Author: Stephen Ibrahim

The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, MICHAEL, has officially been scheduled to premiere on April 24, 2026, in theaters worldwide, including IMAX screenings. The film has been in development for several years and has generated significant interest from fans and media outlets.

About the Film

MICHAEL is a biographical musical drama directed by Antoine Fuqua. The film traces the life and career of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, from his early days with the Jackson 5 to his rise as a global superstar.

The screenplay was written by John Logan, and production is handled by Graham King, known for producing high-profile biopics including Bohemian Rhapsody. The film promises to showcase Jackson’s iconic performances, music, and personal journey.

Cast

The movie stars:

• Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson, the pop legend’s nephew.
• Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Michael’s father.
• Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother.
• Miles Teller as John Branca, Jackson’s longtime lawyer.
• Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael Jackson.

Supporting roles include Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, and Kendrick Sampson.

Trailer and Public Reaction

The official trailer for MICHAEL dropped in November 2025 and became one of the most viewed biopic trailers, reaching over 116 million views within 24 hours. Fans praised Jaafar Jackson’s portrayal, highlighting his performance and resemblance to the late singer.

Distribution

• United States: Lionsgate
• International: Universal Pictures

The release date was moved several times due to post-production work and reshoots. April 24, 2026, is now confirmed as the official premiere date.

With its April 24, 2026 premiere, the MICHAEL biopic is set to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has formally suspended the nationwide enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy, originally scheduled to commence on January 2, 2026, following an interim court order restraining its implementation. 

In a statement issued by CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, Force Public Relations Officer, the Nigeria Police disclosed that it was served with an interim order of court in Suit No. HOR/FHR/M/31/2025, issued on 17 December 2025, which restrains the Force from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit or until the order is lifted. 

The statement emphasised that, in strict compliance with the subsisting court order, the enforcement has been placed on hold nationwide until further direction from the judiciary. 

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed that it has entered an appearance in the matter, filed preliminary objections, and formally applied for the vacation of the interim order. The matter has been adjourned to 20 January 2026 for further proceedings. 

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, further explained the Force’s commitment to uphold the rule of law while continuing its statutory responsibilities to protect lives and property across the nation. 

The Tinted Glass Permit policy was first introduced by the Nigeria Police as part of efforts to strengthen internal security and public safety by regulating the use of tinted vehicle glass, which authorities have linked to concealment in criminal activities. 

Originally announced to take effect on 2 January 2026, the policy required motorists to obtain permits for vehicles fitted with tinted glass, with applications processed via a digital portal. The initiative had been paused or extended multiple times due to public pushback and legal disputes. 

The policy has faced sustained legal challenges and criticism from civil rights organisations, legal bodies, and motorists. Critics argue that the Nigeria Police lacks statutory authority to impose tinted glass permits on vehicle owners and have questioned the constitutionality and fairness of the policy. 

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been particularly vocal, describing the policy as potentially illegal and unconstitutional and has engaged in court actions challenging its enforcement. 

Burna Boy has officially closed out 2025 as the most streamed African artist on Spotify, setting a new benchmark with an astonishing 1.986 billion streams. This achievement marks the biggest streaming year ever recorded by an African act, highlighting not only his dominance in Afrobeat but also the growing global appetite for African music.

Known as the “African Giant,” Burna Boy has consistently pushed the boundaries of African music on the global stage. From his early hits like Ye to his latest releases, his catalog has captured audiences worldwide, blending traditional Afrobeat rhythms with contemporary sounds that appeal to both African and international listeners.

Spotify data indicates that listeners across Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia played a significant role in this historic milestone. Songs from his 2025 releases, alongside timeless hits from previous albums, contributed heavily to this record-breaking performance.

This milestone also reflects a broader trend: African music has become a major force in the global music industry. Platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music have made it easier for African artists to reach millions of listeners worldwide, and Burna Boy has consistently led this movement as a part of the big 3.

