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Marcus Rashford has just had a ‘surreal’ Zoom call with Barack Obama
He spoke with the former US President to discuss the power young people can have to make change in society.
It’s not everyday you get to hop onto a Zoom call with Barack Obama.
Well, for the vast majority of us, the opportunity to speak directly with the former President of the United States is never actually going to present itself – but it’s hard to deny that Marcus Rashford deserves it after the year he’s had.
In a call organised by Penguin Books UK, the 23-year-old Wythenshawe-born Manchester United star was able to meet virtually with the 44th US president to chat about everything from the importance of giving back to your local community and the positive impact of reading – a cause which Rashford heavily champions – the to other themes from Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land.
The pair also spoke about some of their shared experiences, which include being raised by single mothers and wanting to make an impact on society.
“It’s quite surreal isn’t it?” Rashford said of the call.
“I’m sitting in my kitchen in Manchester, speaking to President Obama, but immediately, he made me feel at ease.
“It wasn’t long before I realised just how aligned our experiences as children were in shaping the men you see today – adversity, obstacles and all [and] I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it.
“When President Obama speaks, all you want to do is listen.”
The praise wasn’t just one sided though, as Mr Obama also had plenty of positive things to say about the young footballer and everything he’s achieved: “A lot of the young people I meet – including Marcus – they’re ahead of where I was when I was 23.
“They’re already making changes and being positive forces in their communities.”
Rashford made Manchester proud last year when he spearheaded a prominent campaign to tackle child food poverty in the UK during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which ultimately led to 1.7 million vulnerable children being supported by a £520 million government scheme and other projects have helped deliver 130 million meals.
He has also launched a food education and cooking project for children – Full Time Meals – with renowned British chef, Tom Kerridge.
You can watch the full conversation between Marcus Rashford and Barack Obama on the Penguin Books UK YouTube channel today from 2pm.
Featured Image – Penguin Books UK
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Channel 4 is looking for Mancs who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Have you always wanted to see how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now’s your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.
The casting call simply reads: “Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?”
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city – used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare – with no food, running water, electricity or heat.
Produced by The Garden – which is part of ITV Studios – for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on Mancs and people up and down the country with the ‘courage and ingenuity’ to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let’s prove what Mancs are made of.
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Applications close on Sunday 4 October 2026 at midnight, and you must be 18 or above, with a valid UK or ROI passport, to enter.
Find out more and apply here.
Featured Image – Matthew Salacuse / Channel 4
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Hundreds of katsu curries are being given out for FREE in Manchester this week
Emily Sergeant
Hundreds of katsu curries are being dished up and given out for free in Manchester this week, but only for certain people.
And those lucky people will be students.
That’s right… a new semester is upon us, and thousands of freshers and returning students are descending on the city and Manchester‘s many universities for another year. But the life of a student isn’t exactly the cheapest sometimes, especially for those who haven’t had to live on a budget before moving out or into halls.
But to make things a little easier, Tampopo has announced it’ll be serving hundreds of one of its most popular dishes for free this week.
Tampopo is celebrating National Katsu Curry Day in the most delicious way possible, by giving away 700 Katsu Curries with rice for free, exclusively to freshers and students this Sunday (27 September).
Whether you’re brand new to the city, settling back into uni life, or you’re simply in need of a katsu fix, students can head to their nearest participating Tampopo and tuck into a hearty meal without needing to spend a penny.
100 katsu curries will be available each from 12-2pm at both Tampopo restaurants in Manchester city centre – which are on Albert Square, and in the Corn Exchange – or if you head over to the Trafford Centre, both the Tampopo there and the East Street sites are taking part.
“[Our] Katsu Curry has long been one of our most-loved dishes, so National Katsu Curry Day felt like the perfect excuse to give students a proper welcome to the new academic year,” Tampopo said in a statement.
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So, are you feeling hungry then? The offer is exclusively available for takeaway only to freshers and students with a valid student ID, which they must present on collection.
100 portions are available at each participating location, and just one free katsu curry with rice will be available per person.
Get ready to tuck in, you lot.
Featured Image – Supplied
Emily Sergeant -
28th May 2021 
