Chinese actress Xin Zhilei said she was keen for new experiences and did not want to limit herself, as she helped kick off the Shanghai International Film Festival on Friday. Xin, 40, became only the third Chinese woman to win best actress in Venice in September, her first major accolade in Europe after charming audiences […]
Category: English Entertainment
David Hockney: contemporary master of brilliant, bold colours
British artist David Hockney’s paintings captured the world in brilliant colour, from carefree 1960s California to the bucolic landscapes of his native Yorkshire. Hockney, who died Thursday aged 88, always retained his Yorkshire burr and a determined liking for fish and chips and cigarettes as he grew to be “perhaps the most popular and versatile […]
Yangon’s furtive party scene belies junta claims of normality
In a blaring nightclub in wartime Myanmar, partied-out revellers doze until dawn by the dancefloor, wary of journeying home despite the end of a post-coup curfew. Lasers streak the smoke-filled air and music is cranked up to 150 decibels, according to one DJ — as loud as a jet engine at take-off — but the […]
Ex-Tottenham owner sells art collection in blockbuster auction
Works by artists including Picasso, Magritte and Klimt, amassed by the ex-owner of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, head to auction this month with a total sales estimate of £200 million ($267 million). They were collected by Joe Lewis, an 89-year-old British billionaire, who transferred his majority stake in the London football club to a family […]
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman in Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star’s record-breaking career. The female record was previously held by Carole Bayer Sager, who was 43 when she joined in 1987. Stevie Wonder remains the youngest person ever admitted, at age 32 […]
Singer Taylor Swift courtside as Knicks duel Spurs in NBA Finals
Pop diva Taylor Swift was courtside at Madison Square Garden to cheer on the New York Knicks in game four of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. The 14-time Grammy award-winner, sporting a blue and orange Knicks T-shirt with the slogan “Stevie Knicks,” upped the already considerable star power as she joined longtime Knicks fans like […]
French pop icon Bruel charged with rape, sexual assault
French pop icon Patrick Bruel was charged with rape and sexual assault on Wednesday, after nearly two dozen women came forward to make allegations against him, some dating back to the 1990s. The 67-year-old, a major figure in French popular culture with several top‑selling albums and dozens of film appearances, has denied any wrongdoing. He is […]
World Cup blends soccer with global music stars
The World Cup isn’t only about soccer: FIFA is drawing on music stars to elevate the competition into a global cultural event, broadening its reach beyond sports fans. From world-famous artists performing at the opening ceremonies to an unprecedented Super Bowl-style halftime show during the final, here is what to expect. – A musical opening – The festivities […]
Ancelotti marks birthday as Spike Lee visits Brazil World Cup training
Brazil players gave coach Carlo Ancelotti a guard of honour for his birthday at a pre-World Cup training session Wednesday attended by Spike Lee. The entire Brazil squad, with the exception of the injured Neymar, welcomed the smiling Ancelotti out onto the pitch at the team’s base, the New York Red Bulls training facility in […]