News Desk

KATHERINE Ryan has revealed the results of her £16k full facelift which she underwent just weeks after giving birth to her fourth child.

The comedian, 42, who is known for her love tweakments like Botox and fillers, welcomed her daughter Holland in October.

In December, Katherine teased that she’d had “serious cosmetic surgery” and even taken her newborn along with her.

However, she didn’t reveal what work she’d had done, until now.

Today the Canadian-born star spilled the beans and revealed that she’d undergone a full facelift in York, North Yorkshire.

Speaking on the latest edition of her Telling Everybody Everything podcast, Katherine said: “The surgery was a facelift. Yes, a full facelift – a little bit of fat transfer to my cheekbone area, and a small bleph[aroplasty].

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“A bleph is when they take a tiny bit of your eyelid skin, though not too much, and then they’ll usually – to avoid hollowness, put a little bit of fat back in there too.

“So I had some fat put in like my upper face, my eyelids, and then I had a facelift.’

Explaining why she wanted to have the cosmetic procedure, Katherine said: “Almost metaphorically I needed to do something, to reclaim my identity, to reclaim my autonomy, to claw back the face that I had in, like, 2019,’ she said.

“I am not crazy. I’m not trying to wind it back to 2006. I’m just trying to look the way I did, like, pre-COVID, pre-six pregnancies in five years.”

Talking about how she felt afterwards, The Duchess star said: “The beauty is you’re pretty numb afterwards.

“I was bruised, and I was swollen, and I think I am still a little bit swollen. But basically, I just went about my daily life from day one.

“They sent me home with some paracetamol. If I had needed stronger drugs, I think that was available, but I didn’t. I took ibuprofen, paracetamol for like three days.”

As she had the surgery in December, Katherine then added: “I went to Christmas parties.

“I took the kids to Lapland. I went to the Royal Hall for carolling. I did all of the Christmas stuff. I looked after a newborn baby.”

Katherine previously teased her surgery in December and told fans she was in “no pain” following the procedure.

“I went to York, it was three and a half hours, I elected to take the baby with me because she just turned eight weeks that day and I’m still breastfeeding her, obviously, I will be for a long time,” she told her fans.

“You can’t breastfeed immediately after surgery but I could obviously spend the night with her before and breastfeed her then.

“I was thinking to myself, after I got this surgery – which, wait until you see it, is pretty serious surgery – I was like, ‘Katherine Ryan what is your damage? What the f*** are you doing? Why have you brought a baby to surgery.’

“But then i thought, up and down this country, worldwide, everyday, we are giving women C-sections and then saying, ‘Sweet, go keep these twins alive’.”

Katherine clarified that a C section is “much more serious” than the procedure she had.

She joked: “So, what’s an elective cosmetic procedure with a newborn?”

She says there is more information coming soon on the show.

Katherine’s husband, Bobby Kootstra revealed in October that the comedian welcomed their newborn in just 45 minutes.

She appeared to have a speedy bounce back, as Bobby even shared a snap of the star enjoying a flute of prosecco in hospital following he birth,

Alongside baby Holland, Katherine and bobby share children Fenna, two, and three-year-old Fred.

The comedian is also a mum to 15-year-old Violet, who she has from a previous relationship.

Feb. 10 (UPI) — Paramount Skydance announced enhancements to its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery as it tries to woo shareholders away from Netflix.

Paramount added a 25-cent-per-share ticking fee, adding up to $650 million cash value per quarter that the transaction doesn’t close beginning in January 2027. It also said it would pay the $2.8 billion termination fee that would be due to Netflix.

The sweetening of the Paramount deal is the latest in the ongoing battle against Netflix to buy the company, which includes Warner Bros. Studios, HBO and HBO Max, among other titles. WBD shareholders must vote to choose between Netflix and Paramount, and the merger must pass federal scrutiny.

In October, Warner Bros. said it was open to offers after getting unsolicited ones. On Dec. 5, after a bidding war between Netflix and Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. said it would accept Netflix’s offer.

Then Paramount launched a hostile bid to buy WBD. The Warner Bros. board told shareholders not to accept the Paramount bid because Oracle creator Larry Ellison, father of Paramount CEO David Ellison, wasn’t backing the deal. On Dec. 22, Paramount said that it has Larry Ellison’s backing of $40 billion in equity. On Jan. 20, Netflix changed its offer to all cash to make it more attractive to shareholders.

In the new deal, Paramount would eliminate the potential $1.5 billion financing costs that would come with the debt exchange offer. Paramount would fully reimburse WBD shareholders for the $1.5 billion fee without reducing the $5.8 billion reverse termination fee if the deal doesn’t close.

Paramount said it will also cover WBD’s bridge loan if its financing sources won’t extend theirs, including covering the costs.

Paramount’s financing again includes an irrevocable personal guarantee from Larry Ellison of $43.3 billion, covering the equity financing for Paramount’s amended offer as well any damages claims against Paramount.

“The additional benefits of our superior $30 per share, all-cash offer clearly underscore our strong and unwavering commitment to delivering the full value WBD shareholders deserve for their investment,” said David Ellison, Paramount chair and CEO, in a statement. “We are making meaningful enhancements — backing this offer with billions of dollars, providing shareholders with certainty in value, a clear regulatory path, and protection against market volatility.”

On Feb. 4, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee on the merger. Paramount declined to participate.

Pakistan’s decision to reverse its boycott of the match against India at the T20 World Cup has been welcomed by fans, players and coaches in both countries.

The highly anticipated confrontation between the archrivals was thrown into doubt for more than a week after Pakistan’s government ordered its team against taking the field for Sunday’s clash in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The reversal late on Monday brought relief to millions of fans on both sides of the countries’ shared border as well as tournament organisers and coaches.

The Indian camp said it would be “delighted” to play against a “quality side”.

“It’s great that the game is back on. We kind of never changed the preparation,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Tuesday.

India will play their second Group A match against Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi before flying to Colombo the following morning.

It means a quick turnaround for Sunday’s match, the biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket.

“It’s going to be a challenge going to Colombo, where Pakistan have been for the last two weeks,” ten Doeschate added.

“We are fully focused on just bringing our best game to that fixture.”

‘Good for cricket’

Pakistan’s decision to go ahead with the game was hailed as an outbreak of “good sense” and “good for cricket”.

A frantic weekend of negotiations saw the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board chiefs fly to Lahore on Sunday for talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The governments of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka both wrote to the Islamabad government on Monday, urging it to change its stance and allow the game to go ahead.

After “multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15”, the Islamabad government said on its official X account late on Monday.

The decision had been taken with the aim of “protecting the spirit of cricket”, it added.

Former India cricketer Madan Lal told the AFP news agency that the resumption was “good for cricket”.

“We want strong teams to play so that the charm of the World Cup is not lost,” he added.

Sri Lanka, who will host the match – which generates multimillions of dollars in advertising, broadcast rights, sponsorships and tourism – also praised the decision.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in a social media post thanked Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “ensuring the game we all love goes on”.

Veteran Indian journalist Pradeep Magazine said, “Good sense has prevailed on all sides.”

