Author: Uponent

Archaeologists in Egypt say they have unearthed the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II, the first discovery in 100 years of a tomb of an Egyptian royal.

The discovery near Luxor is the first of a pharaonic royal tomb since the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb were found over a century ago in 1922, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday.

Thutmose’s tomb was found west of the Valley of the Kings, one of the world’s most important archaeological sites and home to the burial sites of many ancient Egyptian royals and nobles, including Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut.

Thutmose, an ancestor of Tutankhamun, lived nearly 3,500 years ago. His wife, Queen Hatshepsut, was one of the few women known to have ruled Egypt. Her mortuary temple is on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, not far from where her husband’s tomb was found.

Thutmose was a king of ancient Egypt’s 18th dynasty. His tomb was the last undiscovered tomb of that group.

An archaeology team found the entrance to Thutmose’s tomb in October 2022, according to the online magazine Archaeology News, but they thought it was likely the burial site of a queen. As they dug deeper, they found inscriptions referring to Thutmose II as the “deceased king” and Hatshepsut.

The tomb flooded soon after the king’s burial, damaging most of its contents, but some funerary furniture was recovered. Egypt’s antiquities ministry said Tuesday the discovery of the tomb is “one of the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years.”

Professor Mohamed Abdel-Badel, who heads Egypt’s Antiquities Sector, told Archaeology News that the team “recovered and restored fallen plaster fragments” that had blue inscriptions on them, including from the Book of the Amduat, which the website described as “a key funerary text used in royal burials.”

Thutmose’s tomb can now be listed among the wonders of ancient Egypt that draw hordes of tourists to the country. Last year, Egypt hosted 15.7 million tourists and aims to attract 18 million visitors in 2025, according to Agence France-Presse. Egypt may reach that goal with the long-awaited opening this year of the Grand Egyptian Museum at the foot of the legendary pyramids in Giza.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
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ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is ready to host the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2025 on Wednesday, with eight teams coming together for a major cricketing event in the country for the first time in three decades.

Pakistan last hosted a men’s Cricket World Cup in 1996 under the International Cricket Council.

The Champions Trophy will see players from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand Pakistan, and South Africa compete over almost three weeks, with the final scheduled for March 9.

All the teams except India will play in three stadiums across Pakistan. All matches involving India will be staged in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after the Indian cricket board refused to send the team to the archrival country, citing security concerns.

Afghanistan’s cricket team faced boycott calls from politicians in England and South Africa, who did not want their cricket boards to play the team because of the Afghan Taliban’s severe restrictions on women’s mobility, education and ability to work.

The cricket series begins in Pakistan’s biggest metropolis, Karachi, with the host team playing New Zealand.

Long wait for this opportunity

International cricket dried up in Pakistan after a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan national team in Lahore injured six players. Six Pakistani police officers and two passersby were killed. The incident deprived Pakistan of the chance to host the 2009 Champions Trophy and the 2011 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

International cricket returned with Zimbabwe’s visit in 2015. Since 2019, several major foreign teams have played in Pakistan.

For the nation of cricket lovers, attending a large event at home after more than a decade is nothing short of a dream come true.

“It’s the biggest event for us since 2009, so we are very excited,” said Mohsin Ali. Ali told VOA he paid just over $10 for a ticket to see Pakistan face Bangladesh on Feb. 27 in Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad.

“Pakistani team would play overseas, and we would watch it on TV, which wasn’t much fun,” said Ubaid Hassan, who was a child when international teams shunned Pakistan. Hassan, a captain of the cricket team in his village, has tickets to two matches.

Tight security for the event

Pakistan is deploying almost 20,000 police officials and personnel across Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi for security on game days, with snipers deployed on buildings surrounding the stadiums.

The security situation remains poor in Pakistan with near daily deadly militant attacks in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces. However, the country’s eastern province of Punjab and the southern province of Sindh, where the matches will be played, remain largely calm.

Still, in Karachi, the capital of Sindh, paramilitary troops and the military will be on standby to respond to security emergencies during the event.

Players are receiving state guest-level security. That means a heavy police contingent at hotels where teams are staying, with their travel routes cleared of all traffic. Only personnel with security clearances are allowed to interact with them.

Muhammad Waqas, deputy inspector general of operations for the Punjab police, told VOA that since the 2009 attack, “sports security and security of international events has become very important for us.”

“Even the slightest administrative lapse will cause embarrassment at a very large level, and if we do a good job and manage things efficiently, the same positive impression will go to a billion odd people,” Waqas said. “That is why it’s extremely important and is being planned and monitored at the highest level.”

Fans coming to the stadium will go through several layers of security, including metal detectors and pat downs. Each ticket bears the name and national identity card number of the buyer.

Could be good for nation’s image

While it’s not clear how many visas have been issued to foreign fans, cricket experts in Pakistan say the event will help improve the country’s image, which has suffered partly because of a lack of international exposure.

“When you don’t have tourists, then people will not know how your country is and people will keep thinking poorly of Muslims and Pakistanis,” said Tauqir Zia, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Although India’s absence from Pakistan’s grounds is a disappointment for many Pakistani cricket lovers who wanted to see the sport’s biggest rivalry play out at home, some say the arrival of other cricketing powers is a vote of confidence.

“Six countries coming to play here is a very big victory for Pakistan. If India doesn’t come, it’s not stopping cricket. The game is still happening,” said cricket journalist Umar Farooq.

