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Thomas Pynchon has long been in the running for the Nobel Prize for Literature, but he didn't get it this time either. But fans are nonetheless celebrating, as the US author has now published a new novel – his first in 12 years. New York (dpa) – Very few people are as famous and yet as unknown as Thomas Pynchon, the US author who has millions of fans but is rarely seen in person. He has been tipped for the Nobel Prize for Literature over the decades as one of the most important contemporary English-language writers. Nonetheless, he has managed to take anonymity to extremes rarely seen in these social media-saturated times. Pynchon lives a completely secluded life, gives virtually no interviews, does not attend award ceremonies and certainly permits no photography. Born in 1937 into a New England Puritan family on Long Island near New York, Pynchon is said to have studied physics and literature, served in the Navy and written for a company newspaper. He lives with his wife, a literary agent, on New York's Upper West Side and has a child – though none of this has ever been confirmed by Pynchon himself. Ninth novel, after 12 years What we do know is that Pynchon, said to be 88, published eight novels between 1963 and 2013. They were greatly successful, from "V" and "Gravity's Rainbow" to "Against the Day." Some 12 years on since his most recent novel, his ninth is "Shadow Ticket," released last week. Pynchon's work "always challenges the limits of our perception," says Rowohlt publisher Nicola Bartels. With "Shadow Ticket," Pynchon again shows his unmistakable style and remarkable ability to analyse social issues with a sharp, humorous and profound eye. The work is set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1932, bringing us back to the US in the midst of the Great Depression. Prohibition is about to be repealed. Al Capone is in jail and private detective Hicks McTaggart takes on a routine job, to locate the heiress of a cheese manufacturer and bring her home. But suddenly he finds himself on an ocean liner and ends up in Hungary. By the time Hicks catches up with the woman he is hunting for, he has found himself "entangled with Nazis, Soviet agents, British counterspies, swing musicians, practitioners of the paranormal, outlaw motorcyclists, and the troubles that come with each of them, none of which Hicks is qualified, forget about being paid, to deal with," says publisher Penguin. Pynchon never makes it easy for the reader "Shadow Ticket" is typical Pynchon in many ways. The story twists and turns, with ever-changing minor characters, making for a complex read. He builds entire cathedrals out of language, only to tear them down completely a few pages later. The puzzle is an essential part of the process. "Figuring out what it is like to read Pynchon is what it is like to read Pynchon. You're never done with it," author Jonathan Lethem once told the New York Times. Fans of the writer are busy enjoying his work and in the US, some even gathered at bookshops to be among the first readers at midnight when it was released. They were delighted. But critics had a harder time with "Shadow Ticket." The book has a somewhat hectic feel to it and the unfamiliar language means you have to fight your way through it, sometimes reading passages over and over, which can be rewarding and enjoyable but occasionally frustrating too. "Shadow Ticket" is definitely not a book for Pynchon beginners, but it sure is a feast for fans. The following information is not intended for publication dpa cah xxde arw coh

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London (dpa) – "While on board a luxury yacht for a travel assignment, a journalist witnesses a passenger thrown overboard late at night, only to be told that it didn't happen, as all passengers and crew are accounted for." This is how Netflix summarizes the plot of its latest hit film "The Woman in Cabin 10", which has already reached the number one spot on the streaming service's film charts shortly after its release. In the first three days after its release on October 10, Netflix recorded 21.2 million views worldwide for the thriller, which evokes comparisons to classics like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile". The plot is a classic whodunit mystery. The star-studded film, starring Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Hannah Waddingham, has also received a fair share of negative reviews. Critics often note that the second half drags considerably. The mystery thriller is based on Ruth Ware's bestselling novel (set on a cruise ship and not a luxury yacht), said to maintain the suspense more effectively than the film. British actress Knightley had her breakthrough in 2002 with the British football film "Bend It Like Beckham". She later starred in "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Love Actually" and "Pride & Prejudice". The following information is not intended for publication dpa gth yyzz n1 lig

