ENTERTAINMENT

Hollywood, United States | AFP | Retired basketball superstar Kobe Bryant — once the toast of Los Angeles for the Lakers — is now a Hollywood A-lister with an Oscar. Yes, you read that correctly. Nearly two years after leaving the NBA, the 39-year-old Bryant won the Academy Award for best …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | “Black Panther” continued its record-setting romp this weekend, passing the half-billion-dollar mark in only its third week out in North America as it stayed on track to be one of the highest-grossing films ever, industry analysts said. The Disney/Marvel collaboration, starring Chadwick Boseman …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of a small American village have been left baffled and puzzled by prank calls from people claiming to have discovered the home of Black Panther superhero, T’Challa the Marvel. The hero is king of a fictional African country of Wakanda – outwardly ordinary, …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A twelve- year old Indian girl, Suchetha Satish, who lives in Dubai, recently shattered two Guinness World Records at the same time by singing songs in 102 different languages during an impressive concert that lasted six hours and 15 minutes. Suchetha, who is in …

New York, United States | AFP | Spotify on Wednesday announced a long-awaited public listing, voicing confidence that its streaming model will keep reshaping the music industry but acknowledging that the company has yet to turn a profit. In its filing with US regulators, the Swedish platform that over the course …

Gdansk, Poland | AFP | Vying for an Oscar, “Loving Vincent” is the world’s first animated feature film painted by hand — all 65,000 frames — in the distinct style of Vincent van Gogh. Centred on a probe into his untimely death, the film was shot on a shoestring budget of …

Mumbai, India | AFP | Thousands of heartbroken fans lined the streets of Mumbai Wednesday as India said farewell to Bollywood legend Sridevi Kapoor following her shock death from accidental drowning in a Dubai hotel bathtub aged just 54. Some carried roses while others held photos of the late screen …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Disney’s “Black Panther” sunk its claws into the top spot once again this weekend at the North American box office, taking an estimated $108 million, industry estimates showed Sunday. Following a record-shattering opening weekend — raking in $242.2 million — the frenzy to see …

Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT | Liliane Iradukunda has been named Miss Rwanda after the final round of the beauty contest at the Kigali Convention Center on Saturday night. The 18-year-old Iradukunda clinched the crown after beating 19 others in the grande finale. She represented Western Province. Judges decide the winner …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls not only robbed hip-hop of two defining artists but also uncovered allegations of conspiracy, bloody rivalries and police corruption — shining a light on rap’s criminal underworld. More than two decades later, with the killers …