Author: Ohart

After one errant forehand in the first set of the U.S. Open final, Naomi Osaka looked at her coach in the mostly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium stands with palms up, as if to say, “What the heck is happening?”  Surprisingly off-kilter in the early going Saturday, Osaka kept missing shots and digging herself a deficit. But suddenly, she lifted her game, and Victoria Azarenka couldn’t sustain her start. By the end, Osaka had pulled away to a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback victory for her second U.S. Open championship and third Grand Slam title overall.”I just thought this would be very embarrassing, to lose this in less than an hour,” said Osaka, who dropped down to lie on the court after winning.A quarter-century had passed since the last time the woman who lost the first set of a U.S. Open final wound up winning: In 1994, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario did it against Steffi Graf.No fun”I actually don’t want to play you in more finals,” a smiling Osaka told Azarenka afterward. “I didn’t enjoy that.”Osaka, a 22-year-old born in Japan and now based in the United States, added to her trophies from the 2018 U.S. Open — earned with a brilliant performance in a memorably chaotic final against Serena Williams — and 2019 Australian Open.The 23,000-plus seats in the main arena at Flushing Meadows were not entirely unclaimed, just mostly so — while fans were not allowed to attend because of the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of people who worked at the tournament attended — and the cavernous place was not entirely silent, just mostly so.Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, holds the runner-up trophy after losing to Naomi Osaka, of Japan, in the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 12, 2020, in New York.Certainly no thunderous applause or cacophony of yells that normally would reverberate over and over and over again through the course of a Grand Slam final, accompanying the players’ introductions or preceding the first point or after the greatest of shots.Instead, a polite smattering of claps from several hands marked such moments.Osaka stepped onto the court wearing a black mask with the name of Tamir Rice, a Black 12-year-old boy killed by police in Ohio in 2014. Osaka arrived in New York with seven masks bearing the names of Black victims of violence and wore a different one for each match, honoring Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Philando Castile.  “The point is to make people start talking about it,” Osaka said during Saturday’s trophy ceremony.Focus on racial injusticeShe has been at the forefront of efforts in tennis to bring awareness to racial injustice in the United States. She joined athletes in various sports by refusing to compete last month after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin — she said she wouldn’t participate in her semifinal at the Western & Southern Open, then decided to play after the tournament took a full day off in solidarity.Osaka and her coach have said they think the off-court activism has helped her energy and mindset in matches.The win over Azarenka, a 31-year-old from Belarus also seeking a third Grand Slam title but first in 7½ years, made Osaka 11-0 since tennis resumed after its hiatus because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
…

For years, U.S. businesses have been trying to get a piece of the Chinese market, and that’s also true for Hollywood. However, as Disney is currently experiencing, doing business with China’s authoritarian government can be tricky, especially in light of current political tensions between the U.S. and China. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details.
…

Diana Rigg, a commanding British actress whose career stretched from iconic 1960s spy series “The Avengers” to fantasy juggernaut “Game of Thrones,” has died. She was 82. Rigg’s agent, Simon Beresford, said she died Thursday morning at home with her family. Daughter Rachael Stirling said she died of cancer that was diagnosed in March. Rigg “spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words,” Stirling said. Rigg starred in “The Avengers” as secret agent Emma Peel alongside Patrick Macnee’s bowler-hatted John Steed. The pair were an impeccably dressed duo who fought villains and traded quips in a show whose mix of adventure and humor was enduringly influential. FILE – Actor George Lazenby, the new James Bond, and British actress Diana Rigg share a moment during takes of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” at Schilthorn near Muerren, Switzerland, Jan. 10, 1969.Rigg also starred in the 1969 James Bond thriller “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as Tracy di Vicenzo, the only woman ever to marry, albeit briefly, Agent 007. Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said Rigg was “much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance.” George Lazenby, who made his only appearance as Bond in the film, said on Instagram that he was “so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. She undoubtedly raised my acting game when we made On Her Majesty’s Secret Service together in 1968-9.” In later life, Rigg played Olenna Tyrell, the formidable Queen of Thorns, in “Game of Thrones.” She received an Emmy nomination for the role. Other television roles included the Duchess of Buccleuch in the period drama “Victoria.” Rigg starred alongside her daughter in the gentle British sitcom “Detectorists.”  Rigg spent several years in the 1960s as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and combined screen work with a major stage career, in plays including William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage” and Tom Stoppard’s “Jumpers” at the National Theater in London. She had several acclaimed roles in the 1990s at London’s Almeida Theater, including Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and the title role in Greek tragedy “Medea.” Rigg won a Tony Award for “Medea” on Broadway and was nominated on three other occasions — most recently in 2018 for playing Mrs. Higgins in “My Fair Lady.” Jonathan Kent, who directed Rigg in some of her great stage roles, said her “combination of force of personality, beauty, courage and sheer emotional power made her a great classical actress — one of an astonishing generation of British stage performers.” FILE – British actress Diana Rigg and actor Anthony Hopkins attend the opening night of “Macbeth” at the National Theater, London, Sept. 20, 1972.She never retired. One of Rigg’s final television roles was in the rural veterinary drama “All Creatures Great and Small,” which is currently running on British television. Stoppard said Rigg was “the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper.” “She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.” Rigg is survived by her daughter, son-in-law Guy Garvey — lead singer of the band Elbow — and a grandson. 
 
