Variety

Filmmaker Jon Watts has been set to direct the next Star Wars movie, according to Variety. Watts is known for directing the recent Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland, and his move to the Star Wars franchise marks a major step into another of Disney's flagship series. Details of the film's plot and release date have not yet been announced.

Debate continues over how the Manchester City financial rule breach case could end, with analysts weighing the range of possible punishments. Outcomes being discussed include stripping the club of previously won Premier League titles and rival clubs seeking compensation for lost prize money and places. The sheer variety of sanctions under discussion is keeping the story prominent in football coverage.

Wine producers worldwide are adopting new strategies to cope with climate change, including experimenting with grape varieties better suited to hotter conditions, adjusting vineyard locations and altitude, and changing harvesting and winemaking techniques. Warmer temperatures are altering growing seasons and affecting grape quality, pushing vintners to adapt. Coverage highlights how an industry long tied to tradition is being forced to rethink methods to keep producing wine.

Researchers are developing soybean varieties with deeper root systems, aiming to help crops endure droughts and extreme weather while locking away more carbon in the soil. The work reflects broader efforts to make staple crops more resilient as climate change disrupts growing seasons and threatens yields for farmers worldwide.

Researchers at the New York Botanical Garden have published a series of papers in the journal Plants, People, Planet arguing that growing threats to plant diversity are narrowing the options for building healthier, more resilient food systems. The papers explain why food plant diversity matters and set out a vision for collaboration between scientists, growers and communities to protect it. The warning highlights how the loss of crop varieties and wild relatives could undermine global food security.

Japanese presenter Miyane Seiji, whose long-running weekday news programme 'Miyaneya' has come to an end, has been announced as MC of a variety show airing the very next day, teaming up with former SMAP member Katori Shingo. Japanese entertainment media are calling the quick turnaround an unusual arrangement, and comments from those involved have been released.

Researchers have identified a genetic module that can induce male sterility in watermelon, a trait breeders need to produce hybrid varieties without laborious manual emasculation of flowers. The finding could make hybrid watermelon seed production cheaper and more efficient. Agricultural scientists and seed industry watchers are discussing the discovery and its implications for large-scale watermelon breeding programmes.

Filmmaker Martin McDonagh says his upcoming film 'Wild Horse Nine' will be his most politically charged work to date. The claim, reported by Variety, has drawn attention from fans of the writer-director known for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' and 'The Banshees of Inisherin', both of which blended dark comedy with social themes. Details about the film's plot and cast remain limited, but the political framing is fueling anticipation.

Scientists at CIMMYT argue that successful zinc biofortification of wheat depends on more than breeding fortified seed. In a new piece, they say outcomes hinge on matching the right varieties to local soil conditions and pairing them with proper crop management, including fertilizer practices. The message is aimed at researchers, policymakers and farmers working to reduce zinc deficiency through staple crops.