckham for eternity, the chances they heal are probably not great.
“But if something happens, maybe he does go back to his family, but right now he’s taking his wife’s side. What do they say? Happy wife, happy life. I mean, what choice does he have?”
The 26-year-old accused the football icon and the fashion designer of trying to undermine his marriage to Nicola Peltz.
The post claimed that the couple had long controlled the family narrative in the press and had actively tried to interfere in his relationship.
India is no longer just an emerging economy but is becoming essential to global growth, supply chains and innovation, ministers said during a session at WEF Davos.
India Becoming Essential to Global Economic Order, Say Ministers at Davos
Speaking at the session organized by CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and KPMG on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Indian Ministers – Harsh Sanghavi and K Rammohan Naidu – reaffirmed that India has witnessed a real transformation from an “emerging” status to a “pivotal” global economic force over a decade, driven by robust growth and widespread digital public infrastructure.
According to PTI report, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Sanghavi, said that India was categorized as an emerging economy for decades, but he added that ‘today that description no longer captures the reality.’
According to Sanghavi as reported by PTI, “India is no longer emerging; India is pivotal – pivotal to global growth, to resilient supply chains, to democratic stability and to the future of innovation, sustainability and inclusive development.”
Union Civil Aviation Minister Naidu on Wednesday argued that India stands at the intersection of trust, scale, and innovation, offering reliability through its stable democratic institutions, resilience through its diversity and size, and relevance through solutions that deliver value for money.
Echoing similar sentiments as reported by PTI, Naidu said, “India is no longer defined as merely an emerging economy. India is becoming essential to the global economic order.”
India’s growth is broad-based, powered by digital adoption, backed by infrastructure, and focused on inclusion, Naidu said at a session on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos is one of the world’s most influential global gatherings, bringing together political leaders, business heads, policymakers, economists and civil society members. Held every year in Davos, Switzerland, the forum serves as a platform to discuss key global issues such as economic growth, geopolitics, climate change, technology, and social development.
Newsbusinesseconomy India No Longer ‘Emerging’, Now A Pivotal Global Economic Force: Indian Leaders At WEF Davos
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Surprises and snubs from Oscar nominations – CBS News
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The nominees for the 98th Academy Awards have been revealed. Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Erik Davis breaks down the major Oscar categories.
George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Paul Mescal, Amanda Seyfried, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis and Brad Pitt are some of Hollywood’s biggest names who failed to receive an Oscar nomination in acting categories when the nominees for the 98th Academy Awards were announced in Hollywood on Thursday.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, both nominees last year for their performances in “Wicked,” were not similarly nominated for the sequel. In fact, “Wicked: For Good,” was shut out of all categories.
On the opposite end, “Sinners” broke the record for Oscar nominations, with 16, including one in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ newest category, best casting. “One Battle After Another” followed with 13 nominations, while “Frankenstein,” “Marty Supreme” and “Sentimental Value” each earned nine.
Best actor
Clooney, who played a Hollywood star much like himself in “Jay Kelly,” was left off he best actor list, as were Jesse Plemons (“Bugonia”), Oscar Isaac (“Frankenstein”), Jeremy Allen White (“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”), Daniel Day-Lewis (“Anemone”), Joaquin Phoenix (“Eddington”), and Denzel Washington(“Highest 2 Lowest”). Hugh Jackman was not nominated for “Song Sung Blue,” though his partner in the film, Kate Hudson, was. Joel Edgerton, the central pillar of the film “Train Dreams,” was not nominated, though the picture earned four nominations, including best picture. Brad Pitt was also left in the pit stop for his performance in “F1,” but as a producer he shared in the film’s best picture nomination.
Michael B. Jordan received his first nomination for playing two characters in “Sinners,” while Leonardo DiCaprio earned his eighth for “One Battle After Another.”
Nominees: Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme”; Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another”; Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”; Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners;” and Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent.”
Best actress
The best actress category was over-stuffed with fine performances this year. Golden Globe nominees Amanda Seyfried (“The Testament of Ann Lee”), Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt”), Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Die, My Love”), Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”) and Eva Victor (“Sorry, Baby”) were left out of the Oscar nominations in this category, as were Julia Garner (“Weapons”), Dakota Johnson (“Materialists”), Jodie Foster (“A Private Life”), and Laura Dern (“Is This Thing On?”).
Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”) and Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”) each received their first Oscar nominations, while Emma Stone earned her fifth acting nod, after having won two Oscars.
Nominees: Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”; Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”; Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue”; Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”; and Emma Stone, “Bugonia.”