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Taylor Swift's 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, has shattered records, selling 4.002 million copies in its first week — the largest opening week in modern music history. But does this reflect her broad appeal or the dedication of her most loyal fans? Los Angeles (tca/dpa)  — Madonna's "MDNA." Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising." Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." According to the Recording Industry Association of America, none of these albums — each the 12th studio LP by its respective maker — has sold 4 million copies in the United States in the decade or more since it was released. Yet that's what Taylor Swift just did in a single week withher12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl ," which Billboard reported Monday had moved 4.002 million copies in the seven days between October 3 and 9. That figure, which combines sales and streaming numbers, represents the biggest opening week for an album in modern history, breaking the record set by Adele 10 years ago when her "25 " moved 3.482 million units in its first week. Swift marked the achievement on Instagram on Monday with a note to her 281 million followers. "I'll never forget how excited I was in 2006 when my first album sold 40,000 copies in its first week," she wrote. "I was 16 and couldn't even fathom that that many people would care enough about my music to invest their time and energy into it. Since then I've tried to meet and thank as many people as I could who have given me the chance to chase this insane dream. Here we are all these years later and a hundred times that many people showed up for me this week. "I have 4 million thank you's I want to send to the fans," she added, "and 4 million reasons to feel even more proud of this album than I already was." The speed with which Swift hit the 4 million mark is undeniably impressive. Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem," the biggest album of 2025 so far, has sold and streamed the equivalent of 4.2 million copies, according to the trade journal Hits. But "I'm the Problem" has been out since mid-May; "Showgirl" will almost certainly have surpassed Wallen's LP by the end of this week (if it hasn't already). What's more remarkable is where "Showgirl's" blockbuster success comes in the arc of Swift's career. Madonna andSpringsteen were both in their early 50s when they released their 12th LPs;Carey was 40 when "Imperfect Angel" came out. Swift, in contrast, is only 35 — one advantage of starting out professionally as a teenager. Still, Swift has been a star for nearly two decades, a point at which many pop musicians have shifted the focus of their work to touring even as they continue to make new records generally ignored by all but their most devoted fans. In 2024, according to Pollstar, Madonna's and Springsteen's latest road shows — each drawn from a catalog packed with hit songs — were among the year's 10 highest-grossing tours. And indeed Swift has been amply rewarded on the road: At No. 1 on Pollstar's list was her Eras tour, which sold more than $2 billion in tickets across 149 dates on five continents. Yet unlike virtually every other veteran act in music, Swift's recording business is growing along with her live business. "Everything that's happening here is historic and unprecedented," said Hits' editor in chief, Lenny Beer. "Maybe if the Beatles had stayed together, we'd have seen something like it." Also worth considering: Nobody seems to think "The Life of a Showgirl" is Swift's best album. Reviews have been mixed, and even some fans have expressed disappointment with the record on social media — a once-unthinkable development among the fiercely loyal Swifties. So how did the singer pull off such a feat? First, a little math: Of "Showgirl's" 4 million units, approximately 3.5 million were sales of either digital or physical versions of the album (including CDs, cassettes and vinyl LPs); the remaining half-million came from streams of the album's songs on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, which the data firm Luminate counts toward what it calls streaming equivalent albums. "Showgirl's" 12 songs racked up 681 million streams in all, Billboard said — the fourth-biggest streaming week of all time, behind Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department " and Drake's "Scorpion" and "Certified Lover Boy." But the album's sales number is the largest ever recorded since Luminate started tracking sales electronically in 1991. Among Swift's strategies to get to that number was selling more than three dozen editions of the album, each with its own artwork and bonus material designed to lure collectors. On vinyl alone, "Showgirl" came out in eight so-called variants, which helped drive the album's first-week vinyl sales to a modern record of 1.3 million copies. Offering something for sale doesn't