For Burna Boy, 2025 was more than just streaming numbers. It was a year of tours, global collaborations, and cultural influence that solidified his status as one of the most important voices in modern music. Fans can expect 2026 to be another exciting chapter as Burna Boy continues to innovate and push African music further into the global spotlight.

As the year closes, Burna Boy’s record-breaking Spotify streams stand as a historic moment for African music, inspiring a new generation of artists and proving that the world is ready to listen.

Davido’s fifth studio album 5ive, released on April 18, 2025, closed out the year as one of the most streamed Nigerian projects on Spotify in 2025.

While official Spotify Wrapped data places Morayo by Wizkid as the #1 most-streamed album in Nigeria for the year, 5ive consistently remained in the top tier of streaming performance across the platform throughout 2025;  driven by massive numbers for both the album and its standout tracks. 

The album’s popularity was fuelled by hits such as “With You” (feat. Omah Lay), one of the year’s most shared and replayed songs  which alone crossed tens of millions of Spotify streams and helped 5ive rack up a major cumulative streaming total. 

Here’s the official track list for Davido’s 5ive (17‑track album released April 18, 2025): 

5ive – Full Tracklist

1. Five By Alhanislam
2. Anything
3. Be There Still
4. CFMF
5. 10 Kilo
6. Offa Me (feat. Victoria Monét)
7. Don’t Know
8. R&B (feat. Shenseea & 450)
9. Awuke (feat. YG Marley)
10. Holy Water (feat. Musa Keys & Victony)
11. Nuttin Dey
12. Titanium (feat. Chris Brown)
13. Lately
14. Tek (feat. Becky G)
15. Funds (feat. Odumodublvck & Chike)
16. Lover Boy (feat. TayC & Dadju)
17. With You (feat. Omah Lay)

In one of the most significant digital policy moves in Europe, France is preparing to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media starting September 1, 2026. The proposal, backed by President Emmanuel Macron, aims to protect young people from online harms ranging from excessive screen time to cyberbullying and inappropriate content. 

The draft legislation will be formally submitted for legal review in early January 2026 before being debated in Parliament; a necessary step before it becomes law. But if approved, it would dramatically reshape how millions of French children interact with digital platforms. 

France’s government says the ban is about protecting youth well-being in an era of pervasive digital content. Officials have cited several concerns:

• Excessive Screen Time: Growing evidence suggests long hours on social media can disrupt sleep and reduce attention span. 
• Mental Health Risks: Social networking platforms have been linked to anxiety, self-esteem issues, and depression among teens. 
• Online Harms: Exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and addictive algorithms are among the specific dangers lawmakers want to curb. 

President Macron and other supporters say that setting a minimum age will help ensure that children reach a level of maturity before being exposed to the complex social dynamics and pressures of online communities. 

The draft bill includes two major changes: 

1. Social Media Ban for Under-15s

Social media companies would be legally barred from allowing users under 15 to access their platforms. That means popular services like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and others could not open accounts for children below this age if the law is passed. 

2. Expanded Mobile Phone Restrictions

France already bans mobile phones in primary and middle schools. The new law would extend that restriction into high schools, meaning older teens would also face limits on phone use during school hours. 

The audiovisual and digital regulator, known as Arcom, would be responsible for enforcing the social media rules once they take effect. 

As 2025 draws to a close, one undeniable truth stands above the rest in Nigerian music: Chella’s “My Darling” isn’t just a hit.

According to year-end streaming data on YouTube Music, “My Darling” finished the year as the most streamed Nigerian song of 2025, amassing over 143 million recorded streams globally. This achievement is unprecedented for a single track in Nigeria’s contemporary music era, especially on a platform as massive as YouTube Music.

But how did a song released in a crowded musical landscape climb to the top, capturing billions of listening minutes and reshaping expectations for Afrobeats artists? This deep dive unpacks the artistic craft, marketing strategy, fan engagement, and cultural impact behind the phenomenon.

Before “My Darling” became a streaming phenomenon, Chella (Uzochukwu Michael Ikechukwu) was already a name rising within Nigeria’s music ecosystem.

