Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Veteran “Star Trek” actor George Takei may have been the inspiration to make fan favorite character Hikaru Sulu gay in the franchise’s new film, but he called the decision “really unfortunate,” media outlets reported on Friday.

NORRISTOWN, Pa.,  (Reuters) – A Pennsylvania judge on Thursday denied Bill Cosby’s latest bid to have the sexual assault charges against him thrown out, ruling that the 78-year-old comedian must stand trial in the case.

LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – “Finding Dory” dominated the Independence Day box office, overcoming a trio of new releases to provide the weekend’s biggest fireworks.

LOS ANGELES,  (Reuters) – Rapper Kanye West set tongues wagging on Monday with his latest music video that features nude portrayals of high profile celebrities including pop singer Taylor Swift, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and comedian Bill Cosby.

MILAN,  (Reuters) – Italian actor and filmmaker Bud Spencer died on Monday at age 86, national media reported.

(Barbados Nation) BASSETERRE – America rapper 50 Cent was arrested here early Sunday following his performance at the St Kitts Music Festival late Saturday.

MUMBAI, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A new Bollywood film gives a rare glimpse into the exploitation and enslavement of women in India’s drug trade, highlighting how the stigma surrounding women drug users leaves them vulnerable to abuse.

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – Bollywood movie star Salman Khan ran afoul of a national women’s group, film critics and Twitter users today after saying that training sessions for his new film made him feel like a “raped woman”.

LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – Family audiences turned out in droves over the weekend, propelling “Finding Dory” to a massive $136.2 million debut and establishing a new record for an animated film opening.

(Reuters) – Anton Yelchin, a 27-year-old actor best known for playing the character Chekov in two “Star Trek” movies, was killed early on Sunday when his car rolled and pinned him against a wall in his driveway, police said.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Singer Cliff Richard, one of Britain’s best-known entertainers, will not face charges over alleged historical sex crimes because there is not enough evidence, prosecutors said today.

UNITED NATIONS,  (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Melting ice in Antarctica puts as many as 30 million people in Bangladesh at risk of losing their homes over the coming century, according to a new documentary focused on the human cost of climate change.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – “Hamilton”, the pop culture phenomenon based on U.S.

(Reuters) – Actor Michael Jace, best known for playing a policeman on the TV drama “The Shield,” was sentenced yesterday to 40 years to life for shooting his wife dead in front of the couple’s two children at their Los Angeles home, a court official said.

MUMBAI,  (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Bollywood star Anil Kapoor today kick-started a campaign to highlight the plight of millions of children in India who are forced into work, adding that he hoped his celebrity status would influence and inspire others to stamp out the practice.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Dressed in Hogwarts robes and waving wands, eager fans got a first glimpse of the next instalment in the Harry Potter saga, giving a new London stage production glowing reviews.

LOS ANGELES,  (Variety.com) – “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” debuted to a disappointing $35.3 million over the weekend, becoming the latest sequel this year to fall short of expectations.

LONDON, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – British singer-songwriter Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, launched a campaign today to highlight the fate of child refugees in Europe with the release of a new single and plans for a one-off charity concert.

(Reuters) – Tests show music superstar Prince, who was found dead in his home in a Minneapolis suburb in late April, died of an overdose of opioid painkillers, the Associated Press reported on Thursday, citing a law enforcement official.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Actor Michael Jace, best known for his role as a policeman on the TV drama “The Shield,” was convicted by a jury on Tuesday of second-degree murder for fatally shooting his wife in 2014 in front of the couple’s two children at their Los Angeles home.