Why is ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ facing backlash and calls for boycott?

Copyright AP Photo - 20th Century Studios / YouTube screenshot

By David Mouriquand

Published on 27/04/2026 - EURONEWS

'The Devil Wears Prada 2' - out this week - is facing a boycott in Asia after a social media clip released before the film hits cinemas presents a character deemed to be an offensive stereotype.

The hotly anticipated sequel to 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada hits theatres this week, and a 38-second clip from the film has already sparked backlash online.

The extract shows “the former assistant’s new assistant” Jin Chao, played by Chinese-American actress Helen J Shen. She introduces herself to Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs, who is back at work at the fictional Runway magazine.

During their interaction, Chao displays the characteristics of social awkwardness, is eager to please, dressed in unflattering clothing, and proceeds to list her academic achievements...

“If you don’t want me, you can interview someone else, I don’t mind,” she tells Hathaway’s character. “I did go to Yale, 3.86 GPA, lead soprano of the Whiffenpoofs and my ACT score was 36 on the very first try.”

This clip has been viewed over 26 million times and has been blasted online for being guilty of caricaturing Asian behaviour and leaning on dated stereotypes, with accusations of “blatant anti-Asian racism”.

“Hollywood is so out of touch it’s embarrassing. It’s 2026 and THIS is your Asian rep? The name, styling, whole look. Lazy stereotypes,” wrote one X user, while another commented: “Child-like dress, glasses, overqualified, Ivy League credentials and at top of her game yet obsequious and insecure of her competency: these are not Asian American stereotypes, they’re white women’s fantasies.”

Other social media posts have also highlighted that the character’s name sounds like a racist slur.

Racist slur called out X

One Japanese post, which has been viewed over a million times on X, states:

“The Devil Wears Prada 2

・Asian (Chinese)

・Name is Chinchon

・Glasses

・Nerdy bookworm

・Even if they graduated from a prestigious school, they’re uncool

Hits us with the most blatant racial stereotype racism in 2026 and it gives me chills. Did they use this scene in the promo because it’s “funny”? #BoycottTheDevilWearsPrada2″

On the Reddit forum r/asianamerican, one commenter said the name “is what a white person thinks a Chinese name should sound like”, before drawing comparisons to Cho Chang - the name of the Asian student at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series.

Helen J. Shen attends 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' world premiere in New York - Monday 20 April 2026 AP Photo

The Devil Wears Prada 2 sees Hathaway joined by returning cast members Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

The Devil Wears Prada grossed $326 million globally and became a streaming hit.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is out on 30 April in China and on 1 May worldwide.

 

Venice opera house La Fenice fires music director Beatrice Venezi after 'offensive' comments

WHEN I HEAR THE WORD CULTURE I REACH FOR MY GUN

HERMAN GOERING

Copyright AP Photo

By David Mouriquand

Published on 28/04/2026 - EURONEWS

Famous Venice opera house Teatro La Fenice has fired the incoming music director Beatrice Venezi after months of protests and following “repeated and serious public statements that were offensive and harmful” to the theater.

After months of opposition, The Teatro La Fenice – Venice's renowned opera house – has dropped the incoming Musical Director Beatrice Venezi over statements “deemed offensive and detrimental to the artistic and professional standing of the Teatro La Fenice Foundation”.

Venezi was appointed permanent Musical Director and the first female conductor at La Fenice in September 2025. The following month, the theatre trade unions demanded Venezi’s resignation, arguing that the 36-year-old lacked the necessary experience to lead the orchestra.

Concerns were also raised over her affiliations to Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government.

Venezi, whose father is a former member of the neofascist political party Forza Nuova, was appointed as an adviser to the culture minister after Meloni came to power in 2022.

Then came Venezi’s recent statements accusing the orchestra of nepotism.

On 23 April, Venezi gave an interview to Argentinian newspaper La Nación in which she said that “this is an orchestra in which positions are passed down practically from father to son”.

She added that orchestra members “never leave the island” of Venice and that they didn’t know how to appeal to younger audiences.

“They’re afraid of change, of renewal.”

Following these statements, Teatro La Fenice terminated Venezi’s contract.

Workers and orchestra members of Venice's La Fenice opera house demanding the resignation of Beatrice Venezi - 10 November 2025 AP Photo

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General manager Nicola Colabianchi cited Venezi’s “repeated and serious public statements that were offensive and harmful” to the theater and its orchestra.

La Fenice's unions welcomed the decision, calling it “a necessary act of respect” and underlining that the theater's professionalism had been “subject to serious, unfounded public statements damaging to the dignity of labor.”

Meloni's office issued a statement denying a newspaper report that she had authorised Venezi's sacking. Daily Corriere della Sera had said Meloni had approved Venezi's axing due to the "accumulation of controversy".

