Jay-Z to Perform at Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show

Rapper Jay-Z, shown on the sideline at last season's Super Bowl, will serve as the halftime musical performer at next February's Super Bowl in Los Angeles, the NFL announced. Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Rapper Jay-Z, shown on the sideline at last season's Super Bowl, will serve as the halftime musical performer at next February's Super Bowl in Los Angeles, the NFL announced. Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
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Jay-Z to Perform at Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show

Rapper Jay-Z, shown on the sideline at last season's Super Bowl, will serve as the halftime musical performer at next February's Super Bowl in Los Angeles, the NFL announced. Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Rapper Jay-Z, shown on the sideline at last season's Super Bowl, will serve as the halftime musical performer at next February's Super Bowl in Los Angeles, the NFL announced. Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Rapper Jay-Z will perform at the Super Bowl LXI halftime show this February in Los Angeles, the NFL announced Monday.

Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment company has produced the star-packed Super Bowl halftime show each year since 2020, selecting the headliners, but the hip-hop mogul has not previously performed himself at the event, said AFP.

"When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a joint statement.

"I couldn't be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring to the Super Bowl stage."

The announcement did not specify whether Jay-Z would be the sole headliner.

It came after Jay-Z -- who is married to pop megastar Beyonce -- performed two shows last weekend at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, which will serve as the venue for the Super Bowl on February 14.

Those gigs served as the culmination for a year-long tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album "Reasonable Doubt."

"From 'Reasonable Doubt' to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey," said Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.

"Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world's biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true."

In an indication of the level of star power Jay-Z could potentially bring with him to the halftime spectacular, he was joined on-stage in Los Angeles by John Legend, DJ Khaled, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.



Dutch Broadcaster Pulls Out of Eurovision Over Israel ‘Sensitivities’

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 logo is displayed on a screen at the end of the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, Basel, Switzerland, May 14, 2025. (AFP)
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 logo is displayed on a screen at the end of the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, Basel, Switzerland, May 14, 2025. (AFP)
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Dutch Broadcaster Pulls Out of Eurovision Over Israel ‘Sensitivities’

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 logo is displayed on a screen at the end of the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, Basel, Switzerland, May 14, 2025. (AFP)
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 logo is displayed on a screen at the end of the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, Basel, Switzerland, May 14, 2025. (AFP)

The Netherlands will not participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster NPO said Tuesday, citing "sensitivities" over Israel's participation.

"We have known for some time that Israel's participation elicits various reactions in society and causes discussion and division... therefore, after consultation with the Board of Broadcasters, the NPO has decided to forgo participation in 2027," Jurre Bosman, NPO's media director, said in a statement.

Jet de Ranitz, NPO's executive chairman, acknowledged this would disappoint many Dutch Eurovision fans and stressed that the contest would still be aired on the public channels.

However, he said: "We must conclude that it is currently too early to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027."

"Due to the sensitivities surrounding the themes currently at play, we have decided to take a step back for the time being," added De Ranitz.

The contest has recently been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel's participation, in protest at the country's deadly offensive in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas attacks in 2023.

Earlier this month, the Czech public broadcaster also pulled out, but cited spending cuts as the reason.

Ireland has already announced it will not be taking part, while the head of the Spanish public broadcaster has come out in favor of a boycott.


Macklemore Vows to Fight Until ‘Last Breath’ at Opening of ‘Free Palestine’ Tour

Macklemore in Paris in July 2025. (Getty Images)
Macklemore in Paris in July 2025. (Getty Images)
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Macklemore Vows to Fight Until ‘Last Breath’ at Opening of ‘Free Palestine’ Tour

Macklemore in Paris in July 2025. (Getty Images)
Macklemore in Paris in July 2025. (Getty Images)

American rapper Macklemore vowed to continue to speak out loudly against Israel's war in Gaza at the opening of his "Free Palestine" concert tour organized after he was dropped as the opening act for Ed Sheeran over pro-Palestinian remarks.

The Grammy-winning rapper received a deafening ovation in Dublin, where fans in the overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian country came draped in Palestinian flags, black, red and green football jerseys and keffiyeh scarves being sold by vendors outside.

"I am proud to stand here on stage in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We will continue to fight for ‌collective liberation until our ‌last breath," Macklemore said on stage, where he waved ‌a ⁠Palestinian flag for ⁠much of his set.

"Six weeks ago, two words is all that it took," he said, referring to the rallying cry of "Free Palestine" and his criticism of the Israeli government's actions in Gaza and the West Bank at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium that led to his removal from Sheeran's US tour.

"Those two words are so threatening to some people that we'd rather silence those ⁠two words than confront what they actually mean... Somehow those ‌words have become more controversial than the ‌suffering that made them necessary."

The crowd, who snapped up the 13,000 tickets for ‌Dublin's 3Arena within minutes, chanted "Free Free Palestine" throughout.

"We need a speaker for ‌our time. It has to be somebody like that who can reach out to people. He made it feel so alive and I've come out feeling I want to be part of something," said Siobhan Lyons from Dublin, who attended the ‌concert with her daughter.

Irish artists who have spoken out against Israel's actions played in support on Monday, including "Take Me ⁠to Church" singer ⁠Hozier, rap group Kneecap and Beoga, one of the acts who quit Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Palestinian singer Lina Makhoul and Palestinian American DJ Habibeats also performed and pro-Palestine activists, such as Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, spoke between sets.

Sheeran, one of the world's top-selling recording artists, said stadium owners on the remaining dates threatened to bar any further shows with Macklemore on the bill.

Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Israeli officials deny their actions in Gaza amount to genocide.

The "Free Palestine" tour will continue in Paris and London this week with US dates due to be announced later, Macklemore has said.


UK's Channel 4 Shows to Launch on Disney+ Next Year

FILE PHOTO: Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo
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UK's Channel 4 Shows to Launch on Disney+ Next Year

FILE PHOTO: Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo

Channel 4 has signed a deal with The Walt Disney Company to bring its shows to the Disney+ streaming platform in Britain and Ireland early next year.

The collaboration will see many of Channel 4's programs, including drama "Maya", featuring Bella Ramsey, released ⁠on Disney+ at the ⁠same time as on Channel 4's own platforms, the broadcaster said on Tuesday.

Channel 4's main linear TV channel and ⁠hundreds of hours of its on-demand catalogue will also be available within a branded section of Disney+, it said.

Channel 4, like rival public-service broadcasters, is battling a tough advertising market and declining audiences for its linear channels. It ⁠said ⁠last month it would cut about 340 jobs, representing more than a quarter of its workforce.

The broadcaster has held preliminary talks with the BBC about a tie-up of some operations, two sources told Reuters earlier this month.