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Woody Allen counters condemnation by Ukraine after speaking at Russian film festival

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Woody Allen counters condemnation by Ukraine after speaking at Russian film festival


The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned Woody Allen for speaking virtually at a Russian film festival over the weekend, calling his participation in the event “a disgrace and an insult” to the victims of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Russian media, Allen spoke Sunday at the Moscow International Film Week via video conference. The appearance put him at odds with the Hollywood establishment, which has embraced Ukraine’s cause during Russia’s 3 1/2-year war, with prominent actors signing on to the United24 crowdfunding initiative and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy making virtual appearances at past Golden Globes and Grammys ceremonies.

Footage aired by Russian state TV showed the filmmaker addressing a tightly packed movie theater from a massive screen, with pro-Kremlin film director Fyodor Bondarchuk moderating the session. Russian media stories quoted Allen as saying he’s always liked Russian cinema, recounting his past trips to Russia and the Soviet Union, and talking about what he would do if he were to receive a proposal to direct a movie in the country.

Woody Allen during a performance at the 55th edition of the Voll-Damm Barcelona Jazz Festival at the Teatre Tivoli on September 18, 2023, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Kike Rincon / Europa Press via Getty Images


Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry in an online statement on Monday said it “strongly condemns” Allen’s participation in the festival, which “brings together supporters and mouthpieces of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”

The ministry called it “a disgrace and an insult to the victims among Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who have been killed or wounded by Russian war criminals,” adding that Allen “is deliberately turning a blind eye to the atrocities that Russia has been committing in Ukraine.”

In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, Allen criticized Putin and denounced the invasion but called for cultural exchanges to continue.

“When it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, I believe strongly that Vladimir Putin is totally in the wrong. The war he has caused is appalling,” Allen said. “But, whatever politicians have done, I don’t feel cutting off artistic conversations is ever a good way to help.”

The website of the festival, which runs through Wednesday, billed Allen as one of its headliners, along with Serbian film director Emir Kusturica and American actor Mark Dacascos.

Moscow International Film Week is a relatively new festival, first held in the Russian capital in August 2024. It is separate from the decades-old Moscow International Film Festival, which in 2022 was stripped of its International Federation of Film Producers Associations accreditation following the invasion of Ukraine.

Kusturica has been open about his support of Putin, including after the invasion. He received an award from Putin and attended a military parade in Moscow earlier this year.

Allen has long had an affinity for Russian literature and history. His 1975 comedy “Love and Death” spoofs the fiction of Tolstoy and other 19th century Russian novelists. The title of his 1989 release “Crimes and Misdemeanors” echoes Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” and also broods over the themes of wrongdoing, justice and guilt.

In the 1972 essay, “A Brief Guide to Civil Disobedience,” Allen jokes about the Russian Revolution, writing that the serfs rebelled when they “finally realized that the Czar and the Tsar were the same person.”



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Jack Quaid marries ‘The Boys’ costar Claudia Doumit: Report

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Jack Quaid marries ‘The Boys’ costar Claudia Doumit: Report


The couple first met while filming ‘The Boys’ and began dating two years later

Jack Quaid and Claudia Doumit have gone from co-stars to newlyweds.

The couple — who met on the set of The Boys — have reportedly tied the knot in a private ceremony in Australia. According to Australian outlet news.com.au, the ceremony reportedly took place on April 18 at Mona Farm in Braidwood, a quiet countryside location not far from Canberra.

Their reception, held in a marquee on the property, was said to include a star-studded guest list, with names like Meg Ryan, Dennis Quaid, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner and Henry Golding in attendance.

While the event was kept low-key, glimpses from guests briefly surfaced online, showing the pair celebrating their first dance to Atlantis by Donovan, before the images were later removed.

Doumit wore an off-white satin gown with a ruffled skirt and floral headband, while Quaid opted for a bold red Western-style blazer with gold embroidery.

Several of their The Boys co-stars also showed up, including Karl Urban, Colby Minifie and Nathan Mitchell, marking a full-circle moment for the couple who first connected through the hit series. They were first linked in 2022 after being spotted holding hands, two years after Doumit joined the show.





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Karachi Kings win toss, decide to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi

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Karachi Kings win toss, decide to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi


Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam and Karachi Kings captain David Warner at the toss during a PSL 11 match at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on April 22, 2026. — Screengrab

Karachi Kings won the toss and decided to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi in the 32nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.

Babar Azam-led Zalmi have already qualified for the playoffs and sit at the top of the points table. They remain unbeaten in PSL 11 so far, having won seven of their eight matches, with one game abandoned due to rain.

In contrast, Karachi Kings are placed seventh on the points table, with just three wins from seven matches.

Historically, the two sides have faced each other 24 times. Zalmi hold a clear advantage with 16 wins, while the Kings have secured eight victories.

Squads

Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig (wk), Moeen Ali, Azam Khan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Jason Roy, Haroon Arshad, Reeza Hendricks, Ihsanullah, Zahid Mahmood, and Rizwanullah.

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris (wk), Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit, and Shoriful Islam.


This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.





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Tori Spelling pays emotional tribute to late ex Patrick Muldoon

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Tori Spelling pays emotional tribute to late ex Patrick Muldoon


Tori Spelling shared a heartfelt remembrance of her former boyfriend, actor Patrick Muldoon, who died suddenly on April 19 at the age of 57.

Spelling dated Muldoon in the 1990s while starring on Beverly Hills, 90210 and he was appearing on Melrose Place.

She took to Instagram to pen an emotional tribute late Tuesday.

“This post took me a couple days. I wasn’t ready to write because then it felt real. And, this shouldn’t be real,” she wrote.

Reflecting on their relationship, Spelling recalled their playful bond and shared memories of singing Grease together at her 22nd birthday party.

“We shared a love of Broncos, guitars, goofing off, playing tag, and Grease! Loved to belt out Grease. I was Sandy to his Danny!” she said.

She praised Muldoon’s warmth and humour.

Spelling revealed they affectionately called each other “f— face.”

“He was special and one of a kind. The kindest most caring human w/ raddest weird sense of humor. We got each other! Laughed a lot! I laughed w/him and at him and he loved it… We called each other F—face ????. That was us!”

Spelling also highlighted his support during her divorce, remembering how he would check in and send her “the worst jokes” to make her laugh.

“He always showed up. And, was a true hype man 4 those he cared about. He was a huge part of my formative 20’s. We went on to be good friends! Still laughing & always caring,” she wrote.

Muldoon’s passing has prompted tributes from many including Denise Richards, who described him as her “best friend & my family.”

Richards’ daughter Lola Sheen also wrote, “When I think of my childhood I think of you Pat. And it’s gonna be so weird to go on without you in our lives.”

Muldoon will be remembered for roles on Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place, and Saved by the Bell.





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