US Secret Service chief to retire in March

Joseph Clancy, US Secret Service chief, will retire in early March 2017, the elite agency tasked with protecting the US president said on Tuesday (Feb 14).

 Clancy, former head of US President, Barack Obama’s detail, returned from a previous retirement to steer the agency two years ago, amid outcry over several security lapses at the White House that tarnished the agency’s image.

Clancy, who prior to his first retirement had served the agency for nearly three decades  will officially step down once more on Mar 4, and new US President Donald Trump will appoint his successor.

The Secret Service, made up of some 6,500 people, is also responsible for the security of former presidents and vice presidents, as well as foreign heads of state and government on official visits.

– AFP/de

La La Land picks up five British Bafta awards

Hollywood musical “La La Land” picked up five British Bafta film awards on Sunday (Feb 12), including best director and actress, paving the way for Oscar success later this month.

The dreamy tribute to the heyday of Hollywood musicals was named best film, while also picking up gongs for cinematography and original music, in the ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Accepting the award for best director – beating off competition from the likes of Ken Loach and Tom Ford – Damien Chazelle said it was an “incredible honour” and a pleasure to be there along with those behind the film.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) award for leading actress went to Emma Stone, who plays an aspiring actress in “La La Land” and took on a political tone in her acceptance speech.

“In a time that is so divisive I think it’s really special we were all able to come together tonight, thanks to Bafta, and to celebrate the positive,” she said.

A throwback to Hollywood’s Golden Age, “La La Land” took home seven Golden Globes in January and has been nominated for 14 Oscars.

The best actor Bafta award went to Casey Affleck, for his role in the drama “Manchester By The Sea”, beating Ryan Gosling who was nominated for “La La Land”.

Affleck said he learnt to act while attending therapy sessions for children of alcoholics.

Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester” also won the original screenplay award, which the director said he was “overwhelmed” to accept.

Flying the flag for UK filmmaking was Ken Loach’s “I, Daniel Blake”, which won the outstanding British film but lost out in four other categories.

Set in Newcastle, northeast England, the film tells of one man’s battle against the bureaucracy of Britain’s social welfare system.

Accepting the award for outstanding British film, 80-year-old Loach said filmmakers stand “with the people” and took aim at the government.

“The most unvulnerable and poorest are treated by the government with a callous brutality that is disgraceful,” he said.

Ahead of the awards ceremony, he urged the public to become active in politics. “You should know which side you’re on and why and get in and take part in politics. There is no time now to sit on the fence,” he told AFP.

The glamorous ceremony was woven with political messages, beginning with host Stephen Fry making a jibe at US President Donald Trump who recently described veteran actress Meryl Streep as “overrated”.

“I look at row after row of the most overrated people in the audience,” quipped the actor, after stepping out at the end of an opening performance by Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil.

Anticipating the ceremony would be peppered with references to Washington and Westminster, actress Viola Davis said she supported filmmakers taking a stand.

“I especially like it in a profession that could be considered narcissistic. But also I think that’s what we do as artists. We do, we’re rebels, we make political statements,” she told AFP, before picking up the best supporting actress award for “Fences”.

Dev Patel, who was named best supporting actor for his role in “Lion”, said he was already a winner before the ceremony.

“I already just feel so happy to be here. It sounds like a real cliché but I’ve got my whole family with me. I’m here on home turf at the Baftas wearing a tuxedo walking this red carpet. I feel like a winner,” he told AFP outside the Royal Albert Hall.

Other guests braving the cold to walk the red carpet included Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate, whose London home Kensington Palace is close to the Royal Albert Hall.

– AFP/de

Lady Gaga gets Billboard boost after headlining Super Bowl

Lady Gaga soared back up the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday after a flawless performance at the Super Bowl halftime show gave her catalogue of music, a sales boost.

Gaga’s “Joanne,” which was released in October, climbed more than 60 spots on the chart to No. 2, with sales of 74,000 units, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

Gaga gave a solo performance at the Feb. 5 National Football League Super Bowl championship, singing a medley of hits after flying off the roof of the stadium to the stage while suspended on cables.

The football game and halftime performance were watched on television by more than 110 million viewers.

Gaga’s set also provided a massive boost for her earlier albums. Her 2008 record “The Fame” reentered the chart at No. 6 with 38,000 units sold, while her 2011 album “Born This Way” landed at No. 25 with 17,000 units sold.

