Welcome back

Springsteen releases surprise EP, including scathing Trump criticism

Springsteen releases surprise EP, including scathing Trump criticism

Rock star Bruce Springsteen released a surprise EP on Wednesday, with the six-track album including scathing criticism of US President Donald Trump that prompted an online diatribe from the Republican billionaire last week.The EP, titled "Land of Hope and Dreams" -- the name of his ongoing tour -- features recordings of four songs performed live in Manchester, England on May 14.Two tracks feature Springsteen describing his disappointment with Trump's "corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," although he does not name the president directly.The comments had prompted the right-wing populist to label Springsteen, 75, an "obnoxious JERK" last week, and on Wednesday Trump posted a video edited to make it seem like he had hit the New Jersey rocker with a golf drive.On Monday, Trump had gone further than mere rhetoric, calling for a "major investigation" into Springsteen, genre-smashing music icon Beyonce and other celebrities.He alleged -- without evidence and in the face of denials by those involved -- that the celebrities had been paid millions of dollars to endorse his Democratic opponent in the 2024 election, Kamala Harris.The collection of tracks released Wednesday featured Springsteen's full comments as he introduced the songs "Land of Hope and Dreams" and "My City in Ruins.""In my home, the America I love, the America I have written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," he said, addressing the Manchester crowd."Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring."In the second introduction track, he decried "some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now.""In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent," he said, while also taking aim at the "sadistic pleasure" some were taking in launching crackdowns on migrants, the poor and workers.Springsteen then launched into a spirited rendition of "My City in Ruins," ending with a rousing repetition of the words: "Come on, rise up!"

5/22/2025 10:26:00 AM

US singer Chris Brown granted bail by UK court ahead of world tour

US singer Chris Brown was granted bail by a London court after he was charged with a serious assault, clearing the way for his world tour to begin next month.Brown has been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm in what prosecutors said was an “unprovoked attack” on music producer Abraham Diaw with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.The 36-year-old has not yet been asked to enter a plea to the charge. He was not present at Southwark Crown Court when Judge Tony Baumgartner granted him bail.The R&B star, a two-time Grammy Award winner known for hits such as “Loyal,” “Run It” and “Under the Influence,” is set to kick off his “Breezy Bowl XX” tour on June 8 in the Netherlands.Brown was arrested at a hotel in Manchester, northern England last week after returning to Britain for the first time since the incident two years ago.He was initially refused bail on Friday, but was granted bail on Wedneday on the condition he pay £4 million ($5.4 million) with a further £1 million due in seven days.Brown was also required to surrender his passport, except for when he is traveling for his tour.

5/21/2025 4:56:00 PM

Harry Styles slides into a fan's DMs for the most wholesome reason

A Harry Styles fan got a shock when she saw that the pop star sent her a direct message on Instagram, coming through to deliver his promise to her.Back in March, Jess and her boyfriend Ted were in Rome on holiday, and as the couple were taking in the city sights on a duo bike, they just so happened to spot Styles, who was walking around in the Italian capital.The pair managed to snap a selfie with the 'As It Was' singer, and he gave the camera a thumbs up.But that wasn't all, as Styles then proceeded to take a picture of the couple on his own digital camera."Harry was genuinely lovely, and after being a fan since One Direction were on X Factor, it was surreal to meet him!" Jess told Indy100 via message.Taking to TikTok back in March, Jess shared with her followers, "No one know I met Harry Styles and he took a pic of us on his digital camera."Fast forward a few months, and Jess gave the update we were all hoping for... Harry Styles contacted her."Guys. Wtf. Harry Styles sent the picture," Jess shared in her latest TikTok posted two days ago, where she appeared stunned by the latest development.In the caption, she added, "message request from Harry Styles is ridiculous".At the end of the video, Jess shared a screenshot of the message she received from Styles."As promised, hope you guys had a great trip. H," the message read from Watermelon Sugar singer's blue-ticked official Instagram account, with the heartwarming snap of a smiling Jess and Ted posing for the camera on their duo bike.Jess's video has gone viral with over 2.2 million views, and Harry fans in the comments section were amused at the singer's apparent side quest as a photographer.One person said: "Taking over 2 months to develop a roll of film…. he’s just like me fr.""What cracks me up is that he [Harry] behaves like a random Roman citizen 99 per cent of the time," a second person quipped.A third person wrote: "Just imagine THE harry styles sending a dm of a picture HE took of you.""You never have to worry about an icebreaker task again," a fourth person commented.Elsewhere, Harry Styles ran the Tokyo Marathon in a really impressive time, and hundreds attend Harry Styles lookalike contest to celebrate ‘London legend’.

