Eu: Celebs Rumors

British holidaymakers are being urged to check their passports are valid or risk not being allowed to board a flight this summer. Post-Brexit regulations mean passports must be no more than 10 years old to enter EU countries.

EXCLUSIVE: First Wind Film Development has optioned TV rights to Rick Bleiweiss’ recently-published debut mystery novel Pignon Scorbion and the Barbershop Detectives, with Brendan Deneen and Josh Stanton of Blackstone Publishing attached to produce the adaptation.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentProduction of European TV scripted content dropped by more than 600 hours in 2020, which is 4% of total, mainly due to less soaps being made. Conversely, production of high-end shows increased.These are among the main takeaways of a new report issued by the EU’s European Audiovisual Observatory on Tuesday during the MipTV market in Cannes.The report lists the BBC as the top commissioner of high-end TV shows in 2020 with between two-to-13 episodes, followed by Netflix, German state broadcasters ARD and ZDF and French pubcaster France Télévisions.Germany leads the way as the top TV scripted content production country in Europe in terms of number of overall seasons and TV movies produced.

Travel company TUI has issued a statement on new face mask rules before everyone begins booking their flights for the Easter holidays.

Brexit – began in Wales next week despite numerous objections.Commissioned in 2018 by then-UK Prime Minister Theresa May, the event was described as a showcase for the nation’s “unique strengths in creativity and innovation” after leaving the EU – with comparisons being made to the 1951 Festival Of Britain.While critics have consistently questioned the hefty estimated £120millon cost of the festival, planning took a step forward in 2020 when organisers called for “daring, new and popular” ideas that would unite the UK.Last October, the Festival Of Brexit rebranded as Unboxed and outlined details of its 2022 inaugural edition.As BBC News reports, the festival kicked off at Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd, Wales yesterday (March 30). Its first event, ‘About Us’, saw live music being performed outside the castle while various artworks were projected onto its walls.Sam Hunt, Unboxed’s programme director, said the event highlights the “ambition” of creative people from across the UK.

Interpol and Spoon have announced a co-headlined coast-to-coast North American tour,  ‘Lights, Camera, Factions’. Tickets will be available hereThe tour kicks off on August 25 in Asbury Park at The Stone Pony Summer Stage and ends with a two-night stint at Portland, OR’s Pioneer Square on September 17 and 18.

Users of the popular photo-sharing network Instagram have reported they are experiencing issues with the app today. Reports have been flooding in, with thousands of users saying they are experiencing issues with the popular Meta-owned photo sharing social network.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBlue Note New York has announced the 11th Annual Sony Presents Blue Note Jazz Festival. The festival kicks off on June 1 with a free show in Washington Square Park headlined by Robert Glasper — who performed on the Oscars Sunday night — in association with Washington Square Park Conservancy.Taking place at major venues across New York City, including Blue Note New York, Sony Hall, The Town Hall, and SummerStage in Central Park, this year’s festival features performances from George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Chris Botti, Charles Lloyd, Macy Gray, Kenny G, Al Di Meola, Madeleine Peyroux, Dave Holland & Kenny Barron, Robert Cray, Kenny Garrett, José James, Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Bilal, DOMi & JD Beck, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Theo Croker and so many more legends, with a major headliner announcement on April 26.

Vladimir Putin once warned that he could have Russian troops in six capital cities in just 48 hours, it is claimed.

Spotify are reportedly set to suspend its service in Russia in response to the country’s newly announced media law.According to Reuters, the streaming platform, which closed its office in Russia indefinitely earlier this month due to Moscow’s “unprovoked attack on Ukraine”, is expected to cease in the country late next month.It comes after Russia introduced a new legislation that makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the Russian military.“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information from the region,” the company said in a statement.“Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and the possibility of even our listeners at risk.”Ukraine has been under attack since February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in the neighbouring country.

A new Russian law that makes it illegal to discredit the Russian military will cause Spotify to suspend its streaming service.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAs the U.S. streamers become a bigger part of the European industry landscape, production companies are starting to intensify collaborations across EU borders to make high-end shows, which is vital to keeping the ecosystem healthy.That was the main takeaway of a Series Mania panel on collaborating across borders that also looked at the ongoing battle between European TV producers and the streaming giants over terms of trade that is prompting more co-productions as an alternative model.Jens Richter, Fremantle’s international CEO, pointed out that the streamers coming to Europe is “a threat on the one hand” –– because they tend to impose a Hollywood studio model where they get perpetual rights in return for full-financing plus a fee, leaving no IP with the producer –– “and also it’s a huge opportunity.” On the positive side Richter cited how streamers are allowing European dramas to make major inroads into the U.S., even when they are not in English, citing Fremantle’s Danish drama “The Investigation,” which plays on HBO.

