Sony has announced this months free titles for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers, available from January 7th to February 3rd. Rocksteadys Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League leads the charge on PS5 a bittersweet occasion for the live-service looter shooter since its final content update arrives on January 14th.Players can unlock a new playable character in Deathstroke, a medieval-themed Elseworld, and new gear and weapons. Episode 8 features the final conflict with Brainiac, bringing the story to a close. Servers will remain available, and players can experience previous seasonal content while acquiring LutherCoins and spending them in the store. An offline mode is also currently available.Other notable titles include Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered for PS4, which includes cross-play and visual improvements, and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe for PS4 and PS5. The latter is an enhanced version of the 2013 narrative adventure with tons of new content and secrets to enhance the experience.

Kuro Games Wuthering Waves is the latest free-to-play gacha title to arrive on consoles, available now for PS5. It includes cross-progression on the same servers, enabling PC, iOS, and Android players to continue their journey without skipping a beat. Alongside the games console launch is the arrival of Version 2.0, which adds a new nation, Rinascita.There are also new Resonators, starting with Carlotta, a 5-star Glacio character who dual-wields pistols. Check out the latest trailer to see some of her skills in action. Her main mechanic is Substance, which involves building up Moldable Crystals and spending them to change her attacks. If her voice sounds familiar, its Jennifer English, who voiced Shadowheart in Baldurs Gate 3.Other new features in the update include new story quests, activities, numerous Echoes, and features like flying. The next limited 5-star, Roccia, is due in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for updates. For more details on Wuthering Waves, check out our review of the launch version.Dear Rovers,We are thrilled to announce that Wuthering Waves has officially launched on PlayStation5 on January 2, 2025 (UTC+8). To help you seamlessly connect your PlayStationNetwork (PSN) account with your Kuro Games account and sync your progress across platforms, weve pic.twitter.com/48aq2qFLcx Wuthering Waves (@Wuthering_Waves) January 2, 2025

Honkai: Star Rails next major yearly update Version 3.0, Paean of Era Nova goes live on January 15th. The Astral Express ventures to the Greek-inspired Amphoreus plunged into eternal night during the ongoing conflict between its Titans. Check out the theme Nameless Faces sung by Lilas Ikuta of Yoasobi fame below.The story of Amphoreus will span eight updates and see the Trailblazer and Dan Heng arrive first in the Abyss of Fate. They eventually learn more about the Titans that created the world and meet with Oronyx (who specializes in Time). Players will unlock the new Path of Remembrance and gain a new ally, Mem, who can fight alongside them in battle.Other new locations await, but there will also be new limited-time characters to unlock. These include The Herta, the true appearance of the Genius Society member, who is an Ice Erudition character. Next is Aglaea, a Chrysos Heir on the Flame-Chase Journey that follows the Path of Remembrance. She can summon her own ally, the Garmentmaker, to execute duel attacks for massive damage.Stay tuned for more details when Version 3.0 goes live. Honkai: Star Rail is available for iOS, Android, PS5, and PC.

Thursday, January 2nd, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerGet 95 free modular village assets for Unreal Enginehtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Epic Games has made a set of 95 modular assets for creating a fantasy-style oceanside village available to download for free from Fab, its new online marketplace.Games environment creation studio Scale XYZs Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack is part of the latest set of time-limited free content released on Fab, and will be free until 14 January 2025.The asset pack was previously sold for up to $129.99.Modular 3D assets for creating an oceanside stilt villageThe Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack consists of 95 static meshes for creating a fantasy-style oceanside village environment, with wooden cabins on stilts above the water itself.As well as the cabins and connecting walkways, the pack includes environment assets like boats, crates and nets; interior props like beds, tables and chairs; plus trees, plants and rocks.The assets are designed to work with Nanite and Lumen in Unreal Engine 5, but are also available with LODs and lightmaps for use in Unreal Engine 4.Part of Epics new bi-weekly releases of free content on Fab The asset pack is part of the latest set of commercial assets to be made temporarily available for free under Epic Games updated Sponsored Content program.Under the program, a new set of commercial tools and assets will be made available for free on Fab every two weeks, for a period of two weeks.System requirements and availabilityThe Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack is available as an asset package for Unreal Engine 4.26+ and 5.0+ under a Fab Standard license.The terms of the Fab Standard license permit content to be used in any engine or tool, including for commercial projects, subject to the restrictions set out in the Fab EULA.Get Scale XYZs Pirate Stilt Village Island asset pack from Fab(Available free until 14 January 2025)Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsGet 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineGet Scale XYZ's Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack of 3D buildings, props and trees for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Thursday, January 2nd, 2025The Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024Faceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Check out the latest features in the open-source release of DreamWorks' renderer, used on movies like The Wild Robot.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Check out the new features in the modeling and texturing iPad app, including support for procedural objects and projection painting.Thursday, December 26th, 2024More NewsHappy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayLeopoly releases Shapelab 2025 and Shapelab LiteAdobe releases Photoshop 26.2Older Posts

Bruno Richard Hauptmann (center) consults with his laywers during pretrial court proceedings on September 20, 1934. Irving Haberman / IH Images / Getty ImagesOn January 2, 1935, Bruno Richard Hauptmann stepped into a courtroom in Flemington, New Jersey, accused of the so-called crime of the century. Prosecutors were tasked with convincing a jury that the defendant had kidnapped and killed the young son of star aviator Charles Lindbergh. The crime and trial fueled a gruesome media circus that drove the Lindberghs to Europeand Hauptmann to the electric chair.Lindbergh and his wife, Anne, lived on a country estate near Hopewell, New Jersey. They aimed to raise their son away from the media attention Lindbergh had attracted as a groundbreaking pilot who, among other accomplishments, made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.But on March 1, 1932, disaster struck the wealthy couple. That evening, their nanny discovered their sons nursery empty. Someone had taken 20-month-old Charles Charlie Augustus Lindbergh Jr., leaving a ransom note demanding $50,000 on the windowsill. Newspaper photo of Charles Lindbergh Jr., as well as sites and items linked to his kidnapping The Evening Star via Library of CongressAt the crime scene, police recorded a broken ladder outside the nursery window and mud on the nursery floor. But the evidence indicated no suspects, and the authorities had no leads. Desperate to find their son, the Lindberghs began a long and arduous attempt to get him back themselves.The ransom note on the windowsill turned out to be the first in a series of 13 communications by the self-proclaimed kidnappers. On April 2, John F. Condon, a New Yorker from the Bronx whod offered to act as a go-between for Lindbergh and the kidnappers, delivered $50,000 of Lindberghs gold certificates to a man who told him Charlie was being held on a boat in Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts.Authorities searched Marthas Vineyard the next day but found no sign of the Lindberghs son. It wasnt until May 12, 1932, that Charlies body was foundpartially buried and decomposedabout four and a half miles from the Lindberghs house. A coroners examination found that the child had been dead for two months, having suffered a blow to the head. Aviator Charles Lindbergh testifies at Bruno Hauptmann's trial. Hauptmann appears in profile, seated at right. Public domain via Wikimedia CommonsAs the Lindberghs daughter Reeveborn 13 years after Charlies deathlater recalled, her father never talked about his firstborn. I can imagine how much this baby must have meant to my father, who had been raised as an only child this Charles, this namesake, she wrote. I know that the loss was immeasurable and unspeakable.After Charlies body was found, the case went cold. But a few years later, one of the ransom payments gold certificates showed up at a bank in New York City. The bill had been deposited by the owner of a gas station, whod received it as payment and noted the license plate number of the customer. Investigators traced the license plate number to Hauptmann, a German immigrant living in the Bronx.In Hauptmanns home, authorities found $14,000 of the ransom money, as well as the go-betweens phone number written on a closet wall. Hauptmann was indicted and pleaded not guilty.1935 trial of Bruno Hauptmann (1935)Watch on During his trial, Condon identified Hauptmann as the man whod told him about Marthas Vineyard. A wood scientist claimed that pieces of the ladder used by the kidnapper matched lumber from Hauptmanns attic. Though Hauptmann testified to his innocence, the jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death.After numerous failed appeals, on April 3, 1936, Hauptmann was executed in a prison in Trenton, New Jersey. At the time, many were outraged at Hauptmanns execution, and legal scholars today still believe the evidence against him was insufficient.Lindberghs wife, Anne, had given birth to a second son, Jon, shortly after Charlies death. As historian Lynne Olson wrote in Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and Americas Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941,moved to England in 1935.We Americans are a primitive people, Lindbergh told a friend shortly before leaving the country. We do not have discipline. Our moral standards are low. It shows in the newspapers, the morbid curiosity over crimes and murder trials. Americans seem to have little respect for law, or the rights of others.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

