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MEXICO CITY, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Huge demand to see K-pop boy band BTS, among the world's most popular artists, has led Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to formally request of her counterpart, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, that he help arrange more concerts in Mexico. "Everyone wants to go," Sheinbaum said at her daily morning press conference on Monday, adding that she had sent a diplomatic letter to South Korea's Lee seeking more concerts. "Around 1 million young people want to buy tickets, but there are only 150,000 tickets available," she said.  The chart-topping band is set to embark on a global tour in April, shortly after they launch their first new album in three years. The band has been on hiatus since 2022 while its members undertook South Korea's mandatory military service. The new tour launched a worldwide scramble for tickets, particularly in Mexico, one of K-pop's largest fan bases, where many people missed the initial rush and others complained to the consumer watchdog about problems with sales. Mexico's consumer watchdog said it has launched a probe into Ticketmaster and is sanctioning resale platforms StubHub and Viagogo for "abusive and disloyal practices" over the BTS ticketing process, without giving more details. Tickets were selling on Ticketmaster from about 1,800 pesos to as much as 17,800 pesos for VIP tickets (around $100 to $1,030), but on resale platforms on Monday the tickets were selling from 11,300 to 92,100 pesos (more than $5,300). The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The watchdog agency said it would help develop new guidelines to better regulate ticket sales to concerts and festivals, with prices and locations established ahead of the tickets' release. Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, has faced other controversies in Mexico, including in 2022 when it reimbursed around $1 million to customers after more than a thousand fans reported being denied access to a Bad Bunny concert at Mexico's Estadio Azteca.  At the time, Ticketmaster criticized resellers and fraudulent ticket vendors and called for stronger control measures. BTS's new album "Arirang" is slated for release in March and the world tour will begin in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9. Just three concerts have been scheduled in Mexico, all in Mexico City's GNP Seguros Stadium, from May 7 to May 10. ($1 = 17.3032 Mexican pesos) (Reporting by Sarah Morland, Diego Ore and Ana Isabel Martinez in Mexico City; Editing by Emily Green and Matthew Lewis)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Michael Holden LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – British actor Sadie Frost said there had been a "price on my head" and she had become sick with humiliation as she gave evidence in a privacy lawsuit she has brought against the Daily Mail alongside Prince Harry and others. Frost, 60, is suing the Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers, for privacy violations between 2000 and 2010, including a reporter discovering her ectopic pregnancy in 2003 when she says she had not even told her mother and sisters. Associated denies allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts, made by Frost and the other claimants, including Harry, singer Elton John, and actor Elizabeth Hurley. STORIES ABOUT JUDE LAW Frost was the third claimant to give evidence after Harry and Hurley, telling London's High Court her voicemails were hacked, and her landline and car bugged, mainly to obtain stories about her relationship with ex-husband and fellow actor Jude Law. "There had been a price put on my head," said Frost, who starred in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and has since turned to directing. She became tearful and requested a break when asked about stories about how her daughter, then aged two, chewed on an ecstasy tablet found on the floor at a children's party. "It's just so humiliating … it made me so ill," she said, explaining she had needed hospital treatment for post-natal depression.  Frost rejected suggestions from Associated's lawyer that her family or friends could have leaked the stories, saying they would not have known such highly personal details — or when they did speak to the media it was only after the information had already been published. "This stuff had been in the press because it had been hacked from my voicemail," she said, adding both she and Law had at times suspected the other of leaking stories.  ASSOCIATED SAYS LAWSUIT OUT OF DATE Associated, which also publishes the Mail on Sunday, says the information about Frost's pregnancy came from a freelance journalist with confidential sources close to Frost and her then estranged husband. The publisher also argues Frost knew enough to bring a claim before filing in October 2022 — arguing she was outside a six‑year limitation period — and that her lawyers used "camouflage" to hide their knowledge. Frost denied any part in such a "plot", telling Associated's lawyer Antony White: "You're making me feel like I'm part of something that I'm not." Asked by her own lawyer about pursuing the case, she said the process was "very distressing", but added: "The Daily Mail should be accountable." On Monday, lawyers released witness statements supporting the claimants from a series of well-known figures including actors Billie Piper and Patsy Kensit who say they believe stories written about them had been unlawfully obtained. Their evidence is not being challenged as the publisher says their claims are both mistaken and irrelevant. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Additional reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Ros Russell)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Michael Holden LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – British actor Sadie Frost said there had been a "price on my head" and she had become sick with humiliation as she gave evidence in a privacy lawsuit she has brought against the Daily Mail alongside Prince Harry and others. Frost, 60, is suing the Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers, for privacy violations between 2000 and 2010, including a reporter discovering her ectopic pregnancy in 2003 when she says she had not even told her mother and sisters. Associated denies allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts, made by Frost and the other claimants, including Harry, singer Elton John, and actor Elizabeth Hurley. STORIES ABOUT JUDE LAW Frost was the third claimant to give evidence after Harry and Hurley, telling London's High Court her voicemails were hacked, and her landline and car bugged, mainly to obtain stories about her relationship with ex-husband and fellow actor Jude Law. "There had been a price put on my head," said Frost, who starred in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and has since turned to directing. She became tearful and requested a break when asked about stories about how her daughter, then aged two, chewed on an ecstasy tablet found on the floor at a children's party. "It's just so humiliating … it made me so ill," she said, explaining she had needed hospital treatment for post-natal depression.  