Gaga, 30, topped the Digital Songs chart, which measures online song sales, with her new track “Million Reasons” selling 149,000 copies. Her earlier hits such as “Born This Way,” “Bad Romance” and “Poker Face” also experienced big boosts on the singles chart.

The Billboard 200 album chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).

Despite Gaga’s Super Bowl boost, California rapper Big Sean took the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart this week with “I Decided,” which sold 151,000 units in its first week. It ousted last week’s chart-topper, hip hop trio Migos’ “Culture,” which dropped to No. 3.

New albums in the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart include country singer Reba McEntire’s “Sing it Now: Songs of Faith” at No. 4, the soundtrack to the hit Broadway play “Dear Evan Hansen” at No. 8 and “The RCA-List, Vol. 4,” a compilation of current hip hop hits, at No. 10.

–Reuters

Adele breaks her Grammy Award in half and dedicates it to Beyonce

Thinking Adele and Beyoncé’s Grammys lovefest couldn’t get any more romantic, the British singer broke her award in half to reportedly share with Queen Bey.

After her showstopping acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Adele snapped her Grammy in two and dedicated it to Beyoncé, who she was up against.

The "Hello" singer was photographed holding the two pieces of the golden trophy up in the air, after breaking it in two.

She had praised her fellow musical diva several times during the show as she beats her out for Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

She even made Beyoncé cry with the speech for her Album of the Year win for her comeback creation25, as she gushed about how “monumental,” “beautiful,” and “soul baring,” Bey’s Lemonade album was.

Then she went backstage to the Grammys pressroom and continued lavishing Beyoncé with love.

-usmagazine

Pakistani Court bans Valentine’s Day celebration in public

A Pakistani court on Monday issued a ruling against observing Valentine’s Day in public places across the country. 

Petitioner Abdul Waheed told newsmen that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also ordered local media not to publicise anything related to the day. Majid Bhatti, a lawyer at the IHC, confirmed that the court order covered the entire country. 

Report says Valentine’s Day draws mixed responses from people every year with many voicing objections, citing religious teachings. In 2017, President Mamnoon Hussain had urged people not to observe Valentine’s Day because it was not a Muslim, but a Western tradition. 

“Valentine’s Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided,’’ the president had said. Waheed said had asked the court to issue orders against the promotion of Valentine’s Day because he believed print and electronic media had been presenting the day as if it was part of local culture. According to him, private TV channels will be banned from airing special content in relation to Valentine’s Day.

Source - Vanguard 

The show must go on: New York Fashion Week braves massive storm

New York Fashion week got off to a snowy start on Thursday with celebrities and the design world’s elite braving a massive storm to watch models strut street-wear and gowns at some of the most important runway shows.

Luxury brand Nicholas K opened the Fall/Winter 2017 shows with a homage to 1990s hip hop. Dozens of models paraded down the catwalk wearing vibrantly coloured over-sized pants and big hooped earrings with metallic make up.

Christopher Kunz, who comprises half of the sibling duo behind the street-wear label, said he was surprised to see so many guests show up for his show during the storm, which dumped roughly 14 inches (36 cm) on the city, turning Manhattan into a slippery mess.

His sister, Nicholas Kunz, said they chose a hip hop theme because they felt the 1990s represented communal activism and ethnic diversity, issues that are increasingly relevant after the recent election of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I think there was some strong messages in the 90’s hip hop era. It was all about communal activism, ethnic diversity, equality,” Kunz said. “We’ve always been about diversity and environmental things. It’s really disheartening to see things going backwards in those two areas for us.”

Several celebrities, including fashion maven Anna Wintour, donned pink pins for the first day of Fashion Week to show their support for Planned Parenthood, which has come under attack from anti-abortion advocates.

Japanese designer Tadashi Shoji, known for his red carpet gowns, said his season’s clothing line was all about inspiring a “love revolution.”

“Any size, any woman, any country. That’s what this show is about,” Shoji told Reuters moments before women wearing tea-length chiffon dresses with long bell sleeves and sheer necklines wowed the crowd.

Shoji, who designed Oscar-nominated Octavia Spencer’s gown at the SAG Awards, also featured many lace dresses in his line.

Meanwhile, in Venice Beach, California, Tommy Hilfiger surprised fashionistas with a Spring 2017 ready-to-wear collection featuring model Gigi Hadid and a performance by Fergie.

– Reuters