The final will be played in Pakistan, unless India qualifies to play the last match, in which case the event will take place in Dubai.

Pakistan has spent millions of dollars in recent months to upgrade the stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Former Pakistani cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed said he hopes the arrival of heavyweights will usher in a new era for international cricket in the country.

“It’s the first step,” said Ahmed, who is a spin bowling coach for Bangladesh. “I am very hopeful that this will open more doors.”

VOA Urdu’s Naveed Naseem contributed to this report.
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“Saturday Night Live” has been a staple of American television comedy for 50 years, launching stars and shaping culture. On Sunday night, fans and famous alumni gathered in New York City to celebrate this milestone. Aron Ranen reports from the Big Apple.
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NEW YORK — Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the 50th anniversary special celebrating “Saturday Night Live” with a duet of his song “Homeward Bound.”

The 83-year-old Simon has been a constant on “SNL” since its earliest episodes in 1975 and performed on the first show after the 9/11 attack. He was joined by the 25-year-old pop sensation of the moment, Carpenter.

“I sang this song with George Harrison on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1976,” Simon said.

“I was not born then,” Carpenter said, getting a laugh. “And neither were my parents,” she added, getting a bigger laugh.

Fifty seasons of “Saturday Night Live” sketches, songs and special guests are being celebrated for the special’s landmark anniversary in a Sunday night special.

The pop culture juggernaut has launched the careers of generations of comedians, from Bill Murray to Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey to Kristen Wiig.

Many of those stars were on hand for “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration,” airing live from New York, of course.

“I grew up with the show, you know, and I was born in 1971, and it’s lived with me my whole life,” Amy Poehler, who was a cast member from 2001 to 2008,” said on Sunday ahead of the show’s start. “We have a show to do in just under two hours, and being back is an amazing privilege.”

The three-hour extravaganza comes after months of celebrations of “Saturday Night Live,” which premiered Oct. 11, 1975, with an original cast that included John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner.

“After the original cast, we were just going, Those guys just did it all for us,” Adam Sandler, a cast member from 1990-1995, said before the show. “They crushed it. We watched them at home. They made their movies. We worshiped their movies. And that’s all. What we wanted to do is just kind of continue that sort of stuff.”

It’s become appointment television over the years as the show has skewered presidents, politics and pop culture and been a platform for the biggest musical stars of the moment. As streaming has altered television viewing, “SNL” sketches, host monologues and short comedy films remain popular on social media and routinely rack up millions of views on YouTube.

While NBC has revealed some of the stars expected to appear, many of the special’s moments, cameos and music performances remain a surprise.

On Sunday, NBC announced more guest appearances including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leslie Jones, Billy Crystal, Cher, Mike Myers and Alec Baldwin, who holds the title of the person who’s hosted “SNL” the most times.

 
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Lima, Peru — Colombian superstar Shakira canceled her Sunday concert in Lima after being hospitalized with an abdominal condition, the singer said.

Shakira shared a statement on her Instagram and X accounts Sunday afternoon, saying she is currently hospitalized and that doctors informed her she was not in condition to perform.

“I am very sad that I will not be able to take the stage today. I have been deeply emotional and excited about reuniting with my beloved Peruvian audience,” she said.

The singer arrived in Peru Friday evening, where she was scheduled to perform Sunday and Monday. The country is the second stop on her Latin America tour, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, following two nights in Brazil last week.

Latin fans have given Shakira a warm welcome, with crowds gathering at airports to greet her. “Thank you for such an emotional welcome, Lima!” she posted Saturday on Instagram.

In her statement, Shakira said she hopes to recover soon. “My plan is to perform this show as soon as possible. My team and the promoter are already working on a new date,” she said.

The singer is touring in support of her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, in which she channels her highly publicized divorce into music. The record includes the global hit “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” and won Best Latin Pop Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards earlier this month.

Shakira’s tour continues across Latin America before heading to Canada and the U.S. in May for a series of concerts through June.
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London — Stars including Cynthia Erivo, Hugh Grant, Ariana Grande, Lupita Nyong’o, Timothee Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan walked the red carpet at London’s Royal Festival Hall for the awards, known as BAFTAs.

The prizes are closely watched for clues about who will triumph at Hollywood’s Academy Awards on March 3, in an unusually hard-to-call awards season.

They also have a distinctly British accent. The ceremony kicked off with its kilt-wearing host, Scottish actor David Tennant, leading the audience in a rousing singalong of The Proclaimers’ anthem “I’m Gonna be (500 Miles).”

The best film contenders are “Conclave,” “Emilia Perez,” Brady Corbet’s 215-minute architecture epic ” The Brutalist,” the James Mangold-directed Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” and Sean Baker’s Brighton Beach tragicomedy “Anora.”

“Anora,” about an exotic dancer entangled with a Russian oligarch’s son, is emerging as a best picture favorite after winning the top prizes last week at the Producers Guild Awards and the Directors Guild Awards.

“The Brutalist” has nine BAFTA nominations, while “Anora,” the sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” and musical “Wicked” have seven each. “A Complete Unknown” and Irish-language hip-hop drama “Kneecap” received six nominations apiece.

Nominees in the category of outstanding British film include Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Steve McQueen’s “Blitz,” Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” and animated adventure “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,” which won the award for best family and children’s film.

