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Rapper Werenoi, France’s Biggest-Selling Music Artist in Recent Years, Dies at Age 31

Werenoi performs on stage during the 40th edition of the Francofolies de La Rochelle music festival, in La Rochelle, southwestern France, on July 13, 2024. (AFP)
Werenoi performs on stage during the 40th edition of the Francofolies de La Rochelle music festival, in La Rochelle, southwestern France, on July 13, 2024. (AFP)
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Rapper Werenoi, France’s Biggest-Selling Music Artist in Recent Years, Dies at Age 31

Werenoi performs on stage during the 40th edition of the Francofolies de La Rochelle music festival, in La Rochelle, southwestern France, on July 13, 2024. (AFP)
Werenoi performs on stage during the 40th edition of the Francofolies de La Rochelle music festival, in La Rochelle, southwestern France, on July 13, 2024. (AFP)

Rapper Werenoi, France’s biggest-selling music artist in recent years, has died at the age of 31, his producer and record company said.

The artist, whose real name was Jérémy Bana Owona, was the number 1 album seller in France in 2023 and 2024 according to the ranking of the National Union of Phonographic Industry, which includes in-store and e-commerce sales as well as plays on streaming services.

"It’s with immense sadness that we’ve learned of Werenoi’s passing," his record company Believe said on Instagram. "All our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, his team and everyone who knew him."

"Rest in peace my brother, I love you," his producer Babs posted on X.

French media report Werenoi died early Saturday in a Paris hospital. The cause of his death has not been made public.

Werenoi first became known to the French public in 2021 when he posted his song "Guadalajara" on YouTube and it was viewed hundreds of thousand times.

He released three albums, "Carré" in 2023, "Pyramide" the next year and "Diamant Noir" last month, making him one of the biggest names in French rap.

Several French rappers posted tributes on social media. French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, who featured on his second album, wrote: "Rest in peace my dude. A news that saddens me and courage to the loved ones especially."

"He made a difference for the quality of his songs, his melodies and his punchlines," singer Pascal Obispo, who had accompanied Werenoi on the piano at a 2023 Paris concert, told French newspaper Le Parisien.

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Entertainment

Screenwriters Overwhelmingly Approve a 4-Year Contract with Hollywood Studios

Flags flutter in front of the Hollywood Sign after US President Donald Trump ordered a 100% tariff on foreign-made films in Los Angeles, California, US, September 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Flags flutter in front of the Hollywood Sign after US President Donald Trump ordered a 100% tariff on foreign-made films in Los Angeles, California, US, September 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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Screenwriters Overwhelmingly Approve a 4-Year Contract with Hollywood Studios

Flags flutter in front of the Hollywood Sign after US President Donald Trump ordered a 100% tariff on foreign-made films in Los Angeles, California, US, September 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Flags flutter in front of the Hollywood Sign after US President Donald Trump ordered a 100% tariff on foreign-made films in Los Angeles, California, US, September 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Members of the screenwriters union overwhelmingly ratified a four-year agreement with Hollywood studios and streamers on Friday, bringing an end to a surprisingly smooth and quick process that brought a prolonged strike the last time around.

Union leaders said 90% voted to approve the deal struck between the Writers Guild of America West, Writers Guild of America East and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Studios will now shift to negotiations with actors and directors.

Leaders of the unions emphasized gains in health coverage.

“In the face of industry contraction and runaway health care cost inflation, writers were able to secure a contract that returns our Health Fund to a sustainable path and builds on gains from the 2023 strike,” WGA West President Michele Mulroney said in a statement.

Guild leaders said the deal also includes minimum pay hikes, especially for comedy and variety writers, with more money in residuals for the re-airing of their work.

The AMPTP congratulated the union on the ratification.

“This deal reflects a collaborative approach that supports both writers and the industry’s long-term stability,” it said in its own statement.

An April 4 tentative agreement came about three weeks after negotiations began — a stark contrast to the contentious contract negotiation that along with an actors strike brought the industry to a standstill in 2023.

The Writers Guild has had its own labor struggles with its staff, whose strike brought the cancellation of their annual awards ceremony in March.

Actors, through their union SAG-AFTRA, are still negotiating their new contract. The groups have negotiated for about a month and are set to resume Monday after a break.

SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said in a February interview with The Associated Press that he has seen signs that the studios want “to work as partners again."

The Directors Guild begins its contract talks on May 11.