5/20/2025 1:26:00 PM

Scarlett Johansson makes nerve-wracking debut as director

Actors behind the camera are something of a trend in Cannes this year, with "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart and British actor Harris Dickinson both unveiling their first features.Johansson's film "Eleanor the Great" recounts the story of a grief-stricken elderly woman who moves to New York after the death of her best friend and will be screened on Tuesday evening.One of Hollywood's most bankable stars missed the red carpet premiere of "The Phoenician Scheme" on Sunday evening, in which she has a cameo, but she won enthusiastic backing from director Anderson."I saw the movie, which I loved," Anderson said of Johansson's debut.He added that he had not offered any tips to the actor who has appeared in three of his films, including "Isle of Dogs" and "Asteroid City"."I don't think Scarlett even said anything to me (about her film)," the 56-year-old said. "Scarlett's been doing movies possibly longer than I have. She's about 20 years younger, but I think she was in a movie when she was around nine."Nonetheless, the Oscar-nominated star of "Lost in Translation", 40, admitted to some nerves while bringing a script to life that made her cry when she first read it.She spoke to Deadline magazine in the run-up to Cannes about how the spotlight on the director's seat is brighter than the one beamed on the actors when it comes to finally unveiling a movie."It's different. When you're acting in something, it's out of your hands," she said.Cannes tends to draw sympathetic audiences, with film lovers and industry insiders enthusiastically giving films standing ovations that can last for minutes.But the competition is fierce. And Johansson's movie is in the running for prizes in the "Certain Regard" secondary section for up-and-coming directors that also includes Stewart's and Dickinson's films this year.Dickinson, the 28-year-old star of "Babygirl", asked the press to be "gentle" as he unveiled "Urchin", a touching film about a rough sleeper in London."It's my first film so if you don't like it, break it to me nicely," he said before the premiere.Initial reviews have been positive.Film bible Variety said that "you can learn a lot about an actor when they make their directorial debut. For better or worse, it reveals how they see themselves as an artist."In Dickinson's case, his social-realist debut that has echoes of veteran British director Mike Leigh's work was "starkly effective", Variety said.Hollywood has a long record of A-list male actors turning to directing from Oscar-winning Clint Eastwood to Mel Gibson and George Clooney.Greta Gerwig, who broke through as an actress before hitting the directorial big time with 2023 hit "Barbie", is one of relatively few women actors to make the transition, however.Australian screen great Nicole Kidman lamented on Sunday how the number of women directing major box office successes is still "incredibly low".Speaking to Variety, Stewart was honest about her struggles to find financing for her film "The Chronology of Water", which is a searing examination of child sex abuse.She said it was "near impossible" to raise money for a movie that was an original idea and not based on a proven genre or an existing franchise.

5/20/2025 9:20:40 AM

Russian ballet master Yuri Grigorovich dies at 98

Russian ballet maestro Yuri Grigorovich, considered one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century, has died at the age of 98, the Bolshoi Theatre said on Monday.Grigorovich, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow from 1964-1995, was famed for productions of Spartacus, Ivan the Terrible, Romeo and Juliet and many other ballets.Valery Gergiev, head of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres, told Izvestia newspaper he was "a legendary figure who will continue to command respect and admiration for decades to come".The Bolshoi said in a statement that it would "faithfully cherish his memory and protect his priceless legacy".Grigorovich was born in 1927, a decade after the Bolshevik Revolution, and performed as a soloist with Leningrad's Kirov ballet before becoming a choreographer.During his long tenure at the Bolshoi, it staged frequent international tours and enhanced its reputation as one of the world's great ballet companies. But the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union brought uncertainty, financial worries, internal rows and a flight of talent abroad.In 1995, Grigorovich resigned after months of conflict with management over performers' contracts, triggering the first dancers' strike at the Bolshoi in its more than 200-year history. As the lights dimmed at the start of a scheduled performance, a dancer stepped through the curtain to tell the stunned audience, opens new tab there would be no show that night.Grigorovich created a new ballet company in Krasnodar, southern Russia, although he eventually returned to the Bolshoi in 2008 to work again as a choreographer and ballet master.He won the highest Russian and Soviet awards, including People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Socialist Labour.The Bolshoi marked his 90th birthday in 2017 with two months of special performances.By coincidence, his death was announced on the same day as that of one of his favourite dancers, Yuri Vladimirov, who was 83.