The leading actor favorite is “The Brutalist” star Adrien Brody, who faces stiff competition from Fiennes and Chalamet, who plays the young Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”

The other male actors nominated are Grant for his creepy role in the horror film “ Heretic,” Colman Domingo in real-life prison drama “ Sing Sing ” and Sebastian Stan for his portrayal of a young Donald Trump in “The Apprentice.”

Stan, who is also Oscar nominated, said it was “incredibly validating” to get recognition for the film, which initially struggled to find an American distributor. It’s an origins story that focuses on Trump’s relationship with ruthless power broker Roy Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong.

“We were told this was going to be a thankless job that was never going to lead to anything,” Stan said, describing the movie as a “fair” depiction of the president.

Whoever takes the best actress award will be a first-time BAFTA winner.

Nominees are Gascon, Demi Moore for body-horror film “ The Substance,” Mikey Madison for “Anora,” Ronan for “The Outrun,” Erivo for “Wicked” and Marianne Jean-Baptiste for the Mike Leigh drama “Hard Truths.” Erivo or Jean-Baptiste would be the first non-white performer to win the leading actress BAFTA.

British stars on the red carpet had high praise for Jean-Baptiste’s blistering performance as a woman beset by depression, and for Moore, already a Golden Globe winner for “The Substance.”

“I’m very excited for Demi Moore tonight,” said “Game of Thrones” and “Severance” star Gwendoline Christie. She said Moore’s “visceral” performance “transcends so many different boundaries.”

What’s new and where to watch

Britain’s film academy introduced changes to increase the awards’ diversity in 2020, when no women were nominated as best director for the seventh year running and all 20 nominees in the lead and supporting performer categories were white.

Most winners are chosen by members of the 8,000-strong U.K. academy of industry professionals, with one — the Rising Star Award —- selected by public vote from a short list of nominees. This year’s contenders are performers Mikey Madison, Marisa Abela, Jharrel Jerome, David Jonsson and Nabhaan Rizwan.

“Willow” and “Return of the Jedi” actor Warwick Davis will receive the academy’s top honor, the BAFTA Fellowship, for his screen career and work to create a more inclusive film industry.

BAFTA chairwoman Sara Putt sent a message of strength to everyone hit by last month’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Jamie Lee Curtis, a supporting actress nominee for “The Last Showgirl,” was absent because the fires delayed filming on her current work. Co-star Pamela Anderson will accept the prize for Curtis if she wins.

The event was without a dash of royal glamour this year. Neither Prince William, who is honorary president of the British film academy, nor his wife Kate, is attending. The awards coincide with school holidays for their three children.

The show will include a performance by grown-up boyband Take That, whose 2008 hit “Greatest Day” features on the “Anora” soundtrack. “Wicked” wizard Jeff Goldblum will play piano during the ceremony’s tribute to people who have died in the past year.

The ceremony airs on BBC in the United Kingdom and BritBox in North America and started at 1900 GMT (2 p.m. EST).
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“Captain America: Brave New World” infused some blockbuster cash into the North American box office, bringing in $88.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Walt Disney Co. release is by far the biggest opener of 2025 and the company predicts it will hit $100 million domestically and $192.4 globally by the end of Monday’s Presidents’ Day holiday.

It’s Marvel’s first major release since “Deadpool & Wolverine” broke records last summer and re-energized a Marvel fanbase that some worried was weakening after the poor showing for “The Marvels.”

Playing in 4,105 locations in the U.S. and Canada, “Brave New World” is also a major transition for the “Captain America” brand: Anointing Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the new Cap, officially taking over from Chris Evans, who played the character for almost a decade. Harrison Ford co-stars as the U.S. president who transforms into the Red Hulk.

But “Brave New World,” directed by Julius Onah, had a bit of a handicap going into the weekend: Poor reviews, though superhero movies can soar without the stamp of approval from critics. The film is currently sitting at 51% “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s not the worst in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — “Eternals” has a 47% rating and “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” has a 46% — but the latest film is on the very low end of the spectrum.

In his review for The Associated Press, Mark Kennedy wrote that it is, “a highly processed, empty calorie, regret-later candy of a movie.”

Audiences were more generous in their opinions. The “verified audience score” from Rotten Tomatoes was 80% and its CinemaScore was a B-. Exit polls showed that men made up 63% of the opening weekend audience.

The bar for biggest opening of the year wasn’t terribly high: “Dog Man” held the title for two weeks with its $36 million launch.

And “Brave New World’s” showing is the middle range for an MCU film. Not accounting for inflation, it sits between “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Thor: The Dark World.”

It also cost significantly less than many of the big budget Marvel movies, with a reported production price tag of $180 million, excluding the millions spent on marketing and promotion.

After only one Marvel movie in 2024, “Brave New World” is the first of three major theatrical releases set for 2025. It is to be followed by “Thunderbolts(asterisk)” in May and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” in July.

“The superhero genre has taken a hit over the past few years, but audiences still have a huge interest in seeing them on the big screen,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

Second place at this week’s box office went to “Paddington in Peru,” the third installment in the beloved franchise, which finally opened in North America this weekend. Released by Sony, it earned an estimated $13 million and should hit $16 million by Monday. The StudioCanal film opened in the United Kingdom in early November 2024 and went into the weekend with $104 million from its international run.

Dougal Wilson took over directing duties for Paul King for this film, which also recast Emily Mortimer as Mrs. Brown, originally played by Sally Hawkins. The other main cast, including Ben Whishaw as Paddinton’s voice, remained intact.