Financial considerations would have been taken into account, he added.

“Everyone realised that losing the revenue from an India-Pakistan match would have been a loss-loss situation for all ICC member nations.”

‘No greater happiness’

For fans, it’s another chance to watch the bitter rivals face off at a global tournament.

Kafeel Ahmed, a cricket fan from Karachi, said Pakistan vs India matches were unique.

“There is a different intensity to it. If Pakistan wins by 12 runs, there is no ⁠greater happiness than that,” Ahmed told the Reuters news agency. “This happiness is not just about a challenge against a rival; it is the feeling that comes after defeating your opponent.”

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-2013 due to their longstanding political rift.

“The benefit is not only that the public is happy or that young people who play cricket are happy; it also increases business and public interest,” cricket ‌fan Rai Fayaz said.

Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of ‌Control for Cricket in India, said on Tuesday that it was good that a solution had been found.

“All kudos to the ICC for taking this initiative, resolving the whole issue and bringing cricket back to the forefront. This is a big achievement as far as the ICC is concerned,” he said.

KATIE Price has put down a deposit on a property in Dubai, pals tell The Sun.

The former glamour flew back to the country over the weekend to visit her “Walter Mitty” husband Lee Andrews.

Katie, 47, said it would be a short trip for a honeymoon following their quickie wedding.

But pals fear she is planning to relocate to Dubai for good.

A source said: “Katie said she had found a property in Dubai and has put down money.

“The contract is signed and she’s forging ahead.

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“She is really excited and thinks she is going to have her happy ending with Lee.

“But those close to Katie fear this could be the start of a potential scam.

“She was only supposed to be in Dubai for two days but she’s still not returned home.

“Katie says she is busy planning her new life with Lee and has splashed the cash on this property – but it’s making her closest friends and family anxious.

“They’re concerned about his motives and that is only natural given what some of his ex partners have said.”

The Sun reported last month how two of Lee’s former partners, Alana Percival and Crystal Janke, had issued stark warnings to the mum-of-five.

Alana, who was engaged to Lee, told Katie to “run to the hills” and branded Lee a “liar” and a “narcissist”.

Crystal echoed her sentiment and warned Katie not to give Lee money.
It comes after The Sun revealed how businessman Lee lives a Walter Mitty style existence in Dubai.

Lee was accused of using artificial intelligence to fake images of himself with tech billionaire Elon Musk and reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

He was also claimed to be speaking to multiple women at the same time, with single mum Tina Prodromou alleging Lee was sending her mucky messages in December saying what he would do to her “when we are married”.

Katie Price’s money worries

REALITY star Katie Price has faced multiple bankruptcy hearings.

She initially avoided it in 2018 with an IVA.

But she was then declared bankrupt for the first time in November 2019 and blew her £45million fortune.

Katie was then declared bankrupt again in March 2024 for over £750,000 in unpaid tax.

In August 2024, a warrant was issued for her arrest for failing to attend a hearing.

She later had a private interview and a public exam for the second bankruptcy which was set for April 2025.

As per reports, Katie remains under strict income payment orders until 2027.

Lee calls himself Dr Lee Andrews and says he founded Aura Sustainable Vehicles on Linkedin.

He also claims he is the founder of Blue Diamond Resorts, now Royalton Hotels and Resorts.

But in a statement to The Sun, they denied this and said: “We can confirm that Dr Wes Lee Andrews (also known as Lee Andrews) is not the founder of Blue Diamond Resorts.

“Based on our corporate records, he has not been affiliated with the company in any professional capacity.”

Andrew lists himself as a Director of Philanthropy at the Prince’s Trust — now the King’s Trust.

But they denied his involvement and said  Lee does not hold the role of Director of Philanthropy, and it has no record of him as a volunteer, or under the moniker Weslee Andrews, which he uses online.

Another claim by Lee was that he had been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015.

A Labour insider denied his claim to The Sun and said: “We don’t have a board of advisors and he doesn’t work with us.”

Lee’s former fiancee Alana warned: “Lee doesn’t know what’s fact and what’s fiction.

“It’s worrying because I think he believes his own lies.”

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (UPI) — South Korea’s Mirae Asset Securities said it posted a record bottom line last year, based on solid performances across its business sectors, including brokerage, wealth management and trading.

The Seoul-based company said Monday it netted $1.1 billion in the 2025 profit, up 72% from a year earlier, as assets under management rose 25% to $410 billion. Among them, 14% was operated in the global markets.

The pretax profit from its brokerage business jumped 43% year-on-year thanks to a bullish stock market, which saw the country’s benchmark KOSPI surge more than 75% last year.

Those from its wealth management and trading divisions rose 21% and 14%, respectively.

Another key contributor to the results was its global business, of which pretax profit doubled to $342 million. Mirae Asset Securities noted that its investments in such innovative companies as SpaceX and xAI boosted profitability.

“Since our founding, we have strategically reinvested capital secured through globally diversified investments, building a virtuous circle that has led to meaningful achievements,” Mirae Asset Securities said in a statement.

The share price of Mirae Asset Securities climbed 11.25% on the Seoul bourse Monday before dipping 2.43% Tuesday.

The largest brokerage house of South Korea is a representative subsidiary of Mirae Asset Group, one of the country’s leading financial conglomerates.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, saying Iran negotiations will be the “first and foremost” topic of discussion.

Unfamiliar is a six-episode espionage thriller which is already climbing the Netflix charts.

Unfamiliar follows two married former spies unable to escape their killer past.

Unfamiliar has just arrived on Netflix and the series, which is just one of many hit Netflix thrillers, centres around a couple, Simon and Meret Schäfer (played by Felix Kramer and Susanne Wolff) who run a safe house in Berlin.

They lead a seemingly idyllic life until ghosts from their past come knocking. With their cover blown, they are forced to face the lies they told those closest to them.

The thriller, which has already received rave reviews, sees Meret and Simon celebrating their daughter Nina’s (Maja Bons) 16th birthday, when they become suspicious of a mysterious man who asks for their help.

The person who sent the man to them is Josef Koleev (Samuel Finzi), a high-ranking Russian military intelligence officer suspected of espionage.

While the series is set in Germany, fans are keen to find out if the series is dubbed and here is all you need to know.

Unfamiliar was dubbed by Sound & Vision Studios and before it was released, Netflix confirmed the German spy series would provide subtitles and dubbing options in multiple languages.

This means viewers are able to select their preferred language and the show includes English subtitles so UK audiences can follow the story.

The series has already received positive feedback from fans who took to IMDb reviews to share their thoughts, with some awarding it 10 out of 10 stars.

Fiegehen commented: “10 for all the right reasons. Excellent plot and acting. Understated dramatic sequences far from the over-cooked American style. Clever special ops and spy aspects bringing MI6, BND and Spetnaz together.

“Expectations are challenged by exceptional and unexpected outcomes. Not your usual drama action piece.”

NuoS-91 hailed it “smart, tense and suspenseful”, adding: “When I saw the rating was below 7.0 I almost skipped the show. Glad I didn’t!

