Nigerian filmmaker Niyi Akinmolayan has downplayed concerns over the United States’ proposed tariff on foreign-produced movies, describing it as “not a big worry” for Nollywood and the African film industry.
Speaking on Channels Television’s entertainment programme, Akinmolayan explained that Nollywood’s primary market remains Nigeria, with international distribution largely driven by streaming platforms.
“Typically, the most common way we get our films shown in the U.S. recently has been via streaming — Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, to be precise.
“What usually happens is they have what they call a worldwide licence, and then they have a U.S. and Canada licence. This is because the U.S. and Canada licence is a bit different in terms of taxation — about 30 to 35 percent tax on the licence deal — whereas, all over the world, it’s a completely different thing,” he said.
He noted that, “We make films predominantly for the Nigerian market first, before trying to appeal to an international audience. Usually, in those discussions, there is some tax calculation very specific to the United States, but I honestly do not think that is what this particular Trump tariff issue is.
“I think he’s being very specific about the key American studios that are now doing a lot of their productions outside America.”
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US President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement that Washington, DC, will host the 2027 NFL Draft, during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States, citing national security concerns and the decline of the domestic film industry due to foreign tax incentives attracting U.S. productions abroad.
The proposal has sparked heated debate across the entertainment world. Critics argue that the global nature of filmmaking — involving international locations, crews, and post-production — makes it difficult to define what qualifies as a “foreign” film. There are also fears over the potential impact on independent films and co-productions that rely heavily on overseas budgets.
Reflecting on the possible implications, Akinmolayan expressed skepticism about the practical impact of the measure.
“Where exactly does the tariff come in? Is it from the production budget or the sales? The gross? What happens if you make the film and it doesn’t sell? What happens when you make a film targeted for festivals — and not as a commercial decision? It feels like a lot of it is still floating in the air,” he said.
“My thoughts would be that nothing much will change in terms of how much they need to spend if they are here or in any other part of the world apart from America — at least not in the immediate — because we do not know where the tariffs are going to be taken from,” Akinmolayan explained. “Typically, tariffs are taken ultimately from consumers in a place like America, which then motivates producers to save costs and do more of their work in America.”
He also highlighted the growing global nature of storytelling and collaboration: “I do not even see a future in such a thing because the world is becoming a global space.
“America is looking for stories to tell from all over the world — that’s why companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime have worked with us in Nigeria. So I do not even see this working in the long run. But we’re open to seeing how that goes.”
Looking ahead, Akinmolayan emphasised the importance of building trust and infrastructure in Nigeria to attract foreign productions.
“One of the things I was thinking about — even in Nigeria with initiatives like nollywoodfilmmaker.com — is to build a system of trust and reliability where Hollywood can actually come to film major productions in places like Nigeria. There are capable hands, good security, and all the like.
Beirut, Lebanon – More than five years into an economic crisis that sent inflation spiralling and saw the Lebanese lira plummet, Lebanon’s government is facing its biggest infrastructure project in years: Post-war reconstruction.
After 14 months of war with Israel, Lebanon needs $11bn to rebuild, according to World Bank estimates.
But, experts say, donors do not trust the Lebanese political class, which has a track record of funnelling construction contracting money to politically connected businessmen.
The needs
In addition to more than 4,000 deaths, the war took a vast material toll on the country already reeling from a multi-year economic crisis.
About 10 percent of the homes in Lebanon – some 163,000 units – were damaged or destroyed, to say nothing of the more than $1bn in infrastructure damage.
Most observers, and the new government formed in February, say Lebanon will again need foreign aid, as it did after a previous war with Israel in 2006.
But that aid has been slower to arrive than in 2006, with donor attention divided between Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, and major donors like the United States pushing for the Hezbollah group’s disarmament as a precondition.
Hezbollah, until recently the most powerful political and military force in the country, suffered severe blows during the war and has seen its power curtailed, although many Lebanese continue to support it.
The country’s south, east, and Beirut’s southern suburbs bore the brunt of Israel’s offensive. Together, they are home to most of Hezbollah’s constituents, so restoring their homes and livelihoods is a priority for the party.
That translates into leverage for foreign donor states.
The problem
Politically connected companies overcharged the state’s main infrastructure buyer, the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), by 35 percent between 2008 and 2018, a 2022 study by local think tank The Policy Initiative found.