AI agents have become an integral part of modern industries, automating tasks and simulating complex systems. Despite their potential, managing multiple AI agents, especially those with diverse roles, can be challenging. Developers often face issues such as inefficient communication protocols, difficulties in maintaining agent states, and limited scalability in large-scale setups. Additionally, generating synthetic data through agent interactions and configuring environments for testing can be labor-intensive. These obstacles highlight the need for a cohesive framework to simplify and optimize AI agent systems.Meet AgentariumAgentarium is a Python framework that aims to tackle these challenges by offering a unified platform for managing and orchestrating AI agents. It enables developers to create, manage, and coordinate AI agents effectively while providing tools to streamline their workflows. Key features include role-based agent management, checkpointing for saving and restoring agent states, and synthetic data generationall within a single, cohesive framework.A notable strength of Agentarium is its flexibility. Developers can use YAML configuration files to define custom environments, offering precise control over agent interactions. This makes the framework suitable for a wide range of applications, including multi-agent simulations, synthetic data generation for AI training, and managing complex workflows.Technical Details and BenefitsAgentarium provides several features that address common challenges in AI agent development:Advanced Agent Management: The framework supports the creation and orchestration of multiple AI agents with distinct roles, enabling modular and maintainable designs.Interaction Management: It facilitates seamless coordination of complex interactions between agents, improving efficiency and reducing errors.Checkpoint System: The ability to save and restore agent states helps mitigate risks and ensures progress is not lost during testing.Synthetic Data Generation: Agentariums tools for generating data through agent interactions are invaluable for training and testing AI models.Performance Optimization: Designed for scalability, the framework efficiently handles large-scale agent systems without compromising on performance.Extensibility: Its modular architecture allows developers to customize the framework for specific project requirements.ConclusionAgentarium offers a practical and efficient solution for managing and orchestrating AI agents. Its thoughtful design addresses the common pain points faced by developers, from managing interactions to generating synthetic data. The frameworks flexibility and scalability make it well-suited to a variety of applications, helping developers build robust and adaptable AI systems.As AI technologies continue to advance, tools like Agentarium will play a critical role in simplifying development processes and expanding the capabilities of AI agents. By streamlining workflows and providing robust tools, Agentarium positions itself as an essential framework for developers aiming to optimize their AI projects.Check out the GitHub Repo. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

British TV hit the ground running in 2025 with Missing You, the latest instalment of Netflixs now-traditional New Years Day Harlan Coben thrillers. Thats followed by crime dramas Patience and Prime Target, historical action series A Thousand Blows, 1980s reboot Bergerac, and many, many more still waiting for an air date to be announced.Browse the list below to see which new British TV dramas are in development and production for the rest of 2025 and beyond. With scripts from the UKs finest established screenwriters from Jack Thorne to Sarah Phelps, James Graham to Sally Wainwright, plus new writers making their debuts, and as-yet-untitled dramas from Jimmy McGovern and Guy Ritchie, theres no shortage of new British drama arriving this year. Our round-up of 2025s best returning British TV series is on its way, and well keep both lists updated as release dates and more details are announced.JANUARYMissing YouBingeing a Harlan Coben thriller on Netflix on New Years Day is fast becoming a festive tradition as fixed as overeating and losing the Sellotape. After recent entries in this glossy, twist-filled series of blockbuster book adaptations Stay Close and Fool Me Once, comes Missing You. Its the story of a detective whose missing fianc suddenly pops up on a dating app over a decade after he disappeared. As she investigates this weird event, she also digs up long-buried secrets abut her fathers murder and her own past. In other words: the perfect viewing for a post-indulgence sofa bank holiday. Top Boys Ashley Walters and Stay Closes James Nesbitt star alongside Rosalind Eleazar, Jessica Plummer, Richard Armitage, Ashley Walters, Sir Lenny Henry, Steve Pemberton, Samantha Spiro, Lisa Faulkner, Mary Malone and more. All episodes arrived on Jan 1, 2025.Lockerbie: A Search for TruthIn 1988, a bomb exploded on Pan Am Flight 103 as it flew over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people and becoming the deadliest terror attack on British soil. This five-part drama comes adapted from the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph, and stars Colin Firth as Swire. It arrives on Sky Atlantic on January 2, 2025, and is the first of two Lockerbie-based dramas arriving in 2025, the other a co-production between the BBC and Netflix (see below).Playing NiceHappy Valley star James Norton and Malpractices Niamh Algar lead the cast of this nightmarish psychological thriller based on JP Delaneys novel of the same name about two couples who discover their toddlers were switched at birth. The four-part series will see the couples make the horrifying decision about whether to reclaim their biological child or continue to raise the child they know and love. Playing Nice will air on ITV from January 5, 2025.PatienceFans of CBBCs A Kind of Spark should look out for actor Ella Maisy Purvis new, adult lead role in Channel 4 detective drama Patience. Its a crime show about a self-taught criminologist with autism (the titular Patience, played by Purvis), whose excellent instincts make her a boon to crime scene investigations. It starts on Channel 4 on January 8, 2025. Video NastyThis horror-comedy sounds right up Den of Geeks street. Its set in 1985 during the home video revolution, and tells the story of three teens who undertake an epic quest to complete a cult horror VHS collection but who instead get tangled up in a murder investigation. It was filmed in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and stars Justin Daniels Anene, Cal ODriscoll and Leia Murphy. All episodes arrive on BBC iPlayer on January 8, 2025.An T-Eilean (The Island)This murder mystery is being billed as the UKs first-ever high-end Gaelic drama series, and will tell the Gaelic/English dialogue story of Kat Crichton, a young Family Liaison Officer who returns to the island of Lewis and Harris after a decade away, and is assigned to support the relatives of a brutally murdered woman. Sagar Radia, Iain Macrae and Elspeth Turner also star in the crime drama, which will come to BBC Alba, BBC iPlayer and BBC Four from January 14.Prime TargetApple TV+ has lined up a top cast for this eight-part conspiracy thriller from Sherlock and Vienna Bloods Steve Thompson. Its the story of a brilliant maths mind on the brink of an enormous breakthrough that would give him the key to every computer in the world, and the enemy trying to stop him in his tracks. Playing the young genius is One Day and White Lotus Leo Woodall, whos joined by Quintessa Swindell, Stephen Rea, David Morrissey, Martha Plimpton, Sidse Babbett Knudsen, Jason Flemyng and more. Think twists, action and scary tech. Its due to air from January 22nd, 2025.FEBRUARYA Thousand BlowsFrom Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, comes this 12-part Disney+ historical drama series starring Stephen Graham, Daniel Mays, Ned Dennehy, Erin Doherty and more. Its set at the turn of the 20th century in the brutal world of East End London boxing, and tells a story inspired by the real-life all-female shoplifting gang The Forty Elephants. Its due to arrive on Disney+ on February 21, 2025.