Entertainment

Concert Pays Tribute to Swiss Fire Disaster Victims

Italian and French singer and songwriter Riccardo Cocciante (C), also known as Richard Cocciante performs during a tribute concert entitled “Au cœur de Crans” for the victims of the New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana, at the Salle Métropole in Lausanne on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Italian and French singer and songwriter Riccardo Cocciante (C), also known as Richard Cocciante performs during a tribute concert entitled “Au cœur de Crans” for the victims of the New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana, at the Salle Métropole in Lausanne on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
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Concert Pays Tribute to Swiss Fire Disaster Victims

Italian and French singer and songwriter Riccardo Cocciante (C), also known as Richard Cocciante performs during a tribute concert entitled “Au cœur de Crans” for the victims of the New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana, at the Salle Métropole in Lausanne on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Italian and French singer and songwriter Riccardo Cocciante (C), also known as Richard Cocciante performs during a tribute concert entitled “Au cœur de Crans” for the victims of the New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana, at the Salle Métropole in Lausanne on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

A benefit concert was held Wednesday in tribute to the victims of a New Year's fire that killed 41 people at an upscale Swiss ski resort, nearly four months on from the tragedy.

The concert brought together the families of victims and some of those who survived the fire, which erupted at a bar in the Alpine town of Crans-Montana in the early hours of January 1.

Most of those killed in disaster at Le Constellation bar were teenagers, while 115 people were injured.

At the concert, staged at the Salle Metropole theatre in Lausanne, the performing artists came onto the stage to a song written about the tragedy called "Etoile de nos coeurs" ("Star of our Hearts"), and lined up holding white roses.

Beforehand, the families of the victims gathered in the foyer. There were hugs, smiles and some tears.

"It's about solidarity. To all the victims, up there or here on Earth, it means one thing: we haven't forgotten you," Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, whose 16-year-old son Arthur was among those killed, told AFP.

"We're in survival mode. Half of our hearts have been ripped away," she added.

"It keeps alive the memory of all those who were hurt, both physically and emotionally."

Tickets cost from 90 Swiss francs ($115), with the proceeds going towards Swisshearts -- an association founded by parents affected by the disaster.

The participating artists -- performing for free -- included Gjon's Tears, who finished third for Switzerland at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest.

"There were a lot of young people, and even today, four months later, they find it hard to talk about it," the singer told AFP.

"These were young people who just wanted to party and have fun.

"Being close in age to the majority of the victims... I think we can relate to it," the 27-year-old said.

Also on the bill was the veteran Italian singer Richard Cocciante.

"We need to think about the people who are no longer here," the 80-year-old told AFP, adding that music "certainly helps; I don't know if it can heal, but it helps".

A total of 13 people are under criminal investigation in connection with the disaster, including the bar's owners and several current and former local officials.

The fire hit the Lausanne region hard.

Several of those killed were from the suburb of Lutry. Its football team lost seven players in the fire, with more injured in the disaster.

For many survivors badly burned in the fire, the journey towards resuming a normal life, where possible, is far from over, with lengthy hospital treatment followed by spells in rehabilitation and readaptation clinics.

Switzerland's Federal Office for Civil Protection told AFP on Wednesday that 38 patients were still in hospitals and clinics, including 19 in neighboring countries.

Entertainment

Slash, Lennon and Mercury Memorabilia on Offer at Propstore Music Auction

John Lennon and Yoko Ono. (AFP)
John Lennon and Yoko Ono. (AFP)
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Slash, Lennon and Mercury Memorabilia on Offer at Propstore Music Auction

John Lennon and Yoko Ono. (AFP)
John Lennon and Yoko Ono. (AFP)

From Slash's guitar to ‌a poster John Lennon signed hours before he was killed, items from music history hit the auction block next week in a sale valued at 1.5 million pounds ($2 million).

More than 400 lots are being offered in Propstore's Music Memorabilia Live Auction on April 30, including costumes, instruments and photos among other items.

Leading the sale is Guns N' Roses lead guitarist Slash's stage-used and autographed Gibson Les Paul '59 Custom Shop guitar, which he played during the band's "Not In This Lifetime... Tour". It has ‌a price ‌estimate of 150,000 pounds to 300,000 pounds ($405,210).

A promotional ‌poster ⁠for John Lennon ⁠and Yoko Ono's final collaborative album "Double Fantasy", signed by the former Beatle on December 8, 1980 - the day he was shot dead - is priced at 60,000-120,000 pounds.

Sold with audio proof, Propstore said it was one of only four items Lennon signed that day, hours before being shot at the entrance of ⁠the Dakota, his apartment building in New ‌York.

"The poster itself is super ‌rare because it was only available with promotional copies of the ‌album... and he gave each of these to the crew ‌who were interviewing him, RKO Radio," Mark Hochman, head of the music department at Propstore, said at a press preview on Wednesday.

A Shure 565 SD award gold microphone presented to Queen and used ‌by frontman Freddie Mercury is also listed, with an estimate of 30,000-60,000 pounds.

It is being ⁠sold by ⁠former Queen roadie Peter Hince, who was gifted the microphone by Mercury. Hince is also selling other Queen items, including a tambourine used by Mercury and a limited-edition blue vinyl pressing of the band's hit song "Bohemian Rhapsody".

“These are things that I got during my time with the band. I don't collect but I know there are people who'll be over the moon to get these things," Hince said.

Other items offered in Propstore's auction include a leather jacket worn by late singer George Michael in the "Faith" music video and a jacket worn by late rapper The Notorious B.I.G.