Two ex-Labour councillors -including former deputy leader - join Rochdale Tories

Soap fans have been introduced to a new face in the form of Ben played by Simon Lennon who recently joined the cast of Emmerdale.The 26-year-old is lighting up screens in a plotline featuring Aaron Dingle played by Danny Miller. Simon Lennon plays Ben, a kayak instructor who catches the eye of Aaron Dingle before it becomes clear he is hiding a big secret from his new love interest.

This story about “The Story of Film: A New Generation” first appeared in TheWrap’s special digital Cannes magazine.It’s hard to envision a more appropriate movie for the opening night of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival than Mark Cousins’ “The Story of Film: A New Generation.” The two-hour-and-40-minute documentary is a vast but idiosyncratic examination of the cinema of the 21st century, beginning with the unusual juxtaposition of Joaquin Phoenix’s stairway dance in “Joker” with the song “Let It

Boxer Tyson Fury has one busy life, with a devoted wife, five kids and another arriving soon too.The 32 year old heavy weight is currently gearing up for a big fight in Las Vegas against an old rival, Deontay Wilder on 24 July but when he's not in full on training mode, he's very much a family man.The dad-of-five, soon to be six, often shares pictures of his growing brood on Instagram, including his three sons who all have the first name – Prince.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC is passing on three more drama pilots from its 2021 pilot season slate.“National Parks Investigation,” “Triage,” and “Dark Horse” have all been passed over by the network after being in consideration for midseason pickups. Fellow dramas “Epic” and “Promised Land” remain in contention.“National Parks Investigation” boasted Kevin Costner as co-writer and executive producer.

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UK Cabinet Office minister used a visit to the north east of Scotland to speak out against the prospect of the SNP signing a power-sharing agreement with the environmentalists at Holyrood. Nicola Sturgeon's party is one seat short of an overall majority following May's election and her deputy John Swinney last week confirmed talks were on-going with a possible deal with the Greens.

The executive producer of Harlem’s Apollo Theater, the president of John Prine’s Oh Boy Records (and widow of the late folk music icon), and ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro are among President Joe Biden’s intended nominees for the National Council on the Arts.

Cannes 2021 will make history, as for the first time the festival’s jury will be majority female.Among the jurists are actress-director Maggie Gyllenhaal, French actress-director Mélanie Laurent, French-Senegalese actor-director Mati Diop, Austrian director Jessica Hausner and French singer Mylene Farmer.Director Spike Lee will preside over the jury, which includes Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho, South Korea’s Song Kang-ho, and French actor Tahar Rahim.More to come…

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThe Cannes Film Festival has unveiled the jury for the competition, which will be powered by a majority of women, including American actor-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal, French actor-helmer Mélanie Laurent, French-Senegalese actor-director Mati Diop, Austrian director Jessica Hausner and cult French singer Mylene Farmer.Spike Lee will presider over the jury which will also include French actor Tahar Rahim, Brazilian helmer Kleber Mendonça Filho and South

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Paton Ashbrook, Berto Colon and Alix Lapri have been upped to series regulars for the sophomore season of Starz’s flagship drama series Power Book II: Ghost. They will continue on the show as Jenny Sullivan, Lorenzo Tejada and Effie Morales, respectively.

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Scottish Government travel ban to Manchester.John Swinney said financial support would not be “appropriate” and said the ban is “consistent” with similar policies in the past.Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement on Friday that all non-essential travel to Manchester and Salford would be banned from today was met with a furious reaction by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.Burnham said yesterday: “I was really disappointed on Friday that the First Minister of Scotland just announced out of the blue,

anti-Brexit stance.

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Denise Welch enjoyed a reunion with some of her former Coronation Street co-stars as she shared a sweet post of them together. Taking to Instagram on Thursday evening, Denise, 63, was joined by ex colleagues Sally Dynevor, Angela Lonsdale, Nikki Sanderson and Jane Danson.

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