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Ed Sheeran Set to Return to Stage After Palestinian Controversy

Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
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Ed Sheeran Set to Return to Stage After Palestinian Controversy

Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)

Chanting protesters greeted concertgoers Saturday in Philadelphia ahead of pop superstar Ed Sheeran's first show since his tour plunged into turmoil ignited by his opening act's pro-Palestinian comments.

Rapper Macklemore was booted from Sheeran's US Loop Tour on Monday after the owners of stadiums hosting upcoming shows objected to his shouting "Free Palestine" onstage in New Jersey earlier this month.

Sheeran, 35, has denied being behind the decision to remove Macklemore, blaming the tour promoter.

Four supporting acts subsequently walked out on the "Shape of You" singer, issuing public statements citing their support for Palestinians.

Sheeran has been accused by critics of failing to stand up to the stadium owners -- led by billionaire businessman Robert Kraft -- and was targeted by boycott calls.

A few dozen pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside a subway station near Lincoln Financial Field where Sheeran was set to perform Saturday night, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine."

Officers in a dozen police cars kept watch over the peaceful gathering from a distance.

Zach Roth, 28, selling CDs near the protest, said he felt bad for Sheeran because he will get criticized "either way."

At a time when a growing number of artists are speaking out against the conflict in Gaza and West Bank settler violence, the British performer has maintained his apolitical stance.

"I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them," he said Tuesday on Instagram.

However, he said, "those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum."

On Saturday, a pro-Palestinian group urged artists, fans and crew members to stay away from Sheeran's concerts.

"We now extend our call for boycotting Ed Sheeran's entire world tour, including the upcoming Latin American dates, and the as-yet-unannounced European leg," the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) said.

- Solo show? -

No new opening acts or backing bands have been announced, and it was not known how Sheeran planned to carry out his show Saturday.

The supporting acts that quit the tour included Sheeran's backing band, as well as performer Finneas, who rose to fame collaborating with his pop superstar sister Billie Eilish.

Since Israel invaded Gaza in October 2023 following the worst attack on the country in its history by the Hamas group, the toll on Palestinians and the wider issue of Palestinian rights have emerged as a rallying cry in the entertainment industry.

From the Oscars to the Emmys, top music awards ceremonies and European film festivals, the Gaza war has frequently made its way onto the agenda.

The massive Israeli offensive in Gaza has left most of the territory in ruins and killed more than 73,800 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, which is under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

On Saturday, Gaza authorities said the latest Israeli fire had killed at least four people.

On the resale market, tickets for the Philadelphia show have been changing hands at a slightly brisker pace since Monday when compared to previous dates on Sheeran's tour, according to tracking site TicketData.

The price of the cheapest tickets had fallen from $123 on Monday to $48 on Saturday evening, according to the site.

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Entertainment

For Palestinian Aid Groups, Macklemore’s $1M Pledge Brings Relief and Attention to Ongoing Suffering

A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
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For Palestinian Aid Groups, Macklemore’s $1M Pledge Brings Relief and Attention to Ongoing Suffering

A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)

For the Palestinian relief nonprofits behind a $1 million pledge from rapper Macklemore, the Grammy winner's latest contributions offer more than just money.

Macklemore committed to donate his net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after he was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. The goal, he wrote in a Wednesday post on social media, was to “bring the conversation back to where it belongs” — the Palestinian people — after a 48-hour period that saw four supporting acts quit in solidarity and confusion over who held responsibility for the decision.

The six donation recipients included Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. In addition to the funding windfall, their leaders welcomed the renewed public awareness of the perilous living conditions faced by the Palestinian people they treat regularly.

“Even if you don’t see bombs falling every night, the rubble is still there,” said Alicia Phillips Mandaville, the acting CEO of Anera, another beneficiary. “And the traumatized children are still traumatized.”

Attention on continued pleas for help

Tareq Hailat, the director of strategic engagement at Palestine Children's Relief Fund, said his phone rings “all the time” with calls from people in Gaza “bleeding and asking for help.”

