ENTERTAINMENT

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The contribution of the entertainment industry to the country’s economy is higher than previously reported, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The new figures, released after UBOS re-based the economy, show that the entertainment industry grew by 30 percent in 2016/17 compared to …

Versailles, France | AFP | The last time the strains of the aria “Oh Richard! Oh my king!” echoed around the Opera Royal at Versailles it was for Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette just before they were dragged off to Paris and their doom by their revolting subjects. The piece from “Richard …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dr Hamza Sebunya yesterday took a first step to wedding Ugandan musician  Rema Namakula, by visiting her parents in a traditional ceremony called ‘Kukyala’.  Looking elegant, she shared photographs on Facebook of the joyful occasion held on Uganda’s Independence Day, at her parent’s home in …

New York, United States | AFP | Director Martin Scorsese unveiled his new film “The Irishman” Friday, kicking off the New York film festival with the ambitious Netflix movie that was more than a decade in the making. The star-studded gangster epic had a budget of $160 million, using 117 different …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | Berlin boxer Zeina Nassar’s fighting spirit has won her plenty of titles, but her battle to wear the hijab in the ring has also made her an equal opportunity champion. Today, the 21-year-old, who discovered female boxing by watching online videos as a teenager, is a …

Zurich, Switzerland | AFP |  Heidi and Super Mario may not seem to have much in common but anime and video game aficionados will detect the signature style of Japanese character designer Yoichi Kotabe in both. Far from the Swiss Alps, the cherished 19th-century storybook character Heidi has played an unlikely …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  A team of actors from Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria have acted a movie dubbed “Kyaddala” loosely translated as it’s real. The film reveals sex violations against teenagers both in and out of school. Brought together by Reach a Hand Uganda –RAHU, a youth led non-governmental organisation, the …

Vienna, Austria | AFP | With his lederhosen and lyrics about his love for the mountains, Andreas Gabalier has become the biggest name in Austrian pop music, but recently has had to defend himself against claims of far-right sympathies. As the political atmosphere in Austria hots up ahead of parliamentary elections …

  New Delhi, India | AFP |  Siddharth Desai grew up in humble surroundings but now he’s living the life of a millionaire sportsman, driving a souped-up jeep and taking selfies with fans — and it’s all thanks to kabaddi. The ancient game has undergone a glitzy makeover through the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan musician Eddy Kenzo has written a 700 word missive on facebook following reports that his partner Rema Namakula is set to wed a doctor, Hamza Sebunya. Here it is, un-edited, mainly in Luganda and in uglish. ****** I wanted to record this on …