…

American football, the most popular sport in the United States, kicks off its season tonight, but instead of the usual holiday-like atmosphere surrounding opening day, the event is clouded by concerns over the coronavirus and controversial protests for racial justice.The National Football League’s (NFL) opening matchup features the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs playing the Houston Texans, but don’t expect the contest to resemble a normal game.For one, the stands will appear fairly empty. Tonight’s game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, which has a capacity of more than 76,000, but the team is only going to allow 22% capacity.Fans will be required to wear masks and maintain social distancing, according to the Chiefs’ website.Sorry, fansMany teams around the league will not be allowing any fans in the stadiums, at least for now.Fans will not be the only ones missing. Reportedly, some 60 players in the league have said they are opting out of games for now, citing virus-related health concerns.Players and team staff are tested daily, with game day being an exception as their eligibility to play will be announced the day before. The NFL said that during the week of September 5, 44,510 tests had been administered to a total of 8,349 players and staff.The sidelines also will look very different, as there will be no cheerleaders, mascots or sideline reporters.In addition to the national anthem, which is traditionally played before the game, the NFL will play the song “Lift Every Voice,” which is considered by some to be the Black national anthem. It’s unclear if or how many players will kneel in protest during “The “Star-Spangled Banner,” a controversy dating to 2016 when former player Colin Kaepernick first knelt.On the field, players will be allowed to add social justice message decals to their helmets, and the NFL will paint “End Racism” and “It Takes All of Us” in the end zones for every game.After the game, the tradition of players exchanging greetings, hugs, handshakes and trading jerseys will be ended as the players maintain social distancing.The National Basketball Association has taken many similar measures but has faced a drop-off in TV viewership. How NFL fans will react remains to be seen.
…

Diana Rigg, a British actress who became a 1960s style icon as secret agent Emma Peel in TV series “The Avengers,” has died. She was 82.
Rigg’s agent Simon Beresford said she died Thursday morning at home with her family. Daughter Rachael Stirling said she died of cancer that was diagnosed in March.
Rigg “spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words,” Stirling said.
Rigg starred in “The Avengers” alongside Patrick McNee’s bowler-hatted John Steed. The pair were an impeccably dressed duo who fought villains and traded quips in a show whose mix of adventure and humor was enduringly influential.
Rigg also starred in 1967 James Bond thriller “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as the only woman ever to marry Agent 007.
In later life, she played Olenna Tyrell in “Game of Thrones” and the Duchess of Buccleuch in “Victoria,” and starred alongside her daughter in British sitcom “Detectorists.”
Rigg spent several years in the 1960s as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and combined screen work with an acclaimed stage career, in plays including Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage” and Tom Stoppard’s “Jumpers” at the National Theatre in London.
Stoppard said Rigg was “the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper.”
“She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.”
…

NYC has always attracted creative people – those who are happy to wait tables in the evening as long as it pays the bills, only to run to auditions and have time for their art during the day. But the coronavirus pandemic has forced over a thousand Big Apple restaurants to close, and that means no jobs for the NYC bohemia. Anna Nelson looked into how New York’s art scene has been adapting to the new reality. Anna Rice narrates her story.
…

Ronald “Khalis” Bell, a co-founder of the legendary group Kool and the Gang, died Wednesday at his home in the U.S Virgin Islands. He was 68 years old.Bell’s publicist did not disclose his cause of death.Bell sang and composed songs for the Grammy-winning group, which blended jazz, funk, R&B and pop.Kool and the Gang’s heyday during the ‘70s led a loyal following behind the group’s biggest hits written by Bell, including “Celebration,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Summer Madness.”Bell is credited with orchestrating the group’s decades-old popularity that was punctuated with a star for Kool and the Gang being placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
…

South African nature filmmaker Craig Foster was burned out. He had lost his passion for working on documentaries such as “Blue Planet 2.” To re-energize, he started free diving without an oxygen tank or wet suit near in the chilly waters off the Western Cape, where he’d grown up.The dives served as a form of therapy, comforting yet challenging the depths of his understanding of marine life. He remembered seeing indigenous San bushmen ply their tracking skills in southern Africa’s Central Kalahari Desert 20 years earlier.“These extraordinary men were just so close to nature and they were just so good at tracking and understanding the natural system,” Foster says. “I was deeply envious of their abilities. … And then I had this idea: Could I ever track animals underwater?”Over four years of diving every day, he learned how. It was a “very exciting, empowering process,” Foster says, “and that enabled me to get into the secret world of some of these special animals.”One tangible result is “My Octopus Teacher,” the first South African nature documentary to air as a Netflix Original. Released in early September on the pay channel, it tells the tender story of Foster befriending a small octopus in the icy Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Cape Town.Accruing honorsThe film, for which Foster did the underwater photography, has already won a prestigious award and has been nominated for a slew of others.It shows Foster diving every day to visit a female octopus he discovered when she burst from beneath a pile of shells. At first, the small cephalopod is wary. Over time, she reaches out to him with one tentacle and eventually trusts him enough to sit on his chest and let him stroke her.“She taught me humility. She taught me compassion. She opened my mind to just how precious wild creatures are and how complex,” says Foster, who, despite his familiarity with the creature, never gives her a name.“It’s quite incredible. You think: This is an animal that’s separated in evolution by hundreds of millions of years and it’s a mollusk, essentially a snail without a shell. But she’s got a huge mind and huge curiosity and a tremendous intelligence,” he says. “… That’s why I called her my teacher, because I did learn so much from her.”Foster in 2012 had co-founded the Sea Change Project, a nonprofit group meant to protect marine life by raising awareness of the South African kelp forest’s ecological importance.The film, too, has been years in the making. While Foster eventually had a big team, he and environmental journalist Pippa Ehrlich initially worked alone for a few years. It was her first movie, and she directed — with James Reed – wrote, filmed and edited.Building understandingEhrlich says she hopes the work will create awareness about the octopus’s home. The Great African Sea Forest stretches for 1,300 kilometers, or just over 800 miles, along South Africa and Namibia’s coastlines.In the last few decades, “40 percent of our world’s kelp forests have declined and some of them have disappeared completely,” mostly due to climate change, Ehrlich says. “And unlike coral bleaching, for example, it’s not something that’s getting a lot of attention. … In fact, a lot of people don’t know that there is such a thing as an underwater forest.”Ehrlich gave up a job diving to film sharks all over the world to work on “My Octopus Teacher,” even though it had no funding at the time. So she’s grateful for the positive response to the film.It has received eight award nominations for Jackson Wild — known earlier as the Jackson Hole (Wyoming) Wildlife Film Festival — including for best feature film and best ecosystem film.It has two nominations for the British-based Wildscreen Panda Awards, which recognize international wildlife film and TV content, and six for the German-based Green Screen Festival. And, says Ehrlich, “we were really, really excited to win the best feature” category for the Texas-based EarthX Film Festival in April.Awards or not, Foster says “My Octopus Teacher” has a lesson for mankind.“We are totally reliant on the natural world as our life support system. It keeps us breathing” and eating, the filmmaker says. “It’s easy to forget that in this industrial world, running around and trying to survive.“So it’s absolutely critical that we reconnect with nature, no matter where we are, and seriously get together to think about how we can regenerate the very system that is keeping us alive.”This report originated in VOA’s English to Africa service.
…