“There’s this notion that there’s a ceasefire. But it’s not true. There are children dying every single day. There’s our team that is constantly in danger on the ground every single day. There’s people we have to feed," he said. "So to have this attention on it is incredible.”

Israeli operations have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians since a fragile ceasefire took effect last October. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians struggle to get healthcare in the West Bank. Palestinians say water shortages persist. The world’s leading authority on food insecurity warned in July that most Gaza families still weren't getting nearly enough to eat even as Israel allowed more aid.

The Palestinian Children's Relief Fund medically evacuates children who can’t get the care they need because of crumbling healthcare infrastructure and flies outside physicians in to treat others inside Gaza.

The nonprofit will put its share of Macklemore's gift into an unrestricted fund, according to Hailat. The donation allows leaders to more fluidly direct money based on the evolving circumstances inside Gaza.

Anera — a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan — noted its donation also came with no requirements for how to use the money. Mandaville said that flexibility is important when “the way people live” and “the rules we work inside" change on a monthly basis.

“If there’s flooding again this year like there was last year, we can deal with that. If there is an acute hunger crisis again, like there has been in the past, we can meet that,” she said. “We can buy more blankets because people want their grandparents to be warm at night.”

Macklemore has long supported Palestinians

This week's gift wasn't the first time Macklemore has donated to some of the recipients.

The rapper has long advocated for the plight of Palestinians. He previously pledged the proceeds and streaming royalties from his protest anthems “Hind's Hall” and “Hind's Hall 2" to UNRWA.

More than $509,000 in support has come through those royalties, according to UNRWA USA CEO Mara Kronenfeld.

“He has been contributing to saving probably hundreds of thousands of lives in Gaza through his contributions already," she said.

This latest donation is already catalyzing more gifts. Ms. Rachel, a YouTube star and music teacher, announced Thursday that she would donate $1 million to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and called on others to match the gift.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft — whose Kraft Group also owns Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran is scheduled to perform later this month — said in a Wednesday Instagram post that he would match Sheeran's own $2 million donation for aid “in the region.” The post did not specify the gift’s recipients.

Macklemore has said his removal was the result of an effort led by Kraft. Kraft said in a statement Monday that the decision to cancel Macklemore was a result of the rapper’s recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Macklemore has asserted that criticism of the Israeli government should not be conflated with antisemitism.

Others inspired to donate

Everyday donors appear to be joining efforts like Ms. Rachel's. Online progressive influencers have helped raise more than $72,000 more for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

Anera reported that the donations it received Wednesday through social media platforms were more than triple this month's daily average. The nonprofit has also gained more than 8,000 followers since Macklemore tagged its account in his post. Mandaville hopes that exposure will introduce new, younger audiences to the nonprofit's work.

“I would guess that our traditional donor does not know the lyrics to ‘Thrift Shop,’” she said, referencing Macklemore's breakout 2012 hit.

UNRWA USA's Kronenfeld said the spike reflects an existing trend. Her organization has gained 203,000 donors since October 2023, she said, allowing them to send more than $117 million.

“The contributions keep coming in because Americans care," she said. "It will increase that much more with Macklemore’s extremely humane gesture.”

Entertainment

Anti-Assad Music Star Makes Triumphant Return to Syria

Syrian singer Assala Nasri performs live in Damascus for the first time in 15 years, after being unable to return to the country due to her opposition to the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024, in Damascus, Syria, September 17, 2026. REUTERS/ Yamam al Shaar
Syrian singer Assala Nasri performs live in Damascus for the first time in 15 years, after being unable to return to the country due to her opposition to the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024, in Damascus, Syria, September 17, 2026. REUTERS/ Yamam al Shaar
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Anti-Assad Music Star Makes Triumphant Return to Syria

Syrian singer Assala Nasri performs live in Damascus for the first time in 15 years, after being unable to return to the country due to her opposition to the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024, in Damascus, Syria, September 17, 2026. REUTERS/ Yamam al Shaar
Syrian singer Assala Nasri performs live in Damascus for the first time in 15 years, after being unable to return to the country due to her opposition to the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024, in Damascus, Syria, September 17, 2026. REUTERS/ Yamam al Shaar

Syrian singer Assala Nasri has made a triumphant return to Damascus with a sold-out concert following 15 years of exile due to her opposition to ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad.