Sony and Screen Gems’ slasher “Heart Eyes” landed in third place with $10 million, up 20% from its opening last weekend. Fourth place went to “Dog Man” with $9.7 million.

The Chinese blockbuster “Ne Zha 2″ rounded out the top five. It opened on 660 screens in North America and made $7.2 million. Overall, the box office is up 20% from last year.

This weekend also saw the release of a new “Bridget Jones” movie, subtitled “Mad About the Boy,” which went straight to Universal’s streaming service Peacock, forgoing theaters in the U.S. In the U.K. and Ireland, it made an estimated $14.9 million, outgrossing “Captain America: Brave New World.” Universal Pictures International reported $32.3 million in grosses from all 70 territories.

The final domestic figures will be released Tuesday. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Captain America: Brave New World,” $88.5 million.

2. “Paddington in Peru,” $13 million.

3. “Heart Eyes,” $10 million.

4. “Dog Man,” $9.7 million.

5. “Ne Zha 2,” $7.2 million.

6. “Love Hurts,” $4.4 million.

7. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $4.2 million.

8. “One of Them Days,” $3 million.

9. “Companion,” $1.9 million.

10. “Becoming Led Zeppelin,” $1.8 million.
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TEHRAN, IRAN — In a century-old building in Tehran, Saeed Anvarinejad turned the dial of a vintage radio to tune into some of Iran’s earliest recorded sounds, some serving as reminders of the seismic changes that shaped the country’s history.

Along with a team of fellow enthusiasts, he spent months tracking down the earliest recordings of Iranian music, speeches, interviews, theatrical plays, radio broadcasts and even the hum of daily life from more than a century ago up to the present day.

“Sound is a phenomenon we pay little attention to … although it’s very important,” said Anvarinejad, one of the organizers of the “SoundScape” exhibition.

And “the era of early sound recording in Iran is a very important time in the socio-political history of the country.”

He highlighted the emotional power of early voice recordings, saying they captured “in a very raw and pure way … the feeling that people have at that moment,” unlike written records.

According to Anvarinejad, the oldest surviving sound recordings from Iran date back to 1898 and 1899, during the reign of Mozaffar al-Din Shah of the Qajar dynasty, which reigned over the country from the late 18th to the early 20th century.

His rule saw the unfolding of the Constitutional Revolution, a pivotal moment in Iran’s political transformation that established a parliament and constitutional monarchy.

“It was a time when … a new order was taking shape in the Iranian mind and very important things were happening politically, socially and culturally,” he added.

“We thought it would be good to have a new approach to the sound (from that time) and engage audiences with it.”

Upon tuning the wooden-framed antique radio, a chilling broadcast announced the overthrow of prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953, who had pushed for the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry sparking a coup d’etat orchestrated by the United States and Britain.

“This is Tehran! Good news! Good news! People of the cities of Iran, be awake and alert, the traitor Mosaddegh has fled!” crackled the voice of a radio anchor.

‘Mysterious void’

Other audio included Iran’s first recorded call to prayer in either 1912 or 1913, and the 1959 report on the death of Qamar, the first woman singer to perform in public in the country.

One striking installation at the exhibition involved a mechanical device mounted on a concrete wall with gears, chains, wheels and a lever which played old recordings of the stringed tar instrument through retro telephone handsets.

Another, Mowj Negar, featured printed sound waves arranged in three rows on one wall, with a metal device which moved along the waves.

When moved, the device activates melodies from the Qajar and early Pahlavi (1925-79) eras that once echoed through Iran’s grand palaces and bustling city streets.

Nearby stood a wooden cabinet named “The Silent Closet,” displaying a series of photos from the World War I -— but without a single accompanying sound.

“There are no sound recordings from Iran during this period, not because technology was unavailable, but likely because the country was in such turmoil that recording sound was not a priority,” said Atabak Axon, another exhibition organizer.

“There was a 12-year silence that remains a mysterious void in Iran’s auditory history.”

For centuries, sound has played a central role in Persian culture, connecting belief with poetry and identity.

For 21-year-old Sarvin Faizian, visiting the exhibition with friends was a deeply moving experience “as if I was experiencing my parents’ past.”

Similarly, Fatemeh Sadeghi described feeling overwhelmed by nostalgia, while 63-year-old Kamran Asadi found the exhibition unexpectedly personal.

“It is a very good and intimate atmosphere for me,” he said, lingering on an old song playing in the background.

“It is good for the younger generation to learn where Iran’s heritage of music and art came from.” 
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MONTREAL — Three fights in the first nine seconds and a chorus of deafening boos for the US national anthem marked a stormy ice hockey clash between the United States and Canada in Montreal on Saturday.

An emotionally charged showdown between the star-studded lineups of the North American rivals — which comes against a backdrop of political tension between the two neighboring countries — erupted into violence from the opening puck drop at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

The U.S. squad clinched a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final Thursday at Boston with a 3-1 victory, but the result was almost a footnote to the mayhem that marked the start of a game played before a fiercely partisan Canadian crowd.

With Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the crowd, home fans booed The Star-Spangled Banner before the game, catcalls that have become a regular feature at NHL and NBA games in Canada since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods crossing U.S. borders.

Then came three fights in nine seconds.

“I just think it’s very indicative of what this means to the players,” U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said. “There’s two teams out there that are very competitive, that have a ton of pride for their respective teams and their countries.

“For me, when you have an investment in trying to win like the way that it occurred — I think that’s an indication of it. What an incredible hockey game.”

