film

'Train Dreams' director says goal was to take audience 'on a journey'

BY PAULA RAMON

  • "Train Dreams" won the top best feature prize at the Spirit Awards honoring independent films, as well as awards for Bentley and Veloso.
  • When director and screenwriter Clint Bentley decided to adapt "Train Dreams" for the big screen, he hoped he could captivate audiences with the tale of an ordinary man living in extraordinary times -- the early 20th century. 
  • "Train Dreams" won the top best feature prize at the Spirit Awards honoring independent films, as well as awards for Bentley and Veloso.
When director and screenwriter Clint Bentley decided to adapt "Train Dreams" for the big screen, he hoped he could captivate audiences with the tale of an ordinary man living in extraordinary times -- the early 20th century. 
Now, that vision -- starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones -- is up for four Oscars, including the coveted best picture prize.
Bentley's gamble on the 2011 novella by Denis Johnson appears to have paid off.
"It's been overwhelming," the 41-year-old filmmaker told AFP.
"I wanted to give something to the audience with the film and take them on a journey. But you never know how it's going to be received."
"Train Dreams" tells the story of Robert Grainier (Edgerton), a reserved logger and railroad worker in Idaho, and his wife Gladys (Jones), over the course of his entire life.
The Netflix film stands as both the story of the American northwest's transition to the modern era and a beautiful meditation on love, friendship, grief, loss and hope.
"It's lovely that people are connected and seeing themselves in it," said Bentley. "The story is really beautiful."
"Train Dreams" was filmed in Washington state and has so far won several prizes during Hollywood's awards season, especially for cinematographer Adolpho Veloso.
"A lot of movies really helped me in my life. So it's amazing to be a small part of a movie that is doing that to other people," Veloso told AFP. 
"I feel like that's the reason I wanted to do films in the first place, because movies were important for me, because I love movies," said the 36-year-old Brazilian. 
"Train Dreams" won the top best feature prize at the Spirit Awards honoring independent films, as well as awards for Bentley and Veloso.
At the ceremony earlier this month in Santa Monica, Bentley reflected on the challenges and rewards of taking on such an ambitious project with a limited budget, including the construction of a period locomotive... from plywood.
"It was just a lot of steps along the way that all of us figured it out," explained Bentley, whose first Oscar nomination came last year for best adapted screenplay for "Sing Sing."
He told AFP he especially values the Spirit Awards, because they offer important visibility to smaller films with scant resources, especially as they vie for Academy Awards with big studio projects.
"It really gives them a boost in a beautiful way," he said.
pr/sst/ksb

film

'Like riding a bike': Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke on the magic of 'Blue Moon'

BY HUW GRIFFITH

  • "Blue Moon" takes place almost entirely in the bar of a Broadway restaurant where Hart takes refuge during the premiere of "Oklahoma!"
  • It's hard to recognize Ethan Hawke in "Blue Moon": he's short, bald, slightly greasy-looking and uncomfortable in his own skin.
  • "Blue Moon" takes place almost entirely in the bar of a Broadway restaurant where Hart takes refuge during the premiere of "Oklahoma!"
It's hard to recognize Ethan Hawke in "Blue Moon": he's short, bald, slightly greasy-looking and uncomfortable in his own skin.
The role is a far cry from the dashing young leading man who wowed audiences when he broke through decades ago with 1989 coming-of-age drama "Dead Poets Society" and Gen X classic "Reality Bites" a few years later.
But his portrayal of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart, an alcoholic who drank himself out of one of America's most famous songwriting partnerships, is a tour-de-force -- one that has landed the 55-year-old an Oscar nomination for best actor.
The dialogue-heavy chamber piece -- basically a theatrical play on celluloid -- is the fruit of Hawke's decades-long collaboration with director Richard Linklater, which began more than 30 years ago with 1995's "Before Sunrise."
"The magic to the relationship is that it's a little bit like riding a bike; you just don't think about it," Hawke told AFP.
"He sent me this script and the two of us just both felt this is one of the most ice-hot pieces of writing we'd ever come across," Hawke told AFP.
"And we wanted to share it with the world."
"Blue Moon" takes place almost entirely in the bar of a Broadway restaurant where Hart takes refuge during the premiere of "Oklahoma!" -- the first major show his long-time collaborator Richard Rodgers created with Oscar Hammerstein.
Robert Kaplow's dense and literary script is utterly dominated by Hawke, who told one journalist he had more dialogue in the first 30 minutes of screentime than in the entirety of his last four films.
But, despite a bit of camera trickery and some digital effects, it is the physicality of a diminutive, balding and unattractive man that was a more time-consuming challenge for Hawke -- the work of a decade for a script he first read in 2014.
"I didn't think I needed to age into it, but Rick (Linklater) did," Hawke told trade title The Wrap.
"Rick knew that time was only going to help me. And funnily enough, it's not just aging, not just your face cracking and falling apart. I thought I was ready when I was 40, but I wasn't.
"I got more and more interested in what people call character acting. And this part required all of it, everything I've learned over 30 some-odd years."

'Mysterious'

Hawke credits his lengthy partnership with Linklater -- the pair announced last year they are working on a 10th feature together -- for allowing him the space to strip back every vestige of vanity and build himself into this oddball lyricist.
Over the course of 100 minutes, Hart reminisces about his souring collaboration with Rodgers (a flinty Andrew Scott), a pairing that gave the world songs like "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady is a Tramp" and the titular "Blue Moon."
A not-so-closeted homosexual, he also waxes lyrical about his infatuation with a young Yale student, played by a bottle-blonde Margaret Qualley, and shares drinks with "Charlotte's Web" author E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy).
Hart keeps up a steady stream of anecdotes and witty repartee, but increasingly the mask slips; underneath it all is the yawning realization that he is utterly alone.
"Nobody ever loved me that much," he says, echoing Humphrey Bogart's Rick in "Casablanca."
Hawke's Oscar nomination -- his fifth after supporting actor nods for "Training Day" and "Boyhood," and two others for best adapted screenplay for "Before Midnight" and "Before Sunset" -- is the result of an experience on this film he said was "mysterious."
"I don't know how I could be so lucky. I really don't understand how the universe works," he told AFP of his work with Linklater.
"It's been one of the most thrilling collaborations in my life."
The Oscars take place on March 15 in Hollywood.
hg/sst

award

Comedy genius Carrey honoured at France's Cesar Awards

  • joked the 64-year-old Carrey as he accepted his Cesar d'honneur, recalling that he had a French relative dating back "around 300 years ago".
  • France's leading movie awards on Thursday gave Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey a special honour in recognition of his eclectic acting career, a tribute he accepted with a speech delivered in French.
  • joked the 64-year-old Carrey as he accepted his Cesar d'honneur, recalling that he had a French relative dating back "around 300 years ago".
France's leading movie awards on Thursday gave Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey a special honour in recognition of his eclectic acting career, a tribute he accepted with a speech delivered in French.
"How was my French? Almost mediocre, right?" joked the 64-year-old Carrey as he accepted his Cesar d'honneur, recalling that he had a French relative dating back "around 300 years ago".
A standout figure of American cinema, who has been compared to comic luminaries such as Jerry Lewis, Carrey has stepped back from Hollywood in recent years.
The 51st Cesar Awards opened with a sketch celebrating Carrey by ceremony presenter Benjamin Lavernhe, who revisited one of Carrey's most legendary films, "The Mask".
His career began in stand-up comedy, before really taking off in the 1990s cult films like "Dumb and Dumber", "The Mask" and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective".
Carrey turned toward more serious roles and won a Golden Globe for his performance in "The Truman Show" (1998), in which he played an ordinary man who realises his entire life has been orchestrated for television.
He also won acclaim for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) about a lovelorn man who decides to have memories of his former girlfriend, played by Kate Winslet, erased from his mind.
Several international box-office hits including the "Sonic" franchise followed before he stepped back from the world of film in the early 2020s.
American veteran Richard Linklater won the best director award at the Cesars for his 2025 film Nouvelle Vague, a black and white work about the shooting of the Jean-Luc Goddard's French New Wave classic Breathless.  
agu/mch/cc/tw