“This is the best suspense series on Netflix in the past few months. I really enjoyed the storytelling and character building, aside from the fantastic action scenes.

“Every character was there for a reason and there was no wasted details. Not sure how anyone can call this ‘boring’. Give it a try if you like suspenseful dramas!”

EinarssonO shared: “I couldn’t stop. I watched all the episodes straight through until 2:30am. So much better than the usual Hollywood-glam-makeup-productions.

“It may be a bit irrelevant but I also liked that the series was in German. It’s been almost 50 years since I studied German in school and I surprised myself by understanding quite a bit.”

Unfamiliar is on Netflix now

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website**

Feb. 10 (UPI) — Air Canada became the first scheduled airline to withdraw services to Cuba due to shortages of jet fuel as the United States tightened its energy embargo on the Caribbean island.

Canada’s Montreal-headquartered flag-carrier announced Monday it was suspending its 16 weekly flights serving Havana and three other cities, effectively immediately, but said it would send aircraft to bring home 3,000 customers already in Cuba.

“For remaining flights, Air Canada will tanker in extra fuel and make technical stops as necessary to refuel on the return journey, if necessary,” the airline said.

Airlines in Russia, where Cuba is also a top holiday destination, said they had no plans to change their schedules, but Russian media reported at least one Rossiya Airlines flight was canceled with the carrier instead dispatching an empty aircraft to collect Russian tourists.

As many as 4,700 Russians on package holidays were thought to be on the island currently, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.

Spain’s Iberia and Air Europa said flights from Madrid to Havana would now stopover in the Dominican Republic to refuel but would otherwise continue as normal.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico said they would continue flying the route, with American telling CNN that the aircraft it used on the route could carry enough fuel for the round trip without refueling.

On Sunday, an international NOTAM system notice confirmed that no A-1 jet fuel, the standard for commercial aviation, would be available at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport for one month between Tuesday and March 11.

The aviation fuel shortage and its knock-on effect on tourism was the most visible economic casualty of additional measures imposed 10 days ago by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at shutting off all oil shipments to the island.

Accusing Cuba of harboring terrorist groups, Trump threatened any country supplying oil to Cuba with tariffs in a move principally aimed at Mexico, one of the only remaining points of supply since the United States severed the economic lifeline provided by Venezuela in January.

Venezuela was the source of most of Cuba’s oil imports until the United States’ Jan. 3 military operation to remove President Nicolas Maduro, seize control of the country’s oil and turn off the tap to Cuba.

The move was in line with the Trump administration’s efforts to ratchet up a six-decade-long U.S. trade embargo with the energy blockade exacerbating rolling blackouts and forcing the communist government to ration health and transport, shorten hours in schools and state-owned workplaces, and close some hotels as it scrambles to conserve fuel.

Official Cuban government data shows Canada was the number one source of tourists to the island with more than 754,000 Canadians traveled there in 2025, compared with 110,000 from the United States, 56,000 from Mexico and 46,000 from Spain.

FORMER soap star Danniella Westbrook has been on a journey to rebuild her face after her tumultuous past with drug abuse.

The Sun yesterday unveiled snaps of the 52-year-old looking completely unrecognisable after undergoing more reconstructive surgery in Dubai.

Danniella shot to fame starring as Sam Mitchell on BBC One’s EastEnders.

While many of Danniella’s surgeries have been constructive, some have been purely cosmetic – either way the star loves to keep her fans in the loop.

These are all the wild surgeries the TV legend has had so far.

Nose reconstruction

Following Danniella’s battle with cocaine addiction in the 90s her septum collapsed and she was forced to have a nose reconstruction.

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The I’m A Celeb star previously said she first tried the drug at 14 as a result of child abuse.

In her tell-all book, released in 2006, Danniella said she had her eroded septum and columella replaced.

Danniella’s many boob jobs

Danniella has been very committed to boob surgery over the years, having at least seven boob jobs and ending up a size 34DD.

When she appeared on Channel 5‘s Celebrity Botched Up Bodies she revealed she went from a 34B to a 34D.

But she didn’t stop there, wanting to go bigger despite being warned by her doctor.

Danniella even insisted she wanted them so large that they looked like “huge footballs.”

Her doctor apparently said her frame was too small for such huge breasts but Danniella claimed she didn’t care and begged him to do it anyway.

Screws instead of Teeth

The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant previously revealed she nearly died following a botched surgical procedure in 2015.

Danniella suffered a severe bout of osteoporosis, which is a health condition that weakens bones.

She was left with screws for teeth as her cheekbones “wasted away.”

In 2018, she told The Mirror: “They need to take a piece of bone out of my skull and put a plate into my face but they’ve got nothing to stick the plate on at the minute because the bone’s not strong enough.”

While Danniella was in the CBB house she was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment after suffering horrendous teeth pain.

She said: “The bone hadn’t closed around the screws so they took me out of the house three times to a dentist, which they’re not meant to, because the pain was so bad.”

The star was down bad and even contracted septicaemia, which she battled in hospital for seven weeks.

Danniella told fans they had to remove all her teeth out and give her a denture.

Liposuction on her knees

One of the most bizarre surgeries the star had was liposuction on her knees; a procedure she told The Sun was unnecessary.

Alongside the surgery the star also admitted she didn’t need her seven boob jobs, eye lift, face lift and Botox.

A rib inserted into her cheek

TV icon Danniella claimed in 2022 she made plans to have a rib put into her cheek to help reconstruct her face.

She previously told us: “I hate the way I look. I’m constantly made fun of, and trolled for it.

“People message me, saying: ‘You’re so ugly, you’re a junkie, you should just go and kill yourself.’

“I’ve also had messages saying they are glad I’m not coming back to EastEnders because no one wants me scaring their kids on the telly.”

While the planned procedure would most definitely have boosted her confidence she said it would also help her breathing and sinus issues.

Five facial reconstruction surgeries

Danniella jetted off to Turkey for her fifth facial reconstruction surgery back in 2023.

She told OK! it was a thread lift which saw surgeons put over 1,200 threads into her face.

The TV personality also said she flew over for a nose reconstruction but the surgery failed to straighten her nose despite the use of 200 threads.

In another of her facial reconstruction attempts Danniella announced she had a fat transfer.

She said surgeons took “fat out of my back, my sides and my stomach, and put it into my face to make it more symmetrical.”

But Danniella soon regretted this procedure as she branded her experience a “living nightmare.”

In 2025, she went under the knife again for another facial surgery.

She said: “Today, I got the amazing news that I’m officially clear to move on to stage 2 of my recovery. Despite a rough patch with an infection (which was a known risk), my doctors are happy with how everything’s going – and that means everything to me.”

Latest Surgery

We yesterday revealed Danniella’s latest surgery snaps as she went under the knife for a full face, neck and brow lift in addition to a lip and nose reconstruction.

Undergoing the procedure at the Gargash Hospital in Dubai, the actress was pictured in her hospital gown awaiting the surgery before finally being able to leave several hours later.

Donning a pink dress, Danniella left the facility in a wheelchair with a facial compression garment wrapped around her head.

