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By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA (Reuters) -Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced on Friday changes to voting rules to avoid state interference after controversy over Israel's entry this year. The new rules by the European Broadcasting Union discourage governments and third parties from "disproportionately promoting" songs to sway voters – and say they could otherwise face sanctions. At this year's edition, Israel's Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, came second overall. However, some on social media raised concern about the transparency of the voting system – which was echoed by the winner, Austrian entry JJ. Critics said state promotion unfairly boosted Israel's entry and that individuals' multiple voting for the same contestant went against the spirit of the competition, which has been running since 1956. Israel has not commented on those accusations, but often alleges a global smear campaign against it since the Gaza war began after the Hamas attack. The Israeli permanent mission in Geneva did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Eurovision director Martin Green said the organisation was taking steps to ensure the competition remains a celebration of music and unity. "The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalized," he said in a statement. Under the new rules, an expanded professional jury will be reintroduced at the semi-final stage and will have about 50% of the vote. The other half will remain a public vote. ISRAEL SAYS IT WILL NOT QUIT COMPETITION Audience members will now have a maximum of 10 rather than 20 votes to cast. "Fans will be actively encouraged to share their support across multiple entries,” the EBU stated. Ahead of next May's 70th edition in Austria, EBU members will meet in December to discuss Israeli participation. Five countries – the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland and Spain – want Israel excluded over the number of Palestinian civilians killed during Israel's offensive in Gaza. Israel denies targeting civilians in Gaza and says it is being unfairly demonised abroad. According to the Euronews outlet, a dozen European members of parliament called for the release of voting data from this year's Eurovision contest citing fears of manipulation, after various national broadcasters had expressed the same worry. Irish broadcaster RTE confirmed at the time that it had requested a breakdown of Eurovision voting numbers. Posts and photos from the Israel X account run by Israel's foreign ministry and dated May 15 – the day that Israel competed in this year's Eurovision semi-final – encouraged people to vote for Raphael, adding that "you can vote up to 20 times." (Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Additional reporting by Emma Farge; 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.)

By Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor traversed new terrain with her song "Still Don't Care," which explores her experiences being cyberbullied on social media.    "Still Don't Care," part of her upcoming "Toy with Me" album, directly addresses the online backlash the "All About That Bass" singer has received about her weight loss. "The verses are all the things I've read about myself and all the things people have said to my face," Trainor told Reuters. "I get to that chorus and I scream, 'No, I still don't care!' And I love it," she said. Trainor said that "Still Don't Care" was inspired by a lot of "crazy" comments on her social media that she felt were out of nowhere. "I've been working on my health and my fitness journey for two years now," she said, noting that she felt the comments were an attempt to regress her to another stage in her life. "They made me cry," the 31-year-old said. "I thought, 'Well, this is silly.'" After over a decade in the entertainment industry, Trainor says she still hasn't developed a thick skin.     "When I read people's comments, I have to remind myself that it's just like a bot online. It's like a robot, or it's just someone who is going through probably way harder things," Trainor said. "Still Don't Care" is out now and Trainor's full album will be released on April 24, 2026, when she will be traveling the U.S. with her children for the "Get It Girl" tour.     The album centers on self-love and introduces songs about Trainor's children and going to marriage counseling with her husband. (Reporting by Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway; Editing by Tom Hogue)

(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 Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor traversed new terrain with her song "Still Don't Care," which explores her experiences being cyberbullied on social media.    "Still Don't Care," part of her upcoming "Toy with Me" album, directly addresses the online backlash the "All About That Bass" singer has received about her weight loss. "The verses are all the things I've read about myself and all the things people have said to my face," Trainor told Reuters. "I get to that chorus and I scream, 'No, I still don't care!' And I love it," she said. Trainor said that "Still Don't Care" was inspired by a lot of "crazy" comments on her social media that she felt were out of nowhere. "I've been working on my health and my fitness journey for two years now," she said, noting that she felt the comments were an attempt to regress her to another stage in her life. "They made me cry," the 31-year-old said. "I thought, 'Well, this is silly.'" After over a decade in the entertainment industry, Trainor says she still hasn't developed a thick skin.     "When I read people's comments, I have to remind myself that it's just like a bot online. It's like a robot, or it's just someone who is going through probably way harder things," Trainor said. "Still Don't Care" is out now and Trainor's full album will be released on April 24, 2026, when she will be traveling the U.S. with her children for the "Get It Girl" tour.     The album centers on self-love and introduces songs about Trainor's children and going to marriage counseling with her husband. (Reporting by Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway; Editing by Tom Hogue)

