Gilbert Gottfried, the actor and legendary standup comic known for his raw, scorched voice and crude jokes, has died. He was 67. Gottfried died from a rare genetic muscle disease that can trigger a dangerously abnormal heartbeat, his publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz said in a statement. “In addition to being the most iconic…

Sultry musical “Cabaret” and fantastical literary adaptation “Life of Pi” were among the winners Sunday at British theater’s Olivier Awards, which returned with a live ceremony and a black-tie crowd after a three-year gap imposed by COVID-19. The celebration of London theater, opera and dance came back to London’s Royal Albert Hall for the first…

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” sped to the top of the charts in its opening weekend, earning an impressive $71 million according to studio estimates Sunday. Paramount’s PG-rated sequel easily bested the weekend’s other major newcomer, Michael Bay’s “Ambulance,” which faltered in theaters. “Sonic 2,” which brings back the first film’s director, writers and cast, including…

The motion picture academy on Friday banned Will Smith from attending the Oscars or any other academy event for 10 years following his slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.  The move came after a meeting of the academy’s Board of Governors to discuss a response to Smith’s actions.  “The 94th Oscars were meant…

Grammy Award-winning songwriter Ed Sheeran won a U.K. copyright battle over his 2017 hit “Shape of You” on Wednesday, then slammed what he described as a “culture” of baseless lawsuits intended to squeeze money out of artists eager to avoid the expense of a trial. The British pop star and his co-writers, Snow Patrol’s John…

The boxes weren’t flying off the shelves. They weren’t even making it onto the shelves.  The Masters has gone gnome-mad.  Yes. Gnomes. The must-have item at the Masters this year isn’t any of the shirts or pullovers or caps with the tournament’s logo that can only be bought by those who are lucky enough to…

Tiger Woods says, for now anyway, he’s planning to play this week in the Masters, a little more than a year after nearly losing a leg in a car crash. The five-time champion at Augusta National made the announcement Tuesday morning. He will play nine more practice holes on Wednesday before making a final decision,…

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) is holding talks with the British government on the participation of players from Russia and Belarus at this year’s Wimbledon, saying on Tuesday that it hopes to announce a decision in mid-May. Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to compete on the regular ATP and WTA Tours…

LAS VEGAS — Multi-genre artist Jon Batiste won album of the year and R&B duo Silk Sonic took two of the top honors on Sunday at a Grammy awards ceremony that featured a surprise appeal for support from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine.  Batiste, who leads the band on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,”…

LAS VEGAS — The Grammy awards, the highest honors in the music industry, were out at a live ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday.  Below is a list of winners in key categories.  ALBUM OF THE YEAR  “We Are” — Jon Batiste  RECORD OF THE YEAR  “Leave The Door Open” — Silk Sonic   SONG OF…

The friendship of Ukrainian musician Valeriya Sholokhova and Russian musician Nikita Morozov transcends the fighting between their countries. For VOA News, Iacopo Luzi has the story. Camera: Iacopo Luzi …

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan — a time when Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and other activities from dusk to dawn daily, begins at sundown Saturday in most parts of the world At sunset, Muslims break the daily fast with the iftar, a meal shared with family and friends. Ramadan is the ninth…

Will Smith resigned Friday from the motion picture academy following his Oscars night slap of Chris Rock and said he would accept any further punishment the organization imposed.  Smith in a statement released Friday afternoon said he would “fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation…

The Cambodian artist Morn Chear is having something of a moment in the art world, with exhibits in his country’s capital, Phnom Penh, and the U.S. cities of Seattle and Denver. On canvass and with block prints, he is challenging prejudices against people with disabilities. VOA’s Scott Stearns has our story from Colorado, with VOA…

A Russian opera said Thursday it had canceled a concert by Russian superstar soprano Anna Netrebko over her comments on Moscow’s military operation in neighboring Ukraine. The 50-year-old singer who lives in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Wednesday “condemned” the operation, after she and other Russian artists in Europe and the United States came…

Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after a diagnosis of aphasia, a condition that causes loss of the ability to understand or express speech, his family said Wednesday. In a statement posted on Willis’ Instagram page, the 67-year-old actor’s family announced that Willis was recently diagnosed with aphasia and that it is impacting his…

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday’s Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.  The academy’s board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary…

Washington celebrates 110 years of cherry blossoms in a festival not only marking the beginning of spring but also commemorating the birth of an international tourist destination and marking the ties between the United States and Japan.  Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival draws more than 1.5 million admirers of the fluffy pink trees.…

The phenomenal box-office success of a new film set in 1990s Kashmir has sharpened political divisions in India and prompted a re-examination of a violent campaign against Hindus in the Muslim-majority region three decades ago. “The Kashmir Files,” directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, depicts the flight of Kashmiri Hindus, known as “Pandits,” from the region…

Teff, an ancient grain from the Horn of Africa, has found new enthusiasts in the United States. It’s being cultivated in the American West and Midwest, where growers note its appeal as a gluten-free “super food.” VOA’s Tewelde Tesfagabir reports from Nevada, narration by Vincent Makori. Videographer: Trésor M. Matondo …

Actor Will Smith apologized to comedian Chris Rock one day after slapping him across the face during Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony following a joke Rock made about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith’s apology Monday came after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a formal statement condemning his behavior for slapping…

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a formal statement Monday condemning Will Smith’s behavior for slapping comedian Chris Rock and announced it was initiating an investigation.  Smith slapped Rock across the face during a live broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards ceremony Sunday after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, poking fun…

Rising costs are impacting day to day living for many Americans. In the Thai community in Los Angeles, many are having to make some hard choices. Nopparat Chaichalearmmongkol has a story reported by Supakit Pattarateranon. Camera: Supakit Pattarateranon …

Comedian Chris Rock will not be pressing charges against actor Will Smith following a physical altercation at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.  Smith slapped Rock across the face during a live broadcast of the ceremony after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada…

In a case that could help clarify when and how artists can make use of the work of others, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide a copyright dispute between a photographer and Andy Warhol’s estate over Warhol’s 1984 paintings of rock star Prince. The justices took up the Andy Warhol Foundation’s appeal…

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony ended in a climactic way, giving the Oscar for Best Picture to “CODA,” a seeming underdog that celebrated deaf representation. Other highlights included an unexpected scuffle and women sweeping the Oscars for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Song. VOA’s Penelope Poulou has more. …

After a movie year often light on crowds, the Academy Awards named an unabashed crowd-pleaser, the deaf family drama “CODA,” best picture Sunday, handing Hollywood’s top award to a streaming service for the first time. The feel-good moment came after one of the most shocking moments in Oscars history: Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage…

Troy Kotsur made history on Sunday as the first deaf man to win an Oscar for his role in “CODA,” and Ariana DeBose took the supporting actress trophy for “West Side Story” as Hollywood returned to all-out glitz at this year’s Academy Awards. In “CODA,” an acronym for “child of deaf adults,” Kotsur played Frank…