5/19/2025 5:04:00 PM

{{ article.title }}

{{safeHTML(article.Text)}}

{{article.publishDate}}

More

Springsteen releases surprise EP, including scathing Trump criticism

Rock star Bruce Springsteen released a surprise EP on Wednesday, with the six-track album including scathing criticism of US President Donald Trump that prompted an online diatribe from the Republican billionaire last week.The EP, titled "Land of Hope and Dreams" -- the name of his ongoing tour -- features recordings of four songs performed live in Manchester, England on May 14.Two tracks feature Springsteen describing his disappointment with Trump's "corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," although he does not name the president directly.The comments had prompted the right-wing populist to label Springsteen, 75, an "obnoxious JERK" last week, and on Wednesday Trump posted a video edited to make it seem like he had hit the New Jersey rocker with a golf drive.On Monday, Trump had gone further than mere rhetoric, calling for a "major investigation" into Springsteen, genre-smashing music icon Beyonce and other celebrities.He alleged -- without evidence and in the face of denials by those involved -- that the celebrities had been paid millions of dollars to endorse his Democratic opponent in the 2024 election, Kamala Harris.The collection of tracks released Wednesday featured Springsteen's full comments as he introduced the songs "Land of Hope and Dreams" and "My City in Ruins.""In my home, the America I love, the America I have written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," he said, addressing the Manchester crowd."Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring."In the second introduction track, he decried "some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now.""In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent," he said, while also taking aim at the "sadistic pleasure" some were taking in launching crackdowns on migrants, the poor and workers.Springsteen then launched into a spirited rendition of "My City in Ruins," ending with a rousing repetition of the words: "Come on, rise up!"

5/22/2025 10:26:00 AM

US singer Chris Brown granted bail by UK court ahead of world tour

US singer Chris Brown was granted bail by a London court after he was charged with a serious assault, clearing the way for his world tour to begin next month.Brown has been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm in what prosecutors said was an “unprovoked attack” on music producer Abraham Diaw with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.The 36-year-old has not yet been asked to enter a plea to the charge. He was not present at Southwark Crown Court when Judge Tony Baumgartner granted him bail.The R&B star, a two-time Grammy Award winner known for hits such as “Loyal,” “Run It” and “Under the Influence,” is set to kick off his “Breezy Bowl XX” tour on June 8 in the Netherlands.Brown was arrested at a hotel in Manchester, northern England last week after returning to Britain for the first time since the incident two years ago.He was initially refused bail on Friday, but was granted bail on Wedneday on the condition he pay £4 million ($5.4 million) with a further £1 million due in seven days.Brown was also required to surrender his passport, except for when he is traveling for his tour.

