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[1/5] Sekyiwa 'Set' Shakur poses during the posthumous Rapper Tupac Shakur's star unveiling ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 7, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, June 7 (Reuters) - Award-winning rapper, activist and actor Tupac Shakur received a posthumous star on Wednesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where his sister and fellow rappers spoke of the musician's legacy around the world. “Tupac knew deep down that he was always meant for something great,” Sekyiwa Shakur said amid the crowd of around 100 people. Shakur was killed in 1996 at age 25 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas that has never been solved. Tupac Amaru Shakur has become a global symbol of rebellion.

Persons: Shakur, Tupac, Mario, Tupac Shakur, “ Tupac, ” Sekyiwa Shakur, ” Shakur, ”, Outlawz, Malcom Greenidge, David Marvin, DJ Quik, E.D.I, Afeni Shakur, “, Allen Hughes, Tupac Amaru Shakur, Malcolm X, Che Guevara, Hughes, Jorge Garcia, Danielle Broadway, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Hollywood, REUTERS, Apollo, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, ANGELES, Harlem, Las Vegas, California, Africa, Asia, South America, Europe

☆ US calls Roger Waters performance in Berlin 'deeply offensive to Jewish people'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters performs during his This Is Not a Drill tour at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File PhotoWASHINGTON, June 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Tuesday weighed in on a controversy over a performance by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, denouncing the show in Berlin as "deeply offensive to Jewish people" and accusing Waters of having a record of using antisemitic tropes. Berlin police said they were investigating Waters on suspicion of "incitement of the people." loadingIn comments sent by email and not attributed to a named official, the State Department stood by Lipstadt's comment, and said Waters' Berlin concert "contained imagery that is deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust." "The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people," the department added.

Persons: Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Mario Anzuoni, Waters, Deborah Lipstadt, Lipstadt's, Pink Floyd's, Simon Lewis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Pink, Crypto.com Arena, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S . State Department, State Department, Twitter, UN Security Council, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Berlin, European, Israel

[1/5] Cast members Issa Rae, Lauren Velez, Shameik Moore, Daniel Kaluuya, Jake Johnson and Hailee Steinfeld attend the premiere for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 30, 2023. For their sequel to 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," they have sought to build new worlds to immerse audiences in a web of animated adventure. The voice cast includes Issa Rae as Spider-Woman, Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099, Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk and Brian Tyree Henry as Miles' father, Jefferson Davis. The pre-pandemic "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" raked in over $35 million during its first three days of release and went on to win the 2019 Oscar for best animated feature film. Despite some concerns that those box-office-busting days are far from returning, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is forecast to open with $95 to $130 million in the U.S. and Canada.

Persons: Issa Rae, Lauren Velez, Shameik Moore, Daniel Kaluuya, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mario, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Miller, they've, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, Gwen, Oscar Isaac, Spider, Brian Tyree Henry, Miles, Jefferson Davis, unapologetically, Rae, Henry, Oscar, Andy Warhol, Stephen Hawking, Owen Gleiberman, Danielle Broadway, Rollo Ross, Jorge Garcia, Mary Milliken, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Sony, Miles Morales Marvel, Reuters, Rotten, Variety, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, ANGELES, Los Angeles, Canada

☆ Five takeaways about the consumer from Walmart, other retailers after a big week of earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

So far, at least five retailers – Target, Walmart, Tapestry , Bath and Body Works and Foot Locker – have spoken about sales trends across the country getting worse. The retailer's comparable sales in the U.S. declined 4.6% in the quarter versus the year-ago period. Target, Home Depot and Walmart all saw a noticeable pattern: Fewer pricey and fun items in shopping carts. At Home Depot, customers bought fewer big-ticket items like appliances and grills in the fiscal first-quarter. Customers at Walmart have become more selective when shopping for electronics, TVs, home items and apparel, Rainey told CNBC.

