The Venice Film Festival celebrates its 80th edition next week, but a Hollywood strike means many stars may be missing, leaving the spotlight to controversial directors like Roman Polanski and Woody Allen. The festival, which kicks off on Wednesday, has become a key launchpad for Oscar campaigns, helped by glamorous shots of stars arriving by…
Chopra Wins India’s First Gold at World Championships in Javelin
Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships when he nipped Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the men’s javelin on Sunday with an 88.17-meter effort in the final. Chopra won Olympic gold in Tokyo but managed only a silver at the worlds in Eugene, Oregon, last…
Ukrainian High Jumper Takes Gold in Emotional Close to World Championships
Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the best high jumper in the war-torn country of Ukraine, won a gold medal Sunday night to bring an emotional close to the track and field world championships. The very last person competing in the final event of the nine-day meet, Mahuchikh cleared 2.01 meters (6 feet, 7 inches) to win her first…
‘Gran Turismo’ and ‘Barbie’ Neck-and-Neck at the Box Office
Sony Pictures reported that “Gran Turismo” opened with $17.3 million over the weekend, while Warner Bros. estimated that “Barbie,” in its sixth week of release, took in $17.1 million. Those totals could change when final ticket sales are counted Monday. Due to a few wrinkles, it’s all but certain that “Barbie” sold more tickets…
Iran Files Legal Case Against Singer Urging Veil Removal
Authorities in Iran have begun legal proceedings against a prominent pop singer over his latest song urging women to take off their mandatory headscarves, the judiciary said Sunday. The action against Mehdi Yarrahi comes almost a year after the death in custody of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini, 22, triggered months of protests around the country. …
Popular US Game Show Host Bob Barker Dies
Popular U.S. game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right,” died at his home in Los Angeles, said a publicist. Barker — also a longtime animal rights activist — died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal. Barker was 99. “I am…
Viral Singer Scoffs at Republicans Who ‘Act Like We’re Buddies’
Oliver Anthony, the previously unknown singer whose Rich Men North of Richmond went viral and topped the charts over the past week, hit out Friday at politicians, particularly on the right, for co-opting his message. In a more than 10-minute clip posted on YouTube, the songwriter from Virginia reflected on his breakout success, and said…
Could America’s AI Industry Exist Without International Students? Probably Not
According to new research from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), 42% of major AI companies in the United States have a founder who came to the U.S. as an international student. Furthermore, nearly 4 out of 5 of these companies were founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants. And of all the…
Far-right Israeli Security Minister Lashes out at Supermodel Bella Hadid over her Criticism of him
Israel’s far-right national security minister lashed out at supermodel Bella Hadid on Friday for criticizing his recent fiery televised remarks about Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In an interview earlier this week with Israel’s Channel 12 following two deadly Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the occupied territory, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir argued that…
Spain Football Chief Will Resign for Kissing a Player, Reports Say
The president of the Spanish football federation faces an emergency meeting of its general assembly on Friday amid media reports that he will hand in his resignation following an uproar for kissing a Women’s World Cup champion. Luis Rubiales is expected to stand before representatives of Spain’s regional federations, clubs, players, coaches and referees in…
International Students Want to Work, But Visa Rules Can Get in Their Way
Foreign undergraduate students at the University of Missouri hail from Afghanistan, India and South Korea. This year, some have been accepted into study abroad programs in Iraq and internships with local crisis shelters. But student visa rules forbid first-year students from working off-campus. And even when they are eligible, the permit process is complex and…
Renowned Iranian Writer, Filmmaker Ebrahim Golestan Dies
Ebrahim Golestan, a renowned Iranian writer and filmmaker, has died at his home in Britain at the age of 101. His daughter Lili, the director of Tehran’s Golestan Gallery, confirmed news of his death this week. On Instagram, she wrote “Father, you have left us. Farewell.” Golestan was born in Shiraz and left Iran…
Coming to America: What International Students Can Expect at Customs
Telangana Today has an article detailing what international students can expect on arrival in the U.S. It includes what documents U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials will review and what information your passport stamp should contain. Read the full article here. (July 2023) …
Transition Tips for International Students Bound for US
All Together, a blog for the Society of Women Engineers, has transition tips for international students studying the U.S. Among them: Make copies of important documents. Explore interests outside the classroom. Do what you can to stay safe. Read the entire blog post here. (July 2023) …
‘Blue Beetle’ Unseats ‘Barbie’ at Box Office, Ending Its 4-Week Reign
