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Entertainment

Eric Deggans

Why Black characters in 'Rings of Power' and 'Little Mermaid' make fantasy better

JRR Tolkien Ismael Cruz Córdova Ben Rothstein Elon Musk Peter Jackson Ariel Diversity NPR

Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir in Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. (Ben Rothstein/Prime Video)

My first reaction when I saw the email was exasperation: This is not a debate we should still be having in 2022.

The note popped up from a listener a few days after my review of Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power was broadcast on NPR.

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Top stories on inkl right now

Live: Saudi Arabia reports Aramco building hit and four wounded in Houthi missile attacks

Saudi Arabia reported damage to an Aramco building in Dhahran and four people wounded in Riyadh on Wednesday, after the kingdom intercepted Houthi missiles targeting the capital. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

France 24

Cornell suspends fraternity parties amid backlash over alleged sexual assault

University bans parties at frat houses for rest of academic year to conduct ‘thorough review’ of campus Greek life

The Guardian - US

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy decries ‘absolutely unjust’ lack of warning from allies after Kyiv plant strike

Donald Trump has denied intelligence sharing with Ukraine had stopped, while demanding that Kyiv halts strikes on Russian refineries. What we know on day 1,694

The Guardian - AU

Colombia gives police greater power to break up street protests

Colombia’s government has modified a set of guidelines that dictate how police should react to street protests, giving officers greater leeway to break up demonstrations in which protesters are vandalizing public property or disrupting access to essential services through actions like roadblocks

The Independent UK

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’How do you explain the deletion of 130 million names?’ Why Indian voters are on the streets

Anger at electoral roll changes has boiled over, sparking a crisis for Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government

The Guardian - AU

Eight adults face charges after seven kids removed from ‘filthy and deplorable’ home

The children were between the ages of one and 17, authorities said

The Independent UK

Top stories on inkl right now

Live: Saudi Arabia reports Aramco building hit and four wounded in Houthi missile attacks

France 24

Cornell suspends fraternity parties amid backlash over alleged sexual assault

University bans parties at frat houses for rest of academic year to conduct ‘thorough review’ of campus Greek life

The Guardian - US

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy decries ‘absolutely unjust’ lack of warning from allies after Kyiv plant strike

Donald Trump has denied intelligence sharing with Ukraine had stopped, while demanding that Kyiv halts strikes on Russian refineries. What we know on day 1,694

The Guardian - AU

Colombia gives police greater power to break up street protests

The Independent UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

’How do you explain the deletion of 130 million names?’ Why Indian voters are on the streets

Anger at electoral roll changes has boiled over, sparking a crisis for Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government

The Guardian - AU

Eight adults face charges after seven kids removed from ‘filthy and deplorable’ home

The children were between the ages of one and 17, authorities said

The Independent UK

Our Picks

James Bond Drank About 53 U.S. Standard Drinks a Week, and Doctors Suspected a Tremor Behind His Shaken Martinis

Doctors tallied every drink in Ian Fleming's Bond novels and found 007 averaged 92 UK units a week, about 53 U.S. drinks, with a shaky martini theory.

Medical Daily

Netflix’s Narnia trailer featuring Led Zeppelin divides fans as some brand it a ‘disgrace’

‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ is directed by ‘Barbie’ filmmaker Greta Gerwig and is set to be released next year

The Independent UK

Washington family’s Victorian doll Michael and its eerie dinner tradition

A Victorian doll named Michael occupies a unique place in Washington, DC’s history, not simply as an antique kept in a museum but as part of a family tradition shaped by superstition, grief and spiritualism. Displayed at the Heurich House Museum , Michael was reportedly seated at the dinner table…

The Times of India

Christian group tries to preach to women at Texas Roadhouse; the women respond with their own kind of blessing, leading to police intervention

They certainly weren't expecting that.

We Got This Covered

SNL stars and alum weigh in on Shane Gillis’ sexist monologue

Gillis’s comments on the late night sketch comedy show have sparked intense backlash

The Independent UK

Claude Lalanne’s bronze monkey armchair with ostrich leather seat sold for $1.079 million

Sotheby’s auction in December 2025 saw the sale of a remarkable gilt-bronze armchair by Claude Lalanne, which captured attention with its elaborate vines and monkey embellishments. This particular design, created in 1998, was the pioneer among Lalanne’s 'Singerie' armchairs to attract a successful sale. The high demand for Lalanne's artistry…

The Times of India

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