Category: people

Fazil Say “has been charged with religious defamation under Article 216/3 of the Turkish Penal Code in response to a series of messages he posted and re-tweeted” to declare his own atheism. This week the prosecutor requested a professional assessment of whether Say is autistic, offering to end the case if the diagnosis was positive (“because I am not without a conscience”). The judge denied the motion.

Lauren Collins examines the roots of Depardieu’s outraged reaction to France’s proposed tax increase on income in excess of one million euros, his feelings of betrayal, the arguments of his supporters and opponents, and the slightly ridiculous turns the story has taken.

A new exhibition at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem has been changing the monarch’s public image from that of a murderous villain and Roman imperial stooge (in the Jewish Talmud as well as the Christian Gospels) to that of an interesting and accomplished historical figure.

“Award-winning author Hilary Mantel [Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies] found herself surrounded by a storm of controversy Tuesday, as excerpts emerged from a recent lecture in which she skewers what she views as the public’s simplified view of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.”

“It appears that Dudamel, 32, is considering not returning to Israel based on the unpleasant experiences. The conductor was reportedly not carrying the orchestra’s letter of invitation and this was what led to the interrogations. But at least one classical music blog disputes this version of events.”

“Ono celebrated the big 8-0 a day early, performing Sunday at the legendary Volksbühne in Berlin. On stage at the theater, she was accompanied by son Sean Ono Lennon, who led the Plastic Ono Band during the performance.”

“Although he excelled in the plays of Alan Ayckbourn, and became a national figure in his television sitcoms of the 1970s and 80s, notably The Good Life, he could mine hidden depths on stage, giving notable performances in Ibsen, Chekhov and, for Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance company, Shakespeare.”

“It took no more than a couple of hours for the meteorite in Chelyabinsk Region to generate a wave of gags and Internet memes. … In particular, the Russian-speaking Twitter community outdid itself. Dozens of accounts were opened on behalf of the meteorite itself.”