The DC superhero film “Blue Beetle” led weekend ticket sales with a modest $25.4 million opening, according to studio estimates Sunday, dethroning “Barbie” from the top spot after a record-setting run that left movie theaters colored pink for a month. The “Barbie” phenomenon is far from over. Greta Gerwig’s film, which earlier this week became…
General Heading Notre Dame Cathedral Restoration Dies at 74
The decorated French general in charge of the ambitious, big-budget restoration of fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Jean-Louis Georgelin, has died. He was 74. President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute Saturday to one of France’s “greatest soldiers, greatest servants,” who “stone by stone, was restoring the wounded beauty” of Notre Dame. Before being pulled from…
Iran Directors Ridicule Suspended Jail Sentence of Filmmaker, Producer
Iranian cinema directors have ridiculed a six-month suspended prison sentence handed down to Saeed Roustayi and his producer for showcasing their movie at last year’s Cannes Film Festival without authorization, saying the move was designed to divert attention from the upcoming anniversary of the eruption of nationwide protests. They also said international reaction to the…
Swiss National Arrested in Myanmar for Allegedly Insulting Buddhism in Film
A Swiss citizen was arrested in military-ruled Myanmar for creating a film that allegedly insulted Buddhism, state media reported Saturday. Didier Nusbaumer, 52, was arrested on Aug. 8 along with 13 Myanmar nationals, including a 12-year-old girl, Myanma Alinn newspaper said. Insulting Buddhism is a punishable offense in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where religious nationalism has surged…
The Biden Administration’s New Student Loan Plan Offer
After a more ambitious relief plan was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Biden administration has announced it will forgive $39 billion in debt, held by about 804,000 people. Get the specifics in this explainer from Katherine Knott of Inside Higher Ed. (July 2023) …
Taekwondo Athletes Appear to be North Korea’s First Delegation to Travel Since Border Closed in 2020
North Korean taekwondo athletes and officials were traveling through Beijing on Friday morning, apparently the country’s first delegation to travel abroad since the nation closed its borders in early 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group of around 80 men and women wearing white track suits with “Taekwondo-Do” printed on the back…
Australia, Sweden to Compete for 3rd Place at Women’s World Cup
Australia already captivated a nation as co-hosts of the Women’s World Cup. Now there’s one more thing to play for, even if it’s not the fairytale ending the team had wanted for this tournament. The Matildas play Sweden on Saturday for third place in Brisbane. Australia lost 3-1 to England in the semifinals on Wednesday,…
Progress Toward Parity for Women on Movie Screens Has Stalled, Report Finds
A new study on inclusion in film shows just how much of a rarity Barbie is. For every woman as a speaking character in the most popular films of 2022, there were more than two men, according to report by University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. The USC report, published Thursday, found that 34.6%…
Oscar-Winning American Backs Petition Against Iran Film Director’s Jailing
Martin Scorsese has backed a petition against the jailing of prominent Iranian movie director Saeed Roustaee for screening a film at the Cannes Film Festival. Scorsese, the Oscar-winning director of “Taxi Driver” and “Goodfellas,” reposted a campaign launched by his daughter Francesca this week after news of Roustaee’s prison sentence emerged. “Please sign this petition…
Colleges Could Recruit Using Generative AI
Himanshu Barthwal is the CEO of Admission Overseas, a startup whose platform helps international student recruiters make recommendations. The recruiters can use it to guess which schools will be a good academic and financial fit for a student. The program is already being used to fill vacant healthcare positions in Canada, where Barthwal lives. Read…
England Beats Australia, to Play Spain in Women’s World Cup Final
England will play Spain in the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sydney on Sunday. Spain beat Sweden 2-1 in its semifinal while England defeated co-hosts Australia 3-1 to reach the final. Thirty-two teams started the 2023 Women’s soccer World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. Two remain. On Tuesday, Spain defeated…
Protesters in Miami Blast Florida’s Black History Teaching Standards
Dozens of teachers, students and labor leaders marched to a Miami school district headquarters Wednesday to protest Florida’s new standards for teaching Black history, which have come under intense criticism for what they say about slavery. The protesters who marched to the School Board of Miami-Dade County objected to new curriculum standards that, among other…
British Museum Says Staff Member Dismissed After Items Go Missing, Stolen or Damaged
The British Museum said Wednesday that a member of its staff has been dismissed after items dating back as far as the 15th century B.C. were found to be missing, stolen or damaged. The museum said it has also ordered an independent review of security and a “vigorous program to recover the missing items.” The…
A Museum in Delhi Records Stories of Displacement when India Was Divided into Two Countries
When Britain granted India independence in 1947, the subcontinent was divided along religious lines, triggering an exodus of an estimated 12 million people amid carnage and violence across the newly carved borders of the two countries, India and Pakistan. Among the cities that received a massive influx of refugees was the Indian capital, Delhi. A…