America’s First Muslims Were Slaves
In 1807, a wealthy 37-year-old scholar was captured in West Africa, in what is now Senegal, and transported to the United States to be sold into slavery. That man, Omar
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At Baghdad Workshop, Search for Iraq’s Looted Artifacts Gets Serious
Before Islamic State militants were dislodged from Iraq in 2017, they stole thousands of ancient artifacts. Most are still missing, and an international team of archaeologists is turning detective to
Read MoreBefore It Hits Netflix, Sundance Previews ‘Velvet Buzzsaw’
Dan Gilroy’s satirical contemporary art world thriller “Velvet Buzzsaw” will be available to Netflix subscribers worldwide this Friday, but he and his team gave audiences at the Sundance Film Festival
Read More‘Jagged Little Pill’ by Alanis Morissette Heads to Broadway
“You Oughta Know” Alanis Morissette is coming to Broadway. The singer-songwriter has allowed songs from her 1995 breakthrough album “Jagged Little Pill” to be used in a new musical
Read MoreCarrie Bradshaw, ‘The Dude’ to Star in Super Bowl Commercial
Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeff Bridges are bringing a couple of famed characters back to life for a charity in a new Super Bowl commercial. Parker will reprise her Sex
Read MorePostal Service Honors Entertainer Gregory Hines With Stamp
The U.S. Postal Service is honoring entertainer Gregory Hines with a Black Heritage Series stamp. Acting chief postal inspector Gary Barksdale will host the first day of issue ceremony Monday
Read MoreAncient Wine Cellars Discovered in Egypt’s Nile Delta
Archaeologists have found wine cellars dating back to the Greco-Roman period in Egypt’s Nile Delta. The Antiquities Ministry says Monday that the excavations took place in Tel Kom al Trogy,
Read MoreNYPD Officer and DJ: Community Policing Through Music
A New York disc jockey wearing a policeman’s uniform. The outfit is not a costume, it’s the work uniform of New York City Police officer who takes his hobby as
Read MoreFrench Oscar-winning Composer Michel Legrand Dies aged 86
Prolific French composer Michel Legrand, who won three Oscars and five Grammys during a career spanning more than half a century, died Saturday aged 86, his spokesman said. Legrand lived
Read MoreFrench Composer Legrand Dies at 86
Prolific French composer Michel Legrand, who won three Oscars and five Grammys during a career spanning more than half a century, died Saturday aged 86, his spokesman said. Legrand lived
Read MorePope Urges Clergy to Keep Faith Despite Frustrations
Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Saturday in the centuries-old colonial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua, telling Panama’s priests and nuns to try to find joy in their work
Read MorePope Francis to Meet Student Priests in Panama
Pope Francis celebrates Mass Saturday in the centuries-old colonial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua, Panama’s patron saint, as part of World Youth Day festivities. On the fourth day
Read MorePhotographer Captures Beauty, Determination of Breast Cancer Survivors
When thinking about people with cancer, the images that first come to mind are usually dark, sad and depressing. But that’s not what photographer Linda McCarthy sees. With her “Survivors” project, her
Read MoreSundance Is Homecoming for Julianne Moore and Husband
For director Bart Freundlich and Julianne Moore, having their film “After the Wedding” premiere opening at the Sundance Film Festival holds a special significance. Moore and Freundlich came to the
Read MoreFor 25 Years, SAG Awards Have Been ‘the Actors’ Party’
The Screen Actors Guild turns 25 years old Sunday, and executive producer Kathy Connell has shaped every one. And while the milestone anniversary offers a chance to reflect on the
Read MoreJudge Approves Changes to Weinstein’s Legal Team
A judge signed off Friday on changes to the legal team representing Harvey Weinstein in his rape and sexual assault case, allowing the film producer to swap out his bulldog
Read MoreNetflix Criticized for Using South Sudan Flag
The very first image in Netflix’s new film Close is South Sudan’s flag billowing in the wind. Shot in Morocco, the opening scene introduces the main character, a professional bodyguard named
Read MoreNissin Foods Drops Osaka Ad After Complaints, Star Focused on Game
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into
Read MoreChris Brown Accuser Alleges Multiple Rapes, Lawyer Says
The lawyer for a woman who filed a rape complaint in Paris against American singer Chris Brown and two other men says she was raped four times during a drug-fueled
Read MoreCardi B is Getting Her 1st Las Vegas Residency
Cardi B will have her first Last Vegas residency this spring. Palms Casino Resort announced Wednesday the 26-year-old singer’s appearance as part of its debut of KAOS, a dayclub and
Read MoreMichael Jackson Stage Musical to Premiere in Chicago
A stage musical about Michael Jackson will premiere in Chicago later this year before heading to Broadway in 2020. Officials said Wednesday that “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”
Read MoreMeek Mill, Jay-Z and Sports Owners Back Justice Reforms
A coalition of big names in sports and entertainment is taking on criminal justice reform. Rappers Meek Mill and Jay-Z and the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and
Read MoreKaye Ballard, Boisterous Singer and Actress, Dies at 93
Kaye Ballard, the boisterous comedian and singer who appeared in Broadway musicals and nightclubs from New York to Las Vegas and starred with Eve Arden in the 1960s TV sitcom
Read MoreA New Generation Takes up the Hunt for Dead Sea Scrolls