Canada coach Jon Cooper, the two-time Stanley Cup champion coach for Tampa Bay who will guide the Canadian 2026 Olympic team, said the melee in the first moments was not prearranged.

“It wasn’t planned,” Cooper said. “That wasn’t two coaches throwing guys over and saying ‘This is happening’ — none of that happened. That was as organic as it gets.”

At the opening puck drop, the gloves came off for real on the ice as Canada’s Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk of the United States began swinging punches as the crowd went wild and teammates skated back to give the brawlers a clear stage at center ice.

Referees restored order, sent the combatants to the penalty box and tried to restart the game, only for Canada’s Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk of the Americans to drop their gloves and trade punches until officials could break them apart, Tkachuk following his brother into the penalty box.

The game was restarted but only got to nine seconds before American J.T. Miller and Canada’s Colton Parayko began the third and final fight.

‘Jacked up’

Asked about U.S. players having agreed on the fight-filled start beforehand on a group chat, Sullivan said he was unaware of such a move.

“These guys care very much about winning,” he said. “Brady and Matthew, they play the game with so much emotion — and they’re leaders in so many ways.

“It’s just an indication of how much these guys care and how bad they want to win. I was not aware of it. Obviously, there’s a lot of energy around this game. I knew we were going to be jacked up to play.”

Top NHL players from the United States and Canada had not faced off against each other for their home nations since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the league’s best traditionally skipping the world championships and the NHL having chosen not to send its players to the 2018 PyeongChang or 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

“It was probably I guess 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute and a half,” Cooper said.

The intense drama continued once the game began in earnest with Canada going ahead on Connor McDavid’s goal 5:31 into the first period.

But the Americans equalized on Jake Guentzel’s goal at 10:15 of the first period and the U.S. went ahead to stay on Dylan Larkin’s tally at 13:33 of the second period. The Americans sealed the triumph on Guentzel’s empty-net goal with 1:19 remaining in the third period. 
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NEW YORK — By the time Cher sang “If I Could Turn Back Time,” it seemed as if time had indeed been turned back and every single “Saturday Night Live” musical guest of 50 years had magically found their way to Radio City Music Hall.

Of course, it was only a smattering. But “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” boasted an epic lineup. It was an evening of memorable solo performances and often fascinating, one-time-only collaborations.

The concert, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, was only one element of what has become an enormous celebration of the show’s 50 years in existence, leading up to Sunday’s “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” live from Studio 8H.

But Friday night was all about music.

Return of the 1990s

If a decade can win the night, let’s hear it for the 1990s. A classic performance from that decade was most likely to get the Radio City audience on its feet, singing along and pulling out their phones to record.

The Backstreet Boys proved irresistible when they broke into “I Want it That Way.” Snoop Dogg may have sung “Gin and Juice,” but he was trailed by enough smoke to give nearby audience members a contact high.

Wearing a gigantic coat befitting a winter night, Lauryn Hill commanded the stage with Wyclef Jean, and the crowd melted at the first notes of “Killing Me Softly.”

Some comics can do music

Naturally, some former “SNL” cast members reprised old characters, with varying levels of success.

The Culps, the stuffy music teachers played by Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer, hit harder and funnier than they ever did on the show. Their attempts at being current were hilarious and they even worked in a few verses of “Not Like Us,” with a plea for harmony between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell’s “Lazy Sunday” was welcome, but too short. Lady Gaga was a good sport, replacing Justin Timberlake to sing about a Christmas gift whose title can’t be repeated here. But Bill Murray’s lounge singer “foursome” routine with Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong fell a bit flat.

They love Michaels

“SNL” creator Lorne Michaels didn’t perform, but he was referred to all night long.

“I love you, Lorne Michaels,” declared Miley Cyrus, dedicating her hit song “Flowers” to the show’s founder.

Raitt, finishing “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” thanked Michaels for having her on the show so many times.

“Let’s give it up for Lorne,” said former cast member Adam Sandler, introducing a collaboration between Post Malone and Nirvana. “We love you buddy.”

And Marcus Mumford, lead singer of the British folk band Mumford & Sons, said he was there to represent Michaels’ admirers from across the pond.

Creative collaborations

The night featured fascinating collaborations that brought together musicians of all kinds.

Cyrus teamed with Brittany Howard to sing Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Arcade Fire joined with David Byrne, St. Vincent and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to perform David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Byrne later also collaborated with Robyn, in matching khaki suits, for “Dancing on My Own” and “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”

And for Raitt’s second song, she sat down with Chris Martin, the Coldplay frontman becoming her pianist for “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

In another collab of sorts, the B-52s were joined on “Love Shack” by former and current SNL cast members Fred Armisen, Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman, singing the “bang bang” lyrics.

Lady Gaga collaborated with herself, singing both parts of “Shallow” and bringing down the house.

Most valuable player

Questlove is more associated with the “Tonight” show, but he is proving to be the MVP of these “Saturday Night Live” anniversary festivities.

Not only did the drummer produce the splendid documentary on the “SNL” musical legacy, but he effortlessly kept the beat with The Roots, his legendary hip-hop group and “Tonight” show house band, as they covered every style imaginable, from Snoop to Eddie Vedder to Brandi Carlile. Byrne bowed in appreciation.

A second Nirvana reunion

For the second time in as many weeks, the surviving members of Nirvana reunited.

Rather than the quartet of women who fronted the band for the Fire Aid concert, Malone took Kurt Cobain’s place Friday.

