Alan Arkin, the "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Argo" actor known for his wry wit and improvisation skills, has died aged 89, according to his sons.. He took it on himself to create his "Little Miss Sunshine" character's backstory, deciding that Grandpa Hoover should be a washed-up former saxophonist with a penchant for strip clubs and drugs.
A Hong Kong radio station that has aired pro-democracy shows without a licence for nearly 18 years held its last broadcast on Friday, citing difficulties operating in a "dangerous" political landscape.. In its early years, the station aired phone-in talk shows where prominent opposition figures sometimes appeared as guests, tapping into a culture of spirited political commentary.
The United States rejoined UNESCO on Friday, reversing its withdrawal during the Trump administration, the UN's cultural agency said.. Donald Trump announced in 2017 that he was pulling the United States out of UNESCO, alongside Israel, accusing the body of bias against the Jewish state, a decision that took effect in 2018.
A South Korean-made robot made its debut as an orchestra conductor before a sell-out crowd in Seoul on Friday, wowing the audience with a flawless performance in place of a human maestro. . While there have been musical performances led by robotic conductors in the past, including a 2017 concert led by the robot YuMi in Italy, this was the first time South Koreans were able to witness a robotic conductor on stage.
Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was on Friday described as a "sexual bully", as prosecutors opened their case against him in London for a string of sexual offence charges.. He was "a man who it would seem delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable, a sexual bully", the lawyer alleged in her opening speech.
US rapper Travis Scott will not face criminal charges over the death of 10 people killed in a crush during a Texas concert in 2021, a Houston grand jury decided Thursday.. "It is tragic that 10 innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said.
Drag queen Hurricane Kimchi has torn through Seoul's nightlife scene like their meteorological namesake for a decade, part of a burgeoning LGBTQ community fighting for their rights in socially conservative South Korea.. Hurricane Kimchi, also known as activist and artist Heezy Yang, said South Korea needs to get used to the idea that LGBTQ people are part of society.
Madonna has gone home after a several-day stay in the hospital and was "feeling better," a source close to the matter told AFP Thursday.. In 2020 Madonna underwent hip replacement surgery following an injury sustained on her "Madame X" tour. mdo/md
Many masterpieces of Iraqi painting were looted or destroyed during the years of war, but now the country's artistic heritage faces another threat: rampant counterfeiting and illicit trafficking.. Many of them were among the thousands of pieces looted from the country's museums and homes during the security vacuum after dictator Saddam Hussein fell.
Hollywood's summer of discontent could dramatically escalate this weekend, with actors ready to join writers in a massive "double strike" that would bring nearly all US film and television productions to a halt.. While the writers' strike has already dramatically reduced the number of movies and shows in production, an actors' walkout would shutter almost everything.