necessarily mean anyone will buy it, of course. Yet Swift was positioning "The Life of a Showgirl" as a juggernaut from the moment she announced it. Appearing with her fiancé, the NFL player Travis Kelce, on his "New Heights" podcast in August, the singer described the album as a return to the hit-making ways of albums like "Red" and "1989" after the relatively experimental "Folklore" and "Tortured Poets Department." To make "Showgirl," she reteamed with the Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she'd collaborated on some of her biggest singles, including "Blank Space," "Bad Blood" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." On "New Heights" she and Kelce talked about the new album as a "180" from the moody confessions of "Tortured Poets," whetting appetites for the kind of crisply hooky Taylor Swift songs that blanketed Top 40 radio in the mid-2010s. Promised the football star: "12 bangers." Once "Showgirl" was out, Swift jumped into the promotional fray with more gusto than she'd summoned in years, sitting for numerous radio interviews and putting in appearances on Graham Norton's, Jimmy Fallon's and Seth Meyers' late-night shows; the weekend after the album's release, a glorified sizzle reel called "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" played in AMC movie theaters across the country. On Monday, Swift kept the conversation going with the announcement that two Eras-related projects are headed to Disney+ in December: a six-part behind-the-scenes docuseries and a concert film ofthe tour's finale in Vancouver. "One of the hardest parts of ensuring you have a record-setting first week is making sure that everyone who could possibly be interested in your album knows about it," said Bill Werde, director of the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries at Syracuse University. "I'm not sure anyone has ever covered that need the way Taylor did with this album cycle." Yet "The Life of a Showgirl" has not been greeted as enthusiastically as some of Swift's earlier work. Pitchforksaid "her music's never been less compelling," while The Guardiancalled the album "dull razzle-dazzle from a star who seems frazzled." Fans on TikTok have complained that Swift's lyrics — which take up her romance with Kelce, the burdens of fame and an apparent beef with Charli XCX — are unusually shallow; some have even formulated a kind of tradwife critique of "Showgirl" in which Swift is seen as upholding regressive ideas about marriage and domesticity. The album has also attracted criticism from people who say Swift's songs recycle familiar elements from other pop tunes without giving credit: the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" in "Wood," for instance, and the Jonas Brothers' "Cool" in the LP's closing title track. "When every song is a derivative of another song, that's an issue," said one hit songwriter who asked not to be named in order to speak freely. "That one songisthe Jonas Brothers song — the exact same melody. And here's how lazy that is: It's the same key and the same tempo." In Werde's view, Swift's place atop the pop hierarchy makes such carping inevitable. "Anytime an artist gets this big, there's…

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Some dogs exhibit addictive behaviours toward toys, resembling human behavioural addictions like gambling or gaming, new research shows. Excessive play can lead to physical strain and behavioural issues in some breeds. Does this make them unsuitable as family pets? Berlin (dpa) – Ever watched a dog eat? They chow down hard, but for many not even food can keep their attention, and the sight of a special toy will instantly pull them away – in what researchers say may be a sign of addiction. Such behaviour resembles human behavioural addictions to gambling or online gaming, says a Swiss-Austrian research team. If your dog loves their toy so much that they just won't let go of it, it may seem cute, but addiction to play poses a risk to dogs too, according to the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports in October. After all, some dogs don't stop playing even if they are totally worn out or injured, say scientists led by Stefanie Riemer from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. They looked at the play of 105 dogs aged between one and 10 with a toy of their choice, with all the animals described by their owners as very playful. The most common breeds were Malinois (18), Border Collies (9) and Labrador Retrievers (9), classic working breeds. They also asked the owners about their dogs' everyday interaction with toys. Food? My owner? Whatever! The researchers found that 33 of the dogs showed addictive behaviour – based on factors such as whether the animal was overly fixated on the toy, showed little interest in alternatives such as food or playing with the owner, persistently tried to get the toy when it was not available, and were unable to calm down within 15 minutes when the