culture

Thieves target high-value Pokemon cards as franchise turns 30

BY BEN TURNER

  • Thieves in California made off this month with about $180,000 worth of Pokemon trading cards after drilling through a wall to access a store. 
  • What began as a quiet meetup of Pokemon enthusiasts at a US store ended with an armed robbery in which masked men held the group at gunpoint to steal more than $100,000 in trading cards.
  • Thieves in California made off this month with about $180,000 worth of Pokemon trading cards after drilling through a wall to access a store. 
What began as a quiet meetup of Pokemon enthusiasts at a US store ended with an armed robbery in which masked men held the group at gunpoint to steal more than $100,000 in trading cards.
The January heist in New York was the latest in a string of thefts targeting collectors of Pokemon, the Japanese media franchise that marks its 30th anniversary on Friday.
Pokemon cards, bearing "little monsters" that attract children as well as adult superfans, have soared in value in recent years. 
US influencer Logan Paul this month set a new world record by banking $16.5 million with his sale of a rare Pikachu card -- arguably the most iconic Pokemon character.
But high prices have attracted criminals keen to cash in. 
Pokemon cards "are high value in a small footprint, demand is broad and consistent, and the resale ecosystem is large," said Nick Jarman, founder and CEO of the Certified Trading Card Association.
"That combination means stolen product can move quickly -- sometimes across state lines -- through a mix of online marketplaces, card shows, and informal buyer networks," he told AFP.

'Big target'

The New York robbery, which police are yet to solve, was not an isolated incident.
Thieves in California made off this month with about $180,000 worth of Pokemon trading cards after drilling through a wall to access a store. 
"We got a big target on our back in this trading card, collectible world now," owner Duy Pham told CBS News after the burglary.
It was the second time in less than a year that his shop was robbed.
Similar thefts have also been reported in Japan, Britain, Canada and Australia.
"In some cases, incidents appear opportunistic, smash-and-grab, while others look more targeted -- suggesting prior knowledge of store layouts, closing routines, or where higher-value inventory is kept," Jarman said.
He noted that many shops operate on thin margins, so boosting security measures can be a financial burden. 

'Not fun anymore'

Ranging from Pikachu the mouse to Jigglypuff the balloon, there are now more than 1,000 different Pokemon characters, with new "generations" released every few years.
Collecting Pokemon cards has become a form of investment beyond collecting, trading or playing. 
One website, Collectr, offers trading card portfolio management and valuation tools for users looking to track their assets.
Factors determining value include Pokemon cards' rareness, the character and the artist, who is indicated on the card.
But for some, the surge in prices has yanked the joy from what was a casual hobby. 
Grace Klich, a US-based Pokemon influencer, told AFP she had pulled back from collecting after becoming "fatigued."
"When it gets to the point where local card stores are being broken into and people are getting a gun shoved in their face over cards, it is not all fun and cute anymore," she said.
"It was never about the value of items, or gaining respect, it was because I had a genuine love for such a wonderful franchise," she said. 
bjt/acb

luxury

Prada unravels, layers and reveals at Milan Fashion Week

BY ALEXANDRIA SAGE

  • "It's a lot about the feel, to kind of be inspired, and bring things together that feel contemporary to us, but not necessarily very narrative," said Simons, who has co-designed with Prada since 2020.
  • Does Prada want to coddle you in an unravelling world?
  • "It's a lot about the feel, to kind of be inspired, and bring things together that feel contemporary to us, but not necessarily very narrative," said Simons, who has co-designed with Prada since 2020.
Does Prada want to coddle you in an unravelling world?
At Milan Fashion Week on Thursday, the Prada show opened with cozy knit sweaters and multi-coloured scarves, only for garments to be ripped open, exposed and distressed as the catwalk continued.
Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan were celebrity guests in the front row of the Fall/Winter 2026-2026 women's show, but most of the shrieking by the female crowds outside was reserved for Thai actor Pond Naravit Lertratkosum and Korean K-pop sensation Wooyoung -- wearing Prada, of course.
The collection celebrating layering from co-designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons was filled with curious surprises, from faux fur embellishments running up and down the chest like tactile ties to shimmery linings peeking out from slashes in garments. 
In their show notes, the designers described "mutations from within, visible to the exterior" as fabrics looked as if they had been purposefully eaten away or distressed, revealing hidden mysteries beneath. 
"I think that we like very much the idea that there is a lot of things coming together that do not necessarily give you what you expect," Simons said backstage after the show, as model Bella Hadid enthusiastically kissed the hand of Prada.
Hadid was one of just 15 models working the show with 60 outfits, where each time the outfit was broken down to reveal new possible looks through layering.
"It's a lot about the feel, to kind of be inspired, and bring things together that feel contemporary to us, but not necessarily very narrative," said Simons, who has co-designed with Prada since 2020.
Exaggerated pink cuffs adorned shirts worn under sweaters or jackets, and a pink satin dress looked literally ripped open at the bodice to expose a shiny black corset-like top beneath. 
Scraps of animal-patterned fabric were incorporated into a black silk dress, while bulky sweaters were tucked into sheer skirts.
The setting inside the Fondazione Prada emphasised the inside/outside theme, with pink and white walls decked out with elegant boiserie and marble fireplaces, but also exposing brick construction beneath. 
Like at the brand's men's show in January, a short yellow waterproof cape decorated a coat, while a beige jacket revealed bronze sequins beneath a turned up collar. 
The recipe, according to Simons, was "to work instinctively".
"From the heart, from the mind, from the feeling, from our knowledge, from our respect for history and our interest in the future. I think that's what we have to do as designers," he said.

