Voice of America Arts & Entertainment

1. Pope Francis Creates 21 New Cardinals to Help Reform Church

   Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals at a ritual-filled ceremony Saturday, including key figures at the Vatican and in the field who will help enact his reforms and cement his legacy as he enters a crucial new phase in running the Roman Catholic Church. On a crisp sunny morning filled with cheers from St. Peter's Square, Francis further expanded his influence on the College of Cardinals who...

2. India Ready to Welcome Back Cricket World Cup After 12 Years

   When 2019 finalists England and New Zealand meet again to open the Cricket World Cup next week, it will mark the tournament's return to India after 12 years. But preparations for this year's tournament — in which the home side will start among the favorites and won the event when it was last played in India in 2011 — haven't gone smoothly. The event experienced numerous organizational and...

3. Last Living Suspect in 1996 Killing of Tupac Shakur Charged with Murder

   A man who prosecutors say ordered the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur was arrested and charged with murder Friday in a long-awaited breakthrough in one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries. Duane "Keffe D" Davis has long been known to investigators as one of four suspects identified early in the investigation. He isn't the accused gunman but was described as the group's ringleader by...

4. Millions Travel in China in 1st Big Autumn Holiday Since End of Zero-COVID

   Many millions of Chinese tourists are expected to travel within their country, splurging on hotels, tours, attractions and meals in a boost to the economy during the 8-day autumn holiday period that began Friday. This year's holiday began with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and also includes the Oct. 1 National Day. The public holidays end Oct. 6. Typically hundreds of millions of Chinese...

5. Afghan Women Defy Taliban, Will Participate in Asian Games

   Exiled Afghan female athletes are participating in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, which end Oct. 8. They say they want to raise awareness of the plight of women in Afghanistan, who are barred from playing any sports in the country. Waheed Faizi has the story, narrated by Elizabeth Cherneff.

6. Michael Gambon, Actor Who Played Prof. Dumbledore in 6 'Harry Potter' Movies, Dies at Age 82

   Veteran actor Michael Gambon, who was known to many for his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight "Harry Potter" films, has died, his publicist said Thursday. He was 82. A statement by his family, issued by his publicist, said he died following "a bout of pneumonia." "We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon. Beloved husband and father,...

7. Late-Night TV Shows in US Announce Their Return After Hollywood Writers Strike Ends

   TV's late-night hosts planned to return to their evening sketches and monologues by next week, reinstating the flow of topical humor silenced for five months by the newly ended Hollywood's writers strike. Bill Maher led the charge back to work by announcing early Wednesday that his HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher" would be back on the air Friday. By mid-morning, the hosts of NBC's "The...

8. Hollywood Writers Guild Ends Strike Ahead of Final Contract Vote

   Hollywood's writers union said its members could return to work on Wednesday while they decide whether to approve a three-year deal that provides pay raises and some protections around use of artificial intelligence among other gains. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) leadership voted unanimously to end the strike on Wednesday, the guild said in a statement. The 11,500 members have until Oct....

9. Spain Charges Pop Singer Shakira With Tax Evasion for Second Time

   Spanish prosecutors have charged pop star Shakira with failing to pay $7.1 million in tax on her 2018 income, authorities said Tuesday, in Spain's latest fiscal allegations against the Colombian singer.  Shakira is alleged to have used an offshore company based in a tax haven to avoid paying the tax, Barcelona prosecutors said in a statement.  She has been notified of the charges in Miami,...

10. David McCallum, Star of 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' and 'NCIS,' Dies at 90

    Actor David McCallum, who became a teen heartthrob in the hit series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." in the 1960s and was the eccentric medical examiner in the popular "NCIS" 40 years later, has died. He was 90. McCallum died Monday of natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital, CBS said in a statement. “David was a gifted actor and author, and beloved by many around the...