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!BergeracDamien Moloney fills Jim Nettles shoes in the title role of Jersey detective Bergerac in this remake of the 1980s detective favourite, written by Being Human, Doctor Who and The Red Kings Toby Whithouse. Its a six-part series coming to U and U&Drama, and introduces the classic car-driving sleuth as a single dad after the death of his wife. When a wealthy Jersey local is murdered, Bergerac returns from compassionate leave to solve the case. Its due to arrive in February.DATES TBCAdolescenceAny drama involving writer Jack Thorne (Best Interests, Help, His Dark Materials, The Fades) and the creators of Boiling Point is worth keeping an eye on, so keep your eyes on this new British Netflix commission. Created by Boiling Points Stephen Graham and Philip Barantini, with Jack Thorne, its being billed as a four-part ambitious crime drama filmed in real-time and in one continuous shot, telling the story of a schoolboy charged with the murder of a teenage girl. Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty and Faye Marsay will star alongside Graham. Filming began in summer 2024.A Matter Of BloodFans of bestselling novelist Sarah Pinborough will be pleased to learn that as well as an adaptation of her novel Insomnia (see below) were also getting a TV incarnation of her Dog Faced Gods trilogy, a genre-bending supernatural crime series starting with A Matter of Blood. This six-part series from the team behind Death in Paradise is set in a dystopian near-future version of London, where Detective Inspector Cass Jones is on the hunt for the sinister, taunting serial killer known only as the Man of Flies. Further details are yet to be announced watch this space.A Yard of SkyFrom the production company that brought us factual drama The Salisbury Poisonings comes a new four-part series about a recent real-life episode from UK history. Based on the forthcoming book of the same name by husband and wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Richard Ratcliffe, it tells of British-Iranian citizen Nazanins experiences being arrested in Tehran and detained away from her family for six years. The commission was announced in June 2024, and no casting has yet been confirmed, but well keep you posted.Anansi BoysA modern-set story incorporating characters from West African myth, Anansi Boys is the tale of Charlie Nancy and his brother Spider, both played by Malachi Kirby, and the aftermath of their deity fathers death. Filming wrapped in Scotland back in May 2022, but no release date has yet been announced, which was originally due to this storys intense post-production, but is now almost certainly also due to allegations of sexual misconduct made against creator Neil Gaiman, which have resulted in his exit from the final instalment of Good Omens. Several screen adaptations of Gaiman titles have been paused by production companies and streamers while the allegations are investigated.BabiesFrom writer-director Stefan Golazewski, the creator of Him & Her, Mum, and Marriage, comes a six-part BBC One drama about a young couple trying to become parents. The Lazarus Project and I May Destroy Yous Paapa Essiedu stars with Bodkin and Obituarys Siobhn Cullen, alongside Jack Bannon and Charlotte Riley. The series will follow the pain and grief of pregnancy loss, as well as the joys of hope, humour and love. Filming only began in November 2024, so dont expect to see this one until late 2025.BookishA new period-set crime drama written by and starring Olivier-winner Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, A Ghost Story for Christmas) is coming to Alibi. Bookish is a six-part (two episodes per story) mystery series starring Gatiss as Gabriel Book, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop who helps the police to solve unusual crimes. Joining Gatiss in the cast are Polly Walker, Blake Harrison, Rosie Cavaliero, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Ella Bruccoleri and more. Filming began in April 2024 so dont expect to see this one on screens just yet.Brian and MaggieOne for politics fans here: acclaimed playwright and screenwriter James Graham (Quiz, Sherwood) is writing a new drama for Channel 4 based on Rob Burleys memoir of his career in political TV, Why is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me (a quote usually attributed to former Newsnight interviewer Jeremy Paxman). Its an excellent book that explores the changes in the British political landscape in the period from a landmark 1989 TV interview between Brian Walden and prime minister Margaret Thatcher, through New Labours dogged determination to stay on-message on screen, all the way to the Brexit debate and Boris Johnson choosing to hide in a fridge rather than face public questioning during the 2019 General Election. Steve Coogan will play Walden, with Harriet Walter as Thatcher.Catch You LaterAnother four-part crime thriller is coming to Channel 5, this one starring Jason Watkins (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies) as a retired police detective haunted by an unsolved crime the answer to which appears to have moved in next door to him Ex-officer Huw Millers suspicions are raised when his new neighbour fits the profile of a local stalker and murderer who escaped justice. Robson Green (Grantchester) plays that neighbour, with Ackley Bridges Sunetra Sarker also in the cast. This one was only announced in October 2024, so dont expect it to air too soon.Civil BloodThe producers of Peaky Blinders, and The End of the F***ing World director Jonathan Entwistle are collaborating on a new historical drama which Entwistle describes as history, heart, family and war all wrapped up in a punk attitude. Set in 17th century England, Civil Blood is a coming-of-age tale following the adventures of a young woman growing up in a time of war. No further details about casting or filming have been announced yet well update when we know more.Code of SilenceEastEnders star and Strictly champion Rose Ayling-Ellis will star in this suspenseful ITV crime drama about a deaf catering worker, Alison, who is recruited by the police to lip read conversations between dangerous criminals, and quickly becomes key to unlocking the perilous investigation. Things become more complicated when Alison becomes attracted to one of the main suspects, Liam. Filming began in September 2024 and the cast includes Charlotte Ritchie and Andrew Buchan.Cold WaterAndrew Lincoln filming a UK TV drama? What is this, 2005? New ITV six-parter Cold Water welcomes The Walking Dead star back home to star alongside Ewen Bremner, Indira Varma and Eve Myles in a twisty thriller. Written by playwright David Ireland, its the story of John (Lincoln) whose identity crisis following a traumatic incident prompts him to move his family from London to a remote, rural village. There, he becomes fast pals with the local vicars husband, who may not be all he seems.Cordelia GrayBestselling novelist PD James Cordelia Gray books An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and The Skull Beneath the Skin have been picked up by the production company behind Peaky Blinders. The popular detective stories were originally released in the seventies and eighties, but screenwriter Eve Hedderwick Turner (Anne Boleyn) is transporting the stories into a modern day setting. Further details will be announced during the year.DaughterFrom acclaimed screenwriter Sarah Phelps, whose true-crime drama The Sixth Commandment was one of the best series of last year, comes Daughter. This ITV-commissioned series is yet to announce much other than the fact that its on the way, but we do know the premise will involve two mothers of two teenage girls, one of whom faces an accusation of bullying. Sarah Phelps is the writer who adapted a series of Agatha Christie novels for the BBC, including Ordeal by Innocence and The Pale Horse, so this will be one to look out for.Dear EnglandLike Quiz before it, James Grahams stage play Dear England is being adapted for television, and this time its taking lead actor Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaids Tale) with it. Fiennes reprises his role as England former football manager Gareth Southgate as he remoulds the national team in this fictionalised look at a country struggling to square its self-image with a fast-changing world. Dear England is coming to BBC One.Death ValleyAnother new Welsh drama is on its way to the BBC, this one starring Timothy Spall (The Sixth Commandment), and created by Paul Doolan, the writer of Mammoth and Trollied. Its an odd-couple crime comedy about two detectives Janie and John one a bonafide Welsh officer of the law (Gwyneth Keyworth), the other an actor famous for having played a fictional detective on TV (Spall). When a murder happens close to home, Janie and John investigate over six 45-minute episodes.Department QMatthew Goode fans rejoice, because the A Discovery of Witches star is back in a new Netflix crime thriller. Adapted from the novels by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen, Department Q is the story of DCI Carl Morck (Goode), an Edinburgh detective working a cold case while processing his guilt over a violent past attack. Goode is joined by some of Scotlands finest, including Kelly Macdonald, Chloe Pirrie, Shirley Henderson, Kate Dickie and Guilts Jamie Sives and Mark Bonnar.Dope GirlsA forgotten but fascinating time in history will be the focus for Dope Girls, telling the story of the female gangs running Sohos clubs, drugs and moonshine after the losses of World War One. This Bad World production stars Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown) as Kate, a nightclub owner trying to provide for her daughter, and Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) as fresh Met Police offer Violet who leads an undercover investigation into this thrilling, audacious criminal world.Down Cemetery RoadFans of Slow Horses, adapted from the acerbic spy thriller novel series by Mick Herron, will want to look out for Down Cemetery Road, also adapted from a Herron thriller and coming to Apple TV+. This ones not about spooks, but an Oxford-based private eye (played by Emma Thompson) engaged by a woman (played by Ruth Wilson) whos obsessed with the whereabouts of a missing child after an explosion. Funny Woman and Slow Horses writer and producer Morwenna