Soccer Mommy has announced details of her new album ‘Sometimes, Forever’ – listen to lead single ‘Shotgun’ below and buy tickets for the tour here.Produced by Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never, ‘Sometimes, Forever’ is Nashville singer-songwriter Sophie Allison’s third full-length album.First single ‘Shotgun’ is an angsty indie gem, with plenty of surf-rock guitars and Allison’s wistful, emotion-filled vocals. Speaking of the track, Allison said: “‘Shotgun’ is all about the joys of losing yourself in love.

The Duchess Of Cambridge has done nothing but wow us with her wardrobe whilst on the royal tour in the Caribbean and her latest elegant look is no different. Looking radiant as she touched down in Jamaica alongside Prince William, Kate sported a gorgeous yellow Roksanda dress in the same vivid hue as the Jamaican flag.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentParis-based lobbying group the European Producers Club (EPC) is launching an initiative in tandem with Netflix to help create new opportunities for European women TV drama producers in attempt to balance the gender gap in Europe’s industry.This new initiative, launched at the Series Mania TV festival, comprises a pitch contest for fiction series as well as a workshop run by Netflix about how to best pitch a project.Producers of the six selected best projects will get the opportunity to pitch to Netflix. The three best pitches will receive awards of €50.000 ($55,000), €20.000 and €10.000 respectively to take their projects to the next development stage.

Future Islands have added more dates to their huge tour of the UK and Europe – check out dates below and buy your tickets here.The ‘Calling Out In Space’ tour comes on the back of the band’s 2020 album ‘As Long As You Are’. It’s the band’s UK first tour since 2018.The band – made up of Gerrit Welmers, Michael Lowry, Samuel T. Herring and William Cashion – will continue their worldwide tour now into October and November with a further 20 UK and European headline shows.Tickets for the the new dates will go on general sale on March 25 at 10am local time.

Rishi Sunak has slapped down the Prime Minister for comparing Ukraine's fight against war crimes to Brits voting for Brexit.

Boris Johnson has compared the Ukrainian people's fight for freedom to British people voting for Brexit.

Russian news channel RT’s licence to broadcast in the UK has been revoked with immediate effect by the regulator Ofcom, which said it “cannot be satisfied that RT can be a responsible broadcaster in the current circumstances.”

Naman Ramachandran U.K media regulator Ofcom on Friday revoked the Russian-backed RT channel’s licence to broadcast in the country with immediate effect.“We have done so on the basis that we do not consider RT’s licensee, ANO TV Novosti, fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence,” Ofcom said in a statement. The decision arrives during 29 ongoing investigations by Ofcom into the due impartiality of RT’s news and current affairs coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The risk of exposure to Russian investments for Falkirk Council's pension fund is "miniscule", members have been assured.

“Amazon joins MGM,” Amazon said Thursday as the $8.5 billion deal announced last May closes.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAmazon has closed its $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM first announced last May, the companies said Thursday.Per Amazon, “The storied, nearly century-old studio—with more than 4,000 film titles, 17,000 TV episodes, 180 Academy Awards, and 100 Emmy Awards—will complement Prime Video and Amazon Studios’ work in delivering a diverse offering of entertainment choices to customers.”The completion of the transaction comes two days after the Amazon-MGM deal received clearance from the European Union’s antitrust regulator, which “unconditionally” approved Amazon’s proposed acquisition of MGM, in part because “MGM’s content cannot be considered as must-have.” The European Commission, in its antitrust review, found that the overlaps between the Amazon and MGM businesses are “limited.” At that time, the deal was still pending approval by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which had been given a mid-March deadline by Amazon to issue a decision on approval of the transaction, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Brexit minister David Frost has admitted that the Brexit deal he helped negotiate presents “a whole set of problems” for touring musicians and their crew.The deal was on the receiving end of a huge backlash from across the music industry last year. The UK government has been accused of jeopardising the future of touring for UK artists due to their failure to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew, which could make future tours of the continent unaffordable for many artists.Lord Frost, who was Chief Negotiator of Task Force Europe from January 2020 until he handed in his resignation back in December, was among the chief defenders of the deal, saying in June that he “felt sorry that [creative workers] have to face this situation”.“The country took a decision to leave the European Union and to end freedom of movement, but that brings with it big change,” he told MPs.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorThe European Union’s antitrust regulator “unconditionally” approved Amazon’s proposed $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM, in part because “MGM’s content cannot be considered as must-have.” The deal is still pending approval by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.The European Commission on Tuesday announced the approval of the deal, announced in May 2021.