Images of picture-postcard Paris rarely include its scruffy, heavily immigrant Goutte d’Or neighborhood. Many Parisians consider the area a no-go zone of prostitutes, drug dealers and petty criminals. It’s also seen clashes between youngsters and French police — and, in July, anti-discrimination protests, inspired by the Black Lives Matters movement in the United States.  Cameroon-born Jacqueline Ngo Mpii founded Little Africa walking tours, aimed to showcase the African side of Paris. (Lisa Bryant/VOA)But Jacqueline Ngo Mpii’s “Little Africa” walking tour instead showcases the talent and energy of the neighborhood’s African diaspora.”Barbes is one of the known names of the neighborhood by locals. People say I’m going to Barbes or Chateau Rouge. They never say, I’m going to La Goutte d’Or,” she said. “From what I was seeing externally — and also specifically in the press — the neighborhood had a very bad reputation, locally and internationally,” she added. “So I really wanted to change the narrative about that.”  Nigerian Bosun Ola and his partner Fay Latham recently opened the trendy Ola’s Cafe, offering another changing face of Goutte d’Or, in Paris. (Lisa Bryant/VOA)Her tour winds through a kaleidoscope of African restaurants, book stores and night spots. And past a friendly and trendy new coffee shop run by Nigerian Bosun Ola and his French partner Fay Latham.  “We’re a cafe in the kind of British style,” Ola said. “We serve breakfast, lunch and gateaux. We do Jollof rice, which is an African dish.”  One of the last neighborhoods to become part of Paris in the 19th century, Goutte d’Or has always been home to low-income workers and immigrants from Italy, Spain and Poland. Now, it’s an African melting pot.  “You have the North Africans and you have the sub-Saharan Africans,” Ngo Mpii said. “And at Barbes, you clearly see … I don’t want to say division, but the two parts … the more you get deep inside the neighborhood, the more you see the sub-Saharan culture and Black people.”  That includes Ngo Mpii, who moved to France from her native Cameroon when she was 10 years old. Five years ago, she founded Little Africa, a company aimed to showcase the African side of Paris.  Her narrative emphasizes Goutte d’Or’s African cuisine and markets, which draw both foreigners and the African diaspora. And the fact that the neighborhood is becoming a fashion hub.  Goutte d’Or fashion designer Dyenaa Diaw has dressed superstar singer Beyonce — but she is staying put in the Paris neighborhood where she grew up. (Lisa Bryant/VOA)Boutique Peulh Vagabond, with its chunky jewelry and elegant outfits, reflects designer Dyenaa Diaw’s Senegalese heritage. Diaw also uses traditional African weave — employing a cooperative of artisans from Burkina Faso. That’s another subtext in this walking tour — how this neighborhood’s creators are tapping Africa-based talent.  Diaw has gained an international reputation, partly because American superstar singer Beyonce has worn her creations. She could move her business to a more upscale neighborhood, but Goutte d’Or is home. If locals like herself don’t bring change to the neighborhood, she asks, who will?  Other Goutte d’Or residents have moved out, though many — like Louis Cantor — still come back to buy African spices or fashions or other colorful creations.  Cantor is of mixed Guadaloupean and Ivorian heritage. He said the neighborhood is becoming more multicultural, but he’s worried it will become too gentrified and chase out longtime residents. Ngo Mpii doesn’t think so.  Some people fear Goutte d’Or in Paris will gentrify, pushing out the local population. (Lisa Bryant/VOA)Like the rest of Paris’ tourism industry, her business has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. She’s lost one of her biggest clients— Black American tourists.  “What we’re bringing is the history of another Black population that they had no idea had a history here,” she said. “They only knew about themselves and their history in Paris — with Richard Wright, Josephine Baker and (James) Baldwin.”  For now, she’s giving tours to a more European and local audience. Maybe, Parisians might also venture beyond the standard tourist routes — and discover a part of their city that many do not know.  
 
…

The organization that honors movies with the Academy Awards said Tuesday it will require films to meet new standards in order to promote diversity both on the screen and behind the scenes. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the rules apply only to those films eligible for the best picture Oscar and will go into effect in 2024. Among the rules are requirements for the percentage or numbers of actors, production and marketing staff, and internships on a movie that must be filled by non-whites, women, people with disabilities or people from the LGBTQ community. “The standards are designed to encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience,” the Academy said in a statement. The Academy has faced criticism in recent years for a lack of diversity among its Oscars honorees, including in 2016 when all of the nominees in the four acting categories were white.  
…

Prince Harry has repaid 2.4 million pounds ($3.2 million) in British taxpayers’ money that was used to renovate the home in Windsor intended for him and his wife Meghan before they gave up royal duties and moved to California.A spokesman for the couple said Monday that Harry had made a contribution to the Sovereign Grant, the public money that goes to the royal family. He said the contribution “fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage,” near Queen Elizabeth II’s Windsor Castle home, west of London.He said Frogmore Cottage will remain the home of Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, when they visit the U.K.Royal accounts for 2019 show that 2.4 million pounds was spent renovating the house, including structural work, rewiring and new flooring. Harry and Meghan agreed to pay back the money and start paying rent as part of the plans drawn up when they quit as senior working royals in March.They recently bought a house in Santa Barbara, California, and last week announced a deal with Netflix to produce a range of films and series for the streaming service.
 