However, Italy’s Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, expressed support for the decision, stating that he hoped it would “clear the field misunderstandings, tensions and instrumentalization of every kind and degree; in the interests of the theatre and the city of Venice”.

 

European Parliament calls to define rape as sex without consent

By Vincenzo Genovese

Published on 28/04/2026 - EURONEWS

A resolution adopted by the European Parliament calls for a common definition of rape across the EU, stating that any sexual act without consent should be considered rape.

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved a resolution calling for an EU-wide definition of rape based on the absence of freely given and informed consent.

It is now up to the European Commission to propose legislation, which would then need to be approved by EU member states, usually a political and difficult step.

The resolution urges that “only a clear, affirmative, freely given and unambiguous indication of consent is valid” in sexual relations. It adds that “silence, a lack of verbal or physical resistance or the absence of a ‘no’ cannot be interpreted as consent.”

Any sexual act outside this framework should be considered rape.

It also stresses that prior consent, past sexual relations, or any relationship with the perpetrator — including marriage — does not imply automatic consent.

This call reflects the “only yes means yes” principle adopted by Spain, approved in 2022 following a brutal gang rape.

Lack of consent is already a defining element of rape or sexual assault in 17 out of 27 member states, according to the European Parliament Research Service.

The definition backed by the European Parliament is also in line with the Istanbul Convention, which has been ratified by 22 EU countries.

However, legislation in several member states still relies on a force-based definition of rape, requiring victims to prove violence or threats. In Estonia, rape is defined as a violation of the victim’s will through force or threats, while Latvia refers to sexual violence committed under constraint, including force or other forms of pressure.

In Romania, the law focuses on the victim’s inability to express consent.

Meanwhile, legislation in Italy, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria is vague, retaining elements of a force-based approach, according to an expert group set up by the Council of Europe.

Such definitions often require interpretation by courts in terms of what constitutes a violent assault, which is not always consistent. This can lead to a high burden of proof and, in some cases, secondary victimisation.

Supporters of the resolution argue that recent cases have exposed the limits of force-based definitions. Speaking to Euronews, Abir Al-Sahlani pointed to cases in France involving drugging and online abuse as evidence of evolving forms of sexual violence.

The resolution was adopted by a large majority, with 447 votes in favour, 160 against and 43 abstentions.

The definition of rape remains a key gap in EU legislation on violence against women, after it was excluded from a directive adopted in 2024 — a move that triggered criticism and protests.

The original proposal by the European Commission defined rape as sex without consent, but several member states opposed the provision.

Some, including France, argued that criminal law falls under national competence and should remain the responsibility of individual countries.

According to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, around 5% of women in the EU have experienced rape since the age of 15.

 

Gaza’s transport grinds to a halt amid spare parts crisis

By Mohammed Nashbat with Euronews Arabic

Published on 28/04/2026 - 

Severe restrictions on spare parts entering Gaza have paralysed transport, fuelled a black market and sent repair and travel costs soaring for residents, Euronews has learned.

Amid the limited flow of goods into Gaza, a near-total lack of spare parts imports has paralysed transport across the Strip.

As part of the ceasefire terms, at least 600 lorries a day should be permitted to enter Gaza.

Data from the Government Information Office in Gaza indicate that the actual number of lorries entering is less than half of that figure.

Of the more than 3,000 commercial and humanitarian lorries that have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, only one has carried spare parts.

The shortage of spare parts has left many cars parked and many engines idle, local business owners say.

"The buses are parked and the cars are parked, we have no tyres, no batteries and no oil," Mahmoud Sami, owner of a bus company in the Maghazi area of central Gaza told Euronews.

Sami's buses once ran daily routes, but operations have largely stopped as costs have surged to unprecedented levels.

Car repair shop in the Gaza Strip. Mohammed Nashbat

According to current prices, a single bus tyre can cost up to 20,000 shekels (€5,725), while a battery may cost 15,000 (€ 4,295) shekels or more.

Sami added that some drivers have resorted to swapping tyres between vehicles just to keep a few running, as purchasing new parts is no longer feasible.

Tyres at exorbitant prices

A comparison of conditions before and after 7 October 2023 shows a deterioration in the market, in both availability and pricing.

The problem is no longer just high costs, but the market has shifted from relative abundance before the war to a severe shortage.

A Palestinian stands in front of a car tyre in the Gaza Strip. Mohammed Nashbat

Mohammed Emad, a mechanic from Nuseirat camp, said that the cost of car repairs, which used to range between 2,000 shekels (€575) and 2,500 shekels (€715), now exceeds 17,000 shekels (€4,865).