Best supporting actor
The Screen Actors Guild’s Actor nominees Paul Mescal (“Hamnet”) and Miles Caton (“Sinners”), were left out of the Oscars, as were Adam Sandler (“Jay Kelly”), Aidan Delbus (“Bugonia”), Kevin O’Leary (“Marty Supreme”), Josh Brolin (“Wake Up Dead Man” and “Weapons”), Idris Elba and Tracy Letts (“A House of Dynamite”), William H. Macy (“Train Dreams”), Jack O’Connell (“Sinners”), Andrew Scott (“Blue Moon”), Josh O’Connor (“Wake Up Dead Man”), Mark Hamill (“The Life of Chuck”), and Andrew Garfield (“After the Hunt”).
Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”) each received their first Oscar nomination, while Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn, of “One Battle After Another,” previously have seven nominations and three Oscars between them.
Nominees: Benicio Del Toro, “One Battle After Another”; Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”; Delroy Lindo, “Sinners”; Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”; and Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value.”
Best supporting actress
Rebecca Ferguson (“A House of Dynamite”) was one of the most notable absences from the list of best supporting actress nominees, but there was a plethora of performances that didn’t make it, including Golden Globe nominee Emily Blunt (“The Smashing Machine”), Odessa A’zion and Gwyneth Paltroe for “Marty Supreme,” Glenn Close (“Wake Up Dead Man”), Regina Hall (“One Battle After Another”), Hailee Steinfeld (“Sinners”), Mia Goth (“Frankenstein”), Jennifer Lopez (“Kiss of the Spider Woman”), Margaret Qualley (“Blue Moon”), Zoey Deutch (“Nouvelle Vague”), Felicity Jones (“Train Dreams”), Laura Dern (“Jay Kelly”), Mariam Afshari (“It Was Just an Accident”), and Oona Chaplin (“Avatar: Fire and Water”).
Apart from Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), all the nominees in this category are first-timers.
Nominees: Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value”; Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value”; Amy Madigan, “Weapons”; Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”; and Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another.”
Best picture
It was a shock that the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize-winner, the powerful “It Was Just an Accident,” was not among the Oscar finalists; four of the previous Palme d’Or recipients (including Oscar-winners “Parasite” and “Anora”) managed to get nominated. It was just as shocking to find the Formula One racing film “F1” in the running, as it only earned nominations in the editing, sound and visual effects categories. But other crowdpleasers were also missing, including “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Weapons,” and “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
Nominees: “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Hamnet,” “Frankenstein,” “One Battle After Another,” “Marty Supreme,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners,” and “Train Dreams.”
Best director
Despite “Frankenstein” earning eight nominations, including best picture, Directors Guild nominee Guillermo del Toro was not cited for directing (though he did earn a nomination for his adapted screenplay). Also left out were Jafar Panahi (“It Was Just an Accident”), Kleber Mendonça Filho (“The Secret Agent”), Zach Cregger (“Weapons”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Bugonia”), Park Chan-wook (“No Other Choice”), Clint Bentley (“Train Dreams”); Richard Linklater (“Nouvelle Vague,” “Blue Moon”); Kathryn Bigelow (“A House of Dynamite”); Mona Fastvold (“The Testament of Ann Lee”); Mary Bronstein (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”); Rian Johnson (“Wake Up Dead Man”); Kelly Reichardt (“The Mastermind”); and DGA nominee Eva Victor (“Sorry, Baby”).
Nominees: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”; Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”; Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”; Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value”; and Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet.”
Best original song
It’s been common practice that when Hollywood adapts a Broadway musical, a new song is created in the hopes that it will earn a best original song nomination. Often that is the case, and in rare instances (“Evita”) they’ve won. But Stephen Schwartz, despite having two new “Wicked” songs on the Oscar shortlist, was left out. Also missing out: Miley Cyrus (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”), Ed Sheeran (“F1”), Billy Idol (“Billy Idol Should Be Dead”), and Nine Inch Nails (“Tron: Ares”).
Not left out was songwriter Diane Warren, who earned her 17th Oscar nomination, though she has never won. Always a bridesmaid…
Nominees: “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless”; “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters”; “I Lied to You” from “Sinners”; “Sweet Dreams of Joy from “Viva Verdi!” and “Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams.”
The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien (who sadly did not get a best supporting actor nomination for playing a therapist in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), will be presented March 15 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
‘Euphoria’ cast’s bitter feud comes to light ahead of season 3
The Euphoria cast is reportedly worried about having to act nice in public as they are getting prepared to hit the road to promote the third season ahead of its return on April 12, 2026.