Banks is running this one, which looks extremely promising.FearFear is a three-part psychological thriller starring Line of Dutys Martin Compston, Vigils Anjli Mohindra, and Game of Thrones Daniel Portman. Its about a family of four who relocate from London to Glasgow, where theyre subjected to a campaign of harassment by a neighbour that gets seriously out of hand and leads to every parents worst nightmare. Coming to Prime Video, Fear began filming in Glasgow in March 2024.Film ClubSex Educations Aimee Lou Wood and SAS Rogue Heroes Ralph Davis have written this six-part comedy-drama for the BBC. Its about Evie and Tom, two friends who share an elaborately themed weekly film club, and a ticking clock that means Evie only has six more club nights, and six more films, to tell Tom how she feels about him. More details to come.First Day on EarthThe industry has hotly anticipated Michaela Coels next drama after critical hit I May Destroy You, and now its here. Coel has signed up for another 10-episode BBC-HBO co-production, this time with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong as executive producer. First Day on Earth will be the story of British novelist Henry (Coel) who travels to her parents homeland in Ghana for work and attempts to reconnect with her estranged father. Filming is scheduled to begin in 2025, so dont expect to see this one in the near future.GrenfellSix years after the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 72 lives, the BBC confirmed their plans to air a three-part factual drama drawing on extensive research, telling the story of the events leading up to, during and after the devastating tragedy. Its being written and directed by BAFTA-winning Peter Kosminsky (Wolf Hall, which returned in style in late 2024) and will cover the story from multiple perspectives, including victims, survivors, the firefighters on duty that night and the wider community. The inquirys final report was published in September 2024, and Kosminsky is understood to be including the response to that in his scripts, so dont expect this one to arrive too soon. Grown-UpsIts about time somebody did a proper job and brought Marian Keyes work to the screen. The Irish novelists weighty Grown-Ups is an excellent tale about an extended family whose lies, secrets and rivalries tumble out in the aftermath of an impromptu truth-telling session caused by a concussion. The book is warm, funny and wise, and now the makers of Heartstopper are adapting it for Netflix. Done well, this could be huge.Half ManRemember Netflix stalking comedy-drama Baby Reindeer? Of course you do, people talked of very little else a few months back. Well, creator Richard Gadd is back with newly announced project Half Man (formerly known as Lions) starring him and Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers, TURN: Washingtons Spies). Its a BBC-HBO co-production and will follow the reunion of estranged friends Niall and Ruben, and span a period of 40 years exploring their relationship from teenagers to adults, their masculinity, and all the messiness thats passed between them. House of GuinnessSteven Knight never stops! The Peaky Blinders creator (fresh from The Veil, This Town, new SAS: Rogue Heroes and the in-development Peaky Blinders feature film) is behind a new Netflix family saga following the real-life historical Guinness family. When patriarch and brewing empire-founder Benjamin Guinness dies, his four adult children vie over the companys future. We may as well start calling it the Irish Succession now.How to Get to Heaven From BelfastHeres one weve been waiting for the brilliant Lisa McGees follow-up to Derry Girls has been announced and its a comedy thriller called How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, coming to Channel 4. Its the story of three women in their late thirties, whove been friends since their schooldays, and who reunite to attend a friends wake, which leads them into a dark and twisted mystery. Not so much a whodunit, says he press release, as a what the hell happened'. Sign us up!How to Kill Your FamilyBella Mackies darkly comic modern thriller take on Kind Hearts and Coronets was a big hit in the publishing world, making a screen adaptation a dead cert. Now that Netflix has snapped it up, with Furiosa and Dune actor Anya Taylor-Joy attached to the lead role of Grace Bernard, fingers crossed that itll enjoy the same success on TV. Grace is an anti-hero speaking to us from a prison cell after shes implicated in a shock death. Is she guilty? And is that all shes guilty of? Extraordinarys Emma Moran is adapting this one, so expect thrills and dark humour.Read more In FlightA new thriller starring Katherine Kelly (Mr Bates vs. the Post Office, The Long Shadow) is coming to Channel 4, and will tell the story of a flight attendant blackmailed into drug smuggling after her son is arrested and sent to prison in Bulgaria. It was written by Mike Walden (Whitstable Pearl, Marcella) and Adam Randall (Slow Horses, iBoy) and is being directed by Tin Stars Chris Baugh. Filming began in November 2024 and will cross global locations from Bangkok to Istanbul. This six-part drama wont arrive for a good while yet, but keep an eye out for it when it does.King and ConquerorHappy Valleys James Norton will star in this eight-part BBC historical drama about the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Norton plays Harold, Earl of Wessex, alongside Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) as William, Duke of Normandy, and the series is penned by Michael Robert Johnson, the screenwriter behind Sherlock Holmes and The Frankenstein Chronicles. Filming took place in Iceland in 2024.LegendsOne of the UKs finest screenwriters Neil Forsyth (Guilt and The Gold) is behind this new six-part Netflix series, from the same producers as true-crime drama The Gold (of which theres also going to be a second series). Its another drama inspired by a real-life investigation in which a group of British customs workers were sent to infiltrate some of the UKs most dangerous criminal drug gangs. Casting is still tba, but Forsyths presence alone makes this Netflix show one to keep an eye out for.Little DisastersFans of Netflixs Anatomy of a Scandal should keep an eye out for new six-part drama Little Disasters, another adaptation of a Sarah Vaughan novel. This ones also a psychological thriller, but instead of focusing on power play and sexual assault in the political world, its about female friendship, motherhood, suspicion and loyalty. Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds), Jo Joyner (Shakespeare & Hathaway), Shelley Conn (Bridgerton) and Emily Taaffe (The Rising) play Jess, Liz, Charlotte and Mel, four women whose friendship began a decade ago when they all expected babies around the same due date. When a child is injured, accusations fly and rifts are exposed. Expect to see this one on Paramount+ UK & Ireland.LockerbieThe BBC and Netflix have joined forces to create a new six-part factual drama telling the story of this infamous tragedy, and the subsequent combined Scottish-US police investigation on both sides of the Atlantic, taking us right up to the most recent developments. Written by novelist Jonathan Lee and produced by World Productions (who were also behind factual dramas United and Anne), Lockerbie stars Connor Swindells, Tony Curran, Peter Mullan, Eddie Marsan and more. This is the second drama based on the bombing arriving this year, the other coming to Sky Atlantic on January 2, 2025, and starring Colin Firth (see above).Lord of the FliesFor the first time ever, William Goldings 1954 novel Lord of The Flies is being adapted for television, becoming a four-part series for the BBC. National Treasures Jack Thorne will be writing the screenplay, telling the famous story about a group of young boys who find themselves stranded on a tropical island, and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. The series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.Make That MovieAttention, Taskmaster fans! Australian comic Sam Campbell has been given his own six-part comedy series, coming to Channel 4. Make That Movie will tell the story of a director who scours the UK for everyday people with ideas for feature films. Once found, the team make that persons movie in a three-day turnaround. Think, the speed of a DIY makeover show but dedicated to the creative imagination. Campbell stars alongside fellow comedians Lara Ricote, Aaron Chen, Helen Bauer and David Hargreaves.Man Vs BabyRowan Atkinson is returning to Netflix and following up slapstick comedy Man vs Bee with Man vs Baby. The synopsis reveals that after the disastrous housesitting experience of the first series, Atkinsons character Trevor is now tasked with looking after a luxurious London penthouse which comes with all mod cons, plus an unexpected guest. Itll be short and sweet at four half-hour episodes, and comes directed by David Kerr. MarlowThis original BritBox drama was commissioned in mid-2021 and is still apparently in development, with The Crowns Claire Foy attached to star as the lead. Foy will play Evie Wyatt, whose family has long been at war with the Marlows, a rival clan in the Edgelands of the Thames Estuary, for centuries. Its a revenge, succession-warring story tinged with myth and tragedy thats described as a modern epic in the official press announcement, and comes from Southcliffe and Red Ridings Tony Grisoni, so has a strong storytelling pedigree.MintFilmmaker Charlotte Regans Scrapper, about a young girl whose absent and feckless father suddenly re-enters her life, was one of 2023s low-key British gems. Now, Regan is behind a new eight-episode series for the BBC about being a member of a criminal family as experienced from the perspective of the children and grandmother. Think Boy Swallows Universe, perhaps? Well bring you more details including cast, when