Armani meets Peaky Blinders

At Emporio Armani, designers Silvana Armani and Leo Dell'Orco looked to the past for their women's/men's show, featuring a healthy dose of "greige", the beige and grey mix so beloved by founder Giorgio Armani. 
Newsboy caps, button-down vests and a predominance of subtle plaids recalled "Peaky Blinders", while pocket watch chains consolidated the 1920s feel.
But the collection also featured shimmering avocado and mauve blouses over flowing tiny shorts, long nubby knit sleeveless dresses with dramatic fringe at the hemline, or jeans and jean shirts featuring sequins adorning one leg or shoulder.
To help close out the show, a line of female models were decked in crisp and roomy white men's shirts, paired untucked with tight black leggings and stiletto heels -- a reworked tuxedo look that felt like the end of a wild night.
ams/cc

film

Filmmakers defend Berlin festival chief in Gaza row

  • German tabloid Bild had reported that Tricia Tuttle was due to be dismissed at an emergency meeting on Thursday, citing sources close to state-owned KBB, the company that runs the festival.
  • Actors and filmmakers rushed to defend the head of the Berlin film festival Thursday following a media report that her job was on the line over a director's anti-Israel speech at the event.
  • German tabloid Bild had reported that Tricia Tuttle was due to be dismissed at an emergency meeting on Thursday, citing sources close to state-owned KBB, the company that runs the festival.
Actors and filmmakers rushed to defend the head of the Berlin film festival Thursday following a media report that her job was on the line over a director's anti-Israel speech at the event.
Syrian-Palestinian filmmaker Abdallah Al-Khatib kicked off a controversy during Saturday's closing ceremony by accusing Germany of being complicit in genocide in Gaza through its support for Israel.
German tabloid Bild had reported that Tricia Tuttle was due to be dismissed at an emergency meeting on Thursday, citing sources close to state-owned KBB, the company that runs the festival.
Culture minister Wolfram Weimer's office confirmed the meeting had taken place but made no mention of Tuttle being sacked, stating that discussions had been "constructive and open" and would "continue in the coming days".
A group of cinema luminaries including Tilda Swinton, Todd Haynes, Sean Baker and Tom Tykwer signed an open letter defending the Berlinale as a forum for free expression.
"As filmmakers in Germany and beyond, we are following the debates surrounding the Berlinale and the discussion about the dismissal of Tricia Tuttle with great concern," they wrote. "We defend the Berlinale for what it is: a place of exchange."
Angry rows over the Israel-Palestinian conflict have repeatedly rocked the Berlinale, held every February as Europe's first major film festival of the year.
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider walked out of Saturday's closing ceremony, labelling Khatib's remarks "unacceptable".
Germany, as it has sought to atone for the horrors of the Holocaust, has been a steadfast supporter of Israel, and criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza has been more muted than in many other countries.
Conservative lawmaker Ellen Demuth was among those who condemned the "antisemitic incident" at the awards ceremony and urged "a fresh start at the top of the film festival".
The Berlinale Team in an Instagram post meanwhile defended Tuttle, praising her "clarity, integrity and artistic vision".
The writers' association PEN Berlin said Khatib's comments were protected by freedom of expression and that if Tuttle were to be sacked over them, it would cause "immense damage" to the festival.
"Such wanton destruction of the German cultural scene, such self-inflicted insularity, must not be allowed to happen," it said.
The backdrop of the Middle East conflict led to a tense 76th edition of the festival from the start. 
More than 80 film professionals criticised the Berlinale's "silence" on the Gaza war in an open letter, accusing the festival of censoring artists "who reject the genocide" they believe Israel has committed in Gaza.
Award-winning Indian writer Arundhati Roy withdrew from the festival after the jury president, German director Wim Wenders, said cinema should "stay out of politics" when asked about Gaza.
fec/fz/jxb

film

S.Korea's Park Chan-wook to head Cannes festival jury

  • The appointment, which organisers called "a first for Korean cinema", came as South Korean culture enjoys global recognition, with Park's films hailed alongside Bong Joon-ho's 2019 Palme d'Or and Oscar best picture winning film "Parasite", the hugely popular television series "Squid Game" and "KPop Demon Hunters" as well as K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink.
  • South Korean filmmaker Park Chan‑wook, the first from his country to head the Cannes film festival jury, will preside over the 79th edition in May, organisers announced Thursday.
  • The appointment, which organisers called "a first for Korean cinema", came as South Korean culture enjoys global recognition, with Park's films hailed alongside Bong Joon-ho's 2019 Palme d'Or and Oscar best picture winning film "Parasite", the hugely popular television series "Squid Game" and "KPop Demon Hunters" as well as K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink.
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan‑wook, the first from his country to head the Cannes film festival jury, will preside over the 79th edition in May, organisers announced Thursday.
A statement named the director behind "Oldboy" (2003) as president of the body that will award the 2026 Palme d'Or.
Last year the award went to Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident."
The appointment, which organisers called "a first for Korean cinema", came as South Korean culture enjoys global recognition, with Park's films hailed alongside Bong Joon-ho's 2019 Palme d'Or and Oscar best picture winning film "Parasite", the hugely popular television series "Squid Game" and "KPop Demon Hunters" as well as K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink.
"In this age of hatred and division, I believe that the simple act of coming together in a movie theatre to watch a film at the same time... makes it possible to create a moving, universal sense of solidarity," the statement quoted Park, 62, as saying.
The festival praised his genre-blending cinema as "narrative, stylistic (and) moral".
Park has long been credited for inspiring a generation of filmmakers behind the "Korean noir" genre -- movies about bloody crimes, brutal revenge or the criminal underworld, presented with sumptuous cinematography, including Bong.
The director with a strong appetite for vengeance and redemption -- whose violent or erotic films are not afraid to shock -- won a best director award at Cannes four years ago for "Decision to Leave", a romantic thriller.

Lover of literature

Park achieved international stature with "Oldboy", which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004.
Based on a cult manga, the second instalment of a dark trilogy about revenge tackled social inequalities -- a hallmark of Korean cinema.
His latest work, "No Other Choice" (2025), is adapted from Donald Westlake's 1997 novel "The Ax" and follows an unemployed man who decides to kill his potential competitors to land a job.
It starred South Korea's top actors -- "Squid Game" star Lee Byung-hun and "Crash Landing on You" actress Son Ye-jin -- in the lead.
The film touched on contemporary anxieties over artificial intelligence, Park has said, reflecting its broader theme of the job market, including the cinema industry.
"Films can be seen as something that do not necessarily provide any great practical help in life -— they might be just two hours of entertainment," Park said at the Busan International Film Festival last year.
"And yet... I pour everything I have into this work, staking my entire life on it."
Having studied philosophy at Sogang University in Seoul, the soft-spoken filmmaker is also known as a great lover of literature, especially Emile Zola and Philip Roth. 
His 2009 vampire film "Thirst" was an adaptation of Zola's "Therese Raquin," and his lesbian romance "The Handmaiden" (2016) is based on the novel "Fingersmith" by the British author Sarah Waters. 
Park has also worked extensively in television, notably the English-language mini-series "The Little Drummer Girl", adapted from John Le Carre's novel, and last year's HBO series "The Sympathizer" about a North Vietnamese spy.
bur-cdl/sft/abs