(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 Dawn Chmielewski and Dawn Kopecki (Reuters) -Warner Bros Discovery has received preliminary buyout bids from rivals Paramount Skydance, Comcast and Netflix, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday, kicking off a potential sale of the century-old Hollywood studio. The bids set the stage for a significant consolidation in the media industry and will determine the future of prized assets like HBO, the Warner Bros film library and the DC Comics universe. Paramount is expected to bid for all of Warner Bros Discovery, including its cable television networks. Paramount's bid is backed by the studio's controlling shareholder, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who is among the world's richest men. The potential combination would enhance Paramount's presence in movie theaters, giving it a 32% share of the North American theatrical market, according to Comscore, and strengthen its streaming service by combining HBO Max with Paramount+. Reuters exclusively reported that Warner Bros Discovery's board rejected a mostly cash offer of nearly $24 a share for the company, valuing it at $60 billion, and publicly announced it would evaluate strategic options for the studio. NBCUniversal's corporate parent, Comcast, is interested in Warner Bros' film and television studios and HBO, whose characters, including Superman and Batman, would strengthen its theatrical and streaming business and its theme parks. The merged studios' share of the North American theatrical market would exceed 43%, according to Comscore. Netflix is also courting Warner Bros' studio and streaming businesses, aiming to gain access to Warner Bros' extensive film library and established entertainment franchises, such as "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings".  Warner Bros Discovery previously announced plans to split into two publicly traded companies, separating its studios and streaming business from its fading cable networks. Warner Bros Discovery did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Comcast and Paramount Skydance declined to comment. Netflix could not be reached for comment. The New York Times first reported the development. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo, Lisa Shumaker and Stephen Coates)

(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 Dawn Chmielewski and Dawn Kopecki (Reuters) -Warner Bros Discovery has received preliminary buyout bids from rivals Paramount Skydance, Comcast and Netflix, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday, kicking off a potential sale of the century-old Hollywood studio. The bids set the stage for a significant consolidation in the media industry and will determine the future of prized assets like HBO, the Warner Bros film library and the DC Comics universe. Paramount is expected to bid for all of Warner Bros Discovery, including its cable television networks. Paramount's bid is backed by the studio's controlling shareholder, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who is among the world's richest men. The potential combination would enhance Paramount's presence in movie theaters, giving it a 32% share of the North American theatrical market, according to Comscore, and strengthen its streaming service by combining HBO Max with Paramount+. Reuters exclusively reported that Warner Bros Discovery's board rejected a mostly cash offer of nearly $24 a share for the company, valuing it at $60 billion, and publicly announced it would evaluate strategic options for the studio. NBCUniversal's corporate parent, Comcast, is interested in Warner Bros' film and television studios and HBO, whose characters, including Superman and Batman, would strengthen its theatrical and streaming business and its theme parks. The merged studios' share of the North American theatrical market would exceed 43%, according to Comscore. Netflix is also courting Warner Bros' studio and streaming businesses, aiming to gain access to Warner Bros' extensive film library and established entertainment franchises, such as "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings".  Warner Bros Discovery previously announced plans to split into two publicly traded companies, separating its studios and streaming business from its fading cable networks. Warner Bros Discovery did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Comcast and Paramount Skydance declined to comment. Netflix could not be reached for comment. The New York Times first reported the development. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo, Lisa Shumaker and Stephen Coates)

(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 Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor traversed new terrain with her song "Still Don't Care," which explores her experiences being cyberbullied on social media.    "Still Don't Care," part of her upcoming "Toy with Me" album, directly addresses the online backlash the "All About That Bass" singer has received about her weight loss. "The verses are all the things I've read about myself and all the things people have said to my face," Trainor told Reuters. "I get to that chorus and I scream, 'No, I still don't care!' And I love it," she said. Trainor said that "Still Don't Care" was inspired by a lot of "crazy" comments on her social media that she felt were out of nowhere. "I've been working on my health and my fitness journey for two years now," she said, noting that she felt the comments were an attempt to regress her to another stage in her life. "They made me cry," the 31-year-old said. "I thought, 'Well, this is silly.'" After over a decade in the entertainment industry, Trainor says she still hasn't developed a thick skin.     "When I read people's comments, I have to remind myself that it's just like a bot online. It's like a robot, or it's just someone who is going through probably way harder things," Trainor said. "Still Don't Care" is out now and Trainor's full album will be released on April 24, 2026, when she will be traveling the U.S. with her children for the "Get It Girl" tour.     The album centers on self-love and introduces songs about Trainor's children and going to marriage counseling with her husband. (Reporting by Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway; Editing by Tom Hogue)

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

(In paragraph 2, corrects Petersen-Clausen's nationality to German not Norwegian) By Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -Japanese jazz musician Yoshio Suzuki and his band were in the midst of a sound check for some long-awaited performances in Beijing when the venue was visited by plain-clothes police on Thursday afternoon. "After less than one minute, the venue owner came to me and said the police told him all concerts with Japanese people are cancelled – and there is no discussion," said Christian Petersen-Clausen, a German concert promoter and documentary filmmaker who has lived in China for 13 years. About a dozen concerts with Japanese musicians in major Chinese cities have been abruptly cancelled this week as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo escalate. The trigger was remarks this month by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi who said a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo. China, which regards the democratically governed island as its own, was incensed and has said Takaichi will face consequences. Its response began with economic measures such as a boycott on travel to Japan and a ban on imports of Japanese seafood, but it has since increasingly spilt over to the realm of cultural events. Suzuki, an 80-year-old renowned jazz bassist and his quintet had undergone a months-long review process to obtain China performance visas. "They were absolutely excited to come to China," according to Petersen-Clausen, adding the band was "crushed" at the news. On Thursday and Friday, music venues across China were warned by authorities that concerts with Japanese musicians for the remainder of 2025 may be cancelled, he said. The venues were also told not to submit fresh applications for Japanese performers' gigs next year and concert organisers are now banned from sending promotional texts to fans about upcoming gigs of Japanese artists. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CHINA WELL VERSED IN CULTURAL BOYCOTTS Other abrupt cancellations include a Beijing concert by Japanese singer KOKIA on Wednesday evening, according to dozens of complaints from angry fans on social media. "Everyone queued until the start time, but they still wouldn't let us in. Afterwards, KOKIA's team came out to tell us the band is ready, but the venue won't let them perform," read one post on the platform RedNote. Videos circulating on X on Thursday showed a large crowd of angry fans outside the venue chanting: "Give us our money back!" Japanese rapper KID FRESINO's China tour was indefinitely postponed on Friday, according to a social media post by his Chinese tour promoter. China has a history of using cultural boycotts against countries as a form of economic coercion during diplomatic disputes. No major K-pop bands have been allowed to perform in the country since the 2016 THAAD missile dispute between the two neighbours. K-dramas and other Korean cultural products remain under an unofficial ban on Chinese platforms. Beijing has been battling to boost spending on services this year amid a prolonged economic slowdown. Cancelling these concerts will be a further drag on growth, said Petersen-Clausen. He noted the knock-on effects of fans' cancelled flights and hotel bookings and reduced shifts for Chinese support staff. Live music gigs are also an important outlet for many young Chinese people facing work or life pressure during the economic downturn, and many young music fans who attend concerts pay little attention to international politics, he added. "We do see this kind of (anti-Japanese) sentiment sometimes online … but we don't see it at these concerts," he said. "I've never, ever heard anybody bring politics into these moments." (Reporting by Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(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 Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -Japanese jazz musician Yoshio Suzuki and his band were in the midst of a sound check for some long-awaited performances in Beijing when the venue was visited by plain-clothes police on Thursday afternoon. "After less than one minute, the venue owner came to me and said the police told him all concerts with Japanese people are cancelled – and there is no discussion," said Christian Petersen-Clausen, a Norwegian concert promoter and documentary filmmaker who has lived in China for 13 years. About a dozen concerts with Japanese musicians in major Chinese cities have been abruptly cancelled this week as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo escalate. The trigger was remarks this month by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi who said a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo. China, which regards the democratically governed island as its own, was incensed and has said Takaichi will face consequences. Its response began with economic measures such as a boycott on travel to Japan and a ban on imports of Japanese seafood, but it has since increasingly spilt over to the realm of cultural events. Suzuki, an 80-year-old renowned jazz bassist and his quintet had undergone a months-long review process to obtain China performance visas. "They were absolutely excited to come to China," according to Petersen-Clausen, adding the band was "crushed" at the news. On Thursday and Friday, music venues across China were warned by authorities that concerts with Japanese musicians for the remainder of 2025 may be cancelled, he said. The venues were also told not to submit fresh applications for Japanese performers' gigs next year and concert organisers are now banned from sending promotional texts to fans about upcoming gigs of Japanese artists. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CHINA WELL VERSED IN CULTURAL BOYCOTTS Other abrupt cancellations include a Beijing concert by Japanese singer KOKIA on Wednesday evening, according to dozens of complaints from angry fans on social media. "Everyone queued until the start time, but they still wouldn't let us in. Afterwards, KOKIA's team came out to tell us the band is ready, but the venue won't let them perform," read one post on the platform RedNote. Videos circulating on X on Thursday showed a large crowd of angry fans outside the venue chanting: "Give us our money back!" Japanese rapper KID FRESINO's China tour was indefinitely postponed on Friday, according to a social media post by his Chinese tour promoter. China has a history of using cultural boycotts against countries as a form of economic coercion during diplomatic disputes. No major K-pop bands have been allowed to perform in the country since the 2016 THAAD missile dispute between the two neighbours. K-dramas and other Korean cultural products remain under an unofficial ban on Chinese platforms. Beijing has been battling to boost spending on services this year amid a prolonged economic slowdown. Cancelling these concerts will be a further drag on growth, said Petersen-Clausen. He noted the knock-on effects of fans' cancelled flights and hotel bookings and reduced shifts for Chinese support staff. Live music gigs are also an important outlet for many young Chinese people facing work or life pressure during the economic downturn, and many young music fans who attend concerts pay little attention to international politics, he added. "We do see this kind of (anti-Japanese) sentiment sometimes online … but we don't see it at these concerts," he said. "I've never, ever heard anybody bring politics into these moments." (Reporting by Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(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 Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -Japanese jazz musician Yoshio Suzuki and his band were in the midst of a sound check for some long-awaited performances in Beijing when the venue was visited by plain-clothes police on Thursday afternoon. "After less than one minute, the venue owner came to me and said the police told him all concerts with Japanese people are cancelled – and there is no discussion," said Christian Petersen-Clausen, a Norwegian concert promoter and documentary filmmaker who has lived in China for 13 years. About a dozen concerts with Japanese musicians in major Chinese cities have been abruptly cancelled this week as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo escalate. The trigger was remarks this month by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi who said a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo. China, which regards the democratically governed island as its own, was incensed and has said Takaichi will face consequences. Its response began with economic measures such as a boycott on travel to Japan and a ban on imports of Japanese seafood, but it has since increasingly spilt over to the realm of cultural events. Suzuki, an 80-year-old renowned jazz bassist and his quintet had undergone a months-long review process to obtain China performance visas. "They were absolutely excited to come to China," according to Petersen-Clausen, adding the band was "crushed" at the news. On Thursday and Friday, music venues across China were warned by authorities that concerts with Japanese musicians for the remainder of 2025 may be cancelled, he said. The venues were also told not to submit fresh applications for Japanese performers' gigs next year and concert organisers are now banned from sending promotional texts to fans about upcoming gigs of Japanese artists. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CHINA WELL VERSED IN CULTURAL BOYCOTTS Other abrupt cancellations include a Beijing concert by Japanese singer KOKIA on Wednesday evening, according to dozens of complaints from angry fans on social media. "Everyone queued until the start time, but they still wouldn't let us in. Afterwards, KOKIA's team came out to tell us the band is ready, but the venue won't let them perform," read one post on the platform RedNote. Videos circulating on X on Thursday showed a large crowd of angry fans outside the venue chanting: "Give us our money back!" Japanese rapper KID FRESINO's China tour was indefinitely postponed on Friday, according to a social media post by his Chinese tour promoter. China has a history of using cultural boycotts against countries as a form of economic coercion during diplomatic disputes. No major K-pop bands have been allowed to perform in the country since the 2016 THAAD missile dispute between the two neighbours. K-dramas and other Korean cultural products remain under an unofficial ban on Chinese platforms. Beijing has been battling to boost spending on services this year amid a prolonged economic slowdown. Cancelling these concerts will be a further drag on growth, said Petersen-Clausen. He noted the knock-on effects of fans' cancelled flights and hotel bookings and reduced shifts for Chinese support staff. Live music gigs are also an important outlet for many young Chinese people facing work or life pressure during the economic downturn, and many young music fans who attend concerts pay little attention to international politics, he added. "We do see this kind of (anti-Japanese) sentiment sometimes online … but we don't see it at these concerts," he said. "I've never, ever heard anybody bring politics into these moments." (Reporting by Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(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 Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -Japanese jazz musician Yoshio Suzuki and his band were in the midst of a sound check for some long-awaited performances in Beijing when the venue was visited by plain-clothes police on Thursday afternoon. "After less than one minute, the venue owner came to me and said the police told him all concerts with Japanese people are cancelled – and there is no discussion," said Christian Petersen-Clausen, a Norwegian concert promoter and documentary filmmaker who has lived in China for 13 years. About a dozen concerts with Japanese musicians in major Chinese cities have been abruptly cancelled this week as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo escalate. The trigger was remarks this month by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi who said a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo. China, which regards the democratically governed island as its own, was incensed and has said Takaichi will face consequences. Its response began with economic measures such as a boycott on travel to Japan and a ban on imports of Japanese seafood, but it has since increasingly spilt over to the realm of cultural events. Suzuki, an 80-year-old renowned jazz bassist and his quintet had undergone a months-long review process to obtain China performance visas. "They were absolutely excited to come to China," according to Petersen-Clausen, adding the band was "crushed" at the news. On Thursday and Friday, music venues across China were warned by authorities that concerts with Japanese musicians for the remainder of 2025 may be cancelled, he said. The venues were also told not to submit fresh applications for Japanese performers' gigs next year and concert organisers are now banned from sending promotional texts to fans about upcoming gigs of Japanese artists. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CHINA WELL VERSED IN CULTURAL BOYCOTTS Other abrupt cancellations include a Beijing concert by Japanese singer KOKIA on Wednesday evening, according to dozens of complaints from angry fans on social media. "Everyone queued until the start time, but they still wouldn't let us in. Afterwards, KOKIA's team came out to tell us the band is ready, but the venue won't let them perform," read one post on the platform RedNote. Videos circulating on X on Thursday showed a large crowd of angry fans outside the venue chanting: "Give us our money back!" Japanese rapper KID FRESINO's China tour was indefinitely postponed on Friday, according to a social media post by his Chinese tour promoter. China has a history of using cultural boycotts against countries as a form of economic coercion during diplomatic disputes. No major K-pop bands have been allowed to perform in the country since the 2016 THAAD missile dispute between the two neighbours. K-dramas and other Korean cultural products remain under an unofficial ban on Chinese platforms. Beijing has been battling to boost spending on services this year amid a prolonged economic slowdown. Cancelling these concerts will be a further drag on growth, said Petersen-Clausen. He noted the knock-on effects of fans' cancelled flights and hotel bookings and reduced shifts for Chinese support staff. Live music gigs are also an important outlet for many young Chinese people facing work or life pressure during the economic downturn, and many young music fans who attend concerts pay little attention to international politics, he added. "We do see this kind of (anti-Japanese) sentiment sometimes online … but we don't see it at these concerts," he said. "I've never, ever heard anybody bring politics into these moments." (Reporting by Laurie Chen and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

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