Their version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was fierce, a reminder of why the song packed such a wallop when it was first heard.
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The tragic deaths of Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov in a plane crash late last month in Washington have shone a spotlight on the role of Russian- or Soviet-born coaches in the world of competitive figure skating. Their influence has shaped a generation of American skaters, raising the question: Why have these coaches been so successful in the U.S.? Maxim Adams has the story. Video editor: Serge Sokolov, Anna Rice  
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Russian-born fashion designer Dasha Pomeranz tells stories with the clothing she creates. Her latest collection is a tribute to women who were forced to leave their native countries and start new lives in the United States. Karina Bafradzhian has the story. (Videographer: Sergii Dogotar ; Produced by: Sergii Dogotar, Anna Rice   ) 
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New York — Paul McCartney’s previous New York-area performance took place three years ago at MetLife Stadium, capacity 82,500. His surprise show Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom fit, at most, 575.

It was probably less than that since McCartney’s sound board and gear — too much to fit backstage — occupied a portion of the floor space at the venerable downtown theater. The whole thing felt like, and was, a lark. McCartney announced the show just hours before taking the stage.

Like an echo of Beatlemania, the news swept through Manhattan and beyond earlier in the day, sending New Yorkers sprinting down Delancey Street for a chance to snag one of the few tickets at the Bowery. Most in attendance, including McCartney, himself, could hardly believe it was happening.

“So, here we are,” McCartney said, grinning. “Some little gig. New York. Why not?”

Later, before launching into “Let Me Roll It,” he added: “I can’t quite believe we’re here, doing this. But we are here, doing this.”

It was not McCartney’s first impromptu concert. The Beatles famously performed in 1969 atop the roof of their Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row in London. Since then, he’s made something of a habit of it on trips to New York.

In 2009, McCartney returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater, site of the Beatles’ famous U.S. debut, and performed above the marquee. In 2018, he popped up in Grand Central Terminal to promote the release of his “Egyptian Station.”

With temperatures in the low 30s on Tuesday, McCartney, 82, this time opted for an intimate, indoor show. Tickets were sold only physically at the venue, one per person. All were snapped up within about 30 minutes.

For those quick enough, it was like hitting the lottery.

Amy Jaffe, 69, was at home about 30 blocks north when she saw the announcement on Instagram. “I thought: I can do this,” Jaffe said before the show. “I put on jeans, grabbed a coat, called a Lyft.”

Jaffe has seen McCartney many times before, including with the Beatles in 1964 in Forrest Hills, Queens. But she was still incredulous, smiling and shaking her head: “I don’t actually believe it.”

Phil Sokoloff, 31, was on his way to work nearby when he saw the news. He ran in and told his co-worker, Mat Fuller, and they rushed over to the Bowery Ballroom.

“We just got lucky,” Sokoloff said. “I’m always learning about these things the day after.”

McCartney took the stage roughly on time at 6:30 p.m. with his regular band, along with a three-member horn section. They had only rehearsed once, the day before, McCartney said. Someone shouted: “You don’t need to rehearse!”

If the location was stripped down, the former Beatle didn’t come with a minimized show, packing in a blistering tour through his entire catalog, from Beatles classics to Wings hits. He began with “A Hard Day’s Night” and also performed “Got To Get You Into My Life,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Lady Madonna,” “Jet,” “Get Back,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Let it Be” and “Hey Jude.”

“Blackbird” was a solo number on acoustic guitar, and afterward McCartney reflected on how he wrote it for the Civil Rights Movement, a memory that brought back his first trips to the United States.

“We were just kids,” McCartney said. “I’ve got grandchildren older than that now.”

In the early days, he said, he and John Lennon were always writing for the audience, and the songs were all about reaching out: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “From Me to You.”

“It had everything to do with the fans, really,” McCartney said.

Before playing the Wings song “Mrs. Vanderbilt,” McCartney spoke of playing it in front of 350,000 people in Kyiv, when Ukraine was exuberant with a newfound freedom. “Let’s hope it gets back to that soon,” he said.

Conversation, mixed with shouts from the audience, peppered the set. After one particularly shrill scream, McCartney responded. “That was a Beatles scream.” Then he asked for more, saying, “OK, let’s get it out of the way. Girls, give me a Beatles scream.” All in attendance obliged.

McCartney also performed the so-called last Beatles song, “Now and Then,” a ballad penned by Lennon in the late ’70s but only released in 2023 with the help of the some of the technology used in Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary, “The Beatles: Get Back.” The song made McCartney wistful for his songwriting partner, whom he noted loved New York.

“Let’s hear it for John,” he said.

McCartney, who was spotted Sunday at the Super Bowl in New Orleans chatting with Adam Sandler, was in New York for the upcoming “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary festivities. He’s to be a guest on the star-studded television special Sunday.

It was unclear if McCartney was playing a single show or preparing for something more. He wrapped the Got Back Tour in December and has said he’s hoping to finish a new album this year.

For now, though, it was a one-night-only event. One crowd member asked McCartney if it could go all night. “Some of us need to get some sleep, you know,” he replied.
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NEW YORK — A giant schnauzer named Monty won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night.

Monty bested six other finalists to take best in show at Madison Square Garden. The award is considered the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world.

Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed.

Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but no cash prize.