A full recovery for a face, neck and chin lift can take up to nine months.

The surgery was performed by Danniella’s trusted Surgeon Dr Parviz Sadigh, who has carried out operations on her in the past.

Feb. 9 (UPI) — Prince William and Princess Catherine have said they are “deeply concerned” by the latest information coming out of the Epstein files in their first public statement about the scandal.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said the Prince and Princess of Wales were “focused on the victims” after new information released showed an increased number of mentions of William’s uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

The spokesperson said: “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

William is in Saudi Arabia on the first day of an official three-day visit.

Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, has been stripped of his royal titles and was forced to leave the Royal Lodge residence by King Charles III. He now lives on Charles’ privately owned Sandringham Estate. The late Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military titles and patronages in January 2022.

Charles faced hecklers Monday during a visit to Clitheroe train station in Lancashire. One person shouted, “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” the BBC reported.

The Justice Department’s Epstein files drop on Jan. 30 included many from a suit against Mountbatten-Windsor that he settled with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in 2022.

Giuffre, in a lawsuit, accused the then-prince of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager and employed by Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied the allegation.

The release included photos of Mountbatten-Windsor, including one showing him leaning over the body of a woman who was lying on the ground and another of him on all fours while next to the same woman, whose face was redacted.

Israel is accused of spraying chemicals on farmland inside Syria and Lebanon to destroy crops and plants. Al Jazeera’s Ayman Oghanna reports from Quneitra in southern Syria, where farmers say the damage is threatening their livelihoods.

Vital organs of the same cinematic body, the artists who handcrafted Guillermo del Toro’s imposing “Frankenstein” helped ensure the experience of watching it feels immersive.

“When a movie is the best possible incarnation of itself, it’s a universe you fall into; as the youth says, it’s a vibe,” Del Toro says during an interview at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where he was in attendance to screen a restoration of his 1992 feature debut, “Cronos.”

Like Victor Frankenstein, who diligently selects body parts from corpses to stitch together his humanoid creation, the Mexican director carefully assembled his troupe of movie magicians. Of course, their talents mattered immensely to him, but so did their drive and their willingness to participate in the “team sport” of filmmaking.

“The cohesive personality of the film, the expressiveness of the film, depends on every aspect being orchestrated without an ego,” Del Toro says. “Each department sustains the department next to them.”

Del Toro clearly knows how to pick them. The Envelope recently caught up with makeup effects veteran Mike Hill, seasoned production designer Tamara Deverell, costume virtuosa Kate Hawley and acclaimed composer Alexandre Desplat, all Oscar-nominated for their work on “Frankenstein.”

And just like organs that constantly communicate with each other, their work is intimately intertwined. Nothing is conceived in isolation on a Del Toro film. “We all know what everyone’s doing within the different departments, so we all echo each other,” says Hawley.

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1. Tamara Deverell. 2. Kate Hawley. (Lauren Fleishman / For The Times)

In casting his acolytes, Del Toro seeks the alchemy that only human minds and hands can accomplish building tangible worlds. “The audience knows when something is digital, and when something has been crafted with real materials,” Del Toro explains. “I really believe people can tell the difference. Maybe they can’t articulate it, but they can feel it.”

Hill agrees. His mandate to create the prosthetics and makeup that transformed Jacob Elordi into the Creature aimed to make him look like an artwork that Victor Frankenstein handcrafted. Every part of him was by design, with the scars on his body reflecting incisions that those studying human anatomy in the 18th century would have made.

“If the monster felt fake, we would’ve lost the movie,” says Hill. “The Creature had to feel real. Not to put down VFX, but there’s a human quality they can’t catch.”

For Deverell, “Frankenstein” represented both the continuation of a creative partnership that dates back to the 1990s and an opportunity to showcase her multi-faceted skills. “Guillermo and I speak in a language of art history, and he is steeped in cinematic history,” she says.

With a team of technicians and craftspeople, Deverell constructed breathtaking sets, including Victor’s laboratory with giant batteries that required intricate steam and lighting mechanisms.

Undoubtedly, her pièce de resistance is the full-size Arctic ship where the opening sequence unfolds. Though the production considered existing vessels, none of them measured up. “There were specific action beats that Guillermo wanted, and a look that we all wanted,” she says. “To have complete creative control, there’s only one way to do it.”

To anyone who disagreed with the need for a ship, Del Toro would explain that it was not an extravagance. “It’s actually what tells the audience the scale of the movie,” he says.

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1. Alexandre Desplat. 2. Mike Hill. (Lauren Fleishman / For The Times)

The first half hour of the film, Del Toro believes, establishes its ambition and operatic quality. There are no digital doubles in that sequence, but real stunt performers aboard a ship that’s not a miniature but a massive structure that moves thanks to a giant gimbal.

It’s the way Del Toro pursues ideas by way of collaboration that brings Hawley back to his worlds (she even worked with him on his unmade version of “The Hobbit”). She’s learned to conceive her pieces considering that in his movies real water, mud, snow and fake blood might be in play.

“There’s something that happens with real materiality, real construction, there’s an alchemy to it,” Hawley says. “What a fabric does and performs is not always predictable, but the outcome and the potential you see in something then becomes the magic.”

As production timelines get shorter and A.I. utilization creeps into the filmmaking process, Hawley believes artists are trying to hold onto the craft as much as possible. “We came here to build worlds,” she says. “That’s what we did as kids. That’s what we do. This is our church.”

Del Toro admits he can be a “pain in the ass,” especially when dealing with his film’s production design and makeup effects. He atones by constantly reassuring his artisans. “They need to know that even if you are torturing them you admire them,” he says.

The only element of the film where Del Toro actively hopes to be surprised is the score. And Desplat is committed to delivering.

“Writing music is using your imagination. It’s not using references. It makes no sense to me,” says Desplat, who believes most scores today sound like work that has come before. “I hear many composers use references, but what for? That’s not what we do. We have the film to be inspired by. That’s enough.”

For “Frankenstein” — his third creature movie with Del Toro, after “The Shape of Water” and “Pinocchio” — Desplat thus avoided Gothic compositions to create a counterpoint to the images, highlighting the fragility of Elordi’s Creature, who he thinks of as the core of the film.

Also tying together the film’s craftsmanship is Del Toro’s awards campaign for “Frankenstein,” which he’s navigated to the tune of “F— AI.” The chant has resonated with those fighting to keep art made by humans for humans. “Frankenstein,” in turn, is the director’s latest monument to the beauty of imperfection.

“Art is the thing that we should never let go of, never surrender to mechanization or artificial intelligence,” Del Toro adds. “We need to grasp on it because this is the last point of contact between humans.”

Feb. 10 (UPI) — Buckingham Palace said the royal household stood ready to fully cooperate with police weighing an investigation into links between the former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and the late Jeffrey Epstein.

“The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” a spokesman for the palace said late Monday.

“While the specific claims in question are for Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect,” he said.

King Charles’ intervention came hours after Thames Valley Police said it was determining whether to act on a complaint by Republic, a group that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, accusing Andrew of misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets laws while he was serving as Britain’s trade envoy in 2010.