Thousands of fans welcomed the 57-year-old, known mononymously as Assala, at a venue in the Syrian capital where she bowed and opened the show with songs hailing the Syrian people, AFP said.

"Souls of my heart, I missed you," she repeatedly said to endless cheers on Thursday night.

"My loves, my people, I swear, until this moment I could not believe that I am among you. I want to tell you how much I dreamt of this."

There was a heavy security presence for the concert, after some religious conservatives launched a campaign calling for its cancellation.

Half of the show's proceeds will be donated to charity.

Syria's new authorities, who overthrew Assad in 2024, have welcomed Assala. Culture Minister Mohammed Yassine Saleh has dubbed her "the daughter of Damascus".

Joining her on stage, he said her return was that of "every honest Syrian and every free person".

- 'Moving forward' -

Assala was among the first artists to express support for the peaceful anti-Assad protests that erupted in 2011, refusing to partake in events supporting his government.

She was booted from the Syrian artists' union for her stance and was the target of media campaigns.

She went into exile, living in Cairo with her family and playing shows in various Arab countries.

The bloody repression of the protests led to a 13-year civil war that killed more than half-a-million people.

At Assala's show, small Syrian flags rippled in time with the music, with many in the crowd unable to hold back their tears.

"I never thought this day would come. It's like a beautiful dream," concert-goer Sawsan Wadha, 56, said.

"We are very happy that our country is moving forward," added 40-year-old Lynn Nahas.

On her new record, "The Syrian Album", Assala covers folk songs from all 14 of Syria's provinces as an homage to her country's cultural diversity.

- Recovery through art -

Assala's piercing, powerful voice rang out as she made her way through the album's tracks at Thursday's concert.

She also performed fan favorites like "Samehtak" and "Sandooq", with the jubilant, tearful crowd singing along.

Assala and her family only returned to Damascus this week. An antiques dealer in the capital returned the oud, or Oriental lute, that had belonged to her father, a celebrated musician.

Farah Al-Atassi, political advisor to the government, said poetry, language and thought were "an integral part of Syrian identity".

"This is the Syria that we know and that will endure," she told AFP.

Entertainment

Kim Kardashian Awarded Symbolic €1 Damages Over Paris Jewel Heist

FILE PHOTO: Kim Kardashian leaves Gritti Palace, on the second day of the wedding festivities of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Kim Kardashian leaves Gritti Palace, on the second day of the wedding festivities of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
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Kim Kardashian Awarded Symbolic €1 Damages Over Paris Jewel Heist

FILE PHOTO: Kim Kardashian leaves Gritti Palace, on the second day of the wedding festivities of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Kim Kardashian leaves Gritti Palace, on the second day of the wedding festivities of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

US reality TV star Kim Kardashian was awarded a symbolic €1 ($1.15) in damages on Tuesday from the thieves who tied her up at gunpoint in a Paris hotel in 2016 and stole her jewels, including her $4 million engagement ring, a lawyer said, according to Reuters.

Kardashian, who had testified that she thought she was going to die during the ordeal, had sought the symbolic amount from some of ⁠those convicted in May 2025 over the heist in a civil damages case, according to a lawyer for the hotel's receptionist - another plaintiff.

The robbers, often referred to in France as the “Grandpa Robbers” because of their advanced ages, wore ski masks and were disguised as police officers. The robbery was, at the time it occurred, France’s largest in 20 years.

Most of the ⁠jewels were never recovered, including the engagement ring given to her by then-husband, rapper Kanye West.

The hotel receptionist had sought €500,000 in damages, and was awarded about €110,000, his lawyer said.

Kardashian’s Paris lawyers ⁠did not respond to a request for comment.

Kardashian in court in 2025 told Aomar Ait Khedache, the mastermind of the robbery and then ⁠aged 69, that she forgave him, but that doing so did not take away the trauma of the events.

He ⁠was jailed for three years, and seven others were convicted for crimes linked to the heist.