Frost rejected suggestions from Associated's lawyer that her family or friends could have leaked the stories, saying they would not have known such highly personal details — or when they did speak to the media it was only after the information had already been published. "This stuff had been in the press because it had been hacked from my voicemail," she said, adding both she and Law had at times suspected the other of leaking stories.  ASSOCIATED SAYS LAWSUIT OUT OF DATE Associated, which also publishes the Mail on Sunday, says the information about Frost's pregnancy came from a freelance journalist with confidential sources close to Frost and her then estranged husband. The publisher also argues Frost knew enough to bring a claim before filing in October 2022 — arguing she was outside a six‑year limitation period — and that her lawyers used "camouflage" to hide their knowledge. Frost denied any part in such a "plot", telling Associated's lawyer Antony White: "You're making me feel like I'm part of something that I'm not." Asked by her own lawyer about pursuing the case, she said the process was "very distressing", but added: "The Daily Mail should be accountable." On Monday, lawyers released witness statements supporting the claimants from a series of well-known figures including actors Billie Piper and Patsy Kensit who say they believe stories written about them had been unlawfully obtained. Their evidence is not being challenged as the publisher says their claims are both mistaken and irrelevant. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Additional reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Ros Russell)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Anna Voitenko KYIV, Jan 26 (Reuters) – In his cramped Kyiv studio where icicles hang from the tap in the bathroom sink, surrealist painter Yuriy Denysenkov reckons he can work a bit more today if he can just keep the room warm enough so paint will still squeeze from the tube. Russia's relentless bombardment of Ukraine's heating and power system has left millions of Ukrainians facing the coldest and darkest winter yet after four years of war. "The paint freezes and it's hard to squeeze it out," he says, managing to squirt a streak of dark blue onto a palette. "If I do it quickly like this, I can even get a bit warmer," he says as he makes quick brush strokes on a moody picture of a child sticking a toe into a puddle in the countryside with a dog. In another studio, steam billows from Oleksandr Liapin's lips as the 70-year-old dabs at a painting of an astonished-looking white bunny in a room with a candle on the ceiling – painted in bright yellow, pink and orange in a naive style. It's minus 10 Celsius (14 F) outside, but it's nudged a bit above freezing inside, thanks to a gas camping stove that boiled up a kettle. At least three members of the art collective are currently serving in the military – one of whom is missing in action. Liapin's weapon is his paintbrush. "The world sees that we're living on and fighting. That's why they're helping us," Liapin said. (Writing by Dan PeleschukEditing by Peter Graff)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Anna Voitenko KYIV, Jan 26 (Reuters) – In his cramped Kyiv studio where icicles hang from the tap in the bathroom sink, surrealist painter Yuriy Denysenkov reckons he can work a bit more today if he can just keep the room warm enough so paint will still squeeze from the tube. Russia's relentless bombardment of Ukraine's heating and power system has left millions of Ukrainians facing the coldest and darkest winter yet after four years of war. "The paint freezes and it's hard to squeeze it out," he says, managing to squirt a streak of dark blue onto a palette. "If I do it quickly like this, I can even get a bit warmer," he says as he makes quick brush strokes on a moody picture of a child sticking a toe into a puddle in the countryside with a dog. In another studio, steam billows from Oleksandr Liapin's lips as the 70-year-old dabs at a painting of an astonished-looking white bunny in a room with a candle on the ceiling – painted in bright yellow, pink and orange in a naive style. It's minus 10 Celsius (14 F) outside, but it's nudged a bit above freezing inside, thanks to a gas camping stove that boiled up a kettle. At least three members of the art collective are currently serving in the military – one of whom is missing in action. Liapin's weapon is his paintbrush. "The world sees that we're living on and fighting. That's why they're helping us," Liapin said. (Writing by Dan PeleschukEditing by Peter Graff)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Anna Voitenko KYIV, Jan 26 (Reuters) – In his cramped Kyiv studio where icicles hang from the tap in the bathroom sink, surrealist painter Yuriy Denysenkov reckons he can work a bit more today if he can just keep the room warm enough so paint will still squeeze from the tube. Russia's relentless bombardment of Ukraine's heating and power system has left millions of Ukrainians facing the coldest and darkest winter yet after four years of war. "The paint freezes and it's hard to squeeze it out," he says, managing to squirt a streak of dark blue onto a palette. "If I do it quickly like this, I can even get a bit warmer," he says as he makes quick brush strokes on a moody picture of a child sticking a toe into a puddle in the countryside with a dog. In another studio, steam billows from Oleksandr Liapin's lips as the 70-year-old dabs at a painting of an astonished-looking white bunny in a room with a candle on the ceiling – painted in bright yellow, pink and orange in a naive style. It's minus 10 Celsius (14 F) outside, but it's nudged a bit above freezing inside, thanks to a gas camping stove that boiled up a kettle. At least three members of the art collective are currently serving in the military – one of whom is missing in action. Liapin's weapon is his paintbrush. "The world sees that we're living on and fighting. That's why they're helping us," Liapin said. (Writing by Dan PeleschukEditing by Peter Graff)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Michael