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Prime minister Theresa May hosts victorious England cricket team

Prime minister Theresa May hosted the World Cup-winning England cricket team in the garden of her Downing Street residence on Monday (15), describing their win as "one of the great sporting spectacles of our time".

England ended their 44-year wait for a first 50-overs world title by beating New Zealand in a nailbiting final Super Over on Sunday.


May, a keen cricket fan, was at the match and, after the win, posted a video clip on Twitter of herself dancing.

The prime minister, who is due to stand down next week, greeted the players in front of her residence and posed for pictures with the team and the trophy.

"When the odds were against you in the biggest game of your lives, you simply and stubbornly refused to lose. It is that determination, that character, that has made you world champions. But, more than that, you have made history," May told the players during the drinks reception, according to remarks released by her office.

"You have helped the nation fall in love with cricket once again," she said, adding that the match was "a final for the ages".

Since being unceremoniously dumped out of the 2015 edition of the tournament in Australia, the England side have reinvented themselves as one-day cricket specialists and had headed into the World Cup as overwhelming favourites.

The match, which England won by the thinnest of margins after a tie-break Super Over, was watched by more than 8 million people in Britain.

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How Southeast Asian storytelling became one of Netflix’s fastest-growing global pillars

Inside Netflix’s 50% surge: the regional creators and stories driving Southeast Asia’s global rise

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How Southeast Asian storytelling became one of Netflix’s fastest-growing global pillars

Highlights:

  • Netflix says global viewing of Southeast Asian titles rose almost 50% between 2023 and 2024.
  • Premium VOD revenue in the region reached £1.44 billion (₹15,300 crore) last year, with 53.6 million subscriptions.
  • Netflix holds more than half of the region’s total viewing and remains its biggest investor in originals.
  • New rivals, including Max, Viu and Vidio, are forcing sharper competition.
  • Local jobs, training and tourism are increasing as productions expand across the region.

Last year, something shifted in what the world watched. Global viewership of Southeast Asian content on Netflix grew by nearly 50%, and this isn't just a corporate milestone; it’s a signal. Stories from Jakarta, Bangkok, and Manila are no longer regional curiosities. They are now part of the global mainstream.

The numbers tell a clear story. Over 100 Southeast Asian titles have now entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 lists. More than 40 of those broke through in 2024 alone. This surge is part of a bigger boom in the region’s own backyard. The total premium video-on-demand market in Southeast Asia saw viewership hit 440 billion minutes in 2024, with revenues up 14% to £1.44 billion (₹15,300 crore). Netflix commands over half of that viewership and 42% of the revenue. They have a clear lead, but the entire market is rising.

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