Top Russian officials decried the recommendations by a World Anti-Doping Agency committee to suspend Russia from international competition over tainted athlete doping probes — the latest in a drawn out saga over accusations of Russian state sponsored doping that has roiled global sport since 2014.Russian athletes, unsurprisingly, joined in expressing …

Thanksgiving came early for a group of New York City commuters who enjoyed a holiday feast on a subway train.      Video footage shows riders standing behind a white-clothed table covered with plates of turkey, mashed potatoes and cornbread in the middle of a Brooklyn-bound L train on Sunday.      Stand-up comedian …

In September 1789, members of America’s first Congress approached the nation’s first president, George Washington, and asked him to call for a national Thanksgiving.That seemingly benign request ignited a furor in Congress over presidential powers and states’ rights. Critics had two main concerns with the idea of a presidential proclamation …

Happy Thanksgiving to you in the land your forefathers stole.That’s the in-your-feast message Native Americans are preparing to send as they convene their 50th annual National Day of Mourning in the seaside town where the Pilgrims settled.United American Indians of New England has held the solemn remembrance on every Thanksgiving …

Moroccan rapper Gnawi knew the police would come when he and two friends released an unusually outspoken video exposing their country’s problems with migration and drugs and expressing frustration with the king.And sure enough, they did. Gnawi, a former military serviceman whose real name is Mohamed Mounir, was handed a …

Russia faces a four-year ban from global sporting events, including next year’s Tokyo Olympics, because of a continued failure to cooperate with anti-doping investigators.The ban recommendation made Tuesday by the compliance panel of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), came after investigators found evidence of a further drug cover-up by Russian …

Gahan Wilson, whose humorous and often macabre cartoons were a mainstay in magazines including Playboy, the New Yorker and National Lampoon, died last week. He was 89.Wilson’s stepson, Paul Winters, said he died Nov. 21 in Scottsdale, Arizona, from complications of dementia.Wilson delighted readers with his haunting scenes and dark …

The holiday season officially began at the White House Monday, as first lady Melania Trump received the 2019 White House Christmas tree.   Unlike last year, President Donald Trump did not attend the tree presentation.   The tree arrived by jingle bell-adorned horse and carriage, continuing an annual White House …

Taylor Swift has moonwalked past Michael Jackson’s record at the 2019 American Music Awards, taking home six honors including artist of the year and artist of the decade.The pop star, who walked into Sunday night’s show with 23 AMAs, surpassed the King of Pop’s 24 wins at the fan-voted show. …

Feature films on slavery have been part of Hollywood since the beginning of the film industry in United States. However, only recently, movies on slavery have been told from the perspective of the slaves, and now, with the film “Harriet” from the perspective of a female slave.  “Harriet”, the latest …

Jessye Norman was remembered as a force of nature as thousands filled the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday for a celebration of the soprano, who died Sept. 30 at age 74.Sopranos Renee Fleming, Latonia Moore, Lise Davidsen and Leah Hawkins sang tributes along with mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and bass-baritone Eric …

There is a historic art museum in Washington that honors people whose lives reflect the American story. It’s called the National Portrait Gallery.   Every two years dignitaries and celebrities from all walks of life gather for a gala to celebrate extraordinary individuals.  Maxim Moskalkov attended this year’s event and spoke …

His TV neighborhood, was, of course, a realm of make believe — a child’s-eye view of community summoned into being by an oddly understanding adult, cobbled together from a patchwork of stage sets, model houses and pure, unsullied love.Visiting it each day, with Mister Rogers as guide, you’d learn certain …

A sculptor known for trying to redress history through her art is creating the first statue of real-life women for New York’s Central Park, where the only females so honored until now have been fictional characters.Meredith Bergmann’s vision for the sculpture, chosen from 91 submissions, features three women’s rights pioneers …

Susan Choi’s novel “Trust Exercise,” in which a high school romance is spun out into a web of memories and perspectives, has won the National Book Award for fiction.Sarah M. Broom’s family memoir “The Yellow House” won in nonfiction and Martin W. Sandler’s “1919 The Year That Changed America” for …

The Grammys are screaming “Cuz I Love You” to Lizzo: The breakthrough singer-rapper scored a whopping eight nominations, including bids for the top four awards, making her the show’s top-nominated act.Lizzo picked up nominations for album of the year with her major-label debut, “Cuz I Love You”; song and record …

Tom Hanks has never played a superhero. But when the actor recently donned a very simple cardigan sweater, and the slacks to go with it, he felt like one.“I felt like Batman. It felt like I was wearing the cape and the cowl of the Dark Knight detective,” Hanks says. …

Country vocal group Lady Antebellum know how to move people to tears with their songs and their newest record feels as vulnerable and honest as a therapy session.The trio of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood are known for their heartfelt harmonies and emotional resonance on songs like the …

Construction work has been completed at Tokyo’s National Stadium, set to be the centerpiece of next year’s Olympic Games, the site’s owners said on Tuesday.The Japan Sports Council said the final work had been completed on Thursday with just the final quality and safety checks remaining before the stadium opens …

It is a dangerous time to be a child in Yemen. Besides facing war, widespread malnutrition and abject poverty, more than 25 percent of children are not in school.But 8-year-old singer Amr Muqbel, known as “The Water Seller,” is different.He attends school in the morning. In the afternoons he used …

Construction work has been completed at Tokyo’s National Stadium, set to be the centerpiece of next year’s Olympic Games, the site’s owners said on Tuesday.The Japan Sports Council said the final work had been completed on Thursday with just the final quality and safety checks remaining before the stadium opens …

When Idina Menzel first started performing “Let It Go” live in concerts, she thought the lyrics and soaring vocals would empower all those young girls in the audience dressed up as Elsa.Instead, Menzel said she often walked away from those performances feeling just as inspired.”I feel an extreme sense of …

Paul McCartney is to headline the 50th anniversary of Glastonbury in June next year, the world’s largest greenfield festival, organizers announced on Monday.”Hey Glasto – excited to be part of your Anniversary celebrations. See ya next year!” the 77-year-old former Beatle tweeted.The “Hey Jude” hitmaker will be the headline act …

Nigeria’s Oscar Committee is urging the country’s filmmakers to use more native languages in their productions.  This, after the U.S. Academy Awards disqualified a Nigerian entry in the International Feature Film category because the movie used too much English.  While some in Nigeria’s Hollywood – known as Nollywood – support …

Academy Awards rejected first Nollywood Netflix original “Lionheart” from International Feature Film category for lacking non-English dialogue …