Afghanistan Showbiz Latest News and Updates

SPOILER ALERT – Do not read ahead if you haven’t watched the latest episode of The Masked Singer!

TikTok in the United States unless Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the platform’s US stakes.The bill – which was voted for 79 to 18 – is next expected to be signed by President Joe Biden, who has previously indicated that he will approve of the legislation once it hits his desk. Tuesday’s vote comes three days after it cleared the House of Representatives.Should the bill be passed, ByteDance will have an estimated nine months to sell TikTok.

Jamie Lang Leading French production-distribution outfit Le Pacte has boarded the upcoming 2D animated feature project “Conference of the Birds,” which will be spotlighted at the Marché du Film’s Animation Day during this year’s Cannes Festival. In addition to co-producing, Le Pacte will handle French distribution and serve as international sales agent on the film, part of the five-title Annecy Showcase at the Animation Day.

What’s next for director Zack Snyder after his upcoming “Rebel Moon” part two sci-fi sequel? While the genre filmmaker has teased a possible third installment in the series, Snyder still has various projects in the oven and is still mulling over what gets made from that pack of contenders, including a sequel to his “Army Of The Dead” zombie movie. During a recent chat with Games Radar to promote the second half of “Rebel Moon,” Snyder was asked about some of the previous projects he had in development, such as a film inspired by the King Arthur mythology (Snyder is a big fan of John Boorman’s R-rated “Excalibur”), Horse Latitudes (a long-gestating Afghan War pic formerly known as “The Last Photograph”), and his sexualized take on Alexander The Great in “Blood & Ashes” too (Snyder once mused about making a George Washington action film).

Jon Cunliffe's line of work has taken him worlds away from his birthplace of Bury.

The title is the worst thing about this lively, fun and largely true World War II adventure The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which is inspired by the Damien Lewis book of the same name but extending it to add: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops.

Prince Harry was reportedly 'livid' following an upsetting leak, and only two things would calm him down. Despite his current lifestyle gracing Hollywood's lavish events and mingling amidst celebrities, this hasn't always been the norm for the Duke of Sussex.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Mediawan Rights has boarded “Kabul,” a highly anticipated thriller series produced by France’s 24 25 Films and Cinétévé. Shervin Alenabi (“Tehran”) and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane (in a small role) have joined the international cast of the show, which already comprises Jonathan Zaccaï (“Le bureau des legendes”), Thibault Evrard (“The Night of the 12th”), Vassilis Kukalawi (“Kandahar”), Jeanne Goursaud (“Pax Massilia”), Gianmarco Saurino (“L’estate piu Calda”) and Valentina Cervi (“Medici: Masters of Florence”). The series, set against the backdrop of U.S.

Tributes have been paid to one of the British aid workers killed in the Israeli air strike in Gaza. James Kirby was among seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers killed in strikes by the Israel Defense Forces on Monday.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 4 of “The Masked Singer,” “TV Theme Night,” which aired March 27 on Fox. “Extra” host Billy Bush won’t get an extra shot at “The Masked Singer.” The entertainment newsmagazine anchor and one-time morning drive radio host was the next celebrity to be unmasked on Wednesday’s “TV Theme Night” edition of “The Masked Singer.” “I’m not a great singer,” Bush said. “If you can’t make it with the lips, make it with the hips. If you’ve never done something that’s a little on the scary side — and this is scary — say yes!” For Bush, none of the panelists got it right.

A UK High Court in London has adjourned a decision on whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can mount a final appeal to fight his extradition from the UK to the U.S. until May 20.

Convicted killer Charles Sobhraj has spent almost half of his life in prison. The French national was accused of committing a trail of robberies and scams in his 20s, which led to him being imprisoned in Afghanistan.

True crime fans are obsessed with BBC1's The Serpent. The drama series - first screened in 2021, but now available to view on Netflix - tells the incredible story of convicted killer Charles Sobhraj.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Paris-based film sales agency Cat&Docs has acquired “Kamay,” the debut feature documentary from filmmakers Ilyas Yourish and Shahrokh Bikaran. The film will world premiere at Visions du Réel, which runs in Nyon, Switzerland, April 12-24. Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer (below).

Refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine will be housed in converted retail units in Altrincham town centre, despite warnings that the area is plagued by anti-social behaviour. The word of caution came from Altrincham and Bowdown Civic Society chair Judie Collins who was addressing Trafford’s planning and development management committee which has approved the plan.

TikTok‘s availability in the US if its parent company doesn’t sell it.On March 1, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 24 to 16 to give President Joe Biden the power to enforce a ban on the social media app, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. If the ban goes through, it will be the biggest restriction of a social media app in American history.Now, the House of Representatives has passed that bill, stipulating that if ByteDance doesn’t sell, TikTok would be banned across the US.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Memento International has closed a raft of deals on “Fremont,” a critically acclaimed film starring Anaita Wali Zada, an Afghan refugee and first-time actor, and featuring “The Bear” actor Jeremy Allen White. Directed by BAFTA-nominated Iranian-born director Babak Jalali, the black-and-white movie tells the story of Donya, a young woman working at a Chinese fortune cookie factory in the San Francisco bay. Formerly a translator for the U.S.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic “I’ve lost more guys here than I did in Iraq,” testifies a veteran during one of the many group therapy sessions featured in “My Dead Friend Zoe,” Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ affecting look at mental health among ex-servicepeople. Two decades of life experience and personal loss have led the filmmaker to this project, which was inspired by the deaths of friends he served alongside during his own five-year tour of duty with the U.S. Army.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 2 of “The Masked Singer,” “The Wizard of Oz Night,” which aired March 13 on Fox. Chrisley didn’t know best, at least on “The Masked Singer.” As her “Chrisley Knows Best” parents Julie and Todd Chrisley remain in prison for bank fraud, daughter Savannah Chrisley was unmasked on the hit Fox series this week as the “Afghan Hound.” For Chrisley, no one got it right. Robin Thicke guessed Bethenny Frankel. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg said Brooke Hogan.

UPDATE: Robert Hur, former Justice Department special counsel, defended his references to Joe Biden‘s “poor memory” in his report on his handling of classified documents after his vice presidency.

My Dead Friend Zoe, directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and co-written with AJ Bermudez, weaves a complex tapestry of trauma, memory, and the enduring strength of human connection. Starring Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales in the lead roles, with support from Utkarsh Ambudkar, Ed Harris, Gloria Reuben, and Morgan Freeman, this film delves deep into the psychological aftermath of warfare, presenting a narrative that is both intimate and expansive.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer When “My Dead Friend Zoe” filmmaker Kyle Hausmann-Stokes set out to adapt his own experiences as an Army vet onto the big screen, he made two very big changes: gender-flipping the main characters and two women of color in the roles. Starring Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales, “My Dead Friend Zoe” is a dark dramedy that follows Merit (Martin-Green), a U.S. Army Afghanistan veteran who is at odds with her family thanks to the presence of Zoe (Morales), her dead best friend from the Army.

They say that conflict is the essence of drama, and in this handsome but impossibly somber biopic there is almost nothing but conflict. Following up last year’s surprise hit Sound of Freedom, director Alejandro Monteverde neatly sidesteps a repeat of that film’s controversy with a story that cannot remotely be interpreted as a QAnon allegory. Based on the true story of Frances Xavier Cabrini — literally the first American saint — this takes a most un-MAGA viewpoint on immigration, painting an unvarnished portrait of racism in a country that is supposed to embrace the tired and the poor.

Ramadan 2024 may fall on different dates around the world due to disputes over when the moon will be sighted.

A new memorial to a fallen soldier will be unveiled on the anniversary of his death. Lance Corporal Jamie Webb - who overcame two brain operations to return to active duty - was killed during his second tour of Afghanistan in March, 2013, aged just 24.

For those who resisted binge-watching the entire series, Trigger Point came to a dramatic end on Sunday night (March 3). Back in January, the drama made a welcomed return to screens with actress Vicky McClure back as bomb disposal officer Lana Washington.