film

S.Korea's Park Chan-wook to head Cannes festival jury

  • Two more of Park's films have won awards at the festival in southern France: the vampire romance "Thirst" received the Jury Prize in 2009, while the thriller "Decision to Leave" won the Best Director Award in 2022.
  • South Korean director Park Chan‑wook, renowned for his thriller "Oldboy", will preside over the 79th Cannes film festival jury in May, organisers announced Thursday.
  • Two more of Park's films have won awards at the festival in southern France: the vampire romance "Thirst" received the Jury Prize in 2009, while the thriller "Decision to Leave" won the Best Director Award in 2022.
South Korean director Park Chan‑wook, renowned for his thriller "Oldboy", will preside over the 79th Cannes film festival jury in May, organisers announced Thursday.
Calling the appointment "a first for Korean cinema", a statement named the director behind "Oldboy" (2003) as president of the jury that will award the 2026 Palme d'Or.
Last year the award went to Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident."
"In this age of hatred and division, I believe that the simple act of coming together in a movie theatre to watch a film at the same time... makes it possible to create a moving, universal sense of solidarity," the statement quoted Park, 62, as saying.
The festival praised his genre-blending cinema as "narrative, stylistic (and) moral".
Park achieved international stature with "Oldboy", which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004.
Based on a cult manga, the second installment of a dark trilogy about revenge tackled social inequalities -- a hallmark of Korean cinema.
Two more of Park's films have won awards at the festival in southern France: the vampire romance "Thirst" received the Jury Prize in 2009, while the thriller "Decision to Leave" won the Best Director Award in 2022.
His latest work, "No Other Choice" (2025), is adapted from Donald Westlake's 1997 novel "The Ax" and follows an unemployed man who decides to kill his potential competitors to land a job.
South Korean culture enjoys global recognition, with Park's films hailed alongside Bong Joon-ho's 2019 Palme d'Or for "Parasite", the hugely popular television series "Squid Game" and "KPop Demon Hunters" as well as K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink.
fan-agu/mch/alv/cc/rlp

metal

Pakistani sculptor turns scrap into colossal metal artworks

BY ZAIN ZAMAN JANJUA

  • Every week, Jadoon tours scrapyards in Islamabad, sifting through tons of discarded metal in search of pieces that fit into his imagination and then become sculptures.
  • Sparks fly and metal groans in a cavernous workshop on the outskirts of Islamabad, where Pakistani artist Ehtisham Jadoon fuses discarded car parts into colossal pieces inspired by "Transformers" movies and dinosaurs.
  • Every week, Jadoon tours scrapyards in Islamabad, sifting through tons of discarded metal in search of pieces that fit into his imagination and then become sculptures.
Sparks fly and metal groans in a cavernous workshop on the outskirts of Islamabad, where Pakistani artist Ehtisham Jadoon fuses discarded car parts into colossal pieces inspired by "Transformers" movies and dinosaurs.
The 35-year-old sculptor's studio brims with cogs, chains, hubcaps and engine parts as his hulking creations -- a lion with a mane of twisted steel, a giant Tyrannosaurus rex and a towering Optimus Prime -- take shape.
"I have always been fascinated by metal objects," Jadoon told AFP after assembling the 14-foot (4-metre) "Transformers" character, his biggest creation yet.
"When I see metals in scrap, I imagine forms in which it could be utilised."
It took Jadoon and his team months of welding and warping to fashion his Optimus Prime, with over 90 percent of its parts sourced from discarded vehicle pieces.
The arms are forged from motorbike springs and gears, its shoulders are curve from car rims, the spine is moulded from a fuel tank and its knees are pieced together with chains and suspension parts.
Even its piercing eyes are crafted from vehicle bearings, completing a sculpture that is both intricate and awesome.
"Whenever I see an object, I visualise a form," Jadoon said.
"I could imagine a block transforming into a shape, so I simply solve the puzzle and bring it to life."

'Waste becomes valuable'

Jadoon, a former martial artist who once worked in the steel fabrication business, has never formally studied art. He designs his gargantuan models spontaneously while working.
He told AFP he has to visit a doctor almost every week due to sparks affecting his eyes and burns on his hands and arms, yet he insists this is the only work in which he can channel the energy of his training as a fighter.
Jadoon's work primarily focuses on crafting giants, beasts and powerful forms, which he describes as a reflection of aggression.
"Setting the anatomy and proportions requires visualisation from multiple angles and repeated adjustments," he said.
Every week, Jadoon tours scrapyards in Islamabad, sifting through tons of discarded metal in search of pieces that fit into his imagination and then become sculptures.
"What is waste to us became something valuable in his hands," scrapyard owner Bostan Khan told AFP.
"It's incredible to witness."
zz/je/lga

film

Berlinale meet called over film director's anti-Israel speech

  • More than 80 film professionals criticised the Berlinale's "silence" on the war in Gaza in an open letter, accusing the festival of censoring artists "who reject the genocide" they believe Israel has committed in Gaza.
  • German culture officials plan to summon organisers of the Berlin film festival Thursday after the event was rocked this year by controversy over the Israel-Palestinian conflict and Gaza war.
  • More than 80 film professionals criticised the Berlinale's "silence" on the war in Gaza in an open letter, accusing the festival of censoring artists "who reject the genocide" they believe Israel has committed in Gaza.
German culture officials plan to summon organisers of the Berlin film festival Thursday after the event was rocked this year by controversy over the Israel-Palestinian conflict and Gaza war.
Bild daily reported that Tricia Tuttle, the US director of the Berlinale, is expected to be sacked at the meeting, citing sources close to the KBB, the state-owned company that runs the festival.
The KBB dismissed the report, telling AFP in a short statement: "We believe this is fake news."
The Gaza war loomed large over the February 12-22 festival, and Syrian-Palestinian filmmaker Abdallah Al-Khatib in Saturday's closing ceremony accused Germany of being complicit in "genocide" in Gaza through its support for Israel.
Culture minister Wolfram Weimer's office confirmed to AFP that an extraordinary supervisory board meeting of the KBB will be held Thursday to discuss "the direction of the Berlinale", but said it would "not comment on further speculation".
Speaking in parliament, Weimer, chairman of the KBB supervisory board, himself countered press speculation that a decision had already been made to dismiss Tuttle, according to a parliamentary newsletter. It paraphrased him as saying that not everything that was being written was true.
According to Bild, Tuttle, 56, is being sacked over the director's comments. The newspaper also published a photo in which Tuttle posed with members of his film crew who were wearing Palestinian scarves and holding a Palestinian flag.
Germany, in an effort to atone for the horrors of the Holocaust, has been a steadfast supporter of Israel in the post-war era, and criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza has been more muted in Germany than in many other countries.
Khatib, who won the Best First Feature Award for "Chronicles from the Siege", charged that the German government "are partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel. I believe you are intelligent enough to recognise this truth."
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, the only member of the German government attending the ceremony, walked out over what he labelled the "unacceptable" remarks.
More than 80 film professionals criticised the Berlinale's "silence" on the war in Gaza in an open letter, accusing the festival of censoring artists "who reject the genocide" they believe Israel has committed in Gaza.
Award-winning Indian writer Arundhati Roy withdrew from the festival after the jury president, German director Wim Wenders, said cinema should "stay out of politics" when asked about Gaza.
bur-fec/fz/rlp