Republic lodged the complaint on Monday after emails from the latest tranche of Epstein files to be released appeared to show Andrew forwarding Epstein official reports possibly containing commercially privileged information from an October 2010 trip to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, including confidential information about investment opportunities.

Andrew emailed the reports to Epstein less than five minutes after receiving them himself from his assistant on Nov. 30 with the subject line “South East Asia Visit Reports,” U.S. Department of Justice files obtained by the BBC show.

“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” said a Thames Valley police department spokesman.

The alleged incident was just before Andrew has claimed he broke off his relationship with Epstein in early December 2010 but the emails appear to indicate this was not the case as he forwarded Epstein another confidential email on Dec. 24 detailing business opportunities in the rebuilding of Afghanistan‘s war-torn Helmand Province, the region for which Britain was responsible during the war.

The terms under which trade envoys are appointed state that the envoy must not share sensitive, commercial, or political information they are party to with unauthorized persons, that they are bound by the Official Secrets Act and have a duty to keep sensitive documents secure.

“The role of a Trade Envoy carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to information received. This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits. This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply,” the document states.

“Trade Envoys are responsible for the protection of any documents they have been provided which might contain sensitive data and ensuring that they are carried, stored, and disposed of in an appropriate manner,” it adds.

Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, including allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre, but has remained silent over the most recent slew of allegations.

in 2022, he settled a lawsuit alleging sexual assault brought by Guiffre out of court with an undisclosed payment believed to run to eight figures.

Earlier Monday, Prince William and Princess Catherine broke their silence on the scandal, issuing a statement expressing “deep concern” over the latest revelations being unearthed from the Epstein files.

However, the statement stressed that they “focused on the victims” and made no mention of Andrew, who is William’s uncle.

The King has been heckled by members of the public about his brother twice in recent days as he goes about his official duties, most recently on a trip to Lancashire on Monday.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has emerged rattled but ultimately unscathed after a day and night of drama during which a key member of his Labour Party called for him to resign over revelations about a former ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, in the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Starmer has faced more than a week of mounting pressure since the release of the latest tranche of documents from the US Department of Justice relating to the criminal cases against the late sex offender. They revealed that Mandelson had maintained a close friendship with the disgraced financier even after Epstein had pleaded guilty to solicitation of sex with a minor and was jailed in 2008.

They include documents and emails that suggest Mandelson may have received payments from Epstein and passed sensitive information to him during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

Since then, Starmer has admitted that he knew of the pair’s friendship when he appointed Mandelson as ambassador but said the peer had lied about the extent of it. The affair has caused outrage in parliament. Two key members of Starmer’s inner circle have resigned and a third is under pressure to go. On Monday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for the prime minister to do the same.

While Starmer’s position has been shored up for now by a rally of support from his cabinet on Monday night, just how badly has this affair shaken his government?

Why did Anas Sarwar call for Starmer to resign?

Sarwar said at a news conference early on Monday afternoon that he had called Starmer and told him it was time for him to resign. “I spoke to the prime minister earlier today, and I think it’s safe to say he and I disagreed,” Sarwar said.

He said “too many mistakes” had been made in relation to the appointment of Mandelson.

“The distraction needs to end, and the leadership in Downing Street has to change,” Sarwar said as he became the first Labour heavyweight to stand against the prime minister.

While Sarwar said he believed Starmer to be a “decent man”, the fury over the Epstein files had severely damaged the government’s support and wrecked its chances in the upcoming Scottish parliament elections. Opinion polls put Scottish Labour some distance behind the Scottish National Party, followed by the far-right Reform party, led by Nigel Farage.

But cabinet members came out in support of Starmer, ultimately ending the coup that never was. Angela Rayner, former deputy prime minister and a senior member of the Labour Party, was the first to show him support. She said in a post on X that while she did not defend Starmer’s judgement, “the worst possible response [to the scandal] would be to play party politics or factional games.”

“I urge all my colleagues to come together, remember our values and put them into practice as a team,” she wrote on X. “The Prime Minister has my full support in leading us to that end.”

Within hours, nearly every minister had followed suit. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, urged people to “give Keir a chance”. Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, said he hoped the prime minister would stay on, and Douglas Alexander, Scotland secretary, said he “respected” Sarwar’s stance but backed the prime minister.

On Monday night, Starmer addressed more than 400 MPs and peers at a Labour Party meeting. “I have won every fight I’ve ever been in. I fought to change the Labour Party to allow us to win an election again,” he told them.

“But I’ll tell you this, after having fought so hard for the chance to change our country, I’m not prepared to walk away from my mandate and my responsibility to my country or to plunge us into chaos as others have done.”

Who has resigned from Starmer’s team and why?

Two key figures have already resigned, and a third is under pressure to do so, UK media has reported.

Amid growing outrage over the new revelations about Mandelson and Epstein, Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday, taking “full responsibility” for advising the prime minister to appoint Mandelson to the ambassadorship, which he took up in 2025, despite the risks.

“The decision to appoint Mandelson was wrong,” McSweeney said. “He has damaged our party. … I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that.”

Mandelson was dismissed from the post in September after serving seven months after the UK daily The Sun obtained other emails between him and Epstein that showed the depth of their friendship.

After the release of the latest tranche of Epstein documents on January 30, Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords.

Tim Allan, Starmer’s communications chief, resigned on Monday, saying he was leaving to pave the way for a “new No 10 team” to be built as Starmer tries to reset his government.

Allan, who founded the Portland Communications firm specialising in reputation management, had been in the job for only five months, and Starmer is now looking to hire his fifth communications chief since taking office in 2024.

Chris Wormald, the cabinet secretary and senior-most civil servant in Downing Street, is also reportedly under pressure to resign and is said to be currently negotiating his exit from the role, which he has been in for less than a year.

The UK’s Guardian newspaper reported that some people close to Starmer view him as a “disastrous” appointment.

What did the Epstein files reveal about Mandelson?

The latest release of files showed Mandelson maintained his relationship with Epstein after the latter was jailed in 2008.

They also suggested Mandelson received payments from the late financier and may have shared market-sensitive information with him that was of financial interest to Epstein.

Leaks of sensitive information by Mandelson allegedly took place in 2009 while he was serving as the UK’s business secretary.

The UK police have launched a criminal investigation over suspected misconduct in public office linked to Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.

In one of the emails revealed in the most recent tranche of documents released from the US Justice Department, Mandelson told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced in 2008.

“I think the world of you,” Mandelson told Epstein, adding about his prosecution: “I can still barely understand it. It just could not happen in Britain. You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can.”

How damaging has this all been for Starmer?

Starmer has apologised publicly for appointing Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite knowing of his ties – but not the extent of them, he said – to the disgraced financier.

“None of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship,” Starmer said on Thursday as he apologised to Epstein’s victims.

“I am sorry – sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you, sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointing him.”

But this has not been enough to let him off the hook entirely, experts said.

Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said the scandal has been hugely damaging for Starmer. “A more popular PM might have been able to ride it out, but he was already facing a good deal of hostility from voters before it blew up,” Bale told Al Jazeera. “He’s managed so far to hold on to his cabinet, but he’s completely lost the trust of the electorate – and that’s hard to get back.”

Bale said “people are disgusted by” Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson “despite knowing that he’d stayed friends with Epstein after he’d been convicted”.

Can Starmer’s leadership still be challenged?

While Starmer has survived Monday night, his position is still weak with low approval ratings, experts said.

Labour is expected to suffer losses in crucial Scottish elections in May. A parliamentary by-election is also due on February 26.

“The immediate danger [to Starmer] is that [Labour] suffers catastrophic losses in a by-election and then a big set of elections in May,” Bale said. “That will reignite calls for Starmer to resign and, if he doesn’t, a challenge from one or more of his colleagues.”

Among the top runners to replace Starmer are Rayner, his former deputy prime minister who resigned from the cabinet last year over a tax scandal.

A website pitching Rayner as leader, angelaforleader.co.uk, went live in January briefly, The Guardian newspaper reported. Rayner has denied any links to the website.

Another politician gearing up to replace Starmer is Wes Streeting, the health secretary.

Streeting, 43, has also been called out for his ties with Mandelson. In a bid to distance himself from the former ambassador, Streeting this week shared private chats he had with Mandelson that questioned the government’s growth plan.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, 45, is another possible successor to Starmer. She has grown popular among several right-aligned leaders of the Labour Party with her moves to tighten border controls and crack down on unauthorised immigration.

What other issues has Labour faced under Starmer?

The Labour Party swept to power in July 2024, ending nearly 14 years of Conservative rule. However, the prime minister has since had a difficult time in Downing Street.

In the 2024 elections, Reform UK, the right-wing, populist, anti-immigration party led by Farage, won just five of the 650 seats in parliament. However, it has gone on to become one of the best polling British parties. In July, a YouGov poll put Reform in the lead, predicting it could win 271 seats if elections were held then.

In his speech on Monday, Starmer called the challenge posed by the rise of the Reform party, which has won over a number of high-profile defectors from the Conservative Party in recent weeks, “a fight for our lives”.

Starmer is also facing domestic pressure to put a stop to undocumented immigration to the UK. More than 32,000 people tried to cross the English Channel from France in small boats last year. These crossings are dangerous and have resulted in many deaths.

The UK and France have laid the blame on each other for the rising numbers. This led to a “one-in-one-out” migrant deal signed between the UK and France last year, under which the UK returns one migrant to France for each accepted refugee. The scheme has had little success, however, with only a handful of migrants returned.

Starmer himself has dropped in popularity by 20 percentage points from July 2024 to January this year, according to YouGov.

“Reform has obviously spooked some in the Labour Party,” Bale said, adding, however, that Reform is eating into the Conservatives’ base more. “And Labour probably needs to worry more about the Greens and the Liberal Democrats at this stage.”

“The break-up of the two-party duopoly that has dominated British politics for a century is no longer simply an aspiration among challenger parties but an ongoing reality,” Bale said.

The Countryfile presenter has opened up about her initial nerves during Strictly Come Dancing, which she joined following her split from rugby player Richie Myler

Former Blue Peter host Helen Skelton navigated a difficult period following her separation from rugby league player Richie Myler, ultimately reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing. However, the Countryfile star has admitted she felt “terrified” during the competition’s early weeks.

“I tried to leave,” she disclosed on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast. “I ran and hid on the fire escape, and they filmed Strictly next to The Crown, and there’s a massive wall. I kid you not, I was looking at the wall and thinking, ‘I could get over that’.”

Helen revealed that a member of the production team persuaded her to return to the studio, where her professional dancing partner Gorka Márquez delivered some crucial words of encouragement: “I remember he said to me: ‘It’s like jumping out of a plane, you’ve got to engage the parachute’.”

“He was so wonderful,” Helen continued, praising the Spanish dancer’s unwavering support, which helped build her confidence from those anxious beginnings through to her memorable Cabaret-themed Couple’s Choice routine in the final, which earned a flawless score of 40.

“By the final, I’ve gone from hiding on the fire escape, being terrified to look at the dance floor, to just freestyling. Even all the professionals were crying laughing. They were like, ‘Who are you?'” she said.

Helen’s Strictly experience wasn’t without its challenges, including an unfortunate costume mishap during the semi-finals when part of her outfit tore and hung around her leg for the remainder of the routine. Nevertheless, Helen persevered and secured an impressive 37 points — with Shirley Ballas awarding her and Gorka the lowest mark of 8, while Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke both gave them a 10.

Speaking to Kate, Helen revealed that despite the personal anguish of her eight-year marriage ending, she remained resolute that the circumstances wouldn’t impact her performance — or influence how the Strictly judges scored her.

She remembered: “A few people said if you’d have just cried and gone on about what was going on, you might have won it.”

Helen added that numerous friends had urged her to take up the Strictly opportunity purely due to the massive public fascination with her marriage split: “My friends were just like, ‘Just do it. Just do it.

“It’s going to swallow you up. Just do it. Like, there’s so many people talking about you and looking at you. They may as well look at you in a sparkly dress, mate.'”

Following Helen’s decision to accept the invitation, some audience members claimed she might have had an advantage due to her childhood tap-dancing background. Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine at the time, she said: “I found it so funny when they said it was a fix — Helen’s a tap-dancing champion. When I was seven, yes, I did tap dancing.

“Like lots of little girls and boys, I did dancing and absolutely loved it. I hit an age where I didn’t want to be in a leotard in public and I gave it up. I wish I hadn’t!”

BREAKINGBREAKING,

This is a breaking news story.

Sustained gunshots have been heard near the central prison in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, according to media reports.

It was unclear who was shooting or what triggered the gunfire on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment by the authorities.

A witness reported seeing several military pickup trucks carrying armed security forces and a machine gun-mounted armoured carrier deployed around the central administrative district of Kaloum, Reuters news agency reported. The presidential palace is also located in Kaloum.

A security detail made up of police officers and special forces blocked access to the road leading to the prison on Tuesday morning, an AFP news agency journalist reported. An armoured vehicle belonging to the special forces was also visible in front of the prison.

“I heard the sound of vehicles speeding by, I rushed to the window and heard automatic gunfire,” Thierno Balde, an accountant who works in the neighbourhood, told AFP, confirming similar statements by other witnesses.

The shooting reportedly began shortly before 9am local time (09:00 GMT) and lasted just more than half an hour, with rapid gunfire ringing out.

Abdouramane Doukoure, a retired civil servant, said he was heading past the prison in a car when he “heard the gunshots. Since there was a traffic jam, we all rushed in different directions to escape.”

Another resident whose home is next to the prison reported hearing gunfire inside the facility but “as we speak, things have calmed down”.

But “we don’t know for how long”, the resident added.

More to come…

Transparency International says the average global score in its report is at its lowest level in more than a decade.

An anticorruption watchdog has warned in its latest report of worsening corruption in democracies around the world, with the score of the United States slipping to its lowest, raising concerns about developments in the US and the impact of its funding cuts around the world.

Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) said on Tuesday that the average global score in its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) had hit 42 on a scale of zero to 100, its lowest level in more than a decade.

The group’s index assigns a score between zero (highly corrupt) and 100 (very clean), based on data reflecting the assessments of experts and business executives.

US President Donald Trump, since returning to the White House early last year, has upended domestic and foreign politics while ramping up pressure on institutions ranging from universities to the Federal Reserve – the US central bank.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) after resisting pressure from Trump to reduce interest rates.

TI raised concerns over “actions targeting independent voices and undermining judicial independence” in the US.

“The temporary freeze and weakening of enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act signal tolerance for corrupt business practices,” it said.

US ranking drops

The Trump administration’s gutting of overseas aid has also “weakened global anticorruption efforts”, it said.

The US’s CPI score has dropped to 64 from 65 in 2024, with the report noting that its “political climate has been deteriorating for more than a decade”. In the past 10 years, it has seen a drop of 10 points.

The report also said “the vast majority of countries are failing to keep corruption under control”, with 122 countries out of 180 posting scores less than 50.

However, it said 31 countries have improved significantly, highlighting Estonia (76 points), the Seychelles (68) and South Korea (63).

The US case illustrates a trend in democracies experiencing a “decline in performance” in battling corruption, according to the report, a phenomenon it also said was apparent in the United Kingdom and France.

While such countries are still near the top of the index, “corruption risks have increased” due to weakening independent checks, gaps in legislation and inadequate enforcement.

“Several have also experienced strains to their democracies, including political polarisation and the growing influence of private money on decision-making,” the report noted.

The worst-performing EU nations

The worst-performing countries in the European Union were Bulgaria and Hungary, both scoring just 40.

The report said the government of Hungary’s nationalist leader Viktor Orban, in power since 2010 and facing a tough battle for re-election in April, “has systematically weakened the rule of law, civic space and electoral integrity for over 10 years”.

“This has enabled impunity for channelling billions – including from European Union funds – to groups of cronies through dirty public contracting and other methods,” the report said.

The highest-ranked nation in the index for the eighth year running was Denmark with a score of 89, followed by Finland and Singapore. At the bottom were South Sudan and Somalia with nine points apiece, followed by Venezuela.

Among the more positive stories of progress in the report was Ukraine, which scored 36.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government has faced widespread public anger over corruption allegations against those close to him, even as the country has been at war with Russia for nearly four years.

However, the watchdog noted that “the fact that these and many other scandals are being uncovered … shows that Ukraine’s new anticorruption architecture is making a difference”.

It hailed the “civil society mobilisation” last year, which prompted Zelenskyy to backtrack in an attempt to curb the independence of anticorruption bodies.

To say the mood at Ryan Coogler’s production company Proximity Media has been euphoric would be an understatement.

You too would be more than euphoric if your film landed in the year’s box office top 10 and set the all-time record for most Oscar nominations.

But “Sinners” wasn’t built in a day. It’s been a slow and steady ascent — call it, well, one success after another — since Coogler founded the company in 2018 with his wife Zinzi (they married in 2016) and USC film school buddy Sev Ohanian. And the director is unstinting in his praise for his partners.

“Zinzi is meticulous and detail-oriented and the one that keeps it all together,” Coogler wrote in an email to The Envelope. “She is humble and observant but is the smartest person I know and knows me extremely well. Sev is exceptional at strategy, and the most experienced producer of the three of us, which is invaluable. … Together, they act as a bridge between the creative and the business, which allows me to stay focused on the film.”

The three have been working together since Coogler’s 2013 feature debut, “Fruitvale Station,” based on the true story of Oscar Grant, a young Black man shot to death by a transit police officer in an Oakland BART station.

Bringing audiences in close proximity to stories and subject matter often overlooked forged the name of the company, which now includes feature film, television, nonfiction, music and podcasting departments.

Past film projects include the Oscar-winning “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Space Jam” and “Creed III.”

“They are on a fast rocket with an upward trajectory for almost any project they bring to the marketplace,” said Andrew Goldman, adjunct professor of film and television at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. ”Every company in town will want a Proximity/Ryan Coogler project. They have cracked a formula of both critical acclaim and box-office successes.”

A recent installment of the podcast “In Proximity” featured Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler getting in the weeds about the production of “Sinners,” including how Jordan distinctly portrayed twins Smoke and Stack.

Moving forward, it looks like Proximity’s sights are set on stories based on another duo: “The X-Files’” Mulder and Scully, the iconic opposites-attract FBI agents who forged a deep personal partnership while investigating strange and paranormal cases over 11 seasons on Fox, beginning in 1993 and stretching until 2018.

Warmly displaying their camaraderie and creative interdependence, Zinzi Coogler and Ohanian spilled more about their company over Zoom, including their early days, people who inspired them and how they’re adapting to the shifting media landscape.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Michael B. Jordan, left, and Miles Caton in “Sinners.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

What is the origin story of how Proximity Media formed?

Ohanian: It officially became a company on April 6, 2018, over lunch in San Francisco, but the roots go back to 2008 at USC film school, where I first met Ryan Coogler. We became friends working on student films and reconnected when Ryan and Zinzi were finishing “Black Panther.” Around that time, I had just produced “Searching,” and we started talking seriously about forming a company together.

Zinzi, what made you want to partner with Sev and Ryan formally?

Coogler: After years of working with Ryan unofficially, especially on “Fruitvale Station,” we knew we wanted to make it official. Sev had always impressed me with his creativity and relentless work ethic. When Ryan and I discussed founding a company, Sev was the only person we wanted to approach. Luckily, he said yes — and that’s how Proximity really began.

Did you ever imagine Proximity would grow as it has?

Ohanian: Honestly, no. Back when we were making “Fruitvale Station,” we were just trying to get the movie finished. But looking back, it feels inevitable because we’ve put in years of steady work and built strong relationships in the industry.

Coogler: We couldn’t have foreseen this success. But the foundation of our collaboration — our shared belief in storytelling and craftsmanship — has never changed since those early days.

What projects are you most excited about now?

Ohanian: Last year was a landmark one. We released “Sinners,” had streaming hits like “Ironheart” and “Eyes of Wakanda,” and launched Season 3 of our “In Proximity” podcast. We also have several documentaries and new TV shows in development, plus a long-rumored “X-Files” project that’s close to launching.

Tell us about the atmosphere within the company.

Coogler: There’s a lot of laughter between the three of us — Ryan, Sev, and me. In our early days, someone once asked, “Can I get the real name of your company?” We cracked up at that and recorded the moment. It keeps us humble and reminds us how far we’ve come.

How did you approach producing “Sinners?”

Coogler: It was our first time being sole producers on something Ryan wrote and directed. We saw it as a big moment for Proximity — a chance to support Ryan’s creative vision from start to finish.

Do you have defined roles within Proximity?

Ohanian: Roles shift depending on the project. We each bring different strengths — Ryan as director, me from the indie film side, and Zinzi with her broad experience and steady leadership. We’ve built a team of about 20 people who’ve grown with us, including some who started as assistants and are now producers.