And the primary contracting regulation was so riddled with exceptions that as little as 5 percent of tenders were under the Central Tenders Board’s oversight.
All that came to a head in 2020, when a huge blast in Beirut’s port tore through much of the capital and donors decided they wanted nothing to do with the state, according to Khalil Gebara, economist and former World Bank consultant who previously advised the Lebanese government.
“Donors stopped transferring money to national authorities or to the treasury,” he said, because they had “a total lack of trust in national mechanisms”.
Instead, donors controlled spending directly or via a World Bank-managed trust fund, or worked through NGOs, Gebara added.
That year, the state, which was stalling on implementing International Monetary Fund conditions in exchange for a partial bailout, spent just $38m on its physical investments, down from more than $1.1bn in 2018, the year before the economic collapse, according to Ministry of Finance data.
(Al Jazeera)
Trying for solutions
A year later, Lebanon passed what many considered a landmark reform to state contracting, one of the few reform laws passed in recent years.
It dragged virtually the entire public sector into one unified framework, abolished a classification system that had frozen out contractors without political connections, and created a new regulator – the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
As crisis-ridden state agencies were corralled into the new system, public investment continued to fall, hitting below $10m in 2022.
“Procurement is going to be a big thing … and absolutely the test for the procurement system and for the regulatory authority,” said Lamia Moubayed, head of an in-house research and training institute at Lebanon’s Finance Ministry.
Rana Rizkallah, a procurement expert at the same institute, says the law is solid, but it’s up to the government to implement what it promised, adding that a crucial part of that is staffing the regulator.
The PPA is supposed to be a board of five members backed by a team of 83 staffers but, three years after the law went into effect in 2022, it has a single member and five employees overseeing 1,400 purchasing bodies.
A four-member complaints board that the law established also has yet to be formed, so complaints still go to Lebanon’s slow, overburdened courts.
Jean Ellieh, the regulator’s president and sole member, says the state doesn’t have the “logistical capacity” to recruit dozens of regulators in one fell swoop, but he’s put in a request for new hires.
“We will work with determination and resolve, regardless of our capabilities,” Ellieh told Al Jazeera. “We will not give anyone an excuse to evade the application of the law.”
He added that donors have expressed “satisfaction” with the PPA’s abilities.
Bonanzas to the well-connected
After several lean years in which the state had to keep spending to a bare minimum, the contracting scene remains dominated by the large companies that built up enough resources from earlier rounds of investment to stay afloat.
Wassim Maktabi, economist and co-author of the 2022 report on cartel behaviour in construction contracting, said it would be a tall order to ensure that reconstruction isn’t another bonanza for the well-connected.
“Rest assured that these political elites will not let this slip,” he said.
In addition, years of high-value contracts mean politically connected firms have accumulated the capital to be, in most respects, bigger and more experienced than competitors.
“Even if political influence was not a factor and you awarded these contracts purely based on merit,” he said, these firms “would still get a large piece of the pie”.
Despite a ceasefire, Israel has continued attacking Lebanon, increasing the damage (Al Jazeera)
Regardless, Maktabi says, reconstruction is simply too important to stall in pursuit of perfection.
Al Jazeera has identified 152 reconstruction contracts totalling more than $30m that are already under way, via the PPA’s online portal. Of the top four contract winners in dollar terms, two have political connections mentioned in media reports.
The top four companies, Beta Engineering and Contracting, Elie Naim Maalouf Company, Al Bonyan Engineering and Contracting, and Yamen General Trading and Contracting, have won contracts totalling $10.6m, $4.7m, $1.8m, and $1.4m, respectively – 60 percent of the total amount awarded in the PPA contracts examined.
Pushing for reformist credibility
The new government is negotiating with the World Bank on a $980m plan, known as LEAP, to kick-start reconstruction and be funded by a World Bank loan and foreign assistance.
But LEAP would only take care of a fraction of the total reconstruction costs.
The government also started hiring for a long-stalled electricity regulatory board and new faces on the CDR board.
A woman walks through the damage an Israeli airstrike caused, in Beirut on April 1, 2025 [Mohamed Azakir/Reuters]
Moubayed says refreshing the CDR board is a World Bank requirement to approve LEAP, which would be a vital win for a government pushing to gain reformist credibility.