A singer-songwriter with roots in Port Harcourt, Chella fused Afrobeats, R&B, and pop sensibilities to create a sound that bridges local identity with global appeal. Early singles hinted at mainstream promise.

YouTube Music’s unique advantage is the integration of both audio and video; meaning that viewers watched the music video and audio track versions cumulatively.

This dual consumption boosts total stream counts and extends shelf life.

In 2025, no music success story was complete without TikTok and “My Darling” was among the platform’s breakout audio trends.

On December 31, 2025, television history turned a page; MTV’s dedicated 24-hour music channels officially shut down, bringing to a close the last remnants of the network’s original identity as a music-video broadcaster. This marks the end of a 44-year era that changed how the world discovered music, shaped youth culture, and defined an entire generation’s relationship with artists and pop culture. 

MTV (Music Television) launched in the United States on August 1, 1981, and it did so with a moment that would become legendary in pop culture history. The very first music video it ever aired was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles; a symbolic choice that foreshadowed the network’s influence on music, media, and youth culture for decades to come. 

It didn’t take long for MTV to grow beyond the United States:

• MTV Europe debuted in 1987, bringing music videos and youth content to a new international audience.
• Over the years, dozens of region-specific and genre-specific MTV music channels launched from MTV 80s and MTV 90s to MTV Live and Club MTV, each dedicated to a different slice of music culture around the world. 

These channels became destinations for fans who wanted curated playlists, countdown shows, exclusive artist interviews, and live performances all on television 24 hours a day.

Despite its global influence, the way people consume music began shifting long before 2025. Two major trends transformed the media landscape:

1. The Rise of Streaming and On-Demand Platforms

Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, and social media made on-demand music discovery the norm. Instead of waiting for a scheduled block of videos on TV, fans could find exactly what they wanted instantly, anytime and anywhere. 

2. Changes in MTV’s Own Programming

Over time, MTV itself began to evolve. What was once mostly music videos eventually shifted toward reality TV, pop culture series, and entertainment programming. Shows like The Real World, Jersey Shore, Catfish, and Ridiculousness drew audiences in, but also moved MTV further away from its original music focus. 

By 2025, the five remaining dedicated music channels MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live were among the few places music videos still played on linear TV. But even these struggled to draw large audiences compared to digital platforms. 

On October 12, 2025, MTV’s parent company Paramount Global announced that these five iconic music channels would permanently cease broadcasting by December 31, 2025 as part of a major corporate restructuring and cost-cutting effort. This global decision was driven by several factors: 

• Declining linear television viewership for music video channels
• Streaming and social platforms dominating music discovery
• Paramount’s broader strategic shift toward digital and streaming content
• The merger with Skydance Media and cost-reduction priorities

In a poetic nod to its beginnings, MTV Music signed off on New Year’s Eve with the same song that launched the network — “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. Each of MTV’s dedicated music channels chose its own final farewell video, but the flagship channel’s choice stood out as a symbolic bookend to an incredible journey.

Tron: Ares;  the latest chapter in Disney’s iconic sci-fi franchise  is finally coming home. After its theatrical release in October 2025, the movie will begin streaming on Disney+ on January 7, 2026, giving fans and curious viewers alike a chance to experience the high-tech adventure from their living rooms. 

Tron: Ares is the third major live-action film in the Tron franchise, following:

• Tron (1982)
• Tron: Legacy (2010) 

In this movie, an advanced digital program named Ares is sent from the digital world (known as the Grid) into the real world on a dangerous mission. This marks a first direct encounter between humans and artificial intelligence beings in the Tron universe; a theme that mirrors ongoing real-world conversations about AI and technology. 

Directed by Joachim Rønning, the film blends high-stakes sci-fi action with visual spectacle and cutting-edge effects. 

Cast and Crew

Tron: Ares features a mix of returning talent and exciting new faces:

• Jared Leto as Ares, the rogue program
• Greta Lee
• Evan Peters
• Hasan Minhaj
• Jodie Turner-Smith
• Arturo Castro
• Cameron Monaghan
• Gillian Anderson
• Jeff Bridges reprising his legacy role from Tron: Legacy 

Streaming Release Date

Tron: Ares will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ starting January 7, 2026 i.e less than three months after its theatrical debut. 