As for engine oil, the price per litre has risen from about 300 shekels (€85) to more than 1,000 shekels (€285), with sharp fluctuations due to the ongoing regional conflict

Desperation sets in

Economist Ahmed Abu Qamar said that the shortage of spare parts — or when they are allowed in, the lack of regulation — has enabled the black market to set prices.

These imbalances reflect directly on the citizens, he warned. Fares to travel between camps in central Gaza, for example, rose from one shekel to five.

Khaled al-Naami, owner of a car workshop in al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip Mohammed Nashbat

For the parts that are permitted in, they do not meet 5% of market demand and often do not meet industry standards, Automotive Spare Parts Association Chairman Rushdi al-Khor said.

This reality has pushed many to seek out temporary solutions, such as using improvised components, old or second-hand auto parts, or used oil. Specialists warn that using old parts, especially braking systems and tyres, increases the likelihood of accidents.

Vehicles recycling motor oil

The shortage of spare parts and oil is not only impacting civilians and owners of commercial vehicles but also emergency response teams.

The spokesperson for the Civil Defence Authority in Gaza, Major Mahmoud Basal, warned that the agency's operational capacity has fallen to just 10%. He noted Gaza City had only three operational vehicles remaining.

In August 2025, the Civil Defence reported that 60% of its vehicles across the Strip had gone out of service due to shortages of fuel and spare parts.

The agency also revealed that teams had to resort to using used motor oil for their vehicles, despite it causing significant engine damage and shortening their operational lifespan.

The agency warned that if the situation deteriorates further, teams may have to reach incident sites on foot or rely on civilian vehicles.

Car spare parts in Gaza Mohammed Nashbat

With ongoing restrictions on the entry of goods and aid, the shortage of spare parts is expected to worsen, leaving residents dependent on increasingly limited transport options for daily life.

Economists have warned that if the situation persists, it could result in near-total paralysis of the transport and services sector, undermining people’s access to hospitals, essential services and workplaces.

 

Ukraine says it shot down 33,000 Russian drones in March, a new monthly record

Copyright AP Photo

By Gavin Blackburn

Published on 28/04/2026 - EURONEWS

Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and has drawn military interest from around the world.

Ukrainian interceptor systems shot down more than 33,000 Russian drones in March, a record monthly figure since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s defence minister said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s domestically-developed long-range attack drones struck a Russian oil refinery and terminal on the Black Sea for the third time in less than two weeks, prompting the evacuation of local people as a precautionary measure.

Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and has drawn military interest from around the world.

Interceptor drones as part of a comprehensive air defence system are now being sought by countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf amid the Iran war, according to Ukrainian officials

Ukraine is scaling up supplies of interceptor drones to thwart Russian aerial attacks and its military has introduced a new command within the air force to boost the country’s capabilities, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a post on Telegram late Monday.

Ukraine's offensive capabilities have also improved, with the Defence Ministry saying on Tuesday that the country’s forces have more than doubled the range of their deep-strike capabilities since Russia's February 2022 invasion.

At that time, Ukrainian forces were able to hit military targets about 630 kilometres away, it said. They are now striking targets as far as roughly 1,750 kilometres behind enemy lines, the ministry said in a statement.

That improvement has allowed Ukraine to hit Russian oil installations that provide crucial revenue for Moscow's war effort. It has also targeted manufacturing plants that supply Russia’s armed forces.

Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery at the Black Sea port of Tuapse for the third time this month in a coordinated operation involving multiple branches of the country’s defence and security services, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said on Tuesday

The two strikes earlier this month destroyed 24 oil storage tanks and damaged four others, it said. Independent verification of the claims was not possible.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday its air defences intercepted 186 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, the annexed Crimea and the Black and the Azov seas.

Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, 28 April, 2026 AP Photo

Europe may need Ukraine

With Russia posing a threat to all of Europe, the continent may need Ukraine more than Ukraine needs Europe, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Tuesday, noting Kyiv's large and increasingly modern military.

"Instead of us thinking that Ukraine needs Europe, perhaps we should think that we in Europe need Ukraine more," Stubb told reporters at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis.

"It is the largest, most efficient and most modern military in Europe."

Europe has ramped up its defensive capabilities in the face of the invasion and Moscow's "hybrid" attacks on European countries, including drone overflights, alleged sabotage and misinformation.

Estonia's President Alar Karis, left, and Finland's President Alexander Stubb attend a press conference in Helsinki, 28 April, 2026 AP Photo

Both Stubb and Karis expressed support for Kyiv's desire to join both the European Union and NATO.

"We need to seriously start to think how much Europe actually needs Ukraine, whether it's EU membership or, as a matter of fact, NATO membership," Stubb said.

European leaders broadly back Ukraine's EU membership aspirations but there is little appetite to fast-track Kyiv to full membership, despite urgent appeals from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kyiv officially obtained EU candidate country status in December 2023.