Sports

Snoop Dogg's Swansea party showcases Championship glow-up

BY STEVEN GRIFFITHS

  • "I think just the smell of weed in the tunnel is where we realised something was different!"
  • Frenzied fans, dreams of hitting the Premier League jackpot and "the smell of weed in the tunnel": Snoop Dogg's arrival at Swansea heralded the latest chapter in the English Championship's celebrity inspired makeover.
  • "I think just the smell of weed in the tunnel is where we realised something was different!"
Frenzied fans, dreams of hitting the Premier League jackpot and "the smell of weed in the tunnel": Snoop Dogg's arrival at Swansea heralded the latest chapter in the English Championship's celebrity inspired makeover.
American rapper Snoop was given an ecstatic welcome on Tuesday when he watched the Swans for the first time since becoming a minority owner of the Welsh club.
Dressed in the club's all-white colours, with a Swansea crest on his jacket, and his trademark dark glasses, the 54-year-old was greeted by supporters whirling white towels in the stands during a prolonged lap of honour before the 1-1 draw against Preston.
From playing an invitation-only gig in the canteen of Swansea-based Au Vodka to inspiring a sell-out crowd at the Swansea.com Stadium, Snoop's presence sprinkled stardust on a working-class south Wales town not accustomed to celebrity visits.
It is a feeling Championship clubs are starting to enjoy after languishing in the vast shadow of the Premier League.
While Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are global brands followed by millions, with stars on the pitch and in the stands, the English second tier has traditionally been a more prosaic affair.
Yet the Championship has become one of Europe's most watched leagues in recent years and its popularity has hit a new high this season.
The Championship is the wealthiest non top-flight division in the world, with the second highest per-match attendance of any secondary league outside of Germany. 
In 2022–23, the Championship's average attendance was 18,787.
That figure has rocketed to 21,925 for the current campaign, with Coventry, Leicester, Southampton, Ipswich, Derby, Sheffield United and Birmingham all pulling in close to 30,000 fans for every home game.
The boom has seen Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's transformative takeover Wrexham start a growing trend of celebrity involvement in previously unfashionable English clubs.

'Not just a gimmick'

Currently sixth in the Championship, Wrexham's journey from non-league obscurity has been captured in the 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary series that gave the north Wales club a cult following around the world.
Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady is a part-owner of Championship play-off hopefuls Birmingham, while Snoop, US television host Martha Stewart and former Real Madrid star Luka Modric have all invested in Swansea over the last year.
Although the cost of buying a Premier League club is prohibitive, even to most celebrities, the Championship offers a tempting opportunity.
For a smaller initial investment, there is the prospect of a substantial profit if the team earns a promotion worth an estimated £200 million ($270 million) in increased revenue.
Leeds, whose minority owners include actors Russell Crowe and Will Ferrell, and Burnley, who feature NFL icon JJ Watt among their investors, set the template when they struck it rich with promotion to the Premier League last season.
"All credit to the guys at the Football League who have got this brilliant spectacle out there across Europe. I remember watching Championship football 15 years ago and it was empty stadiums and not that great," Oxford chief executive Tim Williams said on football finance expert Kieran Maguire's podcast.
"Now it's full stadiums, it's exciting, it's busy, it's physical, it's fast, it's a brilliant game to watch."
Swansea's American owners Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen do not expect Snoop to splash his own cash to help the club win promotion.
Instead, they believe his fan-base of more than 100 million followers on social media will boost Swansea's profile and bring sponsorship opportunities.
"It's not just a gimmick, he buys into what the club means and what it means to the wider city," Swansea chief executive Tom Gorringe told BBC Wales.
"We're operating at a level we haven't done probably ever before, even in the Premier League days, in terms of our commercial swing and the brands we're speaking to."
While Swansea hope Snoop's impact will be felt over the long-term, the hip-hop legend has already left his mark on the Championship in his own inimitable style.
"I think just the smell of weed in the tunnel is where we realised something was different!" Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom said with a grin.
smg/iwd

luxury

Maria Grazia Chiuri's Fendi homecoming feted in Milan

BY TAIMAZ SZIRNIKS

  • A dozen anti-fur activists demonstrated outside Fendi's Milan headquarters where the show was held, calling on Milan Fashion Week to ban fur, as London and New York have done.
  • Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri marked her return to Fendi at Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday, presenting a sensual and lightweight collection featuring "remodelled" furs and leathers crafted like lace.
  • A dozen anti-fur activists demonstrated outside Fendi's Milan headquarters where the show was held, calling on Milan Fashion Week to ban fur, as London and New York have done.
Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri marked her return to Fendi at Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday, presenting a sensual and lightweight collection featuring "remodelled" furs and leathers crafted like lace.
The homecoming of the respected designer -- the first ever woman at the creative helm of Dior and a veteran of Valentino -- was one of the city's most anticipated events on day two of fashion week, with actors Monica Bellucci and Jude Law in the front row along with Fendi ambassador Bang Chan of the Korean boy band Stray Kids.
An experienced designer who has worked for Dior and Valentino, Chiuri received a standing ovation after Wednesday's runway show, some 35 years after her debut at the Roman fashion house. 
Chiuri began her career in accessories at the luxury label, where fashion great Karl Lagerfeld presided for over 50 years and which is now owned by French fashion conglomerate LVMH.
"I am here to give back what they have given me," the designer told Vogue magazine this week of the Fendi sisters behind the business.
The designer's first Autumn-Winter collection, for both men and women, featured black, white and green furs, all restyled, and a minimalist colour palette of mostly black, white and pale blue. 
With delicately flowing slip dresses -- including a scarlet one that could have been in homage to the late Valentino -- and peekaboo lace, Chiuri explained that she wanted to present a "personal geography" of fashion, highlighting Fendi's history and collaboration with other designers, a method she had already successfully championed at Dior. 
With stiff shirt collars worn as necklaces by women -- paired with plunging necklines -- and oversized furs for men, Chiuri also hoped to "go beyond the distinction between women's and men's wardrobes".
The designer collaborated with young artist SAGG Napoli for football T-shirts and scarves with slogans in Italian such as "Rooted but not stuck" or "Loyal but not obedient".
A dozen anti-fur activists demonstrated outside Fendi's Milan headquarters where the show was held, calling on Milan Fashion Week to ban fur, as London and New York have done.
Chiuri, a Rome native, began at Fendi in 1989 as an accessories designer, working side by side with Pierpaolo Piccioli to mark the beginning a long collaboration. 
Coming to Valentino in 1999, Chiuri spent the next 17 years at the Roman design house, serving as co-creative director with Piccioli upon the retirement of Valentino Garavani in 2008.
Named to head Dior in 2016 after Raf Simons, Chiuri became the first woman creative director of the storied French couture house, bringing an unapologetic feminist and global eye in reworking Christian Dior's celebrated hourglass silhouette.
How the designer would envision her task at Fendi -- whose roots are in fur and leather goods -- following the departure of artistic director Kim Jones in 2024 had been much discussed in fashion circles.
tmz-ams/ide/st