…

Jiri Menzel, a Czech director whose 1966 movie Closely Watched Trains won the Academy Award for the best foreign language film has died. He was 82.Menzel’s wife, Olga, announced his death late Sunday, saying he died the previous day. No details were given. Three years ago, Menzel underwent a brain operation and was kept in an artificially induced coma for several weeks after it.”Dearest Jirka, I thank you for each and every day I could spend with you. Each was extraordinary,” his wife said on Facebook.Menzel made some 20 movies and was one of the leading filmmakers of the new wave of Czechoslovak cinema that appeared in the 1960s. His movies represented a radical departure from socialist realism, a typical communist-era genre focusing on realistically depicting the struggles of the working class.Unlike colleagues such as Milos Forman, Jan Nemec and Ivan Passer, Menzel didn’t emigrate after the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.Closely Watched Trains was his first feature movie. Based on a novel by Czech author Bohumil Hrabal, it tells the story of a dispatcher’s apprentice coming of age at a small train station during the Nazi occupation in World War II.His next collaboration with Hrabal, Larks on a String in 1969 was another tragicomic description of life under a totalitarian regime, this time under communism.The movie was immediately banned by the communist authorities. After the 1989 anti-Communist revolution led by Vaclav Havel, it won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin international film festival.Menzel’s other adaptations of Hrabal’s work include Cutting It Short (1980), The Snowdrop Festival (1984) and I served the King of England (2006).His 1985 comedy My Sweet Little Village was nominated for the Academy Award for best foreign film.A graduate of Prague’s Academy of Performing Arts in 1962, he was also known for directing plays and also as an actor.Among other awards, Menzel received the French Order of Arts and Literature. 
…

In a litmus test for American moviegoing in the pandemic, Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” brought in an estimated $20.2 million through the holiday weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters.
The result could be greeted as either the rejuvenation of U.S. cinemas — more Americans went to the movies this weekend than they have in nearly six months — or a reflection of drastically lowered standards for Hollywood’s top blockbusters given the circumstances.
About 70% of U.S. movie theaters are currently open; those in the country’s top markets, Los Angeles and New York, remain closed. Theaters that are operating are limiting audiences to a maximum of 50% capacity to distance moviegoers from one another. “Tenet” played in 2,810 North American locations, about three-fourths of what most major releases typically launch in.
Warner Bros. declined to split up U.S. and Canadian box office receipts. Theaters in Canada, where COVID-19 cases are much lower than in the U.S., began showing “Tenet” a week earlier. The film debuted stateside with nightly preview screenings Monday through Wednesday before the official opening on Thursday. Warner Bros. included all of the above in its estimated gross Sunday, along with expected returns for Monday’s Labor Day.
“Tenet” opened stronger in China. It debuted there with $30 million in ticket sales from Friday to Monday. Internationally, “Tenet” has exceeded expectations. In two weeks of release, its overseas total is $126 million, with a global tally thus far of $146.2 million.
Warner Bros. has emphasized that the usual opening-weekend calculus is out the window. Few onlookers felt it was possible to gauge how “Tenet” would open. The film, which cost $200 million to make and at least $100 million to market, will need to get close to $500 million to break even.
In the film’s favor: It currently has the big screen almost entirely to itself. Some multiplexes played “Tenet” as many as 100 times over the weekend. With little else on the horizon, Warner Bros. is counting on a long run for “Tenet.”
Not in the film’s favor: Audiences didn’t love Nolan’s latest time-bender. Moviegoers gave the thriller, starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki, a “B” CinemaScore, the lowest grade for a Nolan release since 2006’s “The Prestige.” Reviews (75% positive on Rotten Tomatoes) have been good but far from overwhelming.
Warner Bros. declined to make executives available to discuss the opening but said in a statement that “Tenet” had to be judged differently. “We are in unprecedented territory, so any comparisons to the pre-COVID world would be inequitable and baseless,” said the studio.
Analyzing the film’s performance was virtually impossible, said senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian for data firm Comscore. He acknowledged North America remains a more challenged marketplace than Europe or Asia, but called it a solid start in what will be lengthy run for “Tenet.”
“It’s going to take a longer time to assess this,” said Dergarabedian. “The win is just to have movies open. To me, that says a lot.”
Hollywood is watching closely. With the majority of the studios’ top productions delayed until next year, the industry is experimenting with how to release its most expensive movies in the COVID-era. The Walt Disney Co. this weekend also debuted its $200 million live-action “Mulan” remake, but did so as a $30 purchase for Disney+ subscribers.
Disney on Sunday didn’t share digital returns for “Mulan” — a practice that’s been common among streaming companies and previous anticipated VOD releases like Universal’s “Trolls World Tour” and Disney’s own “Hamilton.” But “Mulan” is also playing in theaters in some overseas territories.
It began with $5.9 million in Thailand, Taiwan, the Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia. Next week, it debuts theatrically in its most important market: China.
The release of “Tenet” was also hotly debated, given the health risks associated with indoor gatherings. Several prominent film critics said they wouldn’t review “Tenet” over ethical concerns.
Theater chains, meanwhile, are struggling to remain solvent. Exhibitors have argued that they need new films to survive. Last weekend offered the first significant opportunity for U.S. cinemas to convince moviegoers to come back. Disney’s “The New Mutants,” a long delayed “X-Men” spinoff, collected about $7 million in 2,412 locations last weekend. Dipping significantly in its second weekend, its total is now up to $11.6 million.
Fittingly in an upside-down year, the palindromic “Tenet” — a thriller in which time is reversed — essentially began the summer movie season on the weekend it typically ends. Labor Day weekend, this year a historical one at the movies, is usually among the sleepiest weekends of the year at cinemas.
…