The World Bank declined to comment on whether refreshing the CDR board is a requirement.
It’s still unclear how the programme might be structured, but the government has endorsed the creation of a trust fund for post-war reconstruction, “characterised by transparency”.
But, Beirut residents were unhappy with a similar model used in 2020 for the Port blast reconstruction, architect and urbanist Abir Saksouk of Public Works Studio says.
A lack of equity between residents, based on which organisation took over repairing each area, further eroded a sense of shared citizenship, she says, calling it an experience that shouldn’t be repeated.
She is one of many calling for an inclusive reconstruction process led by all stakeholders, including people who have suffered damages, and with the involvement of relevant ministries, because they are a vital part of the process.
Due to an unspecified injury, Olympic pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan was forced to withdraw from this month’s European Championships.
The 25-year-old, who won gold in Paris last summer and finished his career Grand Slam, was scheduled to return to action in Leipzig between May 26 and May 31.
McClenaghan, who has won the title twice in the past two years, would have been defending his title.
McCLenaghan to “place health first”
McClenaghan stopped competing after the previous year’s Olympics, but he recently returned to full-time training. The European Championships were his first major competition since Paris.
McClenaghan will now concentrate on the World Championships, which are scheduled to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia in October, because the injury is not thought to be serious.
McClenaghan wrote, “I tried my best to push through preparation, but an injury kept holding me back,” on his Instagram account.
I made the decision to give my best work a chance this year by ensuring that I can focus on recovering from this year’s competitions and being healthy.
The two motorcycle riders who were killed in a collision on Monday during the British Supersport Championship race in Oulton Park have received memorials.
In a first-lap crash at the start of the race, 21-year-old British rider Owen Jenner and father-of-two Shane Richardson, both of whom died, collided on an 11-bike motorcycle.
Jenner, a native of Crowborough, East Sussex, began his junior motorcross racing career.
He then won the 2018 Team Green, 2020 Junior Supersport, and 2023 Junior Superstock titles, making it to the finish line. He won the British GP2 title with 18 victories out of 20 career victories when he joined the Kramer Team in 2024.
In announcing Jenner’s death, the Honda quickly team stated that it felt “sadness beyond words.” Jenner left Honda quickly in November 2024.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and teams of Owen during this unfathomably difficult time, as well as to Shane Richardson’s family, who sadly lost his life,” the statement continued.
As Tom Tunstall continues to receive medical care, his family and we are also in his thoughts.
The entire motorsport industry is in mourning after losing two talented riders.
Honda quickly
Prior to moving to the UK, Richardson spent his early years in Lower Hutt, on the north island of New Zealand, near Wellington.
He has joined the racing industry since he was 16 and has also run a joinery.
He started racing in 2013 and soon became a competitor at international competitions like the US MotoAmerica championship.
Morgan McLaren-Wood, a fellow New Zealand rider, who suffered minor wounds in the collision, praised Richardson on social media.
He said, “Trying to find the words for what happened.” Shane and Owen, rest in peace. In this heartbreaking time, my heart goes out to both of their families.
Brady Dyer, a councillor for Hutt City in New Zealand, wrote on Facebook: “Shane was admired both locally and abroad for his talent and passion.
I am aware that many people in our community will be deeply affected by this tragic loss.
According to Hippo, who sponsors Richardson’s team, “Shane made instant friends with everyone he met, always welcoming, and giving every visitor his undivided attention.
He “given his sport’s passion to the public.”
Cormac Buchanan, a fellow New Zealand rider, described Shane as “truly one of the best people I ever had the privilege to share the track with.”
Buchanan wrote, “You never failed to make us smile,” in a caption from Instagram. I had the opportunity to learn from and look up to you during my first year in the UK.
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Israeli Prime Minister says Palestinians in Gaza will be relocated to the south during a ‘new phase’ of intense military operation, with reports suggesting that Israel is considering occupying the entire enclave and taking control of aid distribution.