theyre confirmed.Open WaterCaleb Azumah Nelsons debut novel made a huge splash (forgive the pun) in the publishing world, so its no surprise to see a screen adaptation on the way. An eight-part series will come to BBC One, with Azumah Nelson writing and directing. Its the story of Marcus, Effie, and Effies boyfriend Samuel, and the complicated personal attachments between them. The cast and further details are yet to be announced, but expect great things. OutrageousThe national obsession with the Mitford sisters is about to be re-sparked by a new six-episode drama series about the aristocrat family for BritBox International and UKTV. Bridgertons Bessie Carter will play novelist Nancy Mitford, with Joanna Vanderham, Shannon Watson, Zoe Brough, Orla Hill and Isobel Jesper Jones as, respectively, Diana (wife of British Union of Fascist leader Oswald Mosley), Unity (a personal friend of Adolf Hitler), Jessica, Deborah and Pamela. Its based on Mary Lovells excellent biography The Mitford Girls and written by Small Island and The Long Songs Sarah Williams. Filming began in June 2024, for an expected debut this year.Out of the DustThis six-part Netflix psychological thriller stars Sex Educations Asa Butterfield, Happy Valleys Siobhan Finneran, Doctor Whos Christopher Eccleston, and Three Girls Molly Windsor. Its the story of a cloistered Christian community into which an escaped prisoner arrives, which reveals its limitations and restraints. Windsor plays Rosie, a young woman torn between her husband and daughter, and the thrilling opportunities offered by a dark stranger.PenanceBased on Eliza Clarkes crime novel of the same name, Penance is being adapted for TV by bestselling author and Doctor Who podcaster Juno Dawson. The story centres on the brutal murder of a North Yorkshire teenager by three of her school friends on the eve of Brexit, and the events that led up to it, covering social media wars, obsessions with the occult and long-held rivalries. More details will be announced soon.PlaydateAlex Dahls bestselling thriller novel Playdate is being adapted into a twisty five-part series for Disney+. It centres on every parents worst nightmare: mum Elisa lets her daughter Lucia go on a sleepover at a new friends house, but when she goes to collect her the next day, she discovers the house was a holiday rental and discovers Lucia, her friend Josie and Josies mother have vanished. In the urgent manhunt that follows, Elisa and her husband Fred find themselves under public scrutiny, and secrets about their past come to light, which explain the reason Lucia was taken. The cast includes DeniseGough (Andor),Holliday Grainger(The Capture),AmbikaMod (This Is Going to Hurt),JimSturgess (Cloud Atlas) and The Suspects Bronagh Waugh.Pride and PrejudiceThis one hasnt yet been officially greenlit, but Deadline reports that author and screenwriter Dolly Alderton (Everything I Know About Love) has written a new series adaptation of Jane Austen classic romantic comedy Pride and Prejudice for Netflix. As this one is in such early stages, theres little to report other than that. You almost certainly know the story, either from the novel or from one of several existing screen versions from the beloved 1995 BBC version by Andrew Davies, to Joe Wrights 2005 film version starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.ProtectionHappy Valleys Siobhan Finneran and Black Ops Katherine Kelly will star in new six-part ITV thriller Protection, about the dark and murky truth on witness protection, which often involves the morally-grey aspect of protecting criminals as well as innocent witnesses. Based on the experiences of a real long-serving witness protection officer, the drama will see police officer DI Liz Nyles (Finneran) find herself at the heart of a breach in the system, fighting to uncover the corruption in her unit while protecting people who dont always deserve her help. The series will also star Trigger Points Nadine Marshall, with filming beginning in Liverpool shortly, and a planned release on ITV and ITVX in early 2025.ReunionDeaf screenwriter William Mager is behind this four-part BBC One series about a deaf ex-con who reunites with his estranged daughter upon his release from prison. Set and filmed around Sheffield and Doncaster, its billed as an emotional thriller themed around redemption and vengeance, as well as a crime mystery about why the lead character was sent to prison in the first place. Anne-Marie Duff stars.Riot WomenHappy Valley creator Sally Wainwright has a new BBC drama on the way, hooray! Once again set in Yorkshire, Riot Women (formerly Hot Flush) will centre on five women of a certain age who form a punk rock band to enter a talent contest, only to discover that this gives them a new-found voice and a platform to express themselves. But the band leaders Kitty and Beth have a long-buried secret that threatens to tear them apart. The series will be produced by the team behind Doctor Foster, with more details on the way soon.A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis StoryMiss Potter star Lucy Boynton will portray Ruth Ellis, the last woman in England to be hanged in 1955, in this compelling new drama for ITVX and BritBox internationally. Told over two parallel timelines, the four-part drama will reveal secrets that have been hidden for decades concerning Ruth Ellis murder of her abusive lover David Blakely (played by Mary and Georges Laurie Davidson), telling the story of her arrest, conviction and the fight to save her from execution. Other cast members confirmed include Toby Jones (The Long Shadow) as Ellis solicitor John Bickford, Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who) as Victor Mishcon, Juliet Stevenson (Wolf) as Dr Charity Taylor, plus Happy Valleys Joe Armstrong and Mark Stanley. ShiftersFans of Netflix series Supacell should look out for the planned TV adaptation of stage show Shifters, starring Tosin Cole and The Powers Heather Ageypong. Its a first love story about the eventful and emotional relationship between two young Black characters who first meet in a philosophy class, and its currently transferring to the West End stage. The TV adaptation, says Variety, is planned to be an expansion of the theatre production and intended as a returning series.Shuggie BainDouglas Stuart is adapting his own Booker Prize-winning novel for this BBC drama, which tells the autobiographically inspired story of young Shuggie and his siblings growing up against a backdrop of poverty and alcohol addiction in 1980s Glasgow. It promises to be a powerful and emotional drama, and was due to film in Scotland during 2023, but casting and release details have yet to be announced.SummerwaterAnother hit novel adaptation here adapted by John Donnelly from Sarah Moss book of the same name, this six-part drama is set on a loch-side Scottish holiday park. The story unfurls as tensions simmer among a group of holidaymakers over the course of a single rainy day. Casting is still tba, but expect a solid ensemble for this character-rich story.Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de MenezesStan & Ollie writer Jeff Pope is working with Disney+ to create a true crime drama about the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian national shot dead by police in London after being mistaken for a suspect in the 2005 London terrorist bombings. Its a highly controversial case, prompting an inquest, IPCC investigations, and the resignation of the Met Police Commissioner, and importantly the Menezes family are serving as consultants for the series. Disney announced the series began filming in October 2023 so we shouldnt have too long to wait for this one.Tall PinesCanadian comedian, Taskmaster contestant and creator of Channel 4 comedy Feel Good Mae Martin is writing and starring in an eight-part thriller, Tall Pines, for Netflix. This intergenerational drama will examine the complex and sometimes twisted relationship between teenagers and adults. Filming has yet to begin.The ChoiceNetflix excels at this kind of glossy political thriller starring chic women in expensive suits who probably smell of Jo Malone fragrances not even bought in the sale. Its latest is The Choice, starring Suranne Jones as the British prime minister, and Julie Delpy as the French President. Theres blackmail, theres rivalry, there are lives hanging in the balance and a plot threatening more than just their respective political careers Created by Vigils Isabelle Sieb and Bridge of Lies Matt Charman, it sounds like fun.The Crow GirlErik Axl Sunds The Crow Girl trilogy is coming to streamer Paramount+, with stars Eve Myles (Torchwood) and Katherine Kelly (The Long Shadow) in the lead roles of a police detective and a psychotherapist hunting a killer. Its a story of historic abuse and a shocking conspiracy with the ticking clock of a murderer getting closer by the day. Dougray Scott also stars.The Death of Bunny MunroeMatt Smith will star in six-part Sky series The Death of Bunny Munroe, based on Nick Caves 2009 novel of the same name, about a sleazy lothario and door-to-door salesman who suddenly finds himself the sole carer for his young son after his wifes suicide. Smith who will also executive produce described the series as an exploration of love, grief, and chaos. The Dream LandsIf you didnt watch Kayleigh Llewellyns excellent comedy-drama In My Skin, about a Welsh teenager struggling to keep up the illusion of living a normal, healthy life while caring for her bipolar mother and abusive father, then get thee to BBC iPlayer and enjoy a powerful story very well told. The Dream Lands is Llewellyns next BBC TV series, adapted from the book Dreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee (and slightly retitled presumably to avoid confusion with Skys recent Lily Allen-starring drama of the same name). Set in a dystopian near future, its about a young woman struggling