Hall of Famer Lou Brock, who became baseball’s premier base stealer as he helped make the St. Louis Cardinals one of the sport’s dominant teams of the 1960s, died on Sunday at the age of 81. “Our hearts are broken,” the Cardinals said in a tweet. “Lou Brock was an amazing player and outstanding person.” Brock, who was born in Arkansas in 1939 and grew up in Louisiana, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 in his first year of eligibility. Hitting, defense and speed on the bases made Brock one of the most notable and popular players of the Cardinals, a team with a rich baseball history. He stole 118 bases in 1974, a single-season major league record until Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics stole 130 in 1982. In 1977, Brock broke the legendary Ty Cobb’s mark for most steals in a career, a record that had stood for 49 years. That record was also eventually broken by Henderson in 1991. Brock led the National League in steals eight times and is still its career stolen-bases leader. He retired at age 40 in 1979 after 19 seasons, 16-1/2 of them with the Cardinals. With Brock as leadoff hitter and left fielder, the Cardinals won the World Series in 1964 and 1967. They also reached the Series in 1968 but lost. Brock’s career got off to a mediocre start with the Chicago Cubs in 1961 but turned around in the middle of the 1964 season when the Cardinals acquired him in a trade for pitcher Ernie Broglio in the hopes of adding speed to their lineup. Brock joined a team that was in sixth place, despite having stars such as pitcher Bob Gibson, a future Hall of Famer, along with Tim McCarver, Curt Flood and Ken Boyer, who would be named the National League’s most valuable player that season. Helped by Brock’s hitting and base stealing, they ended up winning the league championship on the last day of the season and defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series. The trade for Brock, which had initially stirred doubts among some Cardinals players, is widely considered one of the most one-sided in baseball history. With Brock as the catalyst, the Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox to win another World Series championship in 1967 but lost to the Detroit Tigers the next season. Brock batted over .300 in eight seasons and finished his career with 3,023 hits and 938 steals. In 1978, the National League announced that the award it gives to the stolen-base leader each season would be named after Brock, and the Cardinals in 1979 retired his No. 20 jersey. “Lou was among the game’s most exciting players,” Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, adding that “he will be deeply missed.” During his career, Brock popularized what became known as the “brockabrella” – a small umbrella worn as a hat to help baseball fans get through rainy games. In later life, Brock battled serious health ailments, including diabetes and cancer. His lower left leg was amputated in 2015, but that did not stop him from throwing out the first pitch at the Cardinals’ first home game the next season, wearing a prosthetic leg. The Cardinals announced in April 2017 that Brock was being treated for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. After months of treatment, Brock said several months later that his doctor told him he was cancer free.  
…

Marriage.  In these socially distanced times, even the ceremony itself can’t always bring couples – and their families – together.  In Africa, some digitally savvy couples are finding virtual workarounds to get them to the altar, including weddings where the bride and groom are thousands of kilometers apart.  VOA’s Anita Powell spoke to one African couple who solidified their bond while in two different countries, and brings us this story of love, longing and celebration from Johannesburg.VIDEOGRAPHER: Zaheer Cassim
…

Authentic held off a late challenge by favorite Tiz the Law to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs and give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a sixth win in the annual Run for the Roses.Authentic, ridden by John Velazquez, set the early pace and managed to maintain his speed down the stretch in the 1¼-mile classic, which was held without spectators because of the COVID-19 crisis.Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law was second, long shot Mr. Big News was third and Honor A.P. was fourth in the 15-horse race.
…

Chadwick Boseman was remembered as a hometown hero who brought a sense of pride to his native Anderson, South Carolina.The city paid tribute to Boseman in a public memorial on Thursday evening. The actor, who became widely popular through “Black Panther,” was honored after he died last week at the age of 43 following a private four-year battle with colon cancer.A viewing of “Black Panther” was held at an outdoor amphitheater where people practiced social distancing. Most attendees wore masks, while others — mostly kids — dressed up in Black Panther costumes.Some artwork of Boseman was displayed onstage during the tribute.A man watches the movie “Black Panther” during a Chadwick Boseman tribute in Anderson, S.C., Sept. 3, 2020.”He is the epitome of Black excellence,” said Deanna Brown-Thomas, the daughter of legendary singer James Brown and president of her father’s family foundation. She remembered when Boseman visited her family in Augusta, Georgia, before the actor portrayed her father in the 2014 film “Get on Up.”Boseman was a playwright who acted and directed in theater before playing the Marvel Comics character King T’Challa in “Black Panther,” which became one of the top-grossing films in history. He also wowed audiences in his portrayal of other Black icons, including Jackie Robinson in “42” and Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall,” and shined in other films such as Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods.”Brown-Thomas joked about how her family teased Boseman for being too tall to play her father. But she said Boseman was perfect for the role, admiring his humility as a high-profile actor.”He wasn’t Hollywood, and that’s what I loved about him,” she said.Khloe Murray, 5, of South Carolina holds her Black Panther doll during a Chadwick Boseman tribute in Anderson, S.C., Sept. 3, 2020.Anderson mayor Terence Roberts said people around town always knew Boseman would be special.”You know, he was always reading and always trying to get better,” Roberts said. “So from a work ethic point of view, it just doesn’t happen overnight. He showed us that we’ve got to hone our skills and just persevere.”In Anderson, a city of about 28,000 people, “there’s deep sadness and grief, but it has a bounce out of it that is such inspiration,” city spokeswoman Beth Batson said. That’s because Boseman inspired so many people in the community, she said.”It has been amazing to watch the grief, so to speak, blossom,” she said. “Now young people say ‘what can I do, what can I be.'”Pastor Samuel Neely said Boseman was active in church, speech and debate. The pastor said he baptized Boseman. He also praised Boseman for having high character.”Even though he plays these different people, I still see the person I knew as a child,” said Neely, who was Boseman’s childhood pastor. “When I see him, it’s almost like seeing my own child. He’s still Chad.”Thursday’s tribute was not a funeral, and members of Boseman’s immediate family did not plan to be in attendance, Boseman’s publicist, Nicki Fioravante, said in a statement.”On behalf of the Boseman family, we appreciate the community’s outpouring of love and admiration for Chadwick,” Fioravante said. 
 