Holden LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – British actor Sadie Frost said there had been a "price on my head" and she had become sick with humiliation as she gave evidence in a high-profile privacy lawsuit against the Daily Mail newspaper that she has brought with Prince Harry and five others. Frost, 60, is suing the Mail's publisher Associated Newspapers for privacy violations between 2000 and 2010, including a reporter discovering her ectopic pregnancy in 2003 when she says she had not even told her mother and sisters. Associated denies allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts, made by Frost and the other claimants, including Harry, singer Elton John, and actor Elizabeth Hurley. STORIES ABOUT JUDE LAW Frost was the third claimant to give evidence after Harry and Hurley, telling the High Court in London voicemails were hacked, and her landline and car bugged to find out stories mainly relating to her relationship with ex-husband and fellow actor Jude Law. "There had been a price put on my head," said Frost, who starred in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and has now turned to directing. Frost became tearful and requested a break when asked about stories about how her daughter, then aged two, chewed on an ecstasy tablet found on the floor at a children's party in a club. "It's just so humiliating … it made me so ill," she said, explaining she had needed hospital treatment for post-natal depression.  She rejected suggestions from Associated's lawyer that her family or friends could have been leaking stories, saying they would not have known the highly personal information, or when they did speak to the media it was only after such details had already been reported. "This stuff had been in the press because it had been hacked from my voicemail," she said, adding both she and Law had suspected the other was leaking stories.  ASSOCIATED SAYS LAWSUIT OUT OF DATE The newspaper group, which also publishes the Mail on Sunday, says the information about Frost's pregnancy came from a freelance journalist with confidential sources close to Frost and her then estranged husband. Associated also says Frost knew enough to bring a lawsuit before she sued in October 2022, outside a six-year time limit. On Monday, lawyers released witness statements supporting the claimants from a series of well-known figures including actors Billie Piper and Patsy Kensit who say they believe stories written about them had been unlawfully obtained. Their evidence is not being challenged as the publisher says their claims are both mistaken and irrelevant. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – A group of artists is shining a light on the impact of climate change, rising sea levels and nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands after travelling to the remote Pacific nation as part of an expedition. The "Kõmij Mour Ijin/Our Life is Here" exhibition at London's National Maritime Museum features paintings, sculptures, photos and video installations exploring the nation's dark history and the threat facing its inhabitants.  Led by Cape Farewell, a cultural art and climate project founded by artist David Buckland, a team of artists, writers, scientists and filmmakers set sail to the Marshall Islands in 2023. They visited various atolls, including Bikini, where the U.S. carried out nuclear bomb tests from 1946 to 1958, such as "Castle Bravo" in 1954 – the largest U.S. bomb ever detonated. "‘Our Life is Here’… refers to them. It's how they could construct their life in among the terrible history and the potential future," Buckland told Reuters. "The atolls are six feet above sea water, that doesn't take much of the Pacific Ocean to rise, to actually make them uninhabitable. So that threat is hanging over them." On show at the exhibition, which opened in late November and runs until June, are works exploring the threat of rising flood waters as well as photographs of Marshall Islanders both by international and local artists. Home to around 40,000 people, the Marshall Islands is one of the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels, which are projected to put 96% of the capital Majuro at risk of frequent flooding, according to a 2021 World Bank study.  Last year was among the planet's three warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization said earlier this month, as EU scientists also confirmed average temperatures have now exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming for the longest since records began. (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Toby Chopra)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – A group of artists is shining a light on the impact of climate change, rising sea levels and nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands after travelling to the remote Pacific nation as part of an expedition. The "Kõmij Mour Ijin/Our Life is Here" exhibition at London's National Maritime Museum features paintings, sculptures, photos and video installations exploring the nation's dark history and the threat facing its inhabitants.  Led by Cape Farewell, a cultural art and climate project founded by artist David Buckland, a team of artists, writers, scientists and filmmakers set sail to the Marshall Islands in 2023. They visited various atolls, including Bikini, where the U.S. carried out nuclear bomb tests from 1946 to 1958, such as "Castle Bravo" in 1954 – the largest U.S. bomb ever detonated. "‘Our Life is Here’… refers to them. It's how they could construct their life in among the terrible history and the potential future," Buckland told Reuters. "The atolls are six feet above sea water, that doesn't take much of the Pacific Ocean to rise, to actually make them uninhabitable. So that threat is hanging over them." On show at the exhibition, which opened in late November and runs until June, are works exploring the threat of rising flood waters as well as photographs of Marshall Islanders both by international and local artists. Home to around 40,000 people, the Marshall Islands is one of the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels, which are projected to put 96% of the capital Majuro at risk of frequent flooding, according to a 2021 World Bank study.  Last year was among the planet's three warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization said earlier this month, as EU scientists also confirmed average temperatures have now exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming for the longest since records began. (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Toby Chopra)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)