museum

France appoints new Louvre chief after jewellery heist

BY FRANCESCO FONTEMAGGI AND JEREMY TORDJMAN

  • Leribault was appointed president of the Palace of Versailles, one of the most coveted jobs in French culture, in 2024.
  • The president of France's Palace of Versailles on Wednesday took over as head of the Louvre following a litany of problems at the world's most-visited museum including a $100 million jewellery robbery.
  • Leribault was appointed president of the Palace of Versailles, one of the most coveted jobs in French culture, in 2024.
The president of France's Palace of Versailles on Wednesday took over as head of the Louvre following a litany of problems at the world's most-visited museum including a $100 million jewellery robbery.
Christophe Leribault replaced Laurence des Cars as the Louvre chief, with government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon saying he would "lead major projects for the institution's future" such as security and modernisation.
Leribault will have to "restore a climate of trust", said the culture ministry.
News of Leribault's appointment got a cautious welcome from one union leader at the Louvre.
As director of the Louvre, Leribault will seek to turn around the fortunes of the vast former royal palace.
Apart from the embarrassing theft of French crown jewels in October, the museum has struggled with strikes, a ticket fraud scheme that may have cost the museum 10 million euros ($11.7 million), a water leak and structural, maintenance and security issues.
The museum has been forced to close four times due to strikes since December, costing around two million euros in lost revenue.
Leribault, 62, is an art historian and museum director specialising in 18th-century art.
He has already led some prestigious Paris institutions, including the Petit Palais, and the Musee d'Orsay, which hosts the world's largest collection of Impressionist paintings. 
Des Cars handed in her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, having served since 2021, the first woman to take the role. But she had been under rising pressure since last October's robbery.
While four suspects are in police custody, including the two suspected thieves, the eight stolen items are yet to be recovered.
Lawmaker Alexandre Portier, who heads a committee investigating museum security, said the Louvre had over the years become a "state within a state" over which the authorities no longer had sufficient control.

'Great curator'

French daily Le Monde said the departure of des Cars became "inevitable" following the robbery and the strikes demanding more staff, pay and better maintenance of the museum.
"Since the theft on October 19, 2025, we have been caught up in a media and political storm of unprecedented proportions," des Cars told Le Figaro newspaper.
She said she was proud of the work she had accomplished at the Louvre. 
"But staying the course is not enough," the 59-year-old added. "You also need to be able to move forward. And the conditions for moving forward are no longer in place."
The Louvre, home to iconic pieces of art including Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", receives around nine million visitors a year. 
Leribault was appointed president of the Palace of Versailles, one of the most coveted jobs in French culture, in 2024.
The palace, which was built by Louis XIV in the 17th century, hosted competitions for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The mayor of Versailles said he was sorry to see Leribault go.
"He is someone who is highly appreciated, warm in character, and a great curator," Francois de Mazieres told AFP.
Trade unions welcomed the replacement of the Louvre president.
"We need social calm," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union told AFP, adding that talks with the previous management were at a dead end.
Gary Guillaud, the Louvre's CGT union representative, said he had observed "the quality" of dialogue between management and staff at the Palace of Versailles and expressed hope Leribault would maintain that approach in his new role.
fff-led-as/ekf/jj

museum

Head of France's Versailles Palace to take over Louvre: source to AFP

  • On Tuesday, des Cars sent her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted, following a string of scandals including the brazen theft of French crown jewels valued at $100 million in October.
  • The president of France's Palace of Versailles is expected to take over as head of the Louvre following the resignation of Laurence des Cars after a $100-million robbery at the museum last year, an informed source told AFP on Wednesday.
  • On Tuesday, des Cars sent her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted, following a string of scandals including the brazen theft of French crown jewels valued at $100 million in October.
The president of France's Palace of Versailles is expected to take over as head of the Louvre following the resignation of Laurence des Cars after a $100-million robbery at the museum last year, an informed source told AFP on Wednesday.
The appointment of Christophe Leribault is expected to be announced at a cabinet meeting later Wednesday, the source said, adding that he would be tasked with "securing" and "modernising" the world's most-visited museum.
Leribault, 62, is an art historian and museum director specialising in 18th century art. He has led major Paris institutions, including the Petit Palais, and the Musee d'Orsay.
In 2024, he was appointed president of the Palace of Versailles, one of the most visited tourist sites.
On Tuesday, des Cars sent her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted, following a string of scandals including the brazen theft of French crown jewels valued at $100 million in October.
Des Cars was appointed as director of the Louvre Museum in 2021. She had been under rising pressure since the October robbery, which is currently the subject of an inquiry.
Four suspects are in police custody, including the two suspected thieves, but the eight of the stolen items have not been found.
The Louvre, a former royal palace and home to some of the world's most iconic pieces of art, including Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", receives around nine million visitors a year. 
Since the theft the museum has taken several emergency measures, including replacing the grille used by the thieves as Des Cars sought to focus on a major "Louvre -- New Renaissance" renovation of the site.
Separately, Annick Lemoine, who heads the Petit Palais, will take over as director of the Musee d'Orsay, according to the official journal published on Wednesday.
fff-led-as/st

ballet

Bejart Ballet's iconic Bolero ignites Istanbul

BY ANNE CHAON

  • "According to Maurice Bejart's interpretation, the soloist represents the melody who knows from the outset he's going to die," explained Favreau, who speaks of the figure being "slain", the dancers acting like a "deadly jaw" that closes in. 
  • Thirty-six dancers with raised arms glide slowly forward as they encircle their prey, a lone figure on a red table in a climactic scene from Ravel's "Bolero" choreographed by Maurice Bejart.
  • "According to Maurice Bejart's interpretation, the soloist represents the melody who knows from the outset he's going to die," explained Favreau, who speaks of the figure being "slain", the dancers acting like a "deadly jaw" that closes in. 
Thirty-six dancers with raised arms glide slowly forward as they encircle their prey, a lone figure on a red table in a climactic scene from Ravel's "Bolero" choreographed by Maurice Bejart.
Marked by its stark staging and ritualistic intensity, the work remains one of the most enduring interpretations of Ravel's best-known work and continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
Once again, the Bejart Ballet Lausanne (BBL) -- which was in Istanbul to kick off a new international tour -- closed each of its four performances with the monumental "Bolero." 
The 15-minute orchestral piece has inspired seven different choreographies, but is most widely associated with the version created by Bejart, which remains the best known.
"We call it a table, but it could be an altar or a pyre," Julien Favreau, BBL's artistic director, told AFP as he contemplated the 4.5-metre-diameter red structure which folds up like a camping table so it can travel around the world.
Favreau, who joined the BBL at the age of 17, danced his last Bolero in June 2024 in Tokyo, just before taking over the reins of the company, aged 47. 
In his experience, performing this work meant everything. 
"For a dancer, it is the ultimate achievement, the crowning glory," he said.

Challenges

But the work is very demanding. 
"The main difficulty is respecting the score's crescendo and keeping your energy and strength intact until the big leaps, when your legs start to burn," he said. 
Memorising the choreography without being able to rely on variations in the music -- whose melody and rhythmic pattern hardly changes -- is another challenge. 
"Some people ask for a teleprompter that displays the ballet sequences, but not at the BBL!" he laughs.
Towards the end, the whole body of dancers becomes engaged, menacing as they approach, their tense stomachs flexing as if hungry.
"According to Maurice Bejart's interpretation, the soloist represents the melody who knows from the outset he's going to die," explained Favreau, who speaks of the figure being "slain", the dancers acting like a "deadly jaw" that closes in. 
Created in 1961 for a female soloist, it was later adapted in 1979 for the Argentine star dancer Jorge Donn, Bejart's partner. 
Today, the role is played by a woman, with performances rotating between three different performers -- although a male dancer is expected to join them soon. 
He will join an illustrious lineup that includes the late French ballet legend Patrick Dupont, former Paris Opera star Nicolas Le Riche and its current star, Hugo Marchand.
"The main thing is ultimately to show who you are," said Favreau. 

'Oskar': A new work

Also on Swiss ballet troupe's Istanbul programme was another classic Bejart interpretation of Stravinsky's "Firebird" -- but the performance opened with a new work: "Oskar". 
Performed for the first time abroad, it is a frenzied work choreographed by Italian duo Riva & Repele which brings virtually the entire 40-strong ensemble onto stage, dressed in red. 
It weaves the tale of a solitary artist whose dreams come up against the hard walls of reality -- effectively the life story of the lead performer Colombian dancer Oscar Chacon who joined BBL in 2004 and has performed its entire repertoire.
"It's a ballet created especially for me, a reflection of my own life," he told AFP. 
"I too am a street artist .. To come to Europe, I had to overcome barriers and travel long distances."
Favreau was keen to invite outside choreographers "to highlight the company's technical and artistic qualities and show it could do more than just Bejart".
When he took over in June 2024, Favreau inherited a ballet company shaken by allegations of harassment with a tarnished reputation and financial difficulties. 
"It was a period when we all suffered greatly, but it brought us together and made us stronger. And today, we're touring more, our finances are in good shape, the overall atmosphere is great," he said. 
There are 17 different nationalities among the dancers, who range in age between 17 and over 50, their experience further enriched by dancers who joined since the Russia-Ukraine war began exactly four years ago.
ach/yap/fo/hmw/cw

film

'Jaws' harpoon gun and 'Star Wars' treasures lead LA film and TV auction

  • Another "Star Wars" piece of memorabilia on offer is the lightsaber hilt from "The Force Awakens," which is valued at up to $100,000.
  • A harpoon gun from "Jaws," a jacket worn by "The Terminator," and a "Star Wars" lightsaber hilt and C-3PO head are among the eye-catching items to be sold at auction next month.
  • Another "Star Wars" piece of memorabilia on offer is the lightsaber hilt from "The Force Awakens," which is valued at up to $100,000.
A harpoon gun from "Jaws," a jacket worn by "The Terminator," and a "Star Wars" lightsaber hilt and C-3PO head are among the eye-catching items to be sold at auction next month.
The collection of around 1,550 pieces of film and TV history will go under the hammer over three days from March 25, with in-room bidding on the first day only at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
From props to costumes, a selection of the memorabilia will also go on show for a day -- on March 11 -- at The Maybourne Beverly Hills hotel.
The lots, which also include the so-called Marauder's Map from the "Harry Potter" films, have a combined pre-sale estimate of $9 million, according to Propstore, the auctioneers staging the sale.
It noted that buyers from around the world, who increasingly utilise online bidding, were forging a new global collectors market.
"We're seeing 20 to 30 percent more engagement, more registration, more people bidding," Ibrahim Faraj, Propstore's UK consignments manager, explained at a media preview of some British-based items before they headed to California.
"It's growing bigger and it's the new, modern thing people are collecting now."

'Star Wars history'

The fibreglass C-3PO head worn by "Star Wars" stalwart Anthony Daniels in "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) is near the top of the pricing charts, with an estimate of $350,000 to $700,000.
Featuring illuminated eyes in the film, and with original wiring in the right socket, this particular C-3PO head boasts several unique features including a forehead antenna.
"These things rarely come up... so it's quite exciting," Faraj said. 
Another "Star Wars" piece of memorabilia on offer is the lightsaber hilt from "The Force Awakens," which is valued at up to $100,000.
"This is no ordinary lightsaber," he noted, branding it "the Skywalker" version as it was used by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Rey (Daisy Ridley).
They rediscover it in the 2015 installment after prior generations wield it -- albeit another model -- in earlier franchise films.
"It's arguably one of the most important pieces in 'Star Wars' history," Faraj argued.

'Absolutely brilliant'

The harpoon gun wielded by Quint (Robert Shaw) and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) in Steven Spielberg's 1975 favourite "Jaws" is expected to generate similar buzz.
Estimated to fetch up to $500,000, it is being offered alongside Quint's Fenwick fishing rod and reel, which featured during the film's early shark encounter scenes.
The rod is priced at up to $150,000, with Propstore branding the two props "the most significant artifacts to ever surface from the movie" at auction.
The jacket from the 1984 cult classic "The Terminator" will require similarly deep pockets, with a price estimate of $75,000 to $150,000.
It was worn during the first half of the film, after the T-800 cyborg steals and wears it through several violent sequences.
Featuring a leather collar, metal chains over the left shoulder, and metal studs on the back, it has been heavily distressed with stage blood, rips, mock bullet holes, and burns. 
Two top lots from Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" (2000) will also be offered, including the helmet and mask worn by Maximus (Russell Crowe) in his arena battles. That is predicted to go for up to $250,000.
Meanwhile the rare Marauder's Map joins other "Harry Potter" movie props in the auction and is expected to fetch up to $80,000.
"It pops up, it opens out, it's absolutely brilliant," Faraj said.
jj/jkb/rmb

merger

Warner Bros. opens door to Paramount as bidding war heats up

  • In a significant development, Warner Bros.
  • Warner Bros.
  • In a significant development, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday it has received a revised acquisition proposal from Paramount Skydance, signaling that the offer could open the door to the company rethinking its deal with Netflix.
The sweetened offer was the latest installment of a bidding war set to reshape Hollywood and US media, and has drawn White House attention, with President Donald Trump insisting he will have a say on the outcome.
In a significant development, Warner Bros. Discovery's board said Tuesday that Paramount's revised bid "could reasonably be expected to lead to" a superior proposal to the existing Netflix deal -- a key legal threshold that would allow for more formal negotiations with Paramount.
Warner Bros. said Paramount's revised offer includes a purchase price of $31.00 per share in cash, a one-dollar-per-share increase from its earlier offer, which was valued at around $108 billion.
Paramount has also offered to cover the $2.8 billion termination fee Warner Bros. would owe Netflix if it walked away from their deal, and pledged a $7 billion fee payable to Warner Bros. should the Paramount transaction fail to close due to regulatory hurdles.
Questions are swirling over whether politics will influence the outcome of the battle, with Paramount run by David Ellison and the transaction financed largely by his father, Oracle tycoon Larry Ellison, a longtime Trump ally.
Trump has said he will be "involved" in any decision on the merger, and the US Department of Justice is currently reviewing Netflix's proposed acquisition. European authorities and other regulators will also have their say.
A victory by Paramount would see news outlet CNN -- often the target of Trump's threats and criticism -- pass to Ellison family control, amid criticism that their takeover of Paramount-owned CBS brought changes more to the White House's liking.
The Netflix offer does not include Warner Bros. television properties such as CNN and Discovery, which would belong to a newly created publicly traded company if the deal is sealed.