Amazon has won unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $8.5 billion acquisition of storied U.S. movie studio MGM, the European Commission said Tuesday.

The Cannes Film Festival has added a new official partner ahead of this year’s festival: China-owned social media platform TikTok.

DJ Mag reports, the team from the establishment “aim to provide support to the musical and cultural community that has been facing life-threatening challenges since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.The ∄ Community Fund will help support cultural people in need in Kyiv and Ukraine, organise transport within Ukraine and abroad, organise shelters, facilitate jobs in the EU, organise housing, help people seek psychological and financial support, and assist with structuring vitally important information.“During the last two years, we, the ∄ team, have been working on building up a safer space, which has become a place of refuge for thousands of people from all around the world, a place of culture, music and art with the values of love, respect and mutual support at its very core,” a post on the fund’s website read.“In this moment of unprecedented crisis we are doing everything in our power to help members of our community, artists and more than 150 employees of ∄, whose livelihood is in jeopardy: support them financially, help them find a safe place in Ukraine or abroad, help them cross the border, enable them to receive humanitarian, legal and psychological aid.”The post goes on to explain that members of the ∄ team are currently “all over Europe”, with some remaining in Kyiv, others residing in different cities in Ukraine and some having escaped abroad.A post shared by ∄ (official) (@dance.delivery)“Regardless of the distance between us, we all keep on working: some of our employees have joined the Territorial Defense Forces, some are volunteering in cities and some are helping from afar,” they added.Additionally, the club has set up a Telegram bot that allows members of its community to make contact to

EXCLUSIVE: Irish filmmaker Alexandra McGuinness (She’s Missing) has set the film Lucia, about James Joyce’s daughter of the same name, as her next project, with Esme Creed-Miles (Amazon’s Hanna) signing on to star.

Spotify has shuttered its Moscow office in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.Confirming its Moscow office would be closed “indefinitely”, the streaming platform said they were “providing individual support to our personnel” in Moscow, as well as their “global community of Ukrainian employees”.The new measures have come into place as sanctions have made processing payments in the country impossible.“Due to new restrictions introduced by major payment providers, payment processing is not currently possible for the majority of Premium users in Russia,” a Spotify spokesman told AFP (via Geo News).They added that paid premium accounts “will be cancelled if a recurring payment fails and the account will then be automatically moved to our free service”. The company said it had also “paused all advertising campaigns running in Russia.”In addition to restricting the discoverability of Russian state-affiliated media, the platform previously removed all content from Kremlin-backed outlets RT and Sputnik that was hosted on Spotify in the European Union and other markets.Spotify has stopped short of shutting off access for their Russian users, saying they believe it’s “critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information”.

The Power of the Dog star Benedict Cumberbatch says he plans to be a part to the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme, which will enable British people to take in refugees from the embattled country.

The Rolling Stones have shared another teaser as speculation grows around a possible UK and European tour.The legendary band, who last toured in the UK in 2018, prompted whispers of a return to these shores yesterday (March 11) by sharing a video featuring their iconic logo being displayed across various locations – including London, among other EU cities.“Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” they captioned the clip.Today (March 12), Stones frontman Mick Jagger added more fuel to the fire by uploading visuals depicting an iMessage chat between himself and bandmate Ronnie Wood. “Hey Ronnie it’s all been confirmed!” Jagger wrote in the first text.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are signing their names on an open letter which called out loosening COVID-19 policies across the world.

whose assets were frozen by the British government Thursday over Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and Mikhail Fridman, the sanctioned co-founder of Alfa Bank.He is also said to have cultivated relationships with Russia’s most important museum, run by a close associate of President Vladimir Putin.With Ukrainian artists and others calling for more sanctions in the cultural sector, such relationships may soon be under scrutiny, analysts say.The Gagosian Gallery in New York did not return The Post’s calls and an email seeking comment this week.Gagosian, who owns several galleries around the world, has long held close ties to Abramovich, the owner of the UK’s Chelsea football club, helping him and ex-wife Dasha Zhukova build up a massive art collection. It includes pieces by artists Francis Bacon and Damien Hirst, whose work has been represented by Gagosian’s galleries.

Ryanair has been forced to cancel thousands of flights to a Portugal destination.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have weighed into politics after signing an open letter from The People's Vaccines.