toy was taken away. The results confirmed individual reports of addictive play behaviour in dogs, say the researchers. As with behavioural addictions in humans, the key is compulsive engagement in activities despite negative consequences. More studies are needed to clarify why some dogs tend to do this, as well as the specific health consequences, such as possible strain on ligaments and joints. Many mammals and birds play Playful behaviour is ubiquitous in mammals, especially young ones, as well as some birds and this is usually a sign of well-being, though it can also be avoidance behaviour in stressful situations or serve to reduce social tensions. Also, activities that began as fun can become compulsive and develop into a behavioural addiction, say scientists. Behavioural addictions are based on similar neurobiological processes and behavioural symptoms as substance addictions. In humans, sports, sex, shopping and work can all become addictive alongside better-known behaviours such as playing computer games or gambling. Bred specifically for play drive Scientists have studied behavioural addictions in animals such as mice, with some specifically bred to run excessively on a wheel developing physiological withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen in drug addiction after abstinence. "Like excessive physical activity in humans, running on a wheel can disrupt everyday activities in rodents and lead to impairments in nest building and protective behaviour," researchers say. But only dogs are known to exhibit addictive behaviour spontaneously, meaning without this being deliberately induced for experimental purposes. This may be due to centuries of selection particularly in working breeds or working lines. In working breeds, young dogs with an obsessive motivation to play are considered particularly easy to train and also show better concentration. So such breeds or breeding lines are specifically selected for toy motivation as a performance indicator. That can make these dogs unsuitable as family pets because of their strong drive. This may not always be sufficiently clear to those who focus mainly on the cuteness of Border Collies and other breeds. The following information is not intended for publication dpa kll xxde arw coh

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Some dogs exhibit addictive behaviours toward toys, resembling human behavioural addictions like gambling or gaming, new research shows. Excessive play can lead to physical strain and behavioural issues in some breeds. Does this make them unsuitable as family pets? Berlin (dpa) – Ever watched a dog eat? They chow down hard, but for many not even food can keep their attention, and the sight of a special toy will instantly pull them away – in what researchers say may be a sign of addiction. Such behaviour resembles human behavioural addictions to gambling or online gaming, says a Swiss-Austrian research team. If your dog loves their toy so much that they just won't let go of it, it may seem cute, but addiction to play poses a risk to dogs too, according to the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports in October. After all, some dogs don't stop playing even if they are totally worn out or injured, say scientists led by Stefanie Riemer from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. They looked at the play of 105 dogs aged between one and 10 with a toy of their choice, with all the animals described by their owners as very playful. The most common breeds were Malinois (18), Border Collies (9) and Labrador Retrievers (9), classic working breeds. They also asked the owners about their dogs' everyday interaction with toys. Food? My owner? Whatever! The researchers found that 33 of the dogs showed addictive behaviour – based on factors such as whether the animal was overly fixated on the toy, showed little interest in alternatives such as food or playing with the owner, persistently tried to get the toy when it was not available, and were unable to calm down within 15 minutes when the toy was taken away. The results confirmed individual reports of addictive play behaviour in dogs, say the researchers. As with behavioural addictions in humans, the key is compulsive engagement in activities despite negative consequences. More studies are needed to clarify why some dogs tend to do this, as well as the specific health consequences, such as possible strain on ligaments and joints. Many mammals and birds play Playful behaviour is ubiquitous in mammals, especially young ones, as well as some birds and this is usually a sign of well-being, though it can also be avoidance behaviour in stressful situations or serve to reduce social tensions. Also, activities that began as fun can become compulsive and develop into a behavioural addiction, say scientists. Behavioural addictions are based on similar neurobiological processes and behavioural symptoms as substance addictions. In humans, sports, sex, shopping and work can