Other finalists included a bichon frisé called Neal, a Skye terrier named Archer, a whippet and repeat runner-up known as Bourbon, a shih tzu called Comet who’s been a finalist before, a German shepherd named Mercedes, who came in second last year, and an English springer spaniel called Freddie.

Monty made the finals for a third year in a row and won the huge American Kennel Club’s big show in December.

A Westminster win is considered the most prestigious award in the U.S. dog show world. Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed.

Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but no cash prize.

Every dog at Westminster is a titled champion, but they also are household pets. Some also do therapy work, search-and-rescue or other canine jobs.

“A good German shepherd is an all-purpose dog,” said co-breeder and co-owner Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia. Some of her pups have become service dogs for wounded veterans, she said.

“Dog shows are fun, but that is what our breed is all about,” she said.

Big dogs had their day at Westminster on Tuesday, when “working” breeds had their turns in the ring. First-round competitor Brina, for instance, is a 71.6 kilogram Neapolitan mastiff.

“I’ve been struck by this breed since I was 12. … They’re so unique,” owner Yves Belmont, Ph.D., said as Brina napped in her crate, equipped with a 7.5-liter water bucket.

With their size, jowly heads and guard-dog history, the breed was developed to be imposing. But Belmont, who currently has several of them at his family’s Atlanta-area home, said he also is impressed by their intelligence.

A trip to Westminster is a reminder of dogs’ variety, even just among purebreds. The same day Brina competed, Tyra the miniature bull terrier also strutted her stuff. Formally called GCH CH Rnr’s Top Model, she’s named after fashion model Tyra Banks.

The hardy terrier breed is “a big dog in a small package, but they always keep you smiling,” said owner and co-breeder Jessica Harrison of Austin, Texas. Asked where the 2-year-old Tyra falls on the mischief meter, Harrison smiled, “like a nine, for sure.”

“You can’t be upset with them because they’re just so cute,” she said as Tyra rolled on her back to get a belly rub from a passerby at the Javits Center, the convention venue that hosted the first-round judging of each breed.

Regardless which dog gets the trophy at Westminster, others also have scored points with the crowd.

During two nights of semifinals, spectators shouted out breeds and names of canine competitors as if they played for one of the pro teams that call the Garden home, the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers.

“Love you, Lumpy!” someone yelled to a Pekingese named Lumpy, who earned laughs for his ambling gait.

The arena erupted with cheers for a golden retriever named Tuffy, a representative of a popular breed that has never won. Calaco, a Xoloitzcuintli, got huge applause for a confident performance that also earned him some recognition from the judge. Xoloitzcuintlis, are hairless dogs with deep roots in Mexico.

A Doberman pinscher called Penny got whoops of approval from spectators, too. Despite her dignified, focused appearance, Penny can be “a mush,” breeder and co-owner Theresa Connors-Chan of Ontario, Canada, said earlier in the day.

Westminster also featured agility and obedience championships, held Saturday. The agility prize went to a border collie named Vanish, and an Australian shepherd called Willie triumphed in obedience.
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MAYVILLE, N.Y. — Salman Rushdie described in graphic detail Tuesday the frenzied moments in 2022 when a masked man rushed at him on a stage in western New York and repeatedly slashed him with a knife, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. 

The 77-year-old author addressed jurors on the second day of testimony at the trial of Hadi Matar, 27, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault in the attack. It was the first time since the attack that Rushdie found himself in the same room with the man accused of trying the kill him. 

“I only saw him at the last minute,” Rushdie said. “I was aware of someone wearing black clothes, or dark clothes and a black face mask. I was very struck by his eyes, which were dark and seemed very ferocious.” 

Rushdie said he first thought his knife-wielding attacker was striking him with a fist. 

“But I saw a large quantity of blood pouring onto my clothes,” he said. “He was hitting me repeatedly. Hitting and slashing.” 

Rushdie said he was struck more times in his chest and torso and stabbed in his chest as he struggled to get away. 

“I was very badly injured. I couldn’t stand up any more. I fell down,” he said. 

While lying on the stage, he recalled “a sense of great pain and shock, and aware of the fact that there was an enormous quantity of blood that I was lying in.” 

“It occurred to me that I was dying. That was my predominant thought,” he said . 

His wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, cried from her seat in the courtroom’s second row. 

Rushdie was blinded in one eye in the attack and spent months recovering, a process he detailed in a memoir released last year. A speaker who was to appear with Rushdie also was wounded. 

Jurors heard opening statements Monday, followed by testimony from staffers at the Chautauqua Institution, the nonprofit art and education center where the attack happened about 120 kilometers south of Buffalo. 

Matar has been in custody since he was subdued by spectators after the attack. 

The trial is expected to last up to two weeks. 

Jurors are unlikely to hear about a fatwa issued by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie’s death, according to District Attorney Jason Schmidt. Rushdie, the author of “Midnight’s Children” and “Victory City,” spent years in hiding after Khomeini announced the fatwa in 1989 following publication of the novel “The Satanic Verses,” which some Muslims consider blasphemous 

Schmidt has said discussing Matar’s motive will be unnecessary in the state trial, given the attack was seen by a live audience that was expecting to hear Rushdie present a lecture on keeping writers safe. 

“This is not a case of mistaken identity,” Schmidt said during opening statements Monday. “Mr. Matar is the person who attacked Mr. Rushdie without provocation.” 

A public defender representing Matar told jurors that the case is not as straightforward as prosecutors have made it out to be. 

