It’s been 20 years since Princess Diana’s death, yet her legacy has barely faded.   Now, dozens of items with a direct connection to one of the most admired women in the world — from articles of clothing, to jewelry, to signed papers and photographs, and even to a piece …

Making movies gets more terrifying the older you get, British actress Judi Dench said on Monday, a day after her latest royal comedy drama “Victoria & Abdul” premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Dench, who won an Oscar for her role in “Shakespeare in Love” and was nominated for Academy …

Medieval costumes. A bright pink Cinderella’s dress and a few dozen military-like helmets. One of the oldest theaters in Washington, DC, Arena Stage put decades worth of costumes up for sale. VOA’s Lesia Bakalets and Kaishuo Zhao attend the event in this report narrated by Joy Wagner. …

By artist Sharon Hayes’ count, Philadelphia has more than 1,500 sculptures honoring male historic figures — heroes on horseback, visionaries with arms folded and eyes looking forward, the usual roundup of Founding Fathers. By contrast, there are only two sculptures dedicated to women — religious martyrs Joan of Arc and …

In the midst of a long-running and ruinous war, millions of Syrians may finally have something to be joyful about. Syria’s national soccer team has a chance to qualify for next year’s World Cup — what would be the Arab nation’s first-ever appearance in the sport’s most prestigious event. The …

Miranda Lambert leads her peers with five Country Music Association nominations, followed closely by Little Big Town and Keith Urban with four each. Lambert was nominated Monday for song and single of the year for Tin Man, and also earned nods for album, female vocalist and best video of the …

A rock and roll fan with a penchant for harmony and obtuse references, Walter Becker, the guitarist, bassist and co-founder of the 1970s rock group Steely Dan, which sold more than 40 million albums and produced such hit singles as “Reelin’ In the Years,” “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number” and …

John Ashbery, an enigmatic genius of modern poetry whose energy, daring and boundless command of language raised American verse to brilliant and baffling heights, died early Sunday at age 90. Ashbery, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and often mentioned as a Nobel candidate, died at his home in Hudson, New …

The Grand Canyon — one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World — is one of nature’s most stunning creations. Located in the southwestern state of Arizona, the majestic site has inspired adventurers, poets and painters for hundreds of years. Whether looking down from its massive rim or up from …

Serena Williams has given birth to a baby girl, the first child for the former world’s No. 1 tennis player, her coach Patrick Mouratoglou said via Twitter Friday. The 35-year-old American, who is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, has not competed since winning the Australian Open in January but …

American musician Eric Alabaster loves Pakistani food, culture, speaks Urdu, and plays “Desi” music. His music studio in Brooklyn, New York, is known as “Little Pakistan.” VOA Deewaa’s Samin Ahsan has his story. …

Comedian Shelley Berman, who won gold records and appeared on top television shows in the 1950s and 1960s delivering wry monologues about the annoyances of everyday life, has died. He was 92. Berman died Friday at his home in Bell Canyon, California, from complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to spokesman …

Harry Potter’s magical world is coming alive like never before. Fans of the best-selling books and films can now fly through the boy wizard’s Hogwarts School and its quidditch pitch, in an immersive digital experience. The Hogwarts Experience was launched on the fan website Pottermore.com on Friday to coincide with …

The Grand Canyon — one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World — has inspired adventurers, poets and painters for hundreds of years. Whether looking down from its massive rim or up from the rushing waters of the Colorado River, it’s easy to see how it got its name. …

“Yes We Can,” President Barack Obama’s famous catch phrase, was borrowed from a petite fiery American Latina named Dolores Huerta. Not many people know Huerta’s name, or her contributions to American civil rights, but a new documentary, Dolores, by filmmaker Peter Bratt reveals 70 years of her rich life and …

Pop star Miley Cyrus and Oscar-winning actors Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio pledged funds to help victims of storm Harvey, while Beyonce on Thursday said she was sending a team to her Houston, Texas hometown to help with relief efforts. A donation drive organized by Houston Texans NFL star J.J. …

It’s been a year of transition for Fifth Harmony: The pop stars parted ways with member Camila Cabello, switched management teams, negotiated a new contract with their label and won greater creative control of their brand.   Luckily the newly-minted quartet, who released their third album last week, had the …

Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is an aquatic Beauty and the Beast, a transgressive fairy tale about a young woman’s love for a scaly creature from the Amazonian depths. Like the best fables, it’s also rooted in the real world: the story of a migrant from the south …

Downsizing has generated jumbo-sized buzz at the Venice Film Festival — not least as viewers debate how to describe it. Is it a science fiction film, a romantic comedy, a political parable, an apocalyptic thriller? Alexander Payne’s movie mixes all those elements in its story of a man, played by …

The U.S. is playing a World Cup qualifier in the New York metropolitan area for the first time, a critical match against Costa Rica on Friday night at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The Americans have played plenty of matches in and near the Big Apple, mostly in …

The Archbishop of Paris is on a 100 million-euro ($120 million) fundraising drive to save the crumbling gargoyles and gothic arches of the storied Notre-Dame cathedral. Every year, 12 million to 14 million people visit the 12th-century Parisian landmark on an island in the Seine river. Groundbreaking for the structure …

Kim Kardashian West and her famous siblings are donating $500,000 to help Harvey victims. A spokeswoman for the reality star says she and her mother and sisters have given $250,000 to the Red Cross and $250,000 to the Salvation Army. Kardashian West announced the donation on Twitter on Tuesday, saying, …

Beyonce says she’s working with her charity to assist those in her hometown affected by Tropical Storm Harvey.   The Houston native says in a statement to The Houston Chronicle late Monday that “my heart goes out to my hometown, Houston, and I remain in constant prayer for those affected.” …

The Venice Film Festival is kicking off the fall cinema season with searing drama, serious glamour and a crop of new movies vying for attention, awards and acclaim.   Thanks to its late-summer time slot, just ahead of rivals in Telluride and Toronto, the world’s oldest cinema festival has become …

A United Nations human rights panel called on the Russian Federation on Monday to step up prosecutions of racist attacks by ultra-nationalists and neo-Nazis and of hate speech by politicians. Russian authorities must intensify measures to “vigorously combat racist behavior in sports, particularly in football, and ensure that sports regulatory …