for love and survival while the world falls apart around her. More details to follow.The FeudA new domestic thriller is coming to Channel 5, starring Jill Halfpenny and Rupert Penry-Jones. Though the premise doesnt exactly sound thrilling a couple face objection by neighbours to their planned kitchen extension were sure theres more to it than there seems to be on the surface. Halfpenny and Penry-Jones play Emma and John Barnett, a couple living an apparently idyllic life with their teenage daughter in a leafy suburb, where good neighbours become good friends until planning permission rears its ugly head and things kick off. Derry Girls Jamie-Lee ODonnell, Gavin and Staceys Larry Lamb, Amy Nuttall, James Fleet, Ray Fearon and Tessa Peake-Jones also star.The Ministry of TimeKailane Bradleys sci-fi novel The Ministry of Time only came out in May 2024, and already the adaptation is in the works at the BBC. Its a six-part drama about a mysterious new government department which is using time travel to recruit expats from across the centuries and placing them with modern-day bridges. How will a 19th century naval officer respond to the world as it is now? (Are we right to think of the history report in Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure?) Normal Peoples Alice Birch is adapting, with A24 producing.The RaptureDoctor Whos Ruth Madeley will star in The Rapture, a five-part drama based on Liz Jensens bestselling 2009 novel of the same name. It tells the story of forensic psychologist Gabrielle (Madeley), who is recovering from a car accident that left her paralysed, and begins working at a maximum security juvenile detention centre. She meets 16-year-old inmate Bethany Krall, who was found guilty of brutally murdering her mother, and tells Gabrielle that she has psychic powers that have told her a natural disaster is about to take place. Its up to Gabrielle to work out whether shes telling the truth or is just a highly manipulative psychopath. The Rapture will air on BBC One.The Romantic Tragedies of a Teenage Drama KingEven if you dont yet recognise the name Harry Trevaldwyn, youd almost certainly recognise his face, as made famous by his series of one-man satirical YouTube sketches released during lockdown, and also seen in the UK adaptation of French series Call My Agent. His first book isnt even out yet (itll be published in 2025) and its already being adapted into a TV series, by the makers of Heartstopper.The Seven Dials MysteryBroadchurch-creator and former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall has adapted Agatha Christies 1929 novel The Seven Dials Mystery for Netflix. Due to film in summer 2024, Variety has announced that the series cast will be led by How to Have Sexs Mia McKenna-Bruce in the role of Lady Eileen Brent, with Helena Bonham Carter playing Lady Caterham, and Martin Freeman playing police officer Superintendent Battle. It all takes place in the aftermath of a country house party where a prank goes horribly wrong. More details to follow.The UndertowThe Tourist and Belfasts Jamie Dornan will star in a new crime drama in which hell perform Tom Hardys Kray brothers trick and play a set of identical twins, alongside Terminator and Black Mirrors Mackenzie Davis. Adapted from the Norwegian original series Twin, its about a love triangle involving Mackenzies character Nicola and Dornans characters Adam and Lee. It filmed in Scotland in 2024 and will come to Netflix.The Walsh SistersTwo Marian Keyes adaptations in the same year?! Our cup runneth over. The BBC has acquired The Walsh Sisters, based on Keyes most famous literary family, and is making it into a six-episode series. As Keyes readers will know, the Walsh sisters are Claire, Margaret, Rachel, Anna and Helen, a group of Irish women whose love lives and work and family lives are filled with drama, revelation, tragedy and joy. The series is being adapted from five of Keyes Walsh family novels by Dublin-based screenwriter Stefanie Preissner (Cant Cope, Wont Cope) and Rivals Kefi Chadwick.The War Between the Land and the SeaThis Doctor Who spinoff will be a five-part miniseries starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Russell Tovey, alongside returning Doctor Who stars Jemma Redgrave and Alexander Devrient, who play UNIT boss Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and field officer Colonel Ibrahim. Its about a conflict between underwater creatures known as The Sea Devils, first seen in Doctor Who in the 1970s, and present-day humanity. It was announced at 2024s San Diego Comic-Con, filmed in Wales and Bristol last autumn and will air on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.The WitnessIf you watched Channel 4 drama Deceit starring Niamh Algar, youll be familiar with the true-life case that Netflix is dramatising in The Witness. With the involvement of the Hanscombe family, who were tragically bereaved following the brutal murder of Rachel Nickell in 1992, The Witness will focus on the experience of Nickells son, who was two years old at the time of his mothers killing. Its coming from the production company behind Criminal Record, and no cast has yet been confirmed.This City is OursMissing Gangs of London and Peaky Blinders? This original crime drama from the adaptor of The Lost Kingdom and Shardlake Stephen Butchard might just fit the bill. Its the Liverpool and Spain-set story of a drug gang crime boss who, inspired by love, wants to go straight but will his family let him? And will his son succeed in his takeover bid? With eight episodes, this ones being primed for an international market. Filming began in April 2024 and Sean Bean is part of the cast.Towards ZeroA new Agatha Christie adaptation is coming to the BBC. This three-part murder mystery set in the 1930s stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Invisible Man) as Nevile, and Ella Lily Hyland (Fifteen-Love) as Audrey a formerly married couple who, despite the presence of Neviles new wife, spend a summer at the coastal estate of Neviles aunt Lady Tressilian. In starry news, Lady Tressilian is played by Hollywood royalty Anjelica Huston. We Are Lady Parts Anjana Vasan, The Wires Clarke Peters and more will co-star in the drama, which began filming in Devon and Bristol in June 2024.Toxic TownNetflix will depict one of the UKs biggest environmental scandals the Corby poisonings in the late 1980s in this new four-part true crime drama, with an all-star cast including Jodie Whittaker (pictured above in Doctor Who), Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Amy Lou Wood (Sex Education), Rory Kinnear (James Bond) and Downton Abbeys Brendan Coyle. Toxic Town is being produced by Broke & Bones, the production company of Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, and will centre on three mothers who take on an Erin Brockovich-style fight for justice after toxic waste mismanagement led to a tragically high number of birth defects in the local community of Corby in Northamptonshire. Production began in August 2023.TrainThis popular Korean drama is being remade by Firebird Pictures, a BBC Studios Production label, for the UK.Train tells the story of a detective who investigates a case that leads him to a world divided into two parallel universes, and while his love is dead in one world, shes very much alive in the other. While tracking down the truth behind his loves death, he simultaneously tries to protect her in the other, uncovering the connection between the two universes.TrespassesAnnounced in August 2024, this four-part drama set in 1970s Belfast wont be on screen for a while, but it sounds worth keeping an eye out for when it arrives. Adapted from Louise Kennedys acclaimed novel of the same name, Trespasses stars Gillian Anderson, Tom Cullen and Lola Pettigrew and tells the story of a young Catholic teacher whos drawn towards an illicit affair with an older Protestant man. Adult Behaviours Dawn Shadforth directs.TuvaEastEnders Rose Ayling-Ellis will star in a six-part returning crime drama based on Will Deans series of novels about deaf investigative journalist Tuva Moodyson. The first series adapt Deans novel Dark Pines, where Tuva is working for her hometown newspaper, desperate for a headline-breaking scoop, before discovering a serial killer who has been dormant for 20 years has begun to kill again. The series is produced by the team behind Death In Paradise, and more casting and details will be released in due courseUnder Salt MarshAs reported by Variety, Kelly Reilly, a star of US hit series Yellowstone, will lead a new Welsh-set crime thriller coming to Sky. Under Salt Marsh is about an ex-detective (Reilly), now a teacher, who finds the body of a drowned child. The discovery digs up old wounds in the community and reheats the cold case of a missing child from years earlier. Filming took place in Wales in late 2024 so dont expect to see this one on screens for a little while yet.Untitled Guy Ritchie ProjectGuy Ritchie has lined up a very decent cast for his as-yet-untitled next project, coming to Paramount+. Joining Tom Hardy and Dame Helen Mirren in the global crime series will be Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Madeep Dhillon and Jasmine Jobson. Its the story of two warring London-based families whose criminal empires stretch across the globe. Untitled Jimmy McGovern DramaTime and Broken creator Jimmy McGovern has written a new feature-length single drama for BBC One. Its currently without an official title, but will be set in and around Liverpool and tell the story of a family dealing with the aftermath of an act of sexual abuse committed by one of their family members after their release from prison. The cast is led by Anna Friel, whos joined by Anna Maxwell Martin, David Threlfall, Mark Womack and Bobby Schofield. Well bring you more info as it arrives.VirdeeWolf star Sacha Dhawan was originally slated to lead the BBCs new