By Martin ABBUGAO BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, Jan 11, 2024 (AFP) – Brunei’s polo-playing Prince Abdul Mateen, one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors, is set to marry his commoner fiancee on Thursday as part of a lavish 10-day celebration in the oil-rich sultanate. An Islamic marriage ceremony for the 32-year-old prince and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, 29, will be held inside a gold-domed mosque in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Mateen is the 10th child […]
Entertainment
‘Oppenheimer’ tops Golden Globes on bittersweet night for ‘Barbie’
By Andrew MARSZAL LOS ANGELES, Jan 8, 2024 (AFP) – “Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan’s drama about the inventor of the atomic bomb, topped the Golden Globes on Sunday — but its fellow summer smash hit “Barbie” missed out on best comedy film honors to “Poor Things.” “Oppenheimer” took five prizes including best drama, best director for Nolan, best score, as well as acting trophies for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. Nolan told journalists backstage he […]
‘Starsky & Hutch’ star David Soul dies aged 80
LONDON, Jan 5, 2024 (AFP) – US-born actor and singer David Soul, a beloved 1970s icon for his role as Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the classic TV series “Starsky & Hutch”, has died aged 80, his family announced Friday. UK-based Soul, whose decades-spanning career included work as a director, producer and singer-songwriter, died Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family”, his British wife Helen Snell said. “He shared […]
Snoop Dogg to be Paris Olympics special correspondent for NBC
Acclaimed rapper Snoop Dogg will be a special reporter for US broadcaster NBC at the Paris Olympics this year, the network has announced, reprising his star turn at the Tokyo Games that delighted viewers. “I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris,” he said in a statement issued late Sunday. “It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness… We’re going to […]
Mickey Mouse horror films announced as Disney copyright expires
Oh boy! Barely 24 hours after Disney’s initial copyright on Mickey Mouse expired, two new indie horror films starring the beloved character have been announced. “Steamboat Willie,” the first Disney movie to feature Mickey, entered the public domain under US law on Monday, 95 years on from its initial release. That means anyone is now free to copy, share, reuse and adapt the primitive, early versions of the characters that appear within the film, including […]
Legal battles loom as first Mickey Mouse copyright ends
By Andrew MARSZAL LOS ANGELES, Dec 29, 2023 (AFP) – Almost a century after his big-screen debut, Mickey Mouse enters the public domain Monday, opening the floodgates to potential remakes, spin-offs, adaptations… and legal battles with Disney. The copyright on “Steamboat Willie” — a short, black-and-white 1928 animation that first introduced audiences to the mischievous rodent who would become emblematic of American pop culture — expires after 95 years, on January 1, under US law. […]
‘I’ll keep going:’ Chile granny finds solace, celebrity in online gaming
By Axl HERNANDEZ LLAY-LLAY , Chile, Dec 29, 2023 (AFP) – Few players of the online video game Free Fire would know that one of their most ferocious opponents — a lithe, gun-wielding warrior in a short kimono and fang mask — is in reality an 81-year-old grandmother from rural Chile. From her professional gaming chair at home in a small village, the soft-spoken Maria Elena Arevalo becomes a merciless hunter, mowing down rivals in […]
‘Parasite’ actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead
SEOUL, Dec 27, 2023 (AFP) – South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite”, was found dead Wednesday, police said. He was 48. The actor was found inside a vehicle parked on the street in Seoul’s mid-northern Seongbuk district, an official from the Seongbuk police station told AFP. “We believe his body has now been transferred to the Seoul National University Hospital,” he added. South Korea’s Yonhap news […]
Jo Koy to host Golden Globes awards: “I get to make my Filipino family proud”
LOS ANGELES, Dec 21, 2023 (AFP) – Comedian and actor Jo Koy will host the newly revamped Golden Globes, organizers announced Thursday, as the US awards show seeks a clean slate. The stand-up comedian said he was excited to be overseeing the party that kicks off three months of movie industry ceremonies. “I’ve stepped onto a lot of stages around the world in my career, but this one is going to be extra special,” he […]
BTS hiatus begins as final two members, Jimin and Jungkook, enter military
SEOUL, Dec 12, 2023 (AFP) – The last two members of K-pop superstars BTS to enlist for mandatory military service, Jimin and Jung Kook, were set to begin their training on Tuesday, South Korean media reported, resulting in the entire megagroup being on hiatus. All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military. After a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved a rare exemption, Jin, the oldest member of […]
BTS’ RM and V begin mandatory military service in South Korea
SEOUL, Dec 11, 2023 (AFP) – Two more members of K-pop phenomenon BTS, RM and V, were set to start mandatory South Korean military service Monday, local media reported, with the final two members expected to enlist this week. All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military. After a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year and […]
‘Barbenheimer’ tipped to dominate revamped Golden Globes nominations
LOS ANGELES, Dec 11, 2023 (AFP) – “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — the unlikely pair of films that dominated the box office and spawned countless internet memes this summer — are expected to lead the newly revamped Golden Globes when nominations are unveiled Monday. Collectively dubbed “Barbenheimer” after their theatrical releases happened to fall on the same date, both movies are likely to score highly with voters for the Globes, which kick off Hollywood’s film awards […]