Review ongoing

The Warner Bros. board stressed it had not yet concluded that Paramount's offer was superior to Netflix's, and that it would continue talks with Paramount to determine if that bar could be met. 
If it was, Netflix would have four business days to come back with a counter-offer.
Earlier in the day, Warner Bros. acknowledged the new offer but said its deal with Netflix "remains in effect" and that board members "continue to recommend in favor of the Netflix transaction," stressing it was not withdrawing its recommendation.
Warner Bros. shareholders were advised to take no action with respect to the Paramount offer while the review is ongoing.
Netflix is offering $83 billion for its more limited merger but is expected to be prepared to raise its offer to more closely match its rival's new bid.
Trump late Saturday called on Netflix to fire board member Susan Rice or "pay the consequences," after she said Democrats would push for corporate accountability if they regain power in the November midterm elections.
"He likes to do a lot of things on social media. This is a business deal. It's not a political deal," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told BBC Radio 4, when asked about Trump's threat.
arp/aha

museum

Louvre president hands in resignation to Macron: Elysee

  • In addition to the robbery, other recent setbacks had hit Des Cars' stewardship with the Louvre the subject of a ticket fraud scandal and a water leak, after a pipe burst earlier this month in a wing that houses the Mona Lisa and other priceless paintings. 
  • The head of France's Louvre museum resigned on Tuesday, the office of the French presidency announced, following a months-long string of scandals -- including the brazen theft of priceless jewels in broad daylight. 
  • In addition to the robbery, other recent setbacks had hit Des Cars' stewardship with the Louvre the subject of a ticket fraud scandal and a water leak, after a pipe burst earlier this month in a wing that houses the Mona Lisa and other priceless paintings. 
The head of France's Louvre museum resigned on Tuesday, the office of the French presidency announced, following a months-long string of scandals -- including the brazen theft of priceless jewels in broad daylight. 
Laurence des Cars submitted her resignation letter to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted, with the Elysee "hailing an act of responsibility at a time when the world's largest museum needs a period of calm and a new strong impetus to carry out major security projects". 
Des Cars has been under rising pressure since the October robbery at the museum that saw $100 million of French crown jewels stolen. The theft is currently the subject of an inquiry.
The Louvre, a former royal palace and home to some of the world's most iconic pieces of art, including Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", receives in the region of nine million visitors a year. 
Des Cars, who formerly headed the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, first offered her resignation shortly after the October 19 break-in, but it was refused by Macron, who named her to the position in 2021.
On Tuesday, Macron thanked Des Cars for her "action and commitment" as well as "her undeniable scientific expertise".
Four suspects remain in police custody, including the two suspected thieves, but the eight stolen items of French crown jewels have not been found.
Last week, MPs leading the inquiry presented an interim assessment of their work after 70 hearings, pointing to "systemic failures" that led to the break-in. 
After initially defending her position Des Cars had, as numerous lapses in security emerged, conceded in a December 1 interview with daily Le Parisien that "with hindsight, we can see that structural weaknesses remained (and) I understand that this raises questions".
The complete findings are due to be released in May. 
The French culture ministry has ordered its own internal audit of the robbery, while senators are also holding hearings into the heist which captivated France and many people abroad after evidence pointed to poorly-equipped security systems.

Lax security

In another damning report published in early November, the Court of Auditors stated that the Louvre had "prioritised visible and attractive operations" while neglecting investment in better security.
The institution also pointed to the existence of an official audit dating from 2017 that warned of the risks of a potential security breach which could, it warned, have "dramatic" consequences.
In acknowledging the issues uncovered, Des Cars told the Senate in late October that she was not seeking to "shirk responsibility or adopt a position of denial. Despite our efforts, despite our hard work on a daily basis, we have been defeated," she conceded.
Since the theft the museum has taken several emergency measures, including replacing the grille used by the thieves as Des Cars sought to focus on a major "Louvre -- New Renaissance" renovation of the site.
In addition to the robbery, other recent setbacks had hit Des Cars' stewardship with the Louvre the subject of a ticket fraud scandal and a water leak, after a pipe burst earlier this month in a wing that houses the Mona Lisa and other priceless paintings. 
Furthermore, some museum staff have since mid-December been engaged in the longest labour dispute in the museum's history in a protest over working conditions.
That has forced the Louvre to close its doors on several occasions and highlighted strained relations between unions and Des Cars.
Adding to the problems, last weekend saw British political activists hang a picture in the Louvre of the former prince Andrew, showing him slouched in the back of a car following his arrest and questioning over allegations of misconduct in public office.
Andrew faces allegations stemming from information released by the US Department of Justice that he made available confidential government information to the late convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while the former royal was engaged as a trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.
jut-bur/jlo/cw/phz

media

Netflix, Prime and Disney+ face UK broadcasting regulation

  • Any "video-on-demand" platform with more than 500,000 users will need to comply with rules overseen by UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom regarding "protections from harmful material" and increased availability of subtitled, signed and audio-described programming. 
  • The UK government on Tuesday announced that US streaming sites Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video will have to comply with broadcasting regulations aimed at protecting children and the vulnerable. 
  • Any "video-on-demand" platform with more than 500,000 users will need to comply with rules overseen by UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom regarding "protections from harmful material" and increased availability of subtitled, signed and audio-described programming. 
The UK government on Tuesday announced that US streaming sites Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video will have to comply with broadcasting regulations aimed at protecting children and the vulnerable. 
Along with British streaming sites, they will be required to follow content and accessibility rules applied to traditional broadcasters, a statement said.
Any "video-on-demand" platform with more than 500,000 users will need to comply with rules overseen by UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom regarding "protections from harmful material" and increased availability of subtitled, signed and audio-described programming. 
Britain's government headed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move was a consequence of changing viewing habits.
"We know that the way audiences watch TV has fundamentally changed," Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said in Tuesday's statement.
"Millions now choose to watch content on video-on-demand platforms alongside or, in the case of many young people, instead of traditional TV."
The government said Ofcom would shortly begin a public consultation on the new streaming standards and accessibility codes, "which will be an opportunity for the public and providers to set out their views". 
bcp/ajb/rmb

leisure

Greece set new tourism record in 2025

  • Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said 2025 was the "best year of all time" for the sector.
  • Greece in 2025 set new records in tourism arrivals and revenue, the country's central bank said Tuesday, continuing an upward trend for the third straight year according to the tourism ministry.
  • Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said 2025 was the "best year of all time" for the sector.
Greece in 2025 set new records in tourism arrivals and revenue, the country's central bank said Tuesday, continuing an upward trend for the third straight year according to the tourism ministry.
"In 2025, inbound travel increased by 5.6 percent and reached 37,98 (million) travellers, compared with 35,95 (million) travellers in 2024," the Greek central bank said in a statement.
EU arrivals rose by 2.8 percent while non-EU visitors increased by 10 percent, it said.
The provisional data does not include cruise ship traffic, the bank said.
Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said 2025 was the "best year of all time" for the sector.
She told state TV ERT that travel receipts stood at 23.6 billion euros ($27.8 billion) compared to 21.6 billion euros in 2024, a rise of more than nine percent according to the Bank of Greece.
And early data suggests 2026 will also be "a good year," she said.
But the sector has seen some hiccups.
In early January, a communications blackout at Athens International Airport snarled flights for hours, when multiple radio frequencies serving Athens airspace were hit by continuous "noise" interference.
Hundreds of flights had to be diverted to neighbouring countries, with thousands of travellers hit.
An official report later blamed the glitch on "obsolete technology". A 300-million euro infrastructure upgrade is underway.
On February 19, a backup radar at the airport temporarily failed, after a similar problem in August, air traffic controllers said.
Greece ranks in the top five most touristed countries in the European Union, behind France, Spain and Italy, and around the same level as Germany.
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