Release Timeline Recap

Here’s how the Tron: Ares home release schedule plays out:

• Digital purchase and rental: December 2, 2025 
• Blu-ray & 4K UHD: January 6, 2026 
• Disney+ streaming: January 7, 2026

Tron: Ares had a challenging box office run, grossing under expectations worldwide, despite its high profile and big budget. 

With AI and machine learning more topical than ever, Tron: Ares taps into ideas about what it means when artificial intelligence crosses into human reality.

Auckland Leads the World Into the New Year

New Zealand officially welcomed the year 2026 late on December 31, 2025, with Auckland becoming one of the first major cities on Earth to greet the new year at midnight. Thanks to its position near the International Date Line, Kiwis marked the occasion about 18 hours before celebrations in New York’s Times Square, drawing global attention to the Pacific nation’s vibrant start to the year. 

The festivities began hours before midnight with lasers and community-submitted moments  including personal highlights from 2025 displayed on the tower  building anticipation for the countdown. At midnight, crowds in the Central Business District (CBD) and waterfront areas erupted in cheers as the sky lit up with bursts of colour, welcoming the new calendar year. 

At the heart of the celebration was a dazzling five-minute fireworks show launched from Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower; the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. More than 3,500 individual fireworks were fired in a 360-degree pyrotechnic display, synchronized with laser projections and music that echoed across the city skyline. 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon marked the milestone online, celebrating Auckland’s fireworks and extending “Happy New Year, New Zealand!” messages across social media platforms as the global clock began its near-24-hour cycle of celebrations around the world. 

In a surprising turn of events, the Lagos State Government has announced the cancellation of the much-anticipated Greater Lagos Fiesta 2025, scheduled to take place today (December 31, 2025). Instead of the usual concerts, fireworks and public gatherings, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged Lagosians to spend the final hours of the year in private and collective prayer;  praying for prosperity, good leadership, peace, productivity and the overall wellbeing of the state and the nation. 

For years, the Greater Lagos Fiesta  also known as the Countdown to the New Year  has been one of Lagos’s most vibrant cultural celebrations. It traditionally brings together thousands of people from across Nigeria and beyond for music performances, carnival-like atmosphere, fireworks and entertainment across multiple locations in the state. The event has become a staple for residents and visitors looking to usher in the New Year with high energy and festive spirit. 

The 2025 edition was no different in anticipation until the cancellation was announced just hours before it was set to begin.

In a statement released on Tuesday by Mr. Gboyega Akosile, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, Sanwo-Olu approved the cancellation of the event. The decision was communicated as a directive that instead of large gatherings, Lagosians should devote time to spiritual reflection and prayer for their families, their communities and the future of the state. 

According to the statement, residents were specifically encouraged to pray for:

• Continued prosperity and economic growth
• Effective and wise leadership
• Peace and social harmony
• Productivity and personal wellbeing
• The overall general wellbeing of Lagosians 

However, the governor’s message focused on optimism about the year ahead, describing 2026 as a year of promise for Lagos State and expressing confidence that the state government will continue to work hard to deliver progress and development. 

The Greater Lagos Fiesta cancellation marks a significant shift from the usual festive custom. Over the years, the event has not only served as entertainment but has also driven local tourism, small business sales and hospitality activities around the New Year period. 

At the same time, the focus on prayer and introspection highlights a growing trend among leaders and citizens to blend cultural celebration with spiritual meaning, especially during transitions such as entering a new year.

Governor Sanwo-Olu ended his statement with a message of hope and goodwill. He extended warm New Year wishes to all Lagos residents and expressed confidence that 2026 will bring better opportunities, growth and peace for Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. 

“On behalf of my family, I wish every resident of our dear state a happy and prosperous New Year,” the governor said. “I want to assure you all that the year 2026 will be a better year for us in the state, as our administration is determined to work twice as hard to deliver the good for the residents of the state.”