Radar Online reported that Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Jacob Elordi are not on good terms, but they will have to act nicely while promoting the hit HBO show.
An insider told the outlet, “It’s known inside the world of the show that season 3 of Euphoria kept its leads as siloed unto themselves as humanly possible – meaning Zendaya, Elordi and Sweeney’s storylines don’t cross over substantially. They each have their own stories tracking through the episodes and even their own set of guest stars.”
“Nevertheless, these three stars are going to have to find some kind of peace – even a temporary one – because promoting this series is going to be so much more powerful if they’re able to do the magazine covers and the television appearances as a group,” the source explained.
Elordi, 28, Zendaya, 29, and Sweeney, 28, who are locked in conflict, need to “grow up” and “put aside all three of them together to properly hash things out.”
Notably, a “big turning point” in their relationship came after the death of Angus Cloud in 2023, as he was a “peacemaker among the group” and a humble guy to a fault.
The insider stated, “Right now, Zendaya – the most popular and successful cast member – just doesn’t care if she has a working relationship with Sydney or Jacob.”
“She’s ready to wash her hands of both of them completely,” claimed the source.
It is pertinent to mention that Cloud, who played Fezco in Euphoria seasons 1 and 2, passed away due to a lethal overdose from a mix of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepines at the age of 25 on July 31, 2023.
Weeknight meals can be stressful. There’s the mental load of figuring out what to make, and the time suck of getting to the grocery store to buy all the right ingredients. One solution? Ordering a meal delivery service. These kits arrive at your front door with the exact portions of the ingredients you need and step-by-step directions that tell you just what to do with them all. And over the past two months, I tried out several meal kits to find which ones offer the best, most home-cook-friendly meals.
During testing, I learned that these kits go a long way to help streamline the cooking process. Yes, most arrive with lots of plastic packaging (some more than others). But you typically don’t have leftover ingredients that end up growing moldy at the back of the fridge. You also don’t have to question what’s for dinner or whether an online recipe is legit or not. Plus, the best meal delivery services are also a great way to introduce yourself to new cooking techniques, ingredients, and dinner ideas.
If you’re looking to make home cooking a little easier on yourself — and maybe expand your repertoire while you’re at it — these are the best meal delivery kits to consider.
Best overall — Home Chef: from $7.99 per serving, Homechef.com
Best tasting meals — HelloFresh: from $11.99 per serving, Hellofresh.com
Best budget meal delivery service — EveryPlate: from $6eal.99 per serving, Everyplate.com
Best for convenience —Hungryroot: from $8.99 per serving, Hungryroot.com
Best plant-based meal kit — Purple Carrot: from $13.25 per serving, Purplecarrot.com
How I tested
I made my way through countless kits to find the best options that will level up weeknight meals (Jennifer Heimlich/The Independent)
To find the best meal delivery services, I ordered a sample box from several companies to be delivered to my home before making them in my own kitchen. I started by sorting through all the options on each website to consider the ordering process and how much I could customize the box. Then I noted how long delivery took and the state of the box when it arrived, including how fresh the produce was and how much plastic packaging was included. I cooked each recipe myself, following all the instructions on the recipe card. Then I served it to my family at home, including my husband and toddler, asking everyone for their thoughts on the end result.
Hygroscopic flares are attached to an aircraft during a cloud seeding flight operated by the National Center of Meteorology, between Al Ain and Al Hayer, in United Arab Emirates. — Reuters/File
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a new research drive to increase rainfall through advanced cloud-seeding technology, offering grants of up to $1.5 million to scientists to help tackle water scarcity in the region.
The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said three scientists from the United States, Germany, and Australia have been selected under the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science. The winners were chosen from 140 proposals submitted by researchers from 48 countries.
Each recipient will receive up to $1.5 million spread over three years, with a maximum of $550,000 per year, to study environmentally friendly methods to improve artificial rain.
The selected scientists include Dr Michael Dixon from Echo Science Works in the US, Professor Linda Zou from Victoria University in Australia, and Dr Oliver Branch from the University of Hohenheim in Germany.
Their work will focus on using artificial intelligence, new cloud-seeding materials and land-based techniques to improve how clouds produce rain. UAE officials said AI will help identify the best clouds and increase efficiency.
The UAE receives very little natural rainfall and relies heavily on desalinated seawater. It already carries out hundreds of cloud-seeding flights each year.
Officials said the new research aims to support agriculture, strengthen water reserves and improve long-term water security in the country and the wider region.