Stubb meanwhile argued that the tide was turning in Ukraine's favour in the war with Russia.

RelatedPentagon email floats punishing NATO allies over Iran war

"If you look at the past four months, Ukraine is actually doing much better than Russia," he said.

"We have seen the figures of both dead and wounded soldiers increase to 30,000 to 35,000 per month on the Russian side at a hit ratio of one Ukrainian to five Russians," Stubb added.

"On top of that, Ukraine now has the capability to launch more missiles and drones into Russia than vice versa. The pace at which Russia is advancing is actually minimal, at a cost of roughly 250 dead per square kilometre."

Ukraine says it will open arms exports with 'Drone Deals,' but not to all countries

Copyright AP Photo

By Sasha Vakulina

Published on 28/04/2026 -  EURONEWS

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that Ukraine is set to open its arms exports via so-called drone deals, but not all countries will have access to Kyiv's battlefield tested expertise.

In a much anticipated step, Ukraine is opening up its arms exports to global markets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday evening

"The export of Ukrainian weapons will become a reality, we have approved all the details at the level of our state institutions," Zelenskyy said in a statement.

"Currently, our security expertise and weapons, which have been tested in modern warfare, are of interest to all partners capable of ensuring a real level of protection for their statehood and the lives of their citizens."

Zelenskyy clarified that exports will be open to countries that have supported Ukraine and will take the form of so-called “Drone Deals."

These are special agreements on both the production and supply of Ukrainian drones, missiles, ammunition and other in-demand types of weaponry, military equipment and software, as well as the "provision of our expertise and the technological exchange needed by Ukraine.:

Zelenskyy said also that he approved on Tuesday "the areas for this interstate work and the development of automatic permits for businesses regarding arms exports."

"The algorithm is absolutely clear: at the interstate level, based on the principle of reciprocity, we define the framework for security cooperation through the relevant agreement."

Then the process continues at the level of state institutions and manufacturers. In order to streamline exports, Kyiv will simplify bureaucratic procedures, "maintaining an adequate level of export control, and launching practical operating mechanisms for companies."

Controlled export

Both Ukraine’s foreign partners and domestic weapons producers have been waiting for Kyiv to open up an arms exports procedure.

Approximately 800 arms producers are currently operating in Ukraine and many of them have ramped up their production to a significant surplus.

According to the most recent reports, Ukraine is now producing over 4 million drones annually and could double that number with sufficient funding.

Domestic arms producers had been asking Zelenskyy for a year to lift restrictions on selling their domestically-produced military-grade equipment, particularly drones, to generate more revenue.

An engineer collects FPV drones of "General Cherry" company at the workshop in Ukraine, on Dec. 4, 2025. AP Photo

For over half a year, Kyiv had been working on what it had defined as the "controlled export" of weapons.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said with the clear export structure Ukrainian companies "will receive a real opportunity to enter partner countries' markets," but pointed out that the Ukrainian military will get absolute priority in terms of supply needs.

"A surplus of production capacity in Ukraine for certain types of weapons reaches 50% and this is a direct result of our state investment in Ukraine's defence industry and our cooperation with partners."

Another condition is that only those countries who have supported Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 will have the opportunity of getting a piece of its battlefield-tested arsenal.

Zelenskyy said he instructed the Foreign Ministry together with the intelligence services and Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) to determine the list of countries "to which exports of our weapons are not possible due to their cooperation with the aggressor state."

"This is a serious challenge – to prevent our technologies and weapons from falling into Russian hands," he said.

Soldiers from Ukraine's Khartia brigade operate drones from the Kharkiv region, 30 February, 2026 AP Photo

Gulf region first in line

Zelenskyy confirmed that the format of "Drone Deals" has already been implemented by Kyiv in its cooperation with countries in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Europe and the Caucasus.

He also confirmed that Ukraine has "a proposal on the table with American partners."

"The terms must be favourable to Ukraine, there must be clear oversight, and the proceeds from exports must help Ukraine defend itself. That is exactly how it will be."

Kyiv recently signed 10-year defence partnership deals with three Gulf countries, which include maritime drones, electronic warfare and interception technology.

Relate

Ukraine's naval drone fleet has been expanding in recent years and Ukrainian sea drones have proven effective in inflicting heavy losses on Russian military sites and ships in the Black Sea, such as the Magura-V5 drones, which have been used to target the Russian fleet.

Some of these systems can help unblock the crucial Strait of Hormuz, Zelenskyy said in March.

Ukraine is also trying to use the momentum of the Iran war and the escalation in the Middle East as a window of opportunity to strengthen its geopolitical role and transition from a recipient of security aid to a provider.