all become addictive alongside better-known behaviours such as playing computer games or gambling. Bred specifically for play drive Scientists have studied behavioural addictions in animals such as mice, with some specifically bred to run excessively on a wheel developing physiological withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen in drug addiction after abstinence. "Like excessive physical activity in humans, running on a wheel can disrupt everyday activities in rodents and lead to impairments in nest building and protective behaviour," researchers say. But only dogs are known to exhibit addictive behaviour spontaneously, meaning without this being deliberately induced for experimental purposes. This may be due to centuries of selection particularly in working breeds or working lines. In working breeds, young dogs with an obsessive motivation to play are considered particularly easy to train and also show better concentration. So such breeds or breeding lines are specifically selected for toy motivation as a performance indicator. That can make these dogs unsuitable as family pets because of their strong drive. This may not always be sufficiently clear to those who focus mainly on the cuteness of Border Collies and other breeds. The following information is not intended for publication dpa kll xxde arw coh

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

Los Angeles (dpa) – The sequel to "A Minecraft Movie" is officially in the works and is scheduled to be released in cinemas on July 23, 2027, according to US film industry media. As with the first film, Jared Hess will direct and co-write the screenplay with Chris Galletta. The first part of the video game adaptation was a box office hit, grossing nearly $1 billion since its release in April. Jack Black played the main character Steve in the first film, while Jason Momoa portrayed the outsider Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison. The Minecraft film is one of a series of video game adaptations that have become increasingly mainstream in recent years. In contrast to earlier video game adaptations from the 1990s, which were often met with mixed reviews, more recent film adaptations such as the "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "A Minecraft Movie" are produced with a higher budget and have had more success at the box office. Jack Black is also set to return as the voice of Bowser in a recently announced sequel to the Mario Bros. film. The following information is not intended for publication dpa lek yyzz n1 cht coh

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From "Wicked" witches to coquette clowns, here are the viral looks for this year’s Halloween. London (PA Media/dpa) – You probably haven’t started thinking about your Halloween look, but you may already be assuming the easy options of cat or vampire, which require no more than a liquid liner or a little fake blood. This year however, there are some viral looks from cinematic references to snatched skeletons that are perfect – and just as easy – for your 2025 Halloween make-up. Celebrity make-up artists share their top picks of the trending looks to try this year. Wednesday’s gothic glamour Pop culture has a way of steering our costumes – just remember the Barbie-mania of 2023. With Netflix’s "Wednesday" back on screens this autumn, expect gothic-inspired glam to dominate. “Matte skin, sharply defined eyeliner, dark berry or brown gothic lips and sculpted cheekbones contribute to that moody aesthetic,” says Cosmetify’s head of beauty Franchesca Villar. Celebrity make-up artist Bryony Blake also thinks this season will lean into old-school horror. “I think the Wednesday Addams’ make-up look is one of my favourites to recreate at home,” she says. “Most of us will have a dark matte eye shadow lurking in the drawer somewhere, along with a black eyeliner. Then all you need is a slightly paler foundation than normal and a gorgeous brown lip.” Wicked witch Few looks are as versatile as the witch – but it needn’t be boring. “Witchy glam is super-easy to do at home all you need is some black shadow, an eyeliner, red or berry lips and a bit of sparkle,” says celebrity make-up artist Mira Parmar. For her, it’s an accessible way to embrace the moody and punkish trends seen on the runways this season. Parmar points at Wicked’s Elphaba or Glinda as sources of inspiration, with the second part of the cinematic release coming out in November. Coquette clown Not all of 2025’s trends are inspired by the big screen. The bows, frills and ‘coquette-core’ of TikTok are also influencing our Halloween looks. The ‘coquette clown’ is set to be the cool new take on the classic spooky clown this year. “The pastel-spooky aesthetic, sometimes called ‘pinkween’, still going strong,” says Villar. “Pink and candy-coloured decor is feeding into make-up trends. To create the ‘coquette clown’, Boots’ senior beauty specialist Leanna Elisha Feryn says to “start by finding a flattering