Keith Richards has covered Lou Reed‘s ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ ahead of the release of a new tribute album in honour of the NYC icon.Richards’ cover of ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ comes a day before Reed’s birthday on March 2. The track is one of Reed’s earliest works which appeared on The Velvet Underground’s 1967 debut, ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’.Speaking about the former Velvet Underground frontman in a statement (per Consequence of Sound), Richards said: “To me, Lou stood out.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix has unveiled an eclectic, star-studded India slate for 2024. New films on the slate include comedy “Wild Wild Punjab” from producers Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg and director Simarpreet Singh, where a group of drunk boys decide to avenge a friend’s breakup by crashing his ex’s wedding and achieve closure. Varun Sharma, Sunny Singh, Manjot Singh, Jassie Gill Patralekhaa and Ishita Raj star.

The Duke of Sussex made a surprise virtual appearance at the Sport Gives Back Awards which took place this evening (Wednesday, February 28) in London.The awards recognise the role that grassroots sport can play in addressing social challenges, the awards winners were nominated by their respective charities to thank them for their work in their communities. As Founding Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, one of the charities honoured this evening, Prince Harry joined virtually to pay tribute to the Foundation’s community liaison Manager Josh Boggi, who was chosen as winner of the Unconquered Award.

In the opening moments of 20 Days in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov’s chilling account of the siege of the Ukrainian port city, a Russian tank marked with the ominous ‘Z’ swivels its turret toward a hospital. On an upper floor of the building, Chernov and his small team record as the cannon slowly rotates towards them, preparing to fire.

EXCLUSIVE: Cinetic Media has signed award-winning Iranian filmmaker Babak Jalali (Fremont, Land) for management across all media.

John Travolta is celebrating a milestone birthday. The actor, who turned 70 Sunday, has stayed busy over the past year filming a series of upcoming projects.Travolta also recently made headlines when he honored Prince Harry at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards last month. The "Grease" star later shared a photo in which he posed with the 39-year-old Duke of Sussex, who was inducted as a living legend of aviation, as well as honoree Lauren Sánchez and past honoree Jeff Bezos at the event in Beverly Hills.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Variety is premiering the trailer (below) for feature documentary “Transition,” which follows Australian filmmaker Jordan Bryon, a trans man, as he embeds with a Taliban unit as they retake control of Afghanistan. The film, directed by Monica Villamizar and Bryon, will be released in the U.S. on March 26 by Gravitas Ventures.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Geraldo Rivera, a longtime news correspondent and talk-show host with a knack for the theatrical, is taking up roots at a new outlet. The one-time Fox News Channel personality, also known for his time as a syndicated daytime presence, has joined Nexstar Media’s NewsNation as a correspondent at large, effective immediately. He is expected to appear across daytime and primetime programming and will make his first appearance Wednesday evening on “Cuomo,” which airs at 8 p.m.

The Duchess of Sussex took centre stage in a series of newly released photographs ahead of a busy week for her and Prince Harry which will include a trip to Canada to celebrate one year until the Invictus Games. In the photos posted to the couple's Instagram, Archewell_Sussex, Meghan could be seen preparing food with a group of women. In a black and white snap, she's seen grinning as she watches the preparation while in a colour photo, she is seen giving it a go herself.

had that special post-new mom glow, since she's only a month or two out from giving birth.On Sunday the new mom took to Instagram to share a few snapshots from the sidelines, where the 23-year-old singer and her sister Chloe watched the Kansas City Chiefs nab their third Super Bowl win in overtime. Bailey decided to forgo team colors in favor of baggy high-waisted jeans, a denim Afghan coat with furry brown trim, and a simple black crop top accessorized with a delicate pair of hoops.This content can also be viewed on the site it from."My sister took me to the superbowl !" she captioned , which included a second photo of the sisters together.After welcoming her first child—a son named Halo—with rapper DDG in December, Halle Bailey on Instagram last month.By signing up you agree to our (including the ), our and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Glamour.