☆ Ed Sheeran tops UK charts with 'Subtract' after copyright victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Ed Sheeran performs at the 58th Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards in Frisco, Texas, U.S. May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File PhotoLONDON, May 12 (Reuters) - Pop star Ed Sheeran topped the UK music charts with his latest album, the critically acclaimed "Subtract", on Friday, a week after winning a U.S. copyright trial over one of his biggest hits. "Subtract", the British singer-songwriter's sixth studio album, went straight to no. 1, extending Sheeran's "flawless run of chart-topping albums", the Official Charts Company said. He was also facing a UK copyright trial over his 2017 song "Shape of You", a case he went on to win.

☆ Disney Makes Tough but Necessary Choices on Streaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger is trying to make good on the promise to sharply improve the economics of streaming. Photo: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERSWhen Bob Iger said Disney was no longer going to chase subscribers at the expense of profits, he wasn’t kidding. Disney’s fiscal second-quarter results Wednesday afternoon contained a couple surprises for the company’s streaming business. That segment generated an operating loss of $659 million—nearly $200 million less than Wall Street had expected and way better than the $1 billion torched by that unit three months prior.

BURBANK, California, May 11 (Reuters) - As striking Hollywood writers protest working conditions, some are seeking more than a new labor contract. Single members of the Writers Guild of America gathered outside the Universal Studios lot this week for a combination of picketing and a dating mixer that later moved to a taco eatery. "Writers love to multitask, so this is perfect for us," said 42-year-old "Feed the Devil" writer Matt Altman. Workers and supporters of the Writers Guild of America protest outside Universal Studios Hollywood after union negotiators called a strike for film and television writers, in the Universal City area of Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 3, 2023. "Love, Victor" writer Van B. Nguyen, 37, said she thought it was a fun idea to combine fighting for change with fighting for love.

☆ Big U.S. firms adopt cautious tone on China recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In April, China's imports contracted sharply, underscoring signs of weak domestic demand as a battered property market, worries over job stability and global economic uncertainty kept shoppers wary. "We grew mid-single digits in China, which had previously been a double-digit growth market for us pre-pandemic. "Consumer confidence remains weak and shaken because many Chinese faced job and salary cuts in 2022 and Chinese New Year bonuses in 2023 were low," said Shaun Rein, managing director at China Market Research Group. Still, a rapid recovery in domestic travel demand propped up sales at hotels. "China will be a growth driver for many multi-national companies but will not be at the high growth rates many analysts predict," China Market Research's Rein said.

☆ Dolly Parton reveals starry list of collaborators for first rock album
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Dolly Parton performs at the 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 6, 2022. The 77-year-old revealed the stellar line-up of collaborators on her website on Tuesday, sharing details about the album, which will feature nine original songs and 21 covers. "I'm so excited to finally present my first Rock and Roll album 'Rockstar," Parton said in a statement. Parton will perform her lead original track "World on Fire" at the annual ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards, which she is co-hosting with fellow country singer Garth Brooks, on Thursday. In an interview with Reuters last month, she said the song was "about the times that we're living in".

☆ With writers' strike already underway, film and TV studios start labor talks with directors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Television and film studios, already dealing with a strike by the Writers Guild of America, started contract negotiations Wednesday with the Directors Guild of America. If those talks break down, they could lead to even broader work stoppages on film and television sets nationwide. Writers Guild of America members and supporters picket outside Sunset Bronson Studios and Netflix Studios, after union negotiators called a strike for film and television writers, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 3, 2023. There’s a good chance the Writers Guild could still be on strike at that point. Late night television shows were the first to be halted by the writers strike, and some other popular shows now in production, including Stranger Things, have been postponed as well.

Once known as Square, Block agreed in March 2021 to pay $306 million for an 87.5% stake in Tidal. The pension fund also said Dorsey, a co-founder of Block and Twitter, was Block's only top executive who supported the purchase, and bought Tidal because he and Jay-Z were friends. But in concluding that Block directors did not breach their fiduciary duties, McCormick said she could not "presume bad faith based on the merits of the deal alone." Jay-Z, the rapper and music mogul whose real name is Shawn Carter, joined San Francisco-based Block's board after the Tidal purchase and remains a director. The Delaware case was a derivative lawsuit that sought to have Block's directors or their insurers pay damages to the company for shareholders' benefit.