Zara McDermott has just unveiled a darker hair colour for spring, and it happens to be a top money-saving shade that’s soaring amid the tariff and cost of living crises
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Zara McDermott is ahead of the trend with her latest hair transformation(Image: Getty)
If you’re going into the summer months looking for hair colour inspiration, look to Zara McDermott, who has just unveiled a darker tone that takes her away from her usual highlighted blonde shade. The documentary maker took to her socials to share the transformation, penning: “Dark caramel for summer”. And while there are plenty of names for this exact hue, experts have coined it ‘recession’ blonde or bronde for 2025.
A move away from full head of highlights and ashy tones, this low-maintenance shade is perfect for any blonde or light brunette looking to save money on regular salon visits. The whole aim of the tone is to work with your natural base shade, meaning less time in the salon and more time with a glossy hair that doesn’t look grown out.
The ‘recession bronde’ trend – A professional overview
“Balayage became hugely popular around 2010 during the last recession,” says Siobhan Haug, co-founder of London’s Haug House salon. “And now, with tariff changes in the US and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis over here, we’re seeing hair colour trends reflect those economic pressures again, like this ‘recession’ or ‘low maintenance’ bronde.”
According to Siobhan, today’s clients want to invest in high-quality salon colour, but they’re also thinking practically. “People want beautiful, well-done colour that lasts. They’re spacing out their appointments more, so the key is to get the most longevity from each service. That means adapting classic techniques in smarter, more strategic ways,” she observes. For blondes, this means taking them from full heads of highlights back to balayage-like shades that work with the natural root colour.
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Zara McDermott has moved away from her blonde highlights and back to her root colour(Image: Instagram)
Even for brunettes, Siobhan and her team have evolved their approach. “We’ve moved away from permanent colour and now use demi-permanent instead. It’s a compromise in terms of full coverage, but you get a beautifully blended effect that keeps you going for longer,” she adds.
Another cost-effective trick involves changing the application method of root tints. “A full root tint normally needs refreshing every four to six weeks. But now, many of our clients are having the same colour sliced through the hair, leaving out some strands. This allows for a softer regrowth and stretches the maintenance to eight or even ten weeks.”
This technique, unique to Haug House, also works well for clients who have traditionally had a block colour. “We take them from that solid look to a highlighted version of the same shade,” she explains. “It’s all about grey blending now, rather than covering every single grey hair. It gives a much softer and more natural grow-out.”
Blondes, too, are getting a more naturalised treatment. “We’re doing more underlighting—placing lighter packets on top and weaving lowlights underneath. It creates depth and dimension, and extends the time between appointments. Regular highlights might last 8 to 10 weeks, but with this technique, you can go up to 16 weeks without needing a refresh,” says Siobhan.
Head of beauty Zoe tries out the colour for herself
Zoe tries out the low maintenance bronde trends(Image: Zoe Cripps)
I was getting pretty fed up with the constant root touch-ups and the never-ending maintenance of my full head of highlights. With my busy work schedule, I knew it was time for a change. I wanted to go blonde, but in a way that didn’t mean I’d have to be in the salon every few weeks. So, I decided to book in with Siobhan at Haug House to get her advice. I told her I wanted something low-maintenance, like Zara’s new colour, but still had that blonde look, and she assured me she could make it work.
Siobhan worked her magic with this underlighting technique, and I was honestly blown away by the results. She layered lighter highlights on top and then added some lowlights underneath, which gave my hair so much depth and dimension. The colour looked really natural, and the grow-out is going to be subtle– no more harsh roots.
What I loved most is how much longer I could go between appointments, up to 16 weeks, I’m told. It was exactly what I needed: a creamy blonde that works with my root colour and doesn’t require constant upkeep.
Make your colour last longer
Invest in a purple shampoo, but don’t overdo it: Once a week at a maximum, but ideally once a month, is how often you should be using one at home. A build-up of purple shampoo can make your hair more brittle and very dull-looking. Top tip: always follow a purple shampoo with a second wash with a nourishing shampoo.
We love: Redken Colour Extend Blondage Shampoo, £21.51
Use a deep conditioning treatment every week: Preferably with bond-building technology. The combination of that with moisturising and nourishing ingredients will ensure your ends stay hydrated and less prone to breakage.
We love: Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask, £22.40
Always heat protect your hair: Aside from the damage that hot tools can do in terms of breakage if you use them without a heat protectant, they can also cause your colour to fade faster – same with UV rays from the sun. Spritz a good heat protectant on after every wash, and again before styling, to get the most out of your salon colour.
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