In the cliffs high above the Dead Sea archaeologists chip away with pick axes, hoping to repeat one of the most sensational discoveries of the last hundred years – the
Read More‘Roma,’ ‘The Favourite’ Lead Oscar Nomination With 10 Nods
Oscar voters on Tuesday showered Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” with a leading 10 nominations to the 91st Academy Awards, while two dominant but contentious Hollywood forces
Read MoreUS Singer Chris Brown Detained in Paris After Rape Complaint
U.S. singer Chris Brown and two other people are in custody in Paris after a woman filed a rape complaint, French officials said Tuesday. Brown was detained Monday on potential
Read MoreAt Sundance, Powerhouse Documentaries Will Be Everywhere
For documentary filmmakers, there’s no place like the Sundance Film Festival. The mountainside festival which kicks off Thursday in Park City, Utah, has become known for launching nonfiction films to
Read More‘Don’t cry’: Serena Consoles Australian Open Foe; Halep Next
It was all a bit overwhelming for the latest opponent who could do nothing to slow Serena Williams at the Australian Open. So Dayana Yastremska, an 18-year-old from Ukraine, found
Read MoreAnthony Rapp Hopes He Did His Part to ‘Change the Culture’
Actor Anthony Rapp said he came forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey because he feared assaults could “keep happening” if he said nothing. The younger actor spoke about
Read MoreGrammy-nominated Album Shines Light on Transgender Pioneer
For decades, Jackie Shane was a musical mystery: a riveting black transgender soul singer who packed out nightclubs in Toronto in the 1960s, but then disappeared after 1971. Some speculated
Read MorePregnant Meghan Laughs Off ‘Fat Lady’ Comment on Charity Visit
A stranger’s comment on one’s growing stomach may not always be welcome but a pregnant Meghan, Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, took it all in her stride on Wednesday when a
Read MoreColorism Reveals Many Shades of Prejudice in Hollywood
The breakthrough representation of minorities in Hollywood blockbusters has ignited a frequently overlooked discussion about whether prejudice isn’t just about the color of a person’s skin, but the shade. “Colorism,”
Read MoreStreet Singer Gives Voice to Venezuela’s Growing Diaspora
A year ago, Venezuelan migrant Reymar Perdomo was singing for spare change on jammed buses, struggling to make ends meet while building a new life in Peru’s capital. But her
Read MoreRazor Burn: Gillette Ad Stirs Online Uproar
A Gillette ad for men invoking the #MeToo movement is sparking intense online backlash, with accusations that it talks down to men and groups calling for a boycott. But Gillette
Read MoreSatisfaction: Rolling Stones to Headline 50th Jazz Fest
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has got satisfaction: The Rolling Stones are among the headliners for the 50th anniversary festival. Organizers Tuesday confirmed reports that Mick Jagger and
Read MoreSports Illustrated Moves Swimsuit Issue to May
The upcoming Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is moving its publication date, pushing it from the chill of February to warmer May, closer to bikini-weather. Editor of the issue MJ
Read More‘McJesus’ Sculpture Sparks Outrage Among Israel’s Christians
An art exhibit in Israel featuring a crucified Ronald McDonald has sparked protests by the country’s Arab Christian minority. Hundreds of Christians calling for the removal of the sculpture, entitled
Read MoreScreen Actors Guild Slams Film Academy for Oscar Tactics
The Screen Actors Guild on Monday called on the film academy to stop trying to prevent stars from appearing on award shows before the Oscars. In an unusually critical statement
Read MoreIn The Mule, Drug Trafficiking in the US Becomes Old White Man’s Employment
For over 50 years, Oscar winning filmmaker and actor Clint Eastwood has portrayed tough characters — bounty hunters, police detectives and macho heart throbs. In his latest movie, The Mule,
Read MoreBookstore in Argentina Becomes Unlikely Tourist Destination
What do you do with a building that is past its prime or no longer being used? Many of them are torn down. But in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a century-old
Read MoreMassive Bookstore in Portland Thrives in Age of E-Books
Despite e-books and smartphones with reading apps, the book business in the U.S. is enjoying a resurgence. And though internet sales take their toll on bookstores around the country, one
Read MoreArtisans Create Fantastic Ice Sculptures in China
Each January, the city of Harbin in northern China becomes an icy wonderland as it hosts the largest ice and snow festival in the world. In Harbin, temperatures can drop
Read MoreMiranda Reprises ‘Hamilton’ Role in Puerto Rico to Raise Funds for Arts
Lin-Manuel Miranda reprised his lead role in the hit musical “Hamilton” Friday night to start a two-week run in Puerto Rico expected to raise thousands of dollars for artists and
Read MoreNBC News, Megyn Kelly Reach Separation Deal
NBC News announced its professional divorce agreement with Megyn Kelly late Friday, ending an association with the former Fox News Channel star whose attempt to become a network morning television
Read MoreVictoria Graham Uses Beauty Queen Title to Spotlight Genetic Disorder
Victoria Graham is a beauty queen. But what is truly extraordinary about this pageant winner are her efforts to overcome a severe genetic condition so that she could use her
Read MoreLady Gaga Apologizes for R. Kelly Collaboration
Lady Gaga is sorry for her 2013 duet with R. Kelly in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against the singer, and she intends to remove the song from streaming
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