detective series Virdee, based on AA Dhands bestselling crime novels about Detective Harry Virdee, but he had to pull out and the role has since been recast with Staz Nair. Its the story of a Bradford cop who has to investigate the kidnap of a local MPs daughter. The case will force him to reunite with certain unsavoury members of his estranged family in order to save his kidnapping victim, putting him at great personal risk, with some very difficult choices to make. Filming began in Bradford in February 2024.WahalaComing to the BBC, this ones being billed as Big Little Lies meets Girlfriends meets Peckham. Its adapted from Nikki Mays debut novel of the same name, which tells the story of Simi, Ronke and Boo, three London-based thirtysomething Anglo-Nigerian women whose lives are rocked by the arrival of the mysterious IsobelWe Go AgainThis six-part comedy drama about a family of young siblings trying to keep things going after a serious loss is coming to BBC Three. Created by screenwriter and playwright Janice Okoh (Sanditon), its inspired by her stage play Three Birds and is being billed as a celebration of black joy; of council estates and corner shops. Of working class living and working class dreams. We Go Again is the working title, and the cast has been announced as including newcomers Chene Taylor, Kaydrah Walker-Wilkie and Akins Subair, alongside appearances from Romola Garai, Sam Buchanan, Ivanno Jeremiah, Jamelia, Talitha Wing and Jennifer Metcalfe.Welcome to Glorious TugaAs reported by Variety in August 2024, this ones only in its infancy but worth a mention all the same. The production company behind Netflixs Heartstopper has optioned Francesca Segals new novel Welcome to Glorious Tuga for television. Its about a London-based vet who moves to a remote island to study endangered tortoises, and who begins to piece together a mystery about her own life at the same time. Its very early days on this one, so no casting or further details are available as yet.What It Feels Like For a GirlParis Lees acclaimed memoir is being adapted into an eight-part drama for BBC Three, telling the story of how as a disenfranchised teenager she managed to escape a dead-end town in the Midlands into Nottinghams kinetic underworld, befriending podium dancer Lady Die and being adopted into her makeshift family of chaotic troublemakers, The Fallen Divas. Their rollercoaster hedonist lifestyle takes Lees on a journey of self-discovery that will change her life forever. The Tourists Chris Sweeney will direct and filming is only due to begin this year, so weve got a while to wait for this one.Wild CherryFrom Nicle Lecky, the creator of 2022 BBC Three drama Mood, comes a new drama for the BBC: Wild Cherry. Its the story of two wealthy, privileged women living in an upmarket gated community whose dream life is threatened when their teenage daughters become involved in a scandal at their private school. The cast is led by House of the Dragons Eve Best, and True Detectives Carmen Ejogo, alongside Sophie Winkleman and Lecky herself. Filming began in October 2024.

Jan 02, 2025Ravie LakshmananOpen Source / MalwareCybersecurity researchers have discovered a malicious package on the npm package registry that masquerades as a library for detecting vulnerabilities in Ethereum smart contracts but, in reality, drops an open-source remote access trojan called Quasar RAT onto developer systems.The heavily obfuscated package, named ethereumvulncontracthandler, was published to npm on December 18, 2024, by a user named "solidit-dev-416." As of writing, it continues to be available for download. It has been downloaded 66 times to date."Upon installation, it retrieves a malicious script from a remote server, executing it silently to deploy the RAT on Windows systems," Socket security researcher Kirill Boychenko said in an analysis published last month.The malicious code embedded into ethereumvulncontracthandler is obscured with multiple layers of obfuscation, leveraging techniques like Base64- and XOR-encoding, as well as minification to resist analysis and detection efforts.The malware also performs checks to avoid running in sandboxed environments, prior to acting as a loader by fetching and executing a second-stage payload from a remote server ("jujuju[.]lat"). The script is designed to run PowerShell commands to initiate the execution of Quasar RAT.The remote access trojan, for its part, establishes persistence through Windows Registry modifications and contacts a command-and-control (C2) server ("captchacdn[.]com:7000") to receive further instructions that allow it to gather and exfiltrate information.Quasar RAT, first publicly released on GitHub in July 2014, has been used for both cybercrime and cyber espionage campaigns by various threat actors over the years."The threat actor also uses this C2 server to catalog infected machines, and manage multiple compromised hosts simultaneously if this campaign is part of a botnet infection," Boychenko said."At this stage, the victim's machine is fully compromised, and is under complete surveillance and control by the threat actor, ready for regular check-ins and to receive updated instructions."The Ballooning Problem of Fake Stars on GitHubThe disclosure comes as a new study undertaken by Socket, alongside academics from Carnegie Mellon University and North Carolina State University has revealed a rapid surge in inauthentic "stars" that are used to artificially inflate the popularity of malware-laced GitHub repositories.While the phenomenon has been around for some time, the research discovered that the majority of fake stars are used to promote short-lived malware repositories masquerading as pirating software, game cheats, and cryptocurrency bots.Advertised via GitHub star merchants like Baddhi Shop, BuyGitHub, FollowDeh, R for Rank, and Twidium, the "open" black market is suspected to be behind as many 4.5 million "fake" stars from 1.32 million accounts and spanning 22,915 repositories, illustrating the scale of the problem.Baddhi Shop, The Hacker News found, lets prospective customers buy 1,000 GitHub stars for $110. "Buy GitHub Followers, Stars, Forks, and Watchers to boost your repository's credibility and visibility," a description on the site reads. "Real engagement attracts more developers and contributors to your project!""Only a few repositories with fake star campaigns are published in package registries such as npm and PyPI," the researchers said. "Even fewer are widely adopted. At least 60% of the accounts that participated in fake star campaigns have trivial activity patterns."As the open-source software supply chain continues to be an attractive vector for cyber attacks, the findings reiterate that star count alone is an unreliable signal of quality or reputation and should not be used without further review.In a statement shared with WIRED in October 2023, the Microsoft-owned code hosting platform said it's been aware of the problem for years and that it actively works to remove fake starrers from the service."The main vulnerability of star count as a metric lies in the fact that the actions of all GitHub users share equal weight in its definition," the researchers said."As a result, star count can be easily inflated with a high volume of bot accounts or (arguably low reputation) crowdsourced humans, as we have shown in our study. To avoid such exploitation, GitHub may consider presenting a weighted metric to signal repository popularity (e.g., based on dimensions of network centrality), which is considerably harder to fake."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Jan 02, 2025Ravie LakshmananCyber Espionage / HackingGerman prosecutors have charged three Russian-German nationals for acting as secret service agents for Russia.The individuals, named Dieter S., Alexander J., and Alex D., have been accused of working for a foreign secret service. Dieter S. is also alleged to have participated in sabotage operations as well as taking pictures of military installations with an aim to endanger national security.Dieter S. was originally arrested by the Federal Criminal Police Office (aka Bundeskriminalamt or BKA) alongside Alexander J. on espionage charges. In late October 2024, Dieter S. was also charged with being a fighter of an armed unit of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).According to the Office of the Federal Prosecutor (aka Generalbundesanwalt), Dieter S. was in contact with an individual who belonged to the Russian secret service and was also part of the armed unit of DPR."From October 2023, Dieter S. exchanged information with the person about possible sabotage actions in the Federal Republic of Germany," the Generalbundesanwalt said. "The actions were intended in particular to undermine the military support provided by Germany to Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression."Besides expressing his willingness to carry out explosive and arson attacks on military infrastructure and industrial sites, Dieter S. pledged to conduct sabotage activities against railway lines used for the transport of military goods.In preparation for these attacks, the defendant collected information about potential targets in Bavaria, including U.S. military facilities, a loading station in Upper Palatinate, and a tool manufacturing company. He was assisted in his efforts by Alexander J. and Alex D. no later than March 2024."Dieter S. scouted out some of the targeted objects on site, taking photos and videos, for example of military transports and goods," prosecutors said, adding the intelligence information was then passed on to his contact.The development comes as the Generalbundesanwalt filed charges against a Turkish citizen named Mehmet K. on suspicion of working for the Turkish secret service. In early November 2024, a U.S. national Martin D. was also arrested on similar charges."Martin D. worked until recently for the U.S. armed forces in Germany," the officials said. "In 2024, he contacted Chinese government agencies and offered to transmit sensitive information from the U.S. military for forwarding to a Chinese intelligence service. He had obtained the information in question in the course of his work with the U.S. armed forces."Prior to that, a Chinese citizen Yaqi X. was arrested for transmitting information to an employee of a Chinese intelligence service. Yaqi X., who worked for a company that provides logistics services at Leipzig/Halle Airport, gathered data about flights, cargo, and passengers, specifically focusing on armaments and personnel with ties to a German defense company.The information was shared with Jian G., who was previously apprehended by law enforcement in early 2024. The intelligence gathering activity took place between mid-August 2023 and mid-February 2024, the Generalbundesanwalt said.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