Did other production companies serve as an inspiration?

Coogler: We’ve leaned on amazing mentors — Jim Morris at Pixar, Kevin Feige and Lou D’Esposito at Marvel, and Charles King at Macro. Their guidance shaped how we lead and structure our company.

Looking ahead, how is Proximity adapting to the changing media landscape?

Ohanian: Change has been constant since day one — recessions, strikes, streaming shifts. We stay adaptable through yearly retreats, often at Pixar, to reassess our strategy and think creatively about the future.

How do relationships like the one with Michael B. Jordan influence your work?

Coogler: Michael’s family to us. We’ve been through so much together — from “Fruitvale Station” to “Creed III” and “Sinners.” That trust and history make the work special every single time.

An association of South Korean companies that previously operated at an inter-Korean factory zone in North Korea on Tuesday called on the government to make efforts to allow business owners to visit the now-shuttered complex.

About 80 representatives from 38 member companies of the Corporate Association of Gaeseong Industrial Complex (CAGIC) made the request at a press conference held at the customers, immigration and quota (CIQ) office at Dorasan Station in Paju, just north of Seoul.

The association said its members hope to present the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which has been closed for the past decade, to inspect their business assets there.

“Ten years after the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, companies that operated there are facing a threat to their survival. We want to return to Kaesong,” CAGIC Chairman Cho Kyung-joo told reporters.

The Park Geun-hye administration shut down the industrial complex on Feb. 10, 2016, in response to North Korea’s nuclear test and long-range missile launches.

Launched in 2004 as a flagship project symbolizing inter-Korean economic cooperation and reconciliation, the complex once employed about 55,000 North Korean workers at 120 South Korean firms.

Cho also urged the U.S. government to play a responsible role in approving visits by South Korean business owners aimed at protecting their assets in Kaesong.

“Just as the United States recently granted sanctions exceptions for humanitarian assistance in several global cases discussed at United Nations meetings, it should make clear that business owners’ visits to inspect their assets in Kaesong do not fall under sanctions”, he said.

Appealing to North Korea, Cho said companies operating at the complex had conducted business in good faith based on inter-Korean agreements and called on Pyongyang to cooperate in allowing business owners to visit the industrial zone.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

Humanitarian operations have been impeded by attacks, looting and restrictions on movement.

Ajok Ding Duot crouches on the dusty floor of a displacement camp in South Sudan’s Lakes state, cracking nuts open one by one.

She and her family of 10 arrived here about two weeks ago, fleeing intensifying fighting between government and opposition forces in neighbouring Jonglei state.

While they have found temporary shelter, Duot said there was hardly anything to eat at the camp. To survive, they rely on these nuts and wild fruits.

“We don’t know anything about what the government is doing. They’re fighting, but we don’t know what the problem is,” she told Al Jazeera.

“We’re in darkness. It’s only ever the humanitarian organisations who help.”

South Sudan has seen renewed fighting in recent weeks between government soldiers and fighters loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO).

The United Nations says an estimated 280,000 people have been displaced by the fighting and air attacks since late December, including more than 235,000 across Jonglei alone.

The UN’s children agency UNICEF also warned last week that more than 450,000 children are at risk of acute malnutrition due to mass displacement and the halting of critical medical services in Jonglei.

Nearly 10 million people need life-saving humanitarian assistance across South Sudan, a country still reeling from a ruinous civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people and displaced millions between 2013 and 2018.

Humanitarian operations, however, have been crippled by attacks and looting, with observers saying both sides in the conflict have prevented assistance from reaching areas where they believe civilians support their opponents.

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) suspended its activities last week in Baliet county, in Upper Nile state, following repeated attacks on a convoy carrying humanitarian assistance.

The WFP said the suspension would remain in place until the safety of its staff could be guaranteed and authorities take immediate action to recover the stolen supplies.

Separately, medical humanitarian NGO Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, said last week a hospital in Jonglei was hit by a government air attack, marking the 10th attack in 12 months on an MSF-run medical facility in the country.

In addition, the MSF health facility in Pieri, also in Jonglei, was looted by unknown assailants, forcing staff to flee. The organisation said the violence had left some 250,000 people without healthcare, as the NGO had been the only medical provider in the area.

MSF said the targeted attacks on its facilities have forced the closure of two hospitals in the Greater Upper Nile and the suspension of general healthcare activities in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria states.

On Sunday, UN chief Antonio Guterres “strongly” condemned the escalating violence in the country and warned that civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

In a statement, the secretary-general called on all parties “to immediately and decisively halt all military operations, de-escalate tensions through dialogue, uphold international law, protect civilians, and ensure safe and sustained humanitarian access and the security of aid workers and United Nations peacekeeping personnel and their assets”.

Coronation Street fans met Shona Platt and Jodie Ramsey’s father on Monday on the ITV soap, but his warning to Shona left fans convinced they knew what had happened to him

Sinister scenes on Coronation Street may have revealed Jodie Ramsey did something terrible to her own father.

Shona Platt was stunned during Monday’s episode of the ITV soap, after suspecting her sister Jodie was hiding something. She followed her to a hospital where she was left reeling to be reunited with her father after decades apart.

She had decided to track her father down, after Jodie recently claimed to Shona that her upbringing wasn’t great, with her father apparently being controlling in the wake of Shona fleeing years ago. Shona failed to find a lead on her dad’s whereabouts though, before managing to locate him by following Jodie to the hospital.

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It was clear their dad, who was laying still but awake in a bed, was dazed and confused. Initially he didn’t talk or move and he didn’t even react to Shona entering the room.

Jodie claimed she had to care for him after he spiralled in the wake of Shona and her mum leaving. She said he often had angry outbursts and in the end she could no longer look after him, admitting him to the hospital for daily care.

Suddenly the father started shouting out, seemingly calling Jodie a liar and warning Shona about her. Jodie claimed he didn’t know what he was saying most of the time, but later proved he had reason to be worried.

He seemed genuinely scared when Jodie commented that she didn’t need him anymore, and hinted that things didn’t go his way when he didn’t stay in line. So did Jodie do something to her dad?

Fans certainly think so with one writing: “I think Jodie abuses him,” as another commented: “The father looked a bit frightened of Jodie I thought.” A third added: “OMG Does Jodie abuse her dad?”

A fourth fan commented: “I think Jodie has been drugging her father. Anything that comes out of her mouth is lies and I think she wants to destroy Shona’s life because she abandoned her when she left home.”

Another said: “Jodie is definitely hiding something else I bet she’s the one abusing her dad.” Meanwhile one viewer posted: “That’s what I’m thinking as she’s probably the one who put him in that hospital to get his money.”

Other fans shared their belief that Jodie was out to steal her sister Shona’s life. A fan posted: “It’s giving me ‘single white female’ vibes. Jodie definitely wants Shona’s life.”

Another agreed: “Not sure what the story is actually. Why did Shona leave? Presume Jodie was left to look after the dad so Jodie is full of resentment. Found Shona and saw she had a good life so wants a bit of it???????”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .