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By Agnieszka Flak MILAN, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Uncertainty surrounding Spaniard Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate’s Minions-themed programme struck a chord across figure skating, where clearing music rights can be one of the most stressful and least predictable parts of competition preparation. Guarino Sabate said on Tuesday he would be allowed to skate to music from the "Minions" film franchise after Universal Studios reversed its earlier objection, just days before the Milano Cortina Winter Games are set to kick off.  American skater Amber Glenn said even when skaters follow correct procedures, final decisions can be out of their hands. "We have tried our hardest to get everything cleared, do what we can and, honestly, a producer can just decide, never mind, no. We don't have 100% control over this," she said in a press conference on Wednesday. Glenn, 26, said the threat of a last-minute reversal often hangs over skaters throughout the season. "I'm just hoping and praying that I don't get an email saying … oh, by the way, they've reached out and they said they don't want you to use it." She added that athletes rely heavily on their support teams to handle the process while they stay focused on training. "It's been a very strenuous process for many of us, but we have a great team around us that's supposed to handle that, because we have a job to do, we have to go skate," said Glenn. "So for me, I just focus on what I can control and what I can do and let the people around me handle that kind of stuff." MUSIC CAN ADD LAYER OF RISK, SAYS MALININ Twice world champion Ilia Malinin said selecting distinctive music can add another layer of risk, particularly for skaters looking to stand out. The 21-year-old American will skate his short programme to a video game‑inspired montage featuring “Dies Irae,” performed by nattura and Vila, and “The Lost Crown (Prince of Persia)” by 2WEI, Joznez and Kataem.  "I like to pick really unique pieces of music I skate to and there's a lot of challenges of whether people will like it but also of whether you'll be able to skate to it," Malinin said. Malinin added that he often contacted the artists or the rights holders directly in the hope of avoiding problems. "Most of the time it usually works out in my favour, and especially this year everyone was so hopeful and so supportive of this, and they're really excited for me to skate their pieces of music." Still, he said, there were no guarantees. "You really don't know what you're getting into, but you kind of just have to hope everything works out." Glenn, whose short programme is set to Madonna's "Like a Prayer", said she would take even bad news in her stride. "If I do get a message from Madonna saying she doesn't want me to skate to her music … I'll just be excited to get a message from Madonna." (Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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By Daniel Trotta Feb 3 (Reuters) – Penny, a 4-year-old Doberman pinscher, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, capturing the most prestigious dog show prize in the United States. Penny cut a majestic stance in the final round of judging, when the finalists of seven groups competed at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The champion of the working group beat more than 3,000 dogs from all 50 states and 17 countries that competed in the 150th annual event. The winners of each of the 202 competing breeds advanced to compete for one of seven group titles, with each group winner moving on to the finals. Penny's handler Andy Linton, who has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, also handled the winning Doberman named Indy the last time the breed won Best in Show, in 1989. "We saw a dog that knew that it had to perform for Andy, and I think that's the bond we get," Jason Hoke, the television commentator for Fox Sports, said on the broadcast of the event.  "We saw that with this perfect show the dog put on. The dog was giving it back to Andy because Andy has had his own struggles and that's what dogs do, that unconditional love," Hoke said. Penny was bred by Theresa Connors-Chan and Gregory Chan, two of the co-owners along with Francis Sparagna and Diana Sparagna. Second place, known as Reserve Best in Show, went to Cota, a 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever from the sporting group. The other finalists were Zaida, an Afghan hound from the hound group; Cookie, a Maltese from the toy group; JJ, a Lhasa Apso from the non-sporting group; Graham, an old English sheepdog from the herding group; and Wager, a smooth fox terrier from the terrier group. "They always say, 'What a great lineup,' but this is one that will go down in history," Best in Show judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a breeder, owner and handler who has won Best in Show twice, told the crowd before announcing the winner. Judges, looking for each breed's ideal standard, examine the dogs' mouths and place their hands over the animals' bodies, checking for muscle tone before watching the dogs run through their paces.  Dobermans, which have a reputation as police dogs, have now won the top prize five times. The breed was developed for protection in the late 19th century by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector. It was later used in police and military service, notably by the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War Two.  (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Michael Perry)

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By Daniel Trotta Feb 3 (Reuters) – Penny, a 4-year-old Doberman pinscher, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, capturing the most prestigious dog show prize in the United States. Penny cut a majestic stance in the final round of judging, when the finalists of seven groups competed at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The champion of the working group beat more than 3,000 dogs from all 50 states and 17 countries that competed in the 150th annual event. The winners of each of the 202 competing breeds advanced to compete for one of seven group titles, with each group winner moving on to the finals. Penny's handler Andy Linton, who has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, also handled the winning Doberman named Indy the last time the breed won Best in Show, in 1989. "We saw a dog that knew that it had to perform for Andy, and I think that's the bond we get," Jason Hoke, the television commentator for Fox Sports, said on the broadcast of the event.  "We saw that with this perfect show the dog put on. The dog was giving it back to Andy because Andy has had his own struggles and that's what dogs do, that unconditional love," Hoke said. Penny was bred by Theresa Connors-Chan and Gregory Chan, two of the co-owners along with Francis Sparagna and Diana Sparagna. Second place, known as Reserve Best in Show, went to Cota, a 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever from the sporting group. The other finalists were Zaida, an Afghan hound from the hound group; Cookie, a Maltese from the toy group; JJ, a Lhasa Apso from the non-sporting group; Graham, an old English sheepdog from the herding group; and Wager, a smooth fox terrier from the terrier group. "They always say, 'What a great lineup,' but this is one that will go down in history," Best in Show judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a breeder, owner and handler who has won Best in Show twice, told the crowd before announcing the winner. Judges, looking for each breed's ideal standard, examine the dogs' mouths and place their hands over the animals' bodies, checking for muscle tone before watching the dogs run through their paces.  Dobermans, which have a reputation as police dogs, have now won the top prize five times. The breed was developed for protection in the late 19th century by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector. It was later used in police and military service, notably by the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War Two.  (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Michael Perry)

(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 Daniel Trotta Feb 3 (Reuters) – Penny, a 4-year-old Doberman pinscher, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, capturing the most prestigious dog show prize in the United States. Penny cut a majestic stance in the final round of judging, when the finalists of seven groups competed at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The champion of the working group beat more than 3,000 dogs from all 50 states and 17 countries that competed in the 150th annual event. The winners of each of the 202 competing breeds advanced to compete for one of seven group titles, with each group winner moving on to the finals. Penny's handler Andy Linton, who has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, also handled the winning Doberman named Indy the last time the breed won Best in Show, in 1989. "We saw a dog that knew that it had to perform for Andy, and I think that's the bond we get," Jason Hoke, the television commentator for Fox Sports, said on the broadcast of the event.  "We saw that with this perfect show the dog put on. The dog was giving it back to Andy because Andy has had his own struggles and that's what dogs do, that unconditional love," Hoke said. Penny was bred by Theresa Connors-Chan and Gregory Chan, two of the co-owners along with Francis Sparagna and Diana Sparagna. Second place, known as Reserve Best in Show, went to Cota, a 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever from the sporting group. The other finalists were Zaida, an Afghan hound from the hound group; Cookie, a Maltese from the toy group; JJ, a Lhasa Apso from the non-sporting group; Graham, an old English sheepdog from the herding group; and Wager, a smooth fox terrier from the terrier group. "They always say, 'What a great lineup,' but this is one that will go down in history," Best in Show judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a breeder, owner and handler who has won Best in Show twice, told the crowd before announcing the winner. Judges, looking for each breed's ideal standard, examine the dogs' mouths and place their hands over the animals' bodies, checking for muscle tone before watching the dogs run through their paces.  Dobermans, which have a reputation as police dogs, have now won the top prize five times. The breed was developed for protection in the late 19th century by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector. It was later used in police and military service, notably by the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War Two.  (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Michael Perry)

(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 Daniel Trotta Feb 3 (Reuters) – Penny, a 4-year-old Doberman pinscher, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, capturing the most prestigious dog show prize in the United States. Penny cut a majestic stance in the final round of judging, when the finalists of seven groups competed at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The champion of the working group beat more than 3,000 dogs from all 50 states and 17 countries that competed in the 150th annual event. The winners of each of the 202 competing breeds advanced to compete for one of seven group titles, with each group winner moving on to the finals. Penny's handler Andy Linton, who has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, also handled the winning Doberman named Indy the last time the breed won Best in Show, in 1989. "We saw a dog that knew that it had to perform for Andy, and I think that's the bond we get," Jason Hoke, the television commentator for Fox Sports, said on the broadcast of the event.  "We saw that with this perfect show the dog put on. The dog was giving it back to Andy because Andy has had his own struggles and that's what dogs do, that unconditional love," Hoke said. Penny was bred by Theresa Connors-Chan and Gregory Chan, two of the co-owners along with Francis Sparagna and Diana Sparagna. Second place, known as Reserve Best in Show, went to Cota, a 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever from the sporting group. The other finalists were Zaida, an Afghan hound from the hound group; Cookie, a Maltese from the toy group; JJ, a Lhasa Apso from the non-sporting group; Graham, an old English sheepdog from the herding group; and Wager, a smooth fox terrier from the terrier group. "They always say, 'What a great lineup,' but this is one that will go down in history," Best in Show judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a breeder, owner and handler who has won Best in Show twice, told the crowd before announcing the winner. Judges, looking for each breed's ideal standard, examine the dogs' mouths and place their hands over the animals' bodies, checking for muscle tone before watching the dogs run through their paces.  Dobermans, which have a reputation as police dogs, have now won the top prize five times. The breed was developed for protection in the late 19th century by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector. It was later used in police and military service, notably by the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War Two.  (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Michael Perry)

(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 Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Apple TV will debut “Matchbox The Movie” in October, betting that Mattel’s classic car toys — tiny enough to slip into matchboxes — can spark a fresh franchise in a thriller about a framed soldier racing to clear his name. Apple TV said at a press day event on Tuesday that it will begin streaming the film globally on October 9, based on the famous miniature car brand launched in the early 1950s. John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Arturo Castro star in the film and discussed the legacy of the palm-sized cars and why it remains timely for the 2026 action-adventure flick. Parris said they relished tapping into childhood memories of the palm‑sized die-cast collectors' items while Richardson, an avid Matchbox collector, joked he wished he could have kept the life-size cars used on set.  The film follows Sean, played by Cena, a former soldier who is kidnapped and framed after completing a mission and reuniting with his friends. The group must clear their names and navigate the bonds of their friendship. The movie, directed by stuntman Sam Hargrave, is a collaboration between Mattel and Skydance Media.  PUSH FOR MATTEL-BRAND ENTERTAINMENT Mattel is pushing deeper into brand‑driven entertainment. Its other upcoming toy-inspired films include the animated "Bob the Builder" movie and a live-action "Masters of the Universe: Chronicles" film, based on the He-Man action figure and arriving in theaters on June 5, 2026.  Apple TV’s 2026 release aims to build on its post-“Barbie” momentum as Hollywood hunts for familiar IP with global pull. Barbie dolls and accessories are Mattel's biggest brand. The toy company's portfolio also includes Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket and UNO.  In 2025, Mattel combined its film and television units to form Mattel Studios in a move to produce entertainment driven by its brands and potentially repeat the commercial success of the 2023 "Barbie" movie.  Apple TV's press day also included first-look previews of various shows, including the Emmy-nominated TV series "Shrinking," and the upcoming shows "Lucky," "Imperfect Women" and "The Dink." (Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Howard Goller)

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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Apple TV will debut “Matchbox The Movie” in October, betting that Mattel’s working‑class car toys — tiny enough to slip into matchboxes — can spark a fresh franchise in a thriller about a framed soldier racing to clear his name. Apple TV said at a press day event on Tuesday that it will begin streaming the film globally on October 9, based on the famous miniature car brand launched in the early 1950s. John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Arturo Castro star in the film. The film follows Sean, played by Cena, a former soldier who is kidnapped and framed after completing a mission and reuniting with his friends. The group must clear their names and navigate the bonds of their friendship. The movie, directed by stuntman Sam Hargrave, is a collaboration between Mattel and Skydance Media.  PUSH FOR MATTEL-BRAND ENTERTAINMENT Mattel is pushing deeper into brand‑driven entertainment. Its other upcoming toy-inspired films include the animated "Bob the Builder" movie and a live-action "Masters of the Universe: Chronicles" film, based on the He-Man action figure and arriving in theaters on June 5, 2026.  Apple TV’s 2026 release aims to build on its post-“Barbie” momentum as Hollywood hunts for familiar IP with global pull. Barbie dolls and accessories are Mattel's biggest brand. The toy company's portfolio also includes Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket and UNO.  In 2025, Mattel combined its film and television units to form Mattel Studios in a move to produce entertainment driven by its brands and potentially repeat the commercial success of the 2023 "Barbie" movie.  Apple TV's press day also included first-look previews of various shows, including "Lucky," "Imperfect Women" and "The Dink." (Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Howard Goller)

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By Jody Godoy Feb 3 (Reuters) – U.S. senators grilled Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos on Tuesday at a hearing over how his company's proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery will affect competition across the entertainment industry. U.S. Senator Mike Lee led the hearing in which Sarandos and Bruce Campbell, Warner Bros' chief strategy officer, testified. While the Senate cannot itself prohibit the deal, the lawmakers demanded details on how the transaction would affect consumers, workers and competitors. Lee, a Republican from Utah who leads the antitrust subcommittee, said the deal could decrease competition among streaming platforms and provide writers, actors and other entertainment workers fewer jobs. It could also put Netflix in a position to divert movies away from theaters and lessen rivals' access to Warner Bros' blockbuster content, he said.  "Netflix seeks to become the one platform to rule them all," Lee said.   WARNER BROS COVETED FOR STUDIOS, FRANCHISES The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the transaction, along with a competing, hostile bid from Paramount Skydance.  Netflix and Paramount Skydance covet Warner Bros for its leading film and television studios, extensive content library and franchises such as "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter" and DC Comics' superheroes Batman and Superman. Paramount has argued it will have an easier regulatory path to approval. But Warner Bros has repeatedly rejected offers from Paramount, which would wind up deep in debt to finance the transaction. Paramount's CEO is David Ellison, whose father, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, has cultivated a close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Lawmakers from both major U.S. political parties have voiced concerns that the deal will reduce competition in the streaming market. Cory Booker, the ranking Democrat on the panel, pressed Sarandos about the role Trump would play in reviewing the deal. Trump said shortly after the deal was announced that he would be involved. "I don't know if he's involved or not," Sarandos said. Netflix has pointed to statistics by media analysis firm Nielsen that say Google's YouTube accounts for more viewing time on U.S. televisions than other streaming services, but experts say the DOJ is likely to analyze how the deal affects competition in a more specific market, such as streaming platforms that charge a monthly subscription.  Lee questioned Sarandos over the difference between the professionally produced movies and shows on Netflix and the ad-supported content featured on YouTube.  Sarandos said at the hearing that there is no publicly available breakdown of what people watch on YouTube, but that capturing U.S. television viewing is a "zero-sum game." "If you're watching YouTube, HBO Max, you're not watching Netflix, you're not watching CBS," he said.   (Reporting by Jody Godoy in Los Angeles; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Rod Nickel)

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By Lori Ewing MILAN, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate said he will be allowed to use music from the "Minions" film franchise when he competes in the men's short programme after Universal Studios reversed its earlier objection. Guarino Sabate had revealed on Monday that a copyright clearance issue would prevent him from using the music at the Olympics despite performing with it throughout the season. "Huge thank you to everyone who reposted, shared, and supported," he wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. "Because of you, Universal Studios reconsidered and officially granted the rights for this one special occasion. "There are still a couple of things to be tied up with the other two music of the program, but we are so close to accomplishing it! And it's all thanks to you." The programme's music is a montage of four different songs, including "Vicious Funk" by Heitor Pereira and "Freedom" by Pharrell Williams. The Spaniard had said he followed all required procedures and submitted the music through the ISU ClicknClear system in August, and only learned about the copyright clearance issue on Friday. Guarino Sabate dresses in a yellow t-shirt and blue overalls for his performance to resemble the popular animated characters. The "Minions" franchise is owned by Illumination, which is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures.     The 26-year-old said he chose the music to bring joy and a playful style to the ice and show that "skating as a male Olympic figure skater can be fun".   "I'm so happy to see that the Minions hitting Olympic ice is becoming real again!!" he posted on Tuesday. "I'll keep you posted!" The International Skating Union said copyright clearances can represent a challenge for all artistic sports. "While the ISU does not have a contractual relationship with ClicknClear, we continue to work collaboratively with rights clearance stakeholders to ensure that thrilling performances can be accompanied by stirring music," the ISU said in a statement on Monday. (Reporting by Lori Ewing; Additional reporting by Rory Carroll, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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By Miranda Murray BERLIN, Feb 3 (Reuters) – German voice actors have launched a grassroots boycott against Netflix over a contract clause that allows the streaming platform to use their recordings for AI training, a spokesperson for the VDS voice actors' association told Reuters. Netflix's global footprint has increased demand for dubbed content, with international hits such as South Korea's "Squid Game" and Spain's "Money Heist" attracting audiences far beyond their home markets. But voice actors, like many in the entertainment industry, are increasingly wary of artificial intelligence upending their livelihood and raising fresh copyright concerns. SUBTITLES AN ALTERNATIVE Netflix has sent a letter to German voice actors saying their concerns stem from a misunderstanding of how the U.S. company intends to use the recordings and invited the VDS to an informal discussion, the association's chairperson, Anna-Sophia Lumpe, said on Tuesday. "They also end the letter with the promise that if people continue to boycott working for them, that content will be shown with German subtitles in Germany," instead of dubbing, she said. She did not have exact figures on the size of the boycott but said "our efforts and the efforts of the voice actors are generating a response". A Netflix spokesperson confirmed that the letter exists and said the company is taking the concerns seriously. NEW CONTRACT CLAUSE According to the VDS, which represents around 600 members, Netflix's new contracts, introduced at the start of the year, state that recordings may be used to train AI systems, without specifying whether compensation would be provided. The clause sparked a sharp backlash, with a large majority of voice actors refusing to agree to the terms, Lumpe said. The association has commissioned a law firm to examine the contract in relation to data privacy, copyright law and the EU AI Act. The contracts are based on an agreement Netflix reached with the BFFS actors' union in June which requires explicit written consent for the use of any AI-generated digital voice replica. However, the BFFS said it intentionally left out rules on remuneration for AI-related uses for now. "This is because there are currently no reference points for appropriate basic remuneration," the union said on its website, adding it wanted "to avoid any unfavourable predetermination at all costs". (Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Jan Harvey)

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