☆ Halle Bailey 'honored' to play Ariel in 'Little Mermaid' remake
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Rollo Ross | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Cast member Halle Bailey attends the premiere of the film "The Little Mermaid" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 8, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, May 9 (Reuters) - Black American singer Halle Bailey has said she was "honored" to play Ariel in the live action remake of "The Little Mermaid", adding she hoped to inspire children of colour with the new iteration of the beloved Disney animation. "It's so important for little girls to see themselves in things, in movies, in representation," said Awkwafina (Nora Lum), who voices the seagull Scuttle. The film's premiere took place amid a nearly week-long strike by thousands of film and television writers in Hollywood. Reporting by Rollo Ross; Writing by Rollo Ross and Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/5] Cast member Chris Pratt attends the premiere of 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Pratt had seen one or two short unfinished sequences of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," but at the premiere he took the time to savor the entirety of the swan song in Marvel’s “Guardians” trilogy. “I wanted to be swept away on the journey alongside my friends, my family, all of the fans in the audience, the cast and crew. While that wasn’t the actual moment that Pratt and Gunn had, the two recalled feeling the emotional weight of saying goodbye to the “Guardians” movies together.

☆ On 'Star Wars' day, Carrie Fisher receives posthumous star on Walk of Fame
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Rollo Ross | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A dress featuring actor Carrie Fisher as Star Wars character Princess Leia, is worn by her daughter Billie Lourd as she attends the posthumous unveiling of the star of Carrie Fisher, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, May 4 (Reuters) - May the 4th, the annual unofficial "Star Wars" day, was bittersweet for fans in Hollywood as Princess Leia actress Carrie Fisher, who died at age 60 in 2016, received a posthumous star on the Walk of Fame on Thursday. Along with a large group of fans, "Star Wars" droids R2-D2 and C-3PO and a pair of Stormtroopers came to the ceremony, as did actor Mark Hamill, director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. "My mom is a double whammy, a Pez dispenser and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Watching her mother in "Star Wars" as Princess Leia changed Lourd's perception of her.

[1/3] Writers Guild of America members and supporters picket outside Sunset Bronson Studios and Netflix Studios, after union negotiators called a strike for film and television writers, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 3, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, May 4 (Reuters) - The group representing Hollywood studios fired back on Thursday at claims from striking film and television workers that they have been forced into the "gig economy" because of changes brought by the streaming TV era. Roughly 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike on Tuesday, saying that studios had "created a gig economy inside a union workforce." Most TV writers, the group said, are employed on a weekly orepisodic basis, with a guarantee of a specified number of weeks or episodes. Writers say they are working more and making less as studios have shifted their focus to streaming over traditional TV and cable.

[1/2] Workers and supporters of the Writers Guild of America picket outside Sunset Bronson Studios and Netflix Studios, after union negotiators called a strike for film and television writers, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 3, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, May 4 (Reuters) - The Hollywood writers' strike that kicked off this week could last well into the summer and likely beyond, top executives close to the discussions told Reuters this week. Moody’s estimates a three-year contract with writers ultimately will cost the media industry $250 million to $350 million per year, a more modest estimate than the guild's projections of about $429 million per year. Television writers say their pay has suffered, as studios squeeze writers into smaller rooms for fewer weeks at minimum pay, despite financing lavishly produced streaming series. Hollywood writers must pay their agents and managers out of their wages -- and, unlike staff writers, can go long periods between gigs.

Production also was halted in Los Angeles for the rest of the week. REUTERS/Aude GuerrucciThe writers are seeking changes in pay and the formulas used to compensate writers when their work is streamed, among other proposals. The last WGA strike in 2007 and 2008 lasted 100 days. Writers say changes from the streaming TV boom have made it difficult for many to earn a living in expensive cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Half of TV series writers now work at minimum salary levels, compared with a third in the 2013-14 season, according to WGA statistics.