…

Two stars at the Venice Film Festival, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, have praised the decision by the Berlin festival to award gender-neutral prizes, with Swinton predicting other award ceremonies will follow suit.
Organizers of the Berlin International Film Festival announced last month that they would stop awarding separate acting prizes to men and women starting next year. The best actor and actress Silver Bear prizes will now be replaced by best leading performance and best supporting performance awards.
Swinton, who received a Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement award at the Venice festival’s opening ceremony, said divisions by gender were a “waste of life.”
“And so I’m really happy to hear that about Berlin,” she told reporters Thursday. “And I think it’s pretty much inevitable that everybody will follow, because it’s just obvious to me.”
Blanchett, president of the Venice jury this year, said she instinctively calls herself an “actor.” She said it’s hard enough “to sit in judgment of other people’s work” and then even harder to break it down further along gender lines.
“I’m of a generation where the word “actress” was used always in a pejorative sense. So I think I claim the other space,” she said. “I think good performances are good performances, no matter the sexual orientation of the performers who are making them.”
The Venice festival has long been criticized for the lack of female directors in its in-competition films, with only four films made by women in the 62 films competing for the Golden Lion award between 2017 and 2019.
This year, the gender parity has improved, with 44% of the in-competition films directed by women.
Swinton was also in Venice to present a short film directed by Pedro Almodovar, “The Human Voice,” about a woman’s emotional response to being left by her lover over the phone.
…

A law firm with ties to prominent Democrats has filed a lawsuit attempting to keep rapper Kanye West off presidential ballots in Virginia.
Attorneys for Perkins Coie filed a lawsuit in Richmond on Tuesday on behalf of two people who say they were tricked into signing an “Elector Oath” backing West’s candidacy. Under state law, a candidate must have 13 electors pledge their support for a candidate as part of the criteria to appear on the ballot.
The lawsuit alleges that 11 of West’s 13 electors may be invalid and asks the court to block West’s name from appearing on ballots, which are set to be printed soon. Virginia will begin mailing absentee ballots later this month.
Lawyers for the West campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
West supported President Donald Trump for reelection until announcing his own presidential bid in July.
Democrats claim Republicans are pushing West’s candidacy in swing states to siphon Black votes from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
…

More than a dozen “60 Minutes” interviews with former President Barack Obama, beginning when he was a U.S. Senator, have been compiled into an audio release.
Simon & Schuster Audio announced Thursday that “Barack Obama: The 60 Minutes Interviews” will come out Oct. 13. The audiobook features CBS News journalist Steve Kroft, who first met with Obama in January 2007 and spoke with him throughout his presidency, culminating in a discussion shortly before Obama left office in 2017.
“Over the span of just a few years, Barack Obama evolved from inexperienced freshman senator into one of the most powerful people in the world,” Kroft said in a statement. “This audiobook collection allows listeners to hear that remarkable transformation in Obama’s own voice and words, as it is unfolding.”
The audiobook also includes joint interviews with Obama and his wife, Michelle, and former Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
…

Masks, sanitizers, and the most shocking of all – no crowds. After almost six months of closure and strict lockdown, New York City museums are finally reopening. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA and Whitney Museum – among others – are welcoming visitors again, but with a few COVID-related restrictions in place. Nina Vishneva has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.
…