pink blush shade, in either a powder or liquid format, and build your look around that. “Apply a flush across the bridge of your nose and cheeks, then blend up to your temples. “Use a fine-tipped eyeliner pen to draw on the dainty painted details that will give your look some edge. Finish the look with fluttery false eyelashes for an enchanting doll-like eye.” Shimmering skeleton Metallics have also been spotted all over fashion week runways this season – from Roberto Cavalli’s ‘Gilded Age’ show to Louis Vuitton’s dazzling front row. It’s unsurprising then that the trending Halloween looks have taken inspiration – and this year, it’s the skeleton. For the base of the look, focus on shading in stages. “Follow the lines of your cheekbones, temples and jawline to create the hollows, and mark just like you would a contour,” advises Feryn. “Don’t rush it; take less onto the brush and it’ll be easier to blend out. Always opt for a cool-toned contour for definition and depth. To make sure the look is a bit cooler and more elevated, avoid the white paint – it’s giving fancy dress! “Instead, apply some highlighter on the high points for contrast – a formula with a little shimmer helps to catch the light and lift the look.” To finish the look, face gems are an easy way to elevate the whole look. Parmar says to opt for “futuristic metallics and pearlescent colours”. Studded around the eyes, on your cheekbones and around your lips mimic the high points of your face, where a skeleton would ordinarily protrude. The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

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Your dog is calling the shots when it's time for a walk? You can turn the tables with a few simple tricks. To start, you need to know how you're unconsciously encouraging leash-pulling behaviour. Berlin (dpa) – Every puppy owner dreams of relaxing walks with their dog calmly by their side on a loose leash. The reality is often quite different, as pulling on the leash is one of the most common problems for dog owners. In fact, one study even found that leash pulling is even the most common cause of humans being injured by dogs. "In most cases, this is self-inflicted because the dog learns through success," says dog trainer and author Katharina Schlegl-Kofler. When out for a walk, if the dog pulls towards a scent mark, the owner often follows automatically. "This unintentionally teaches the dog: If I pull, I get to where I want to go," she explains. Schlegl-Kofler recommends that with puppies and young dogs, owners should only take short walks on the leash. Depending on the situation, you can stop and wait until the leash becomes loose before continuing. Older dogs: Change direction without warning For older dogs, Schlegl-Kofler suggests simply turning around without saying anything if the dog pulls forward. "This leaves the dog with no choice but to change direction as well," she says. This approach does not harm the relationship with the dog. "But it makes the dog realise that someone is on the other end of the leash." With consistent training, it usually does not take long for the dog to stay at the same level as the owner. "The key is that the dog must not succeed with pulling," Schlegl-Kofler emphasises. If the leash has slack, the dog can be rewarded with praise or the occasional treat. However, Schlegl-Kofler stresses that every dog needs sufficient exercise and free movement. "If I only walk around the block for a few minutes each day, I cannot expect my dog to calmly trot alongside me." Leash aggression: A common issue Leash-related problems can escalate further. Seemingly calm dogs may suddenly bare their teeth, growl or lunge aggressively when another dog approaches. This behaviour is not necessarily a sign of a specific personality trait. "This is often self-inflicted as well," Schlegl-Kofler says. If owners stop when another dog crosses their path, they fail to provide their dog with a sense of security. "If I stay in the background and wait, I give my dog the impression: I have no idea what we’re doing here — you handle it!" An insecure dog may then lunge forward to keep the other dog at a distance. No sniffing other dogs while on the leash Dogs that are sometimes allowed to stop and sniff other dogs on the leash and sometimes not can become frustrated when the opportunity is denied. Schlegl-Kofler advises being consistent and not allowing any contact while on the leash, even if the other dog is off-leash. "The leashed dog feels restricted, and neither dog can truly communicate." The best solution is to always walk past other dogs while leashed, maintaining a sufficient distance and using treats for distraction if necessary. From the start, owners should use their body language to clearly signal that they are calm but determined to keep walking straight ahead. "This tells the dog: Everything is fine, that dog doesn’t concern us. We are not being threatened, and there’s no need to get upset." The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn ksp yyzz coh

