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 Ibn Said, lived the remainder of his life enslaved in the American South, and his story might have been forgotten …

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 recover as many as possible. In 2014 and 2015, during its occupation of most of the country, the jihadist group …

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 a sneak peek at the film Sunday night where the most-common word used to praise it was “weird.” “Dan is …

“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 and producers plan to land it on Broadway this fall. “You Oughta Know” was a song on that Grammy-winning album. …

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 at the Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York. Hines, who was known for his unique style of tap dancing, …

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, north of Cairo, an area known for producing fine wines in antiquity. There was no wine found in the storage …

“Black Panther” took the top award at Sunday’s 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, giving Ryan Coogler’s superhero sensation its most significant awards-season honor yet and potentially setting up Wakanda for a major role at next month’s Academy Awards. The two leading Oscar nominees – “Roma” and “The Favorite” – were …

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 a DJ seriously. Lieutenant Acu Rhodes says it started as a casual pastime, but quickly became a serious devotion. So …

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 in a musical whirlwind, with the same appetite for popular music to jazz, from conducting to film. “Since I was …

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 despite what he called “wounds of the church’s own sin.”    He did not specify what he meant by that, …

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 of his visit to Panama, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church is also to meet with student priests at …

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 festival 22 years ago with another film, “The Myth of Fingerprints,” before marriage, children and everything else. “In between there …

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 show’s growth and impact, Connell says not to expect too many flashbacks on the telecast, which will be broadcast on …

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 New York City defense attorney for a four-person team that’s full of courtroom star power. The disgraced Hollywood mogul was …

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 Sam, played by actress Noomi Rapce, who accompanies two journalists across war-torn terrain in a vehicle that is ambushed by …

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 the final at the Australian Open. Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, …

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 party. Police questioned Brown and the others before releasing them from custody without charges Tuesday. The Paris prosecutor’s office says …

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 nightclub amphitheater-style complex that is set to open in April. Above and Beyond, G-EAZY, Kaskade and Skrillex are among the …

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” will begin pre-Broadway performances at Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre on Oct. 29 and run through Dec. 1.   The previously confirmed …

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 the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots came together in New York City on Wednesday to announce the launch of an …

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 “The Mothers-In-Law,” has died. She was 93. Ballard died Monday night at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, after a …

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 finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls, a collection of manuscripts, some more than 2,000 years old, were first …

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 — Netflix and Marvel — each scored their first best picture nomination. Though many expected “A Star Is Born,” Bradley …

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 charges of aggravated rape and drug infractions and remained in custody Tuesday, a judicial official said. Investigators have another two …

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 box office successes and awards, and this year is shaping up to be no different. The slate boasts a wide …