“It was just so original,” she told Reuters, and her co-lead, “Umbrella Academy” actor Ritu Arya, could not agree more. When Lena drops out of art school and quickly gets engaged, Ria and her friends plan a bride-heist of epic proportions. Director Nida Manzoor's first feature film scored a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Critics have praised the quirky martial arts film for its inspiring and unconventional representation of compelling women and girls. “Strong women come from strong women,” Kansara said.

☆ 'Stranger Things' animated series coming to Netflix
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, April 10 (Reuters) - An animated series set in the sci-fi world of "Stranger Things" is in development at Netflix (NFLX.O), part of the streaming service's efforts to expand the hit series into a wide-ranging franchise. Netflix announced the series in a statement released on Monday but gave no title or release date and few details. "We’ve always dreamed of an animated 'Stranger Things' in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving," the Duffer brothers, creators of the original "Stranger Things" series, said in the statement. "Stranger Things" debuted on Netflix in 2016 and became the company's most-watched English language series. Netflix had previously announced that a "Stranger Things" spinoff show was in the works and a play that will debut at London's West End in November.

☆ Brittney Griner urges Biden to bring home reporter Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was detained in Russia, speaks next to her wife, Cherelle Griner, during the 54th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, California, U.S., February 25, 2023. The Kremlin says Gershkovich was using journalism as a cover for spying activity - something his newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, has vehemently denied. Russia has not made public any evidence to support the charges, under which Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in jail. The White House has described the accusations as "ridiculous" and President Joe Biden has called on Moscow to release him. Brittney Griner, a WNBA star and double Olympic gold medallist who played for a Russian team in the off-season, was arrested at a Moscow airport one week before Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

☆ Adidas ends partnership with Beyonce - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Beyonce accepts the award for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for "Renaissance" during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Adidas (ADSGn.DE) has ended its fashion partnership with Beyoncé, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. If confirmed, it would mark a second high-profile split between Adidas and a celebrity partner, after the German sportswear giant ended its collaboration with Kanye West over his antisemitic comments. Adidas, which had signed a deal with Beyoncé in April 2019 to relaunch her brand Ivy Park, declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal said sales of Ivy Park have been underperforming expectations for years.

☆ Dramas 'This is Going to Hurt', 'The Responder' lead BAFTA TV nominations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Cast members attend a premiere for season 2 of the television series The White Lotus in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File PhotoLONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - Medical comedy-drama "This is Going to Hurt" and police series "The Responder" led nominations for Britain's BAFTA Television Awards on Wednesday, receiving six nods each, while live coverage of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee and her state funeral were also recognised. Liverpool-set police drama "The Responder" saw cast members Martin Freeman, Josh Finan, Adelayo Adedayo nominated in the leading actor, supporting actor and supporting actress categories respectively. Gary Oldman ("Slow Horses"), Chaske Spencer ("The English"), Cillian Murphy ("Peaky Blinders") and Taron Egerton ("Black Bird") complete the leading actor category. The BAFTA TV Craft awards take place on April 23, followed by the BAFTA TV Awards on May 14.

☆ Versace reaches for new heights with starry LA rooftop show
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Kendall Jenner walks the runway during the Versace Fall-Winter 2023 collection fashion show in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, March 10 (Reuters) - Italian fashion house Versace made its Fall/Winter 2023 show a star-studded affair on Thursday, moving its catwalk from Milan to Los Angeles three days before this year's Oscars ceremony. Held on the roof-top of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, the open-air show was brought forward by a day due to a heavy rain forecast. Gigi Hadid led models on the runway dressed in a black pencil skirt and power-shouldered blazer. Versace offered denim trousers and jackets for more casual options.

☆ Memorable Oscars speeches
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Making The Revenant was about man's relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. For our children's children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.

Diverse creators are building incubators, their own production pipelines and venues where they can screen work and receive feedback and support each other. Of the 13,252 Oscar nominees since 1929, 6% are from underrepresented ethnicities, a USC Annenberg Inclusion at the Academy Awards report concludes. Located in Atlanta and Los Angeles, it creates collaborative spaces for diverse talent to support each other. As the most underrepresented group in the industry, Latino talent is also keen to change their narrative. There were 32 years without Latino nominees at the Academy Awards, with the most recent shutout in 2002.

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