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Los Angeles (tca/dpa) – Netflix has unveiled its first games for the TV, as the Los Gatos streamer aims to gain a bigger share of the video game market. The five games — which include versions of Boggle and Pictionary — are meant to be played on a TV in the same room with family and friends using their phones as controllers and are included in a regular Netflix subscription. Other titles include "LEGO Party!", "Tetris Time Warp" and social deduction game "Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends". The company plans to roll out the games in the US before the holidays. Netflix co-Chief Executive Greg Peters announced the TV games slate at a Bloomberg Screentime media conference in Hollywood on Wednesday, citing the burgeoning market for gaming. Consumers spend $140 billion a year on gaming, an amount that excludes Russian and Chinese markets and advertising revenue. "We think it's a real opportunity for us to try and earn a percentage of that over a period of time," Peters said at the event. Netflix announced its plans toexpand into mobile gaming in 2021, acquiringseveral game developers , including Glendale-based Night School Studios over time. The company started out in mobile games and has been testing games for the TV since 2023. This would be the first significant slate of TV games for Netflix, meant to be played from one to eight players in the same room on their TV. In an effort to give subscribers more reasons to keep their subscriptions, Netflix has licensed and built mobile games, some of them based on such popular franchises as "Too Hot to Handle " and "Squid Game ." But so far the efforts have been mixed. Last year, the gaming division was hit withlayoffs . And earlier this year, Mike Verdu, vice president of GenAI for games who was tasked with building the division,left the company . At the Bloomberg event on Wednesday night, Peters gave the company a B- on its gaming efforts. "A lot of what we've been doing is really just building the foundation," Peters said. "We've been doing a lot of real hard plumbing work, but now we're getting to a really interesting place where we're going to deliver more of what our vision of what we should be doing in the space is." The following information is not intended for publication tca dpa coh

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London (PA Media/dpa) – “This is what happens when a rôtisserie chicken crosses the road and gets hit by a fattoush salad,” says Irish food writer and presenter Donal Skehan. “A proper plate of all my favourite Middle Eastern bits for dinner. Crispy tbread croutons dusted with za’atar bring crunch and are matched with shaved colourful root veggies, fresh herbs and a labneh-ish sauce – this dish has it all. Fast, fresh and dangerously addictive – you’ve been warned!” Rôtisserie chicken and za’atar flatbread salad Ingredients: (Serves 2) 2 shop-bought flatbreads Olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1tbsp za’atar 2 small carrots 1 small candy-striped beetroot 1 small yellow beetroot 6 radishes 2 baby fennel bulbs 250g rôtisserie or leftover chicken 50g butter A handful of coriander A handful of mint 50g pine nuts For the base: 300g Greek yoghurt 2tbsp tahini 1 garlic clove Juice of 1 lemon Method: 1. First whisk together the Greek yoghurt, tahini, grated garlic and the juice of ½ a lemon. Spread over the bottom of a platter and set aside. 2. Chop the flatbreads into rough 1cm-sized pieces and toss in a bowl with a good glug of olive oil, salt and the za’atar. Put into an air fryer at 190°C (375°F) to crisp up for 5 minutes. 3. Meanwhile thinly shave the carrots, beetroots, radishes and fennel into a large bowl – I like to use a mandoline here but you can use a knife if you prefer. Drizzle the vegetables with a good glug of olive oil and a hefty pinch of salt, toss to coat, then set aside. 4. Shred the meat from the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a pan with 25g of the butter, a glug of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place over a medium heat and cook until the chicken is warmed through and a little golden. Remove from the pan. 5. Roughly chop the coriander and mint while the chicken cooks. 6. Now put the pine nuts into the same frying pan. Add the remaining butter and a glug of olive oil, then toast until the pine nuts are golden. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through most of the chopped coriander and mint and squeeze in the juice of the remaining lemon half. 7. Add the crispy bread and shredded chicken to the shaved vegetables and toss everything together. Pile on top of the yoghurt and drizzle with the herby pine nut dressing, finishing everything with the remaining herbs and another glug of extra virgin olive oil. The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

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