5/21/2025 4:56:00 PM

Harry Styles slides into a fan's DMs for the most wholesome reason

A Harry Styles fan got a shock when she saw that the pop star sent her a direct message on Instagram, coming through to deliver his promise to her.Back in March, Jess and her boyfriend Ted were in Rome on holiday, and as the couple were taking in the city sights on a duo bike, they just so happened to spot Styles, who was walking around in the Italian capital.The pair managed to snap a selfie with the 'As It Was' singer, and he gave the camera a thumbs up.But that wasn't all, as Styles then proceeded to take a picture of the couple on his own digital camera."Harry was genuinely lovely, and after being a fan since One Direction were on X Factor, it was surreal to meet him!" Jess told Indy100 via message.Taking to TikTok back in March, Jess shared with her followers, "No one know I met Harry Styles and he took a pic of us on his digital camera."Fast forward a few months, and Jess gave the update we were all hoping for... Harry Styles contacted her."Guys. Wtf. Harry Styles sent the picture," Jess shared in her latest TikTok posted two days ago, where she appeared stunned by the latest development.In the caption, she added, "message request from Harry Styles is ridiculous".At the end of the video, Jess shared a screenshot of the message she received from Styles."As promised, hope you guys had a great trip. H," the message read from Watermelon Sugar singer's blue-ticked official Instagram account, with the heartwarming snap of a smiling Jess and Ted posing for the camera on their duo bike.Jess's video has gone viral with over 2.2 million views, and Harry fans in the comments section were amused at the singer's apparent side quest as a photographer.One person said: "Taking over 2 months to develop a roll of film…. he’s just like me fr.""What cracks me up is that he [Harry] behaves like a random Roman citizen 99 per cent of the time," a second person quipped.A third person wrote: "Just imagine THE harry styles sending a dm of a picture HE took of you.""You never have to worry about an icebreaker task again," a fourth person commented.Elsewhere, Harry Styles ran the Tokyo Marathon in a really impressive time, and hundreds attend Harry Styles lookalike contest to celebrate ‘London legend’.

5/20/2025 1:26:00 PM

Scarlett Johansson makes nerve-wracking debut as director

Actors behind the camera are something of a trend in Cannes this year, with "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart and British actor Harris Dickinson both unveiling their first features.Johansson's film "Eleanor the Great" recounts the story of a grief-stricken elderly woman who moves to New York after the death of her best friend and will be screened on Tuesday evening.One of Hollywood's most bankable stars missed the red carpet premiere of "The Phoenician Scheme" on Sunday evening, in which she has a cameo, but she won enthusiastic backing from director Anderson."I saw the movie, which I loved," Anderson said of Johansson's debut.He added that he had not offered any tips to the actor who has appeared in three of his films, including "Isle of Dogs" and "Asteroid City"."I don't think Scarlett even said anything to me (about her film)," the 56-year-old said. "Scarlett's been doing movies possibly longer than I have. She's about 20 years younger, but I think she was in a movie when she was around nine."Nonetheless, the Oscar-nominated star of "Lost in Translation", 40, admitted to some nerves while bringing a script to life that made her cry when she first read it.She spoke to Deadline magazine in the run-up to Cannes about how the spotlight on the director's seat is brighter than the one beamed on the actors when it comes to finally unveiling a movie."It's different. When you're acting in something, it's out of your hands," she said.Cannes tends to draw sympathetic audiences, with film lovers and industry insiders enthusiastically giving films standing ovations that can last for minutes.But the competition is fierce. And Johansson's movie is in the running for prizes in the "Certain Regard" secondary section for up-and-coming directors that also includes Stewart's and Dickinson's films this year.Dickinson, the 28-year-old star of "Babygirl", asked the press to be "gentle" as he unveiled "Urchin", a touching film about a rough sleeper in London."It's my first film so if you don't like it, break it to me nicely," he said before the premiere.Initial reviews have been positive.Film bible Variety said that "you can learn a lot about an actor when they make their directorial debut. For better or worse, it reveals how they see themselves as an artist."In Dickinson's case, his social-realist debut that has echoes of veteran British director Mike Leigh's work was "starkly effective", Variety said.Hollywood has a long record of A-list male actors turning to directing from Oscar-winning Clint Eastwood to Mel Gibson and George Clooney.Greta Gerwig, who broke through as an actress before hitting the directorial big time with 2023 hit "Barbie", is one of relatively few women actors to make the transition, however.Australian screen great Nicole Kidman lamented on Sunday how the number of women directing major box office successes is still "incredibly low".Speaking to Variety, Stewart was honest about her struggles to find financing for her film "The Chronology of Water", which is a searing examination of child sex abuse.She said it was "near impossible" to raise money for a movie that was an original idea and not based on a proven genre or an existing franchise.

5/20/2025 9:20:40 AM

{{ article.title }}

{{safeHTML(article.Text)}}

{{ article.publishDate }}

More