
Justin Timberlake says he has Lyme disease
Pop star Justin Timberlake told fans Thursday he has Lyme disease, a condition he described as 'relentlessly debilitating.' The 44-year-old former NSYNC frontman, whose world tour has just wrapped up, took to Instagram in reflective mood. 'This has been the most fun, emotional, gratifying, physically demanding, and, at times, grueling experience,' he said of a tour that was criticized by some fans as lackluster.
'Among other things, I've been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease -— which I don't say so you feel bad for me –– but to shed some light on what I've been up against behind the scenes. 'Living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically. When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.'
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria often carried by ticks that live in woodlands throughout North America and Europe. Symptoms can include widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness. In serious cases, patients could experience damage to the tissues, joints and immune system. —AFP
The 'Can't Stop The Feeling' singer was in legal hot water last year after being arrested for drunk driving in a small town near New York. Timberlake, whose tumultuous relationship with Britney Spears was the inspiration for his 2002 smash 'Cry Me A River' later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was ordered to do community service. - AFP
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Kuwait Times
19 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Iconic French chef stakes reputation on vegan menu
Celebrated French chef Alain Passard has made history once again. The 68-year-old has become the first three Michelin star chef in France to switch to an entirely plant-based menu, opening a new chapter in the world of luxury dining. Since July 21, Passard has stopped serving meat, fish, dairy products and eggs at L'Arpege, his restaurant in the French capital's chic seventh district that he has run for nearly 40 years. The only exception is honey that comes from the restaurateur's own beehives. Passard said the switch had been in the pipeline for a year. 'There's light in this cuisine,' he told AFP. 'There are taste sensations that I've never experienced anywhere else.' L'Arpege used to be known as one of the leading rotisseries in Paris. It earned three Michelin stars in 1996, and has held the distinction ever since. In 2001, Passard caused a stir in the rarefied world of French cuisine by dropping red meat from his menu and saying he would focus more on vegetables grown in his gardens. The shift made him one of the first ambassadors of plant-based cuisine. While Passard is motivated by environmental concerns in his new quest, it is above all a culinary challenge. The restaurant's updated menu includes mesclun praline with roasted almonds and melon carpaccio. Lunch costs 260 euros. Passard has no plans to become a vegan militant himself. 'I still eat a little poultry and fish,' he said. 'But I'm more comfortable with plants. They allow me to learn.' French chef Alain Passard poses in front of his restaurant 'L'Arpege' in Paris during a photo session. French chef Alain Passard poses in his restaurant 'L'Arpege' in Paris during a photo session. French chef Alain Passard poses in his restaurant 'L'Arpege' in Paris during a photo session. French chef Alain Passard poses in his restaurant 'L'Arpege' in Paris during a photo session.--AFP photos 'Colossal task' French chef Claire Vallee knows from experience that Passard is up for a challenge. 'It requires a lot more preparation, knowledge and research,' Vallee said of plant-based dishes. 'It's quite a colossal task.' In 2021, her vegan restaurant in southwest France won a Michelin star, the first for an establishment serving only animal-free products in France. Vallee in 2016 launched ONA - which stands for Origine Non Animale ('Non-Animal Origin') - thanks to crowdfunding from supporters and a loan from a green bank. The establishment closed in 2022, and the 45-year-old chef went on to open several pop-up restaurants. Since then, no other French restaurant serving only animal-free products has been awarded a Michelin star. Internationally, vegan haute cuisine is rare. Eleven Madison Park in New York has kept its three stars after becoming exclusively vegan in 2021. In the Netherlands, De Nieuwe Winkel's plant-based menu has earned it two Michelin stars. Laurent Guez, a food critic for French newspaper Le Parisien and business daily Les Echos, said Passard's announcement was 'a major event'. But he also warned that not a lot of chefs could excel in the art of high-end plant-based gastronomy. 'It's exceptional cuisine that not everyone can allow themselves to launch into,' he said. Michelin guide international director Gwendal Poullennec said he was 'delighted' with the transition at L'Arpege, describing it as a 'positive approach'. 'We will continue to follow the evolution of L'Arpege, remaining faithful to our criteria,' he told AFP. Passard has given himself two years to take his kitchen skills to a new level. Is he worried about losing his three stars? 'I've never thought about that,' he said. 'We're going to have to deliver. If we can maintain this level of quality, then I'm extremely confident.' — AFP

