Fire-scarred Notre-Dame to broadcast Christmas concert

Author:  AFP ID:  1606751961856740000 Mon, 2020-11-30 14:17 PARIS: Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will echo with song on Christmas Eve as it holds its first choir concert since the massive fire that nearly destroyed the gothic masterpiece last year. An organ will be rented for the occasion, since Notre-Dame’s majestic pipe organ is being carefully dismantled for cleaning and restoration after the devastating blaze that struck...

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‘Black Beauty’: Mending broken spirits in yet another retelling of a classic

Mon, 2020-11-30 16:12 CHENNAI: English author Anna Sewell wrote her only novel “Black Beauty” between 1871 and 1877, at a time when she was quite ill and could hardly get out of bed. Often considered a children’s classic, it has sold a whopping 50 million copies and was actually directed at adults — Ashley Avis’s reimagining of “Black Beauty” for Disney+ underscores this in an enormously poignant way, although this sixth incarnation (the last...

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International glitterati gather in Dubai for awards ceremony

Author:  Mon, 2020-11-30 14:10 DUBAI: The fourth Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA) took place at Dubai’s The Pointe, The Palm Jumeriah on Sunday, with a glittering array of stars taking to Instagram to celebrate their wins and show off their gowns at the star-studded, socially-distanced ceremony, which was hosted by Egyptian presenter Engy Kiwan.  Lebanese fashion blogger and eyewear designer Karen Wazen...

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‘The Crown’ should carry fiction warning, UK minister says

Author:  Mon, 2020-11-30 11:51 LONDON: Netflix hit series “The Crown” should make clear that much of its content is fiction over fears of damage to the image of British royal family, a government minister said. “It’s a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that,” culture minister Oliver Dowden told The Mail on Sunday. “Without this, I fear a...

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Tom Hanks talks ‘News of the World’ and the comeback of Westerns

Sun, 2020-11-29 16:08 LOS ANGELES: Depending on who you ask, Westerns are either on their way out, gone for good, or making a slow comeback in Hollywood. At one point a staple genre of the film industry, the classic Western rarely makes it onto the movie theater marquee these days. Big-budget flops such as 2013’s “The Lone Ranger” have served to usher the genre out of popularity, but critical successes such as Quinten Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,”...

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US actress Yara Shahidi opens up about life lessons from her parents

Sun, 2020-11-29 16:01 DUBAI: US actress Yara Shahidi has opened up about the values taught to her by her parents — and a host of other off-beat topics — in a new interview with Vogue magazine. The “Grown-ish” actress took part in Vogue’s “73 Questions With” series in her home in Los Angeles and covered a variety of topics, from whether pineapple belongs on pizza (a strong no), to her current book of choice (“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin). The...

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Dave Prowse, actor who played Darth Vader, dies at 85

Author:  AP ID:  1606642868838822200 Sun, 2020-11-29 09:35 LONDON: Dave Prowse, the British weightlifter-turned-actor who played Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, has died. He was 85. Prowse died Saturday after a short illness, his agent Thomas Bowington said Sunday. Born in Bristol, southwest England, in 1935, Prowse represented England in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in the 1950s before breaking...

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Saudi vegan bodybuilder slams diet myths

Author:  Sat, 2020-11-28 23:54 JEDDAH: The vegan diet has risen in popularity in Saudi Arabia in recent years and has been a constant topic of debate among Saudis, attracting the interest of many, including athletes. Ongoing debates about whether the vegan diet is sufficient for normal people, let alone bodybuilders, abound, but one Saudi is answering them physically. Veganism is a lifestyle that excludes all animal products from...

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Jessica Kahawaty strikes a pose in Valentino campaign

Sat, 2020-11-28 15:59 DUBAI: Lebanese-Australian model Jessica Kahawaty has joined regional stars in promoting Valentino’s latest fragrance, Voce Viva, taking to social media as part of the #myvoicemystrength campaign. Kahawaty is featured alongside fashion gurus Laila Abdallah and Leena Al-Ghouti, who also took part in the campaign with their own posts and videos on Instagram. The Lebanese-Australian influencer posted a photo over the weekend...

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Louvre Abu Dhabi features as Paris museum auctions one-off experiences

Sat, 2020-11-28 12:40 DUBAI: The Musée du Louvre and Christie’s have joined forces for an auction of 24 once-in-a-lifetime experiences, with bidding running from Dec. 1-15 online. Read on for seven of the highlights. The three Louvres The winning bid will be entertained to a journey through the Louvre in Paris, Lens and Abu Dhabi. La Joconde Accompanied by Jean-Luc Martinez, president and director of the Musée du Louvre, the winner will attend...

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Small is beautiful: Gaza’s toned-down coronavirus-era weddings

Author:  Adel Zaanoun and Guillaume Lavallee | AFP ID:  1606503705809101900 Fri, 2020-11-27 18:23 GAZA CITY: To the sound of drums and flutes, a freshly coiffed Palestinian groom dances with his brothers, cousins and friends, anxiously waiting for his veiled bride to arrive in her shimmering gown. It might have been a normal Gaza wedding, except for the venue — not a luxurious seaside hall, but a narrow alley in the Al-Rimal...

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