Pandemic

With Australia's two biggest cities again in lockdown, the arts industry says it's been hung out to dry. Despite federal and state funding for individuals and businesses hit by rolling COVID-19 lockdowns, artists and entertainers feel forgotten. Sydney-based juggler and comedian James Bustar says many in the industry have thrown…

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy revealed during the White House news briefing Thursday that he’s lost 10 family members to the coronavirus. Murthy, who joined the briefing in an effort to urge Americans to get their shots amid lagging vaccination rates, was candid about his own experience during the pandemic. His…

Foo Fighters, who have been ushering in a way to tour safely as the pandemic eased, announced late Wednesday (July 14) that they're postponing Saturday’s planned show at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., after there was a “confirmed COVID-19 case within the Foo Fighters organization,” according to the band’s Instagram.…

Members of the Iraqi civil defence disinfect shops and streets in the old town of the central city of Karbala. — AFP/FileIraq's health ministry reported 9,635 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, the highest figure this month, days after a medical facility fire killed dozens and re-ignited anger over the country's failing…

Umno’s political gamble comes at the worst point of the worst arc the pandemic has coughed up for Malaysians so far. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 14, 2021. UMNO’s love-hate relationship with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government hit another milestone last week, with the “official” withdrawal of support…

LONDON: London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Wednesday called for use of face coverings to remain compulsory on public transport in the British capital after government plans to relax Covid curbs begin on July 19. Under the plans passengers on Transport for London (TfL) services - which include the city's tube,…

The most useful advice I’ve retained from my undergraduate program in creative writing is a lesson about structure from producer and screenwriter Peggy Thompson. She trained us to watch movies with a stopwatch, clocking the timing of different plot points, such as the call to action, the midpoint, and the…

(Variety) The tear-jerking, patriotic pandemic film “Chinese Doctors” locked down a $53.5 million China opening weekend, according to Maoyan, setting itself up to become the most commercially successful political tribute film so far this year.Such films have been helped along by a line-up cleared of competitors. This week, only political films,…

There have been many examples of heroism during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need look no further than the scores of health professionals around the world who put their lives at risk to care for COVID-19 infected patients. Many of these workers contracted the virus, and a good number have lost…

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow. Audiences went to the movie theatre in pandemic record numbers this weekend to catch the first Marvel movie released in two years. Jay Maidment/The Associated Press Even with an option to watch “Black Widow” at home, audiences went to the movie theatre in pandemic record…