Kuwait Times
19 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Mighty Atom: How the A-bombs shaped Japanese arts
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Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Filmmakers try to cash in on India Pakistan battle
Indian filmmakers are locking up the rights to movie titles that can profit from the patriotism fanned by a four-day conflict with Pakistan, which killed more than 70 people. The nuclear-armed rivals exchanged artillery, drone and air strikes in May, after India blamed Pakistan for an armed attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. The fighting came to an end when US President Donald Trump announced a surprise ceasefire. Now, some Bollywood filmmakers see an opportunity to cash in on the battle. India tagged its military action against Pakistan 'Operation Sindoor', the Hindi word for vermilion, which married Hindu women wear on their foreheads. The name was seen as a symbol of Delhi's determination to avenge those widowed in the April 22 attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, which sparked the hostilities. Film studios have registered a slew of titles evoking the operation, including: 'Mission Sindoor', 'Sindoor: The Revenge', 'The Pahalgam Terror', and 'Sindoor Operation'. 'It's a story which needs to be told,' said director Vivek Agnihotri. 'If it was Hollywood, they would have made 10 films on this subject. People want to know what happened behind the scenes,' he told AFP. Agnihotri struck box office success with his 2022 release, 'The Kashmir Files', based on the mass flight of Hindus from Kashmir in the 1990s. (From left) Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone attend a promotional event for their upcoming Indian Hindi-language action film 'Fighter' in Mumbai on January 23, 2024. A woman wearing a T-shirt featuring 'OPERATION SINDOOR' checks her mobile phone near a market area in Ludhiana on May 17, 2025. Indian actor Vicky Kaushal and bollywood actress Yami Gautam pose for photographs during the promotion of the upcoming film 'Uri' on the occasion of the Republic Day celebrations at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post, some 35 kms from Amritsar on January 26, 2019. Colored narratives The ruling right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party gave that film a glowing endorsement, despite accusations that it aimed to stir up hatred against India's minority Muslims. Since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, some critics say Bollywood is increasingly promoting his government's ideology. Raja Sen, a film critic and screenwriter, said filmmakers felt emboldened by an amenable government. 'We tried to wage a war and then we quietened down when Mr Trump asked us to. So what is the valor here?' Sen told AFP of the Pakistan clashes. Anil Sharma, known for directing rabble-rousing movies, criticized the apparent rush to make films related to the Pahalgam attack. 'This is herd mentality... these are seasonal filmmakers, they have their constraints,' he said. 'I don't wait for an incident to happen and then make a film based on that. A subject should evoke feelings and only then cinema happens,' said Sharma. Sharma's historical action flick 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' (2001) and its sequel 'Gadar 2' (2023), both featuring Sunny Deol in lead roles, were big hits. In Bollywood, filmmakers often seek to time releases for national holidays like Independence Day, which are associated with heightened patriotic fervor. 'Fighter', featuring big stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, was released on the eve of India's Republic Day on January 25 last year. Anti-Muslim bias Though not a factual retelling, it drew heavily from India's 2019 airstrike on Pakistan's Balakot. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews but raked in $28 million in India, making it the fourth highest-grossing Hindi film of that year. This year, 'Chhaava', a drama based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, a ruler of the Maratha Empire, became the highest-grossing film so far this year. It also generated significant criticism for fueling anti-Muslim bias. 'This is at a time when cinema is aggressively painting Muslim kings and leaders in violent light,' said Sen. 'This is where those who are telling the stories need to be responsible about which stories they choose to tell.' Sen said filmmakers were reluctant to choose topics that are 'against the establishment'. 'If the public is flooded with dozens of films that are all trying to serve an agenda, without the other side allowed to make itself heard, then that propaganda and misinformation enters the public psyche,' he said. Acclaimed director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra said true patriotism is promoting peace and harmony through the medium of cinema. Mehra's socio-political drama 'Rang De Basanti' (2006) won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film and was chosen as India's official entry for the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. 'How we can arrive at peace and build a better society? How we can learn to love our neighbors?' he asked. 'For me that is patriotism.' – AFP