“The elements of the crime are more than `something really bad happened’ — they’re more defined,” Lynn Schaffer said. “Something bad did happen, something very bad did happen, but the district attorney has to prove much more than that.” 

In a separate indictment, federal authorities allege Matar was driven to act by a terrorist organization’s 2006 endorsement of the fatwa. A later trial on federal terrorism charges will be scheduled in U.S. District Court in Buffalo. 

 
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The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chief in this year’s Super Bowl, defeating the reigning champions by a score of 40-22.

The Chiefs had been slightly favored to win the game, going into the American football showdown with hopes of winning their third consecutive National Football League title.

But the Eagles held the Chiefs scoreless until late in the third quarter. By that time, the Philadelphia team already had 34 points on the board at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was named the game’s MVP.

President Donald Trump attended the matchup, the first sitting U.S. president to do so. Before the game, the president issued a press release stating that “football is America’s most popular sport—for good reason—it fosters a sense of national unity, bringing families, friends, and fans together and strengthening communities.”

“This annual tradition transcends our differences and personifies our shared patriotic values of family, faith, and freedom heroically defended by our military service members, law enforcement officers, and first responders,” he noted.

The Super Bowl was estimated to attract more than 120 million viewers, with 30-second advertisements costing a record $8 million. 

Before the kickoff, a ceremony honored those killed and wounded in a truck-ramming New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans on Bourbon Street, as well as first responders.
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Did a wide-open Oscar race just get a front runner?

Sean Baker’s Brooklyn comedy “Anora” took top honors at both the Producers Guild Awards and the Directors Guild Awards on Saturday night, catapulting it to Oscar favorite status with wins from a pair of closely watched Academy Awards precursors.

Hollywood’s award season has been uncharacteristically up for grabs with half a dozen films viewed as legitimate best-picture contenders. Some had pegged “Anora” as the front runner going into the season after the film, starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

But after several films took turns in the spotlight, including Golden Globe winners “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Perez,” “Anora” reemerged in a big way over the weekend. Baker’s film also won best picture at the Critics Choice Awards on Friday.

Both guild ceremonies were held in Beverly Hills, California. The PGA’s top prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award, has matched the Oscar winner for best picture in 16 of the last 21 years. Since 2009, when the guild and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences both adopted a preferential ballot to pick a winner from 10 nominees, they’ve corresponded all but three times.

The DGA is similarly predictive. In the past 74 years, 66 winners have gone on to triumph at the Oscars. That makes Baker the favorite for best director in a field entirely composed of first-time nominees.

The guild also named RaMell Ross’ “Nickel Boys” best first film. Ross’ movie, nominated for best picture by the Oscars, is his narrative film debut.

Oscar voting begins Tuesday. Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez” is the lead nominee with 13 nominations, but the Netflix film has seen its chances crater following multiple waves of backlash and controversy.

Another Oscar category also found clarity over the weekend. On Saturday at the Annie Awards, DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” cleaned up with nine awards including best film. “The Wild Robot” will be the heavy favorite to win best animated film at the March 2 Academy Awards.
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New York — On a quiet winter weekend at the box office, DreamWorks Animation’s “Dog Man” chased its own tail, repeating as the top movie in theaters. 

The animated Universal Pictures release, adapted from Dav Pilkey’s popular graphic novel series, collected $13.7 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Both new releases — the Ke Huy Quan action movie “Love Hurts” and the Valentine’s Day-themed slasher “Heart Eyes”— were left nipping at the heels of “Dog Man.” 

Hollywood often largely punts Super Bowl weekend to the small screen. Last year, Apple’s much-derided “Argylle” debuted on the same weekend. Instead, the movie industry spends more energy pitching its blockbusters in trailers for the huge football audience on TV. 

It wasn’t a banner weekend for “Dog Man.” It fell steeply, dropping 62% in it second weekend. But with a production budget of $40 million, “Dog Man” has already tallied $54.1 million domestically in two weeks. 

Coming in second was Spyglass Media Group’s “Heart Eyes,” released by Sony. The horror-rom-com mashup earned $8.5 million from 3,102 locations. Reviews have been good for the film, directed by Josh Ruben and starring Oliva Holt and Mason Gooding, though audiences were less impressed. Moviegoers gave it a “B-” CinemaScore. Spyglass made “Heart Eyes” for $18 million. 

“Love Hurts,” the action comedy from 87North Productions (“John Wick,” “The Fall Guy”), debuted with a paltry $5.8 million in 3,055 theaters. In his first big movie role since his Oscar-winning comeback in “Everything All at Once,” Ke Huy Quan stars as a mild-mannered realtor with a hitman past. Ariana DeBose co-stars. It, too, was modestly budgeted at $18 million. Audiences, however, mostly rejected the movie, giving “Love Hurts” a “C+” CinemaScore. 

Next weekend should bring Hollywood its biggest box-office weekend of the year with the release of Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” and Sony’s “Paddington in Peru.” 

Final domestic figures will be released Monday. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 

1. “Dog Man,” $13.7 million. 

2. “Heart Eyes,” $8.5 million. 

3. “Love Hurts,” $5.8 million. 

4. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $3.9 million. 

5. “Companion,” $3 million. 

6. “One of Them Days,” $3 million. 

7. “Becoming Led Zeppelin,” $2.6 million. 

8. “Flight Risk,” $2.6 million. 

9. “Sonic the Hedgehog,” $1.8 million. 

10. “Moana 3,” $1.5 million.
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