In their driveways or in their bedrooms, using little cardboard boxes or piles of backyard dirt, young fans of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman paid their respects with lots of Wakanda salutes and mock funerals attended by action figures.
Soon after the shocking news of Boseman’s death Friday at age 43, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles began posting photos of funerals staged by kids for King T’Challa, the actor’s lead character from the Marvel blockbuster. Some of those posts have been shared thousands of times amid an outpouring of grief from admirers of all ages who were unaware he had been battling colon cancer for four years.
Other young fans mourned in more private ways, watching “Black Panther” and “42” for the umpteenth time with their families in Boseman’s honor.
To many kids, his passing was a life event, driven by the change-makers he portrayed but also by his heartfelt comments in awards speeches and interviews about the need for more opportunities for people of color.
Boseman’s King T’Challa, ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, was introduced in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” His “Wakanda Forever” salute reverberated around the world after the release of “Black Panther” two years ago. The actor’s turn as baseball great Jackie Robinson in “42” came out in 2013 and is now being discovered by younger fans.
Nick Cummings, 11, of Louisville, Kentucky, loves both films. He stumbled on word of Boseman’s death on TikTok, before his mother had broken the news.
“At first when I heard it I didn’t believe it,” he said Monday. “I felt like a part of me got erased.”
A little too old for action figure funerals, Nick, who is Black, donned his baseball jersey emblazoned with Robinson’s “42” and had no plans to take it off any time soon.
Twins Lenny and Bobby Homes in Mesa, Arizona, are 10. Their mom, Annalie, had no intention of telling the boys, who are Filipino American, about Boseman’s death, but they found out on their own Sunday on YouTube. They went the funeral route, using a black car seat for their prone Black Panther.
Dad David Homes is a big Marvel enthusiast. He began schooling his sons in both the comics and films when they were little. How many times have they seen “Black Panther”?
“A lot!” the two chimed in unison.
Of Boseman’s death, Lenny said: “We were really sad. He was one of our favorite actors. When we heard, we were like, the Panther needs a funeral. He was a good king. He was very nice and kind, and he followed the rules.”
Annalie said she wanted to shield the boys from the news because they lost a grandfather less than a month ago.
The twins have more than 100 action figures and their own YouTube channel. They gathered up 13 of their favorite characters for the funeral Sunday, including Thor, Black Widow, Rocket Raccoon, Hulk and Spider-Man. The toys’ arms can’t bend into the Wakanda salute, so the boys arranged them with arms extended, reaching out to T’Challa.
Djoser Burruss, 12, of San Diego took the news hard. One of his grandmothers died of the same type of cancer. Djoser, who is African American, posted a tribute to Boseman on Instagram: “R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman, the one and only Black Panther. We mourn your passing but you will forever live in our hearts. Thank you for showing us what KINGs do.”
In an interview Tuesday, Djoser added: “I saw it on my phone and I was devastated. We kind of owe it to ourselves to be better every day because not every day is guaranteed, just like Chadwick, but he did so much in those four years.”
His mother, Christina, said the family rewatched “Black Panther” last weekend, along with videos of Boseman speaking out on behalf of Black people to “soak up all of his energy and his wisdom.”
Gavyn Batiste, 7, in Lafayette, Louisiana, has seen “Black Panther” a half dozen times. He invited Captain America, Thor and Hulk, among other Avengers, to the funeral he held. He also wrote a song for T’Challa that goes like this:
“Black Panther is gone. I don’t know what to say. I never thought this would happen in my day. This is sad. I am mad. I don’t know how to feel. It still feels unreal. Wakanda Forever!”
Sonya Antoine, Gavyn’s mom, said the film offers Black children a “sense of hope, a sense of dreaming, and to just embrace who you are in your culture and what that culture can mean to you and your family.”
Nick’s mother, Deedee Cummings, writes children’s books with diverse characters and knows how rare it is to find afrocentric fare for children like the futuristic world in “Black Panther.” She recalled how happy her son was to see the film in a theater with a neighbor when it first came out. Both wore Wakanda gear.
The family watched the movie again on TV after Boseman’s death. Nick sat solemnly this time around.
“He never sits still,” Deedee said. “This time he did.”
Deedee thinks parents shouldn’t keep the news of Boseman’s death from their young kids.
“It’s so important to acknowledge this loss to children, especially Black children,” she said.
Susan Nicholas in Atlanta also writes for children. Her book, “The Death of Cupcake,” is out in November and focuses on grief among kids. Boseman’s death, she said, may be difficult for parents to discuss because they’re reluctant to burst the larger-than-life bubble created in movies.
“But kids actually have insights that are quite profound,” she said. “We can all elevate our perspectives around death to really heal from that. At the end of the day, those are human beings in those costumes and they succumb to death, too, even if Hollywood doesn’t allow them to die.”
…

With the coronavirus outbreak, people worldwide have become preoccupied with a threat so physically small that it can’t be seen. The invisible world of viruses has long fascinated multi-media artist Laura Splan, who is artist in residence at a biotech lab researching Covid-19. Matt Dibble takes a closer look.
Camera, Producer: Matt Dibble
…

American singer Akon says he is moving ahead with plans to break ground on a $6 billion futuristic self-named city in Senegal next year. On Monday, Akon traveled with government officials to the site of the planned project in the rural community of Mbodienne, well outside the capital, Dakar. Akon, whose real name is Aliuane Thiam, said he sees Akon city becoming the beginning of Africa’s future, with the latest technologies, cryptocurrencies. Akon, the son of Senegalese parents who spent his early childhood in the West African nation, also hopes the project will provide much needed jobs for Senegalese and be a refuge for Black Americans and others facing racial prejudice. Akon’s project, which was first announced two years ago, has won him favor with Senegalese authorities who praise him for investing in Africa at a time of uncertainty in global tourism. Akon said his idea for the city precedes the blockbuster movie “Black Panther,” but he likened his city as a “real-life Wakanda,” the technologically advanced fictional African place portrayed in the movie. 
…