MIT Technology Reviews Whats Next series looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here. It looks as though 2025 will be a solid year for electric vehiclesat least outside the United States, where sales will depend on the incoming administration's policy choices. Globally, these cleaner cars and trucks will continue to eat into the market share of gas-guzzlers as costs decline, consumer options expand, and charging stations proliferate. Despite all the hubbub about an EV slowdown last year, worldwide sales of battery EVs and plug-in hybrids likely hit a record high of nearly 17 million vehicles in 2024 and are expected to rise about 20% this year, according to the market research firm BloombergNEF. In addition, numerous automakers are preparing to deliver a variety of cheaper models to auto showrooms around the world. In turn, both the oil demand and the greenhouse-gas emissions stemming from vehicles on the roads are likely to peak over the next few years. To be sure, the growth rate of EV sales has cooled, as consumers in many regions continue to wait for more affordable options and more convenient charging solutions. It also hasnt helped that a handful of nations, like China, Germany, and New Zealand, have eased back the subsidies that were accelerating the rollout of low-emissions vehicles. And it certainly wont do the sector any favors if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign pledges to eliminate government support for EVs and erect trade barriers that would raise the cost of producing or purchasing them. Industry experts and climate scientists argue that the opposite should be happening right now. A critical piece of any realistic strategy to keep climate change in check is to fully supplant internal-combustion vehicles by around 2050. Without stricter mandates or more generous support for EVs, the world will not be on track to meet that goal, BloombergNEF finds and others confirm. We have to push the car companiesand we also have to help them with incentives, R&D, and infrastructure, says Gil Tal, director of the EV Research Center at the University of California, Davis. But ultimately, the fate of EV sales will depend on the particular dynamics within specific regions. Heres a closer look at whats likely to steer the sector in the worlds three largest markets: the US, the EU, and China. United States The US EV market will be a mess of contradictions. On the one hand, companies are spending tens of billions of dollars to build or expand battery, EV, and charger manufacturing plants across America. Within the next few years, Honda intends to begin running assembly lines retooled to produce EVs in Ohio, Toyota plans to begin producing electric SUVs at its flagship plant in Kentucky, and GM expectsto begin cranking out its revived Bolts in Kansas, among dozens of other facilities in planning or under construction. All that promises to drive down the cost of cleaner vehicles, boost consumer options, create tens of thousands of jobs, and help US auto manufacturers catch up with overseas rivals that are speeding ahead in EV design, production, and innovation. But its not clear that will necessarily translate into lower consumer prices, and thus greater demand, because Trump has pledged to unravel the key policies currently propelling the sector. His plans are reported to include rolling back the consumer tax credits of up to $7,500 included in President Joe Bidens signature climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. He has also threatened to impose stiff tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, China, Canada, and other nations where many vehicles or parts are manufactured. Tal says those policy shifts could more than wipe out any cost reductions brought about as companies scale up production of EV components and vehicles domestically. Tighter trade restrictions could also make it that much harder for foreign companies producing cheaper models to break into the US market. That matters because the single biggest holdup for American consumers is the lofty expense of EVs. The most affordable models still start at around $30,000 in the US, and many electric cars, trucks, and SUVs top $40,000. Theres nothing available in the more affordable options, says Bhuvan Atluri, associate director of research at the MIT Mobility Initiative. And models that were promised are nowhere to be seen. (MIT owns MIT Technology Review.) Indeed, Elon Musk still has yet to deliver on his 18-year-old master plan to produce a mass-market-priced Tesla EV, most recently calling a $25,000 model pointless. As noted, there is a revamped Chevy Bolt on the way for US consumers, as well as a $25,000 Jeep. But the actual price tags wont be clear until these vehicles hit dealerships and the Trump administration translates its campaign rhetoric into policies. European Union The EV story across the Europe Union is likely to be considerably more upbeat in the year to come. Thats because carbon dioxide emissions standards for passenger vehicles are set to tighten, requiring automakers in member countries to reduce climate pollution acrosstheir fleet by 15% from 2021 levels. Under the EUs climate plan, these targets become stricter every five years, with the goal of eliminating emissions from cars and trucks by 2035. Automakers intend to introduce a number of affordable EV models in the coming months, timed deliberately to help the companies meet the new mandates, says Felipe Rodrguez, Europe deputy managing director at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Those lower-priced models include Volkwagens ID.2all hatchback ($26,000) and the Fiat Panda EV ($28,500), among others. On average, manufacturers will need to boost the share of battery-electric vehicles from 16% of total sales in 2023 to around 28% in order to meet the goal, according to the ICCT. Some European car companies are raising their prices for combustion vehicles and cutting the price tag on existing EVs to help hit the targets. And predictably, some are also arguing for the European Commission to loosen the rules. Sales trends in any given country will still depend on local conditions and policy decisions. One big question is whether a new set of tax incentives or additional policy changes will help Germany, Europes largest auto market, revive the growth of its EV sector. Sales tanked there last year, after the nation cut off subsidies at the end of 2023. EVs now make up about 25% of new sales across the EU. The ICCT estimates that theyll surpass combustion vehicles EU-wide around 2030, when the emissions rules are set to significantly tighten again. China After decades of strategic investments and targeted policies, China is now the dominant manufacturer of EVs as well as the worlds largest market. Thats not likely to change for the foreseeable future, no matter what trade barriers the US or other countries impose. In October, the European Commission enacted sharply higher tariffs on China-built EVs, arguing that the country has provided unfair market advantages to its domestic companies. That followed the Biden administrations decision last May to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese vehicles, citing unfair trade practices and intellectual-property theft. Chinese officials, for their part, argue that their domestic companies have earned market advantages by producing affordable, high-quality electric vehicles. More than 60% of Chinese EVs are already cheaper than their combustion-engine counterparts, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates.The realityand what makes this a difficult challengeis that there is some truth in both perspectives, writes Scott Kennedy, trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. These trade barriers have created significant risks for Chinas EV makers, particularly coupled with the countrys sluggish economy, its glut of automotive production capacity, and the fact that most companies in the sector arent profitable. China also cut back subsidies for EVs at the end of 2022, replacing them with a policy that requires manufacturers to achieve fuel economy targets. But the country has been intentionally diversifying its export markets for years and is well positioned to continue increasing its sales of electric cars and buses in countries across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Europe, says Hui He, China regional director at the ICCT. There are also some indications that China and the EU could soon reach a compromise in their trade dispute. Domestically, China is now looking to rural markets to boost growth for the industry. Officials have created purchase subsidies for residents in the countryside and called for the construction of more charging facilities. By most estimates, China will continue to see solid growth in EV sales, putting nearly 50 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the countrys roads by the end of this year.