Hong Kong’s booksellers and publishers, long known as champions of freedom of expression in the Chinese territory, are now under greater threat following the new National Security Law enacted in July.Now, booksellers could run afoul of laws that carry strict punishments for vague offenses such as “separating the country” and “subverting state power.”Hillway Press, an independent publishing house in Hong Kong, has been mainly publishing online novels and textbooks. After last year’s anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement, it began publishing books on social issues. The publisher said authorities are looking for an excuse to publicly punish someone as an example to others.”The printing house has received the information that politicians are looking for publishers of political books to kill the chickens to scare the monkeys,” said a Hillway Press executive who requested anonymity and is referred to as Mr. C.He said the chilling effect had appeared long before the adoption of the national security law. The company’s latest publication, “To Freedom,” which included articles about the anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement, was rejected by six printing houses.Bookseller Lam Wing-kee waves to supporters outside his Causeway Bay Books bookstore before taking part in a protest march in Hong Kong, June 18, 2016.The book’s planning and drafting began in April. When the draft was finished at the end of May, China’s Communist Party put the Hong Kong version of the national security law on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s agenda. A long-term printing house partner of the publishing house suddenly changed its mind and declined to print the book because of the sensitive content. Hillway Press had to have the book printed and bound at different companies so it could be published.”To Freedom” contains many words that criticize the Communist Party of China. To protect interviewees and business partners, the publishing house deleted the sensitive content. “Liberate” has been changed to “free” and “reconstruct.” “Anti-CCP” has been taken out. Paragraphs discussing “Hong Kong independence” have been deleted, and illustrations with the words “Liberate Hong Kong” on the cover have been reduced in transparency.”I am deeply saddened by this self-castration,” said Mr. C. “Under the new legal framework, the publishing industry’s biggest concern is where the red line is.”The blurry legal definition leads to white terror, which leads to fewer social issues that can be explored and, as a result, fewer books that can be published. Mr. C expects Hong Kong’s publishing industry to shrink.”The most frightening thing about the national security law is that there have been no official and clear instructions as to which words and subject matters can be published and which cannot be mentioned. Under such circumstances, we are actually very worried that we will break the law by accident,” he said.On the fourth day of the legislation becoming law, the Hong Kong Public Library immediately took at least nine political books off its shelves, including the works of Chen Yun, a scholar, Joshua Wong, an activist, and Tanya Chan, a Legislative Council member.”All along, what best reflected freedom of speech in Hong Kong is our freedom of the press,” said Mr. C. “For a long time, Hong Kong was a place where a hundred flowers bloomed, a hundred schools of thought contended. The books that are banned in Taiwan and mainland China could be bought in Hong Kong. With the national security law, some subjects can no longer be discussed, and some words will not be able to get published.”A column of books on the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy movement, with a tag which reads “Don’t forget June 4th”, are displayed inside a bookstore in Hong Kong which sells books that banned in mainland China, Nov. 6, 2012.Hong Kong Reader Bookstore is an independent bookstore that sells books on humanities and social sciences, with political books accounting for about 30% of the bookstore’s sales. Daniel Lee, the store’s director, also said the terrible thing about the national security law was the blurring of the redlines.”The usual practice in Hong Kong is that as long as the government does not specify what is illegal, we can do it. However, it has always been the practice in the mainland that you do not know that you have broken the law until the moment you are arrested.”Lee pointed out that there was no clear list of which titles would be officially banned from sale, causing problems for bookstores.”Maybe until one day when the national security police suddenly show up at the bookstore, we won’t know that a book is forbidden. But we will have already broken the law by accident.”Lee said that when he opened the bookstore, he only wanted to promote Hong Kong’s reading culture and never thought that selling books would become a political mission.”We didn’t choose to be on the front line of freedom of speech,” he said. “But in the end, freedom of expression in Hong Kong is endangered, and as bookstores, we have become the reluctant center of this matter.”Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
…

Lady Gaga cleaned house at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, while The Weeknd took home the top prize — and both pop stars sent important messages to viewers about the current state of the world: “Wear a mask” and “Justice for Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor.” Gaga won five honors Sunday, most of them for her No. 1 hit with Ariana Grande, “Rain on Me,” which the pop stars performed live for the first time. “Wear a mask. It’s a sign of respect,” Gaga said during one of her several appearances onstage as she accepted awards like artist of the year, song of the year and the MTV Tricon award. With an electronic mask, Gaga performed a medley of her songs, including “Stupid Love,” “Chromatica II” and “911.” She and Grande were joined by a number of background dancers all wearing masks. The Weeknd, the first performer of the night, paid tribute to Blake and Taylor — two Black people who were shot by police officers — after winning video of the year and best R&B for “Blinding Lights.” “It’s really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment, so I’m just going to say: justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor,” he said. Keke Palmer performs during the 2020 MTV VMAs in this screen grab image made available on Aug. 30, 2020. (VIACOM/Handout via Reuters)The VMAs kicked off with another touching moment, as host Keke Palmer told viewers the show was dedicated to Chadwick Boseman, who died Friday at age 43 after privately battling colon cancer for four years. “We dedicate tonight’s show to a man whose spirit touched so many. He’s a true hero, not just on-screen,” Palmer said. “His impact lives forever.” The show also took moments to honor Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke, rappers who died in recent months though their current albums continue to dominate the pop charts and streaming services. The Black Eyed Peas perform during the 2020 MTV VMAs in this screen grab image made available on Aug. 30, 2020. (VIACOM/Handout via Reuters)The Black Eyed Peas, who closed the two-hour-plus show with Nicky Jam and Tyga, ended their set by saying, “Black Lives Matter.” And R&B star H.E.R. won the video for good award for her protest anthem about police brutality and systemic racism, “I Can’t Breathe.” “I’m super proud of everybody speaking out on social injustice,” H.E.R. said. But most of the show was dedicated to fun performances — some pre-taped, some filmed in various locations in New York City, though the performance locations weren’t always clear. The VMAs were originally supposed to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but plans changed because of the pandemic. The Weeknd performs during the 2020 MTV VMAs in this screen grab image made available on Aug. 30, 2020. (VIACOM/Handout via Reuters)Colombian singer and best Latin winner Maluma sang from Brooklyn, while The Weeknd performed from Manhattan. Pop all-stars BTS, who won four awards including best pop and best group, performed from South Korea. They were top-notch during the pre-taped performance, which featured their signature, skilled choreography. The seven band members danced and sang in sharp suits, at some points with the backdrop of Times Square behind them. DaBaby, backed by the dance crew Jabbawockeez, ran through several of his hits, including “Rock Star.” During the latter track, he rapped while jumping on top of a police car, with a burning city as his backdrop. And Doja Cat, who was named Push best new artist, gave a futuristic performance of her hits “Say So” and “Like That.” Other performers included Latin boy band CNCO and Miley Cyrus, who ended her performance of “Midnight Sky” by sitting on top of a large disco ball, replicating her viral “Wrecking Ball” clip from 2013. Ariana Grande performs during the 2020 MTV VMAs in this screen grab image made available on Aug. 30, 2020. (VIACOM/Handout via Reuters)As for top honors, Grande tied BTS with four wins. Her No. 1 duet with Justin Bieber, “Stuck with U,” won best music video from home — one of two new awards MTV established as artists have made shifts because of the pandemic. CNCO won best quarantine performance for “MTV Unplugged at Home.” Megan Thee Stallion won best hip-hop for “Savage” and Taylor Swift won best direction for “The Man.” “This is the very first video that I’ve ever directed on my own. And I just I’m so grateful for this,” Swift said. “I wanted to take